Steelers veteran offensive linemen David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey were recently ranked top interior offensive linemen by ESPN.
With the objective of identifying the best players currently in the league, ESPN asked more than 50 anonymous NFL employees — from executives and coaches to players and scouts — to help determine the top 10 players at various positions. ESPN compiled and ranked candidates based on participant votes, averages, interviews and research.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous defensive assistant coach said about guard DeCastro, who is ranked fourth, “He’s still athletic, big, long arms, tough. He and [Maurkice] Pouncey are a good combo. He might have lost a half-step, but he’s still high in that second tier of guards.”
“He’s still the best, and it’s not even close,” one AFC executive said about the play of Pouncey, who is ranked 10th.
“He’s still one of the best, but I’m curious to see how he holds up this year physically,” a defensive assistant added. “He’s a guy you want on your team nine times out of 10.
Production-wise, the entire offensive line dropped off in 2019 due to reasons that have been so often reported they don’t warrant explaining. It’s critical that the unit returns to its tops-in-league ways for the offense to compete in the playoffs and beyond.
Here is what makes DeCastro and Pouncey two of the best IOL in the league:
David DeCastro
DeCastro has rightfully earned a Pro Football Focus overall offensive grade of 77.8 in his eight-year career. 4,618 snaps have been pass-blocking of his 7,993 total snaps. He grades out at 79.2 in pass-blocking and 73.8 in run-blocking. In 112 games, DeCastro has been involved in 1,542 key plays and has allowed 186 quarterback pressures, 22 hurries, 19 hits and 15 sacks. DeCastro has a combined 98 percent pass efficiency grade averaged over four seasons.
Maurkice Pouncey
For his nine-year career, Pouncey has an overall offensive PFF grade of 68.6. Of his 7,905 snaps, 4,791 are pass-blocking — pass plays earned him better grades than run plays. In 121 games, Pouncey has been part of 308 key plays and has allowed just 153 quarterback pressures, 15 hurries, five hits and 16 sacks. Like DeCastro, Pouncey has a 98 percent pass efficiency grade averaged over four seasons.
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