6. Rashaan Evans: ILB
Get ready for a lot of stats based arguments because unless you want to spend your time combing through the tape on every player on the Pro Bowl ballot, the analysis on this will be trying to argue why each player is among the best at the position they have been slotted in.
For Evans, he is an ILB (though Darius Leonard is listed as an OLB) and I wanted to run down a quick list of things you may not know about the 2nd year linebacker.
To start, here is a detailed list of every other AFC linebacker with more tackles than Evans…..yep that is the list, told you it would be quick. Of the “ILBs” listed on the Pro Bowl ballot, only Joe Schobert has more solo tackles which is a much more telling stat.
If you want to look at stats that matter a little bit more, only Trumaine Edmunds has more TFLs than Evans does among AFC linebackers.
Add in the fact that he has been a great leader on defense and is part of what may be the best short area/goal line defense in the NFL, and you can see why it may be time to give Evans his due.