PFF ranks Bobby Okereke among league's top linebackers
The Giants have added a lot of new pieces to their defense over the past two offseasons.
The defensive line and secondary have both gone through major transformations with new starters brought into the fold since the conclusion of the 2023 campaign. However, the team's linebackers, at least at the starting level, have remained the same. This is due in part to the performance of inside linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron recently ranked the NFL's top 32 linebackers going into the 2025 season, in which Okereke came in at No. 6.
"Despite some perception that Okereke had an off year in Shane Bowen's system this past season, his metrics tell a much different story," Cameron wrote. "Even though he dealt with a herniated disc that ended his season early, Okereke finished with the 12th-highest PFF overall grade (74.9) among qualifying linebackers.
"Having posted three straight seasons eclipsing a 73.0 PFF overall grade, Okereke is a model of consistency at one of the most volatile positions in the game, and will be again should his recovery go well."
Okereke started 12 games for the Giants last season before his campaign was cut short due to a back injury. The veteran linebacker totaled 93 tackles (47 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits to go with three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and three passes defensed.
The 28-year-old enjoyed a career-year with the Giants in his first season with the team back in 2023. That year, he registered career-highs in sacks (2.5), forced fumbles (four), passes defensed (10), tackles for loss (11) and quarterback hits (six) while finishing just two tackles shy of his previous high of 151.
Over the last two seasons, Okereke and Micah McFadden have combined to form a strong linebacker duo in the middle of the Giants' defense. The latter reached some new high marks of his own this past season, including tackles (107) and sacks (three), while starting all 14 games he played in.
Here are PFF's top 10 linebackers heading into the 2025 season:
- Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
- Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
- Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders
- Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens
- Dre Greenlaw, Denver Broncos
- Bobby Okereke, New York Giants
- Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions
- Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers
- T.J. Edwards, Chicago Bears
View photos from OTAs as the Giants begin team drills at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
QB Jaxson Dart (6), QB Tommy DeVito (15), WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
S Dane Belton (24)
Head Coach Brian Daboll
RB Devin Singletary (26), WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3),New York Giants running back Eric Gray (20)
S Tyler Nubin (27), CB Dru Phillips (22)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan (6),New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13)
Giants Alumni Howard Cross
CB Paulson Adebo (21)
Giants Alumni Howard Cross
CB Deonte Banks (2), CB Dru Phillips (22), ILB Darius Muasau (53), OLB Abdul Carter (51), ILB Micah McFadden (41), S Jevón Holland (8)
WR Jordan Bly (12)
Giants Alumni Howard Cross
TE Daniel Bellinger (82), TE Chris Manhertz (85), TE Thomas Fidone II (86)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
QB Russell Wilson (3), QB Jameis Winston (19), QB Jaxson Dart (6), QB Tommy DeVito (15), Head Coach Brian Daboll
P Jamie Gillan (6) , K Graham Gano (9)
T Jermaine Eluemunor (72), QB Tommy DeVito (15), QB Jaxson Dart (6)
P Jamie Gillan (6) , K Graham Gano (9)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
WR Zach Pascal (83)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
WR Zach Pascal (83)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
WR Montrell Washington (80), TE Theo Johnson (84)
RB Dante Miller (25)
T Evan Neal (73)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
Giants Alumni Howard Cross
WR Juice Wells Jr. (2)
P Jamie Gillan (6)
WR Montrell Washington (80), TE Theo Johnson (84)
CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
CB Art Green (35)
Head Coach Brian Daboll
CB Dru Phillips (22)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
S Jevón Holland (8)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
S Jevón Holland (8), S Tyler Nubin (27), CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
S Jevón Holland (8)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
Giants Alumni Howard Cross
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)
S Raheem Layne (43)
CB Nic Jones (31)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
K Jude McAtamney (99), P Jamie Gillan (6)
Giants Alumni Howard Cross
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
P Jamie Gillan (6) , K Graham Gano (9)
G Austin Schlottmann (65)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
K Graham Gano (9), WR Dalen Cambre (5)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
G Jake Kubas (63)
K Graham Gano (9), WR Dalen Cambre (5)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13), WR Darius Slayton (18)
P Jamie Gillan (6) , K Graham Gano (9)
C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
CB Korie Black (25)
WR Jordan Bly (12)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
DT Cory Durden (69)
S Jevón Holland (8)
RB Dante Miller (25)
RB Dante Miller (25)
S Dane Belton (24)
K Jude McAtamney (99), P Jamie Gillan (6)
S Jevón Holland (8)
DT Cory Durden (69)
K Jude McAtamney (99), P Jamie Gillan (6)
DT Elijah Chatman (94)
S Jevón Holland (8)
S Dane Belton (24)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
S Jevón Holland (8)
New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
S Jevón Holland (8)
S Jevón Holland (8)
S Jevón Holland (8)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
New York Giants running back Dante Miller (25)
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19),New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82)
S Dane Belton (24)
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19),New York Giants tight end Greg Dulcich (89)
S Dane Belton (24)
S Makari Paige (38)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
New York Giants tight end Greg Dulcich (89)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3)
S Jevón Holland (8)
CB Dee Williams (33)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19)
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart
OLB Tomon Fox (45)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3)
New York Giants linebacker Trace Ford (46)
DL Chauncey Golston (57)
Howard Cross
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Dyontae Johnson (54)
New York Giants running back Dante Miller (25)
Howard Cross
QB Russell Wilson (3)
Brian Daboll,Team huddle
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3),New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26)
New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13),New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (18)
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
See who led the Giants in sacks each season since it became an official statistic in 1982.
1982 Lawrence Taylor - 7.5 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1984 Lawrence Taylor - 11.5 sacks
1985 Leonard Marshall - 15.5 sacks
1986 Lawrence Taylor - 20.5 sacks
1987 Lawrence Taylor - 12 sacks
1988 Lawrence Taylor - 15.5 sacks
1989 Lawrence Taylor - 15 sacks
1990 Lawrence Taylor - 10.5 sacks
1991 Leonard Marshall - 11 sacks
1992 Lawrence Taylor - 5 sacks
1993 Keith Hamilton - 11.5 sacks
1994 (tied) Erik Howard/Keith Hamilton - 6.5 sacks
1995 Michael Strahan - 7.5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1997 Michael Strahan - 14 sacks
1998 Michael Strahan - 15 sacks
1999 Jessie Armstead - 9 sacks
2000 Keith Hamilton - 10 sacks
2001 Michael Strahan - 22.5 sacks
2002 Michael Strahan - 11 sacks
2003 Michael Strahan - 18.5 sacks
2004 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2005 Osi Umenyiora - 14.5 sacks
2006 Osi Umenyiora - 6 sacks
2007 Osi Umenyiora - 13 sacks
2008 Justin Tuck - 12 sacks
2009 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2010 (tied) Justin Tuck/Osi Umenyiora - 11.5 sacks
2011 Jason Pierre-Paul - 16.5 sacks
2012 Jason Pierre-Paul - 6.5 sacks
2013 Justin Tuck - 11 sacks
2014 Jason Pierre-Paul - 12.5 sacks
2015 Robert Ayers Jr. - 9.5 sacks
2016 Olivier Vernon - 8.5 sacks
2017 Jason Pierre-Paul - 8.5 sacks
2018 Olivier Vernon - 7 sacks
2019 Markus Golden - 10 sacks
2020 Leonard Williams- 11.5 sacks
2021 Azeez Ojulari - 8 sacks
2022 Dexter Lawrence - 7.5 sacks
2023 Kayvon Thibodeaux - 11.5 sacks
2024 Dexter Lawrence - 9 sacks
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