The 25 best NFL defensive players of the 2010s

He's not the same player he was, but Ngata was once one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He made the All-Pro team in 2010 and 2011 along with four straight Pro Bowls from 2010-13. Ngata has 26 sacks, 42 tackles for loss and 62 quarterback hits in 118 games with the Ravens, Lions and Eagles this decade.

His best seasons came in the previous decade, but Peppers made his last All-Pro team in 2010 and earned four Pro Bowl bids this decade. Two years ago, Peppers posted 11 sacks to record his fourth season with double-digit sacks this decade. He has 78.5 sacks, 84 tackles for loss and 125 quarterback hits during 144 games in the 2010s.

If this were a list of the best defenders from the 2010s, Reed would easily be in the Top 10. As it is, his last All-Pro bid in 2010 and three Pro Bowl appearances from 2010-12 was enough to help him land at No. 23. Reed led the league with eight interceptions in 2010. He posted 185 combined tackles and 18 interceptions in 56 games across four seasons with the Ravens, Texans and Jets this decade.

It took the No. 12 overall pick from the 2012 NFL Draft some time to develop, but since 2015 he's made four Pro Bowls. He also just made his first All-Pro team in 2018 when he posted 10.5 sacks and 34 quarterback hits. He has 44.5 sacks, 57 tackles for loss and 111 quarterback hits in 109 games this decade.

The 33-year-old was a bit of a journeyman early in his career, and he didn't make the Pro Bowl until his sixth season. But he's made five Pro Bowls since then and earned an All-Pro nomination in 2016. Talib has posted 99 pass defenses and 26 interceptions, including 10 of which he returned for touchdowns, with the Buccaneers, Patriots, Broncos and Rams this decade.

It's probably unfair to say Suggs has split his career over two decades because he came into the league in 2003, and he plans to end the 2010s with the Arizona Cardinals this fall. But Suggs has strung together a Hall of Fame-caliber career behind his longevity. This decade he made the All-Pro team in 2011 and four Pro Bowls. Also, in 2011 Suggs won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Woodson won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2009, so that doesn't count toward this ranking. But he did make the All-Pro team as a cornerback at 35 in 2011 and made three Pro Bowls this decade, including in 2015 as a safety at 39. He posted 486 combined tackles and 20 interceptions in 86 games across six seasons with the Packers and Raiders this decade.

The 31-year-old emerged as a Pro Bowler during his third season and became an All-Pro in 2013. He made six straight Pro Bowls from 2012-17. This decade, McCoy has posted 54.5 sacks, 79 tackles for loss and 140 quarterback hits with the Buccaneers, but he signed with the Panthers this offseason.

Similar to Reed, Polamalu would be a top-10 or perhaps a top-five player if this list were for last decade. But Polamalu did make the All-Pro team twice this decade, in 2010 and 2011, along with three Pro Bowl teams. He recorded 326 combined tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 12 interceptions in 65 games across five seasons this decade. In 2010, Polamalu intercepted seven passes on his way to the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Atkins has been one of the most underrated players throughout his career. He was just beginning to be recognized as a dominant player in the league after making All-Pro in 2012, but then he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in October of 2013. While he was a little slow to recover, Atkins has made the Pro Bowl every season since his return and made another All-Pro team in 2015. He has 71 sacks, 96 tackles for loss and 161 quarterback hits in 137 games this decade.

Weddle isn't a surefire Hall of Fame safety like Reed and Polamalu, but he edges both on this list because he's played longer in the decade. Weddle has also made two All-Pro teams and six Pro Bowls, including each of the last three with the Ravens. He has 805 combined tackles, 76 pass defenses and 25 interceptions in 141 games with the Chargers and Ravens this decade. Weddle will play for the Rams in 2019.

A gruesome knee injury in the 2014 NFC championship game looked like it might end Bowman's career. He was probably better before the injury, but Bowman again became an All-Pro the season after his recovery. In total, Bowman made four All-Pro teams this decade, recording 798 combined tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and five interceptions in 99 games with the 49ers and Raiders.

Imagine where Berry would be on this list without all his injuries. Berry has played at least 15 games in five seasons during his career, and in three of them he made the All-Pro team. From 2015-16 he was arguably the best safety in the league. Berry has 448 combined tackles, 51 pass defenses and 14 interceptions in 89 games this decade.

Early retirement robbed NFL fans of continuing to see one of the best middle linebackers of his century. If he was still playing, Willis could be in the greatest of all-time discussion. Instead, he retired at 30 after playing only six games in 2014. But in this decade, Willis made three All-Pro teams from 2010-12 and four Pro Bowls. He posted 483 combined tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and four interceptions in 64 games with the 49ers this decade.

Nicknamed "Revis Island," Revis was one of the top defenders in the league about a decade ago. He made All-Pro in 2010 and 2011 with the Jets and then again in 2014 with the Patriots, helping them win the Super Bowl. Revis also made five Pro Bowls this decade. He had 15 interceptions and 75 pass defenses in 97 games with the Jets, Buccaneers, Patriots and Chiefs in the 2010s.

Signing that massive contract with the Dolphins and then failing to live up to expectations killed Suh's reputation. But before that he was a three-time All-Pro with the Lions in 2010, 2013 and 2014, which was enough to crack our Top 10. He also made five Pro Bowl appearances. Suh has 56 sacks, 107 tackles for loss and 166 quarterback hits in 142 games with the Lions, Dolphins and Rams this decade.

He aged rather quickly, but Sherman was arguably the top cornerback of the first half of this decade. Sherman let everyone know it too. He made the All-Pro team three times from 2012-14 and also was on four Pro Bowl teams (2013-16). Sherman has posted 32 interceptions and 103 pass defenses in 119 games with the Seahawks and 49ers this decade.

Ranked as our top cornerback of the decade, Peterson has made three All-Pro teams and the Pro Bowl every season since he entered the league in 2011. His eight Pro Bowls is more than any other defender in the league this decade. Peterson's reputation took a hit when he received a six-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, but that's not enough to remove him from the top 10. Peterson has 23 interceptions and 76 pass defenses during 128 games in the 2010s.

Although he won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award with the Raiders in 2016, Mack hugely benefited from the trade to the Bears last summer. He's now a three-time All-Pro and appears to be a candidate to again win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Mack has posted double-digit sacks each of the last four years. He has 53 sacks, 78 tackles for loss and 102 quarterback hits in 78 games with the Raiders and Bears during the 2010s.

Ranked as the best safety on our list, Thomas played an intricate role in the "Legion of Boom" with the Seahawks. Thomas' tenure with the team ended in controversy, and he battled injuries during his last three seasons in the Pacific Northwest, but from 2011-15, he made five straight Pro Bowls and three All-Pros. In 215 games, he has 684 combined tackles, 67 pass defenses and 28 interceptions this decade.

Sherman, Thomas and Kam Chancellor received all the press when the Seahawks were going to Super Bowls, but Wagner has risen to be unquestionably the best player from that vaunted Seahawks defense. Wagner first made All-Pro in 2014 during Seattle's repeat bid, and he's made the All-Pro team each of the last three years. A five-time Pro Bowler too, Wagner has 981 combined tackles, 51 tackles for loss, 60 quarterback hits and 16.5 sacks in 103 games this decade.

The former No. 2 overall pick from the 2011 NFL Draft has become everything the Broncos could have hoped. He made his first All-Pro in 2012 when he posted a career-best 18.5 sacks. He again became All-Pro in 2015 and 2016. Miller has also made the Pro Bowl every season he's played at least nine games (seven of the last eight years). In all seven of those seasons, he's posted double-digit sacks. Miller has 98 sacks, 125 tackles for loss and 196 quarterback hits in 120 games this decade.

Kuechly didn't make All-Pro or the Pro Bowl as a rookie, but he easily could have, as he led the league with 165 combined tackles. Since then, though, he's made the Pro Bowl every season and the All-Pro team five-times, which is more than any other linebacker during that stretch. In 2013, Kuechly won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award. He has 977 combined tackles, 71 tackles for loss, 26 quarterback hits, 12.5 sacks and 16 interceptions in 102 games this decade.

It's hard to believe this man was once considered just the 13th-best player of his draft class (2014). As a rookie, he made the Pro Bowl in 2014, and then starting in 2015 he's made four All-Pro teams and counting. Last season he led the league with 20.5 sacks. Donald has won each of the last two AP Defensive Player of the Year Awards. The only other players who have won that award in back-to-back seasons are Lawrence Taylor and the guy No. 1 on our list.

With so many great defenders this decade, one would assume the decision of who was the best would be harder. But Watt's career makes it no contest. Even with Watt playing only eight games combined during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, he's still the top defender of the decade and one of the greatest of all time. From 2012-15, he made the All-Pro team all four years and won three AP Defensive Player of the Year awards. The only other player who has won that trophy three times is Lawrence Taylor. Watt bounced back from his injuries to make his fifth All-Pro team last fall. He has 92 sacks, 154 tackles for loss and 244 quarterback hits in 104 games this decade. He intercepted a pass for an 80-yard touchdown for good measure in 2014.