Celebrate 'National Stuffing Day' with the NFL's best run-stuffers

In fact, his run-stopping abilities get better every year. Back in 2022, Watt ranked 13th among edge-rushers with a 77.1 grade in run defense. Last year he tied Denver's Baron Browning for eighth place with an 80.7 score. Today he leads the position with 92.5 grade against the run and a team-high 12 tackles for a loss.

LB | Elandon Roberts | Pittsburgh Steelers

Technically speaking, the Colts’ Segun Olubi’s leads all linebackers with a 92.6 grade against the run but he’s played just one game. Therefore, we give the nod to Roberts, a nine-year veteran brought over from the Patriots in 2023.

Last year, Roberts’ 72.5 grade ranked 45th on PFF. This year, his 92.3 mark is second only to Olubi. Teammates Patrick Queen (five) and Alex Highsmith (four) have more tackles for a loss than Roberts (three) but neither player ever made a tackle like this:

CB | Mike Hilton | Cincinnati Bengals

As a cornerback, Hilton is rarely in position to leap over offensive linemen, but he's led Cincinnati’s secondary in tackles for a loss since joining the team in 2021. He also leads all NFL cornerbacks with 92.3 grade for run defense from PFF. 

In Week 5, Hilton raised eyebrows with an expletive-laden critique of the team’s defense performance after sitting out the game with a knee injury. Things haven’t gotten much better for the 4-7 Bengals since then, but it’s hardly the fault of their sure-tackling cornerback.

S | Kyle Hamilton | Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore may have the league’s worst pass defense but only the Vikings are better against the run thanks in part to Hamilton and his 91.1 run defense grade, tops among safeties on PFF. As a rookie, Hamilton’s 87.7 grade against the run ranked eighth among safeties but he finished last year ranked 150th in what turned out to be an All-Pro season.

That’s hard to compute but one thing is certain. Any team looking to run against Hamilton’s Ravens better have a backup plan.