Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2018 18:51:46 GMT -6
Nick Kwiatkoski was quietly one of NFL's most efficient linebackers in 2017
By: Lorin Cox | 2 hours ago
Nick Kwiatkoski only played on about 35 percent of the Chicago Bears’ total defensive snaps in 2018, but he made the most of every opportunity.
Pro Football Focus highlighted his production in their “signature stats” that look at how well a player performs on a per-snap basis, rather that total volume numbers that overlook players who didn’t play as much.
The second-year linebacker ranked third at his position in “run-stop percentage” last season, which PFF defines as “the amount of defensive stops a defender makes against the run compared to the amount of snaps he played in run defense.”
Kwiatkoski also wasn’t tagged for a missed tackle against the run all season. He still has to share time on the field with Danny Trevathan and newly-drafted Roquan Smith, but should be able to capitalize on a great year after being drafted in the fourth round from West Virginia in 2016.
Kwiatkoski also ranked fourth in “pass-rush productivity,” which is a similar type of stat that looks at pressuring the quarterback. This stat has a smaller sample size for inside linebackers, and he ranked right behind Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks.
As mentioned before, Kwiatkoski was PFF’s 12th-highest graded inside linebacker overall and he showed well when rushing the passer as well. His 21.0 pass-rush productivity ranked fourth and came on the heels of his rookie season in which he ranked 10th in the same category in 2016.
His ability to make plays in run defense and as a blitzer should bode well for his future, wherever it may lead him. He likely won’t take much playing time away from Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan in 2018, but at the very least, he provides quality young depth at an important position.
