NFL: Picks for Midseason All-Pro Team
At this point in the season, all 32 teams in the NFL have, at the very least, played half of their scheduled games. Just last week we gave you our midseason predictions on which players will win each of the league’s major individual awards, and today we give you our midseason All-Pro team. To select our All-Pro team, we used a combination of individual statistics, team statistics, and player grades from Pro Football Focus (PFF). Without further ado, here is a look at what we decided.
Offense
Quarterback
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Brady (pictured above) is in the midst of one of the greatest seasons by a quarterback in NFL history. At this point, he is on track to be a unanimous selection for the 2015 NFL MVP award.
Running Backs
Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams
Gurley leads the league in rushing yards per game (115.0) and yards per carry (6.1). The rookie out of Georgia is well on his way to winning the offensive Rookie of the Year Award as well.
Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons
Freeman has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2015 season. Up to this point, he leads the league in rushing yards (709) and rushing touchdowns (9). We wouldn’t be surprised to see Freeman win the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Wide Receivers
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Jones leads the NFL in receiving yards (892) and receptions (70), and is well on his way to posting one of the better seasons by a wide receiver in recent history.
DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
Hopkins is right on Jones’ heels with 870 receiving yards on 66 receptions and is rapidly establishing himself as one of the game’s most dynamic offensive playmakers.
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Brown remains one of the league’s premier wideouts and is well on his way to another 100-catch, 1,500-yard receiving season in 2015.
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski, tight end
Gronkowski is far and away the best tight end in the NFL, and we believe that the 6-foot-6-inch, 265-pounder has a legitimate case for the 2015 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Offensive Tackles
Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
Thomas has an overall grade of 19.3 and ranks as the second-best offensive tackle in the league according to PFF.
Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Smith has an overall grade of 25.6 and ranks as the best offensive tackle in the league.
Offensive Guards
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
Martin has an overall grade of 21.8 and ranks as the third-best offensive guard in the league.
Richie Incognito, Buffalo Bills
Incognito has an overall grade of 22.3 and ranks as the second-best offensive guard in the league.
Center
Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers
Khalil has an overall grade of 15.2 and ranks as the best center in the league according to PFF.
Defense
Defensive Ends
J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Watt isn’t garnering MVP attention like he was a year ago, but the three-time All-Pro leads the league in sacks and has an excellent chance of winning his third career Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Jordan has been one of the few bright spots on a Saints defense that has struggled for most of the season. He ranks as the best 4-3 defensive end in the league according to PFF and will likely finish the season with a double-digit sack total.
Defensive Tackles
Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams
Donald has emerged as the best all-around defensive tackle in the league.
Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals
Atkins has officially reestablished his place among the NFL’s best interior defensive linemen. Without his dominant play, the Bengals likely wouldn’t be undefeated at this point in the season.
Outside Linebackers
Von Miller, Denver Broncos
Miller is the best player on the best defense in the league.
Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
Mack has developed into one of the best defensive players in the league in just his second professional season. If he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for the 24-year-old linebacker.
Inside Linebackers
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
Kuechly remains a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Needless to say, the Panthers wouldn’t be 8-0 without him in the lineup.
Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos
Marshall is in the midst of a breakout season. In his second season as a full-time starter, the 26-year-old out of Nevada has an overall grade of 8.3 and ranks as the second-best inside linebacker in the league according to PFF.
Cornerbacks
Chris Harris Jr., Denver Broncos
Harris continues to quietly dominate opposing wide receivers. The former undrafted free agent out of Kansas is one of the rare NFL cornerbacks that can be equally effective against smaller slot receivers as he is against larger outside receivers.
Josh Norman, Carolina Panthers
Norman is quickly emerging as one of the best cornerbacks in the game and is tied for the league lead with two interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Safeties
Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals
Mathieu has been unquestionably the best safety in the league in 2015.
Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
Smith continues to play at an extremely high level and is one of the main reasons the Vikings are in a great position to land a spot in the 2015 NFC Playoffs.
Special Teams
Kicker
Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos
Simply put, there isn’t a more talented kicker in the league than McManus right now. He’s clutch, with one of the strongest legs in the league, and has dramatically improved his accuracy. Don’t let the notion that he plays in the thin air of Denver, Colorado fool you — this guy is for real.
Punter
Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts
McAfee is one of the most physically gifted NFL punters in recent memory. He can do it all; pin teams inside the 20-yard line, punt for distance, hang time, and direction, and to top it all off, he is one of the best kickoff specialists in the league.
Kick Returner
Dwayne Harris, New York Giants
Harris leads the league, averaging 34.1 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown.
Punt Returner
Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles
Sproles also leads the league, averaging 14.7 yards per punt return with one touchdown.
All statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.