Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was ranked at No. 66 in the NFL’s top 100 players list for the 2022 season.
Though it was a long fall from No. 27 in 2021, Buckner is still the engine of the Colts defense as he works from the three-technique defensive tackle position.
His 16.5 sacks over the last two seasons with the Colts are third-most among defensive tackles behind only Aaron Donald (26.0) and Leonard Williams (18.0).
In that same span, Buckner also ranks second in tackles for loss (20) and second in quarterback hits (44) among defensive tackles.
The Colts added some new pieces to the defensive line and are expecting bigger things from second-year pass rushers Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo.
As a player who has seen among the most double teams in the NFL, it will be a nice change of pace for opposing offenses to shift their focus elsewhere at times, giving Buckner more one-on-one opportunities.
The Colts need Buckner to continue being that engine of the defense if they are going to take that next step as a unit, and he’s ready to bounce back in a big way in 2022.
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