Better Dallas Cowboys LB: Predator or Wolf Hunter?
By Joel Deering
Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch form one of the best young LB duos in the NFL. If you could only have one Dallas Cowboys LB, who would you choose?
Pro Football Focus recently ranked the best LB duos in the NFL during the 2018 NFL season. Which LB duo ranked No. 1 on that list? It was Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch of the Dallas Cowboys.
It’s not surprising to see these two guys at the top. Individually, Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith ranked fourth and fifth on Pro Football Focus’ list of best off-ball LBs, earning grades of 84.9 and 84.4. With both being graded in the top five at the position, it only makes sense they earned the title of best LB duo.
Both Smith and Vander Esch were a huge part in leading the Cowboys to the sixth ranked defense (points per game) during their 2018 campaign. Only on three occasions did the Cowboys allow more than 25 points to their opponents during both the regular and postseason. Their defensive success was due large in part because of their two young, stud LBs, and it wouldn’t have been the same without them.
With the two LBs being ranked as the best duo in the NFL, it made me wonder which Dallas Cowboys LB I would choose if I could only have one.
If you’re looking at the PFF grades, you could easily point to LVE’s grade of 84.9 and say he’s the obvious choice because Jaylon Smith only received a grade of 84.4. I don’t think it’s that easy.
A difference of 0.5 in their grades is anything but obvious. Therefore, I thought I’d take a deeper look into each Dallas Cowboys LB and determine who I’d rather have if I could only choose one.