Every NFL team’s highest-graded player from the 2026 preseason

• David Walker dominated off the edge: The Buccaneers' pass-rusher generated seven pressures on only 32 pass-rushing snaps.

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With three weeks and the Hall of Fame Game in the books, we have 49 games of data from the month of August. With that in mind, we’re digging into the grades of every team in the NFL to highlight its highest-graded player in preseason.

In order to limit the impact of extreme small sample sizes, we’re setting a 45-snap filter for this. But it’s important to note that even in a tinier sample, a couple of plays can heavily impact a grade. It’s also worth indicating that the grades do not take into account the level of competition, meaning that it is easier for a player to earn a higher grade playing later in the game against theoretically weaker opponents.

Here is the highest-graded player on every NFL team this preseason.

Arizona Cardinals: WR Jalen Brooks, 92.6

Brooks saw 17 targets across four preseason games for the Cardinals, and caught all 15 of the targets deemed catchable. This was Brooks’ fourth preseason, having entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys back in 2023. His 222 yards, 92.5 PFF receiving grade and 5.29 yards per route run were better than he has produced in any previous preseason.

Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Keshawn Banks, 88.0

Banks was a really effective pass-rusher over the first two games of the preseason for Atlanta, racking up seven total pressures from 25 pass-rushing snaps to earn an 86.9 PFF grade. He was also solid as a run defender, producing a 79.2 PFF run-defense grade.

Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Kaimon Rucker, 87.2

This was Rucker’s second preseason with the Ravens, and he showed solid progress from his rookie preseason. He earned an 84.1 PFF pass-rush grade, tallying six pressures from 52 pass-rushing snaps, and recorded five tackles resulting in a defensive stop.

Buffalo Bills: WR Ja’Mori Maclin, 84.6

An undrafted free agent out of Kentucky, Maclin flashed this preseason. On the field for 27 snaps as a receiver, he averaged 4.78 yards per route run, turning six targets into four receptions for 129 yards.

Carolina Panthers: EDGE Trevis Gipson, 86.5

Gipson has been in the league since 2020 and has routinely impressed in the preseason. For the third time in his career, he registered a preseason PFF pass-rush grade above 90.0, producing six pressures from 33 pass-rushing snaps.

Chicago Bears: EDGE Jamree Kromah, 81.1

In his third preseason since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of James Madison, Kromah had his best showing as a pass-rusher. He generated a 69.2 PFF pass-rush grade, accumulating 10 pressures from 87 pass-rushing snaps.

Cincinnati Bengals: WR Dohnte Meyers, 81.1

An undrafted free agent out of Delta State, Meyers had some nice flashes for the Bengals over the past month. He posted 2.42 yards per route run, averaging 11.0 yards per catch despite an average depth of target of just 5.5 yards. Those metrics contributed to a 78.7 PFF receiving grade.

Cleveland Browns: CB Michael Coats Jr., 83.7

Coats missed the Browns’ final preseason game due to an injury but made an impact in their first two games. He earned an 88.0 PFF coverage grade, allowing just two receptions from six throws into his coverage and recording both an interception and a pass breakup.

Dallas Cowboys: G Trevor Keegan, 85.6

A fifth-round draft pick back in 2024, Keegan produced the best preseason of his three-year career in his first season with the Cowboys. He allowed just one pressure from 84 pass-blocking snaps and was even better as a run-blocker, where he finished with an 83.9 PFF run-blocking grade.

Denver Broncos: EDGE Quandarrius Robinson, 90.5

A fourth-round draft pick last year, Robinson showed a lot of progression in preseason this year, with his preseason PFF pass-rush grade jumping from 77.5 to 91.5. He recorded seven total pressures from 40 pass-rushing snaps, and it would be another boost to an already dominant defense if he can become a solid situational rusher in 2026.

Detroit Lions: EDGE Eric O'Neill, 85.2

Undrafted out of Rutgers, O’Neill produced some impressive work both as a pass-rusher and as a run defender. He posted three tackles resulting in a defensive stop as well as six total pressures, garnering PFF run-defense and pass-rush grades above 74.0.

Green Bay Packers: DI Jonathan Ford, 89.6

This was Ford’s fifth preseason after entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2022, and it was comfortably his best performance in the month of August. He registered five pressures from 39 pass-rushing snaps and recorded five tackles resulting in a defensive stop, earning PFF grades above 75.0 both in run defense and as a pass-rusher.

Houston Texans: S George Odum, 84.4

Odum has been in the league since 2018 and was the Texans’ highest-graded player this preseason. He sat at a 73.2 PFF run defense grade along with a 78.4 PFF coverage grade, recording three tackles resulting in a defensive stop and an interception from 71 snaps on the field.

Indianapolis Colts: CB Jaylon Jones, 81.2

A seventh-round pick by the Colts back in 2023, Jones appeared on 70 snaps this preseason. He excelled in coverage with a 77.8 PFF grade, permitting just one reception from six throws into his coverage on 36 coverage snaps. Jones also came away with a pass breakup.

Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Amari Burney, 90.5

A sixth-round selection by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, Burney had the best preseason of his career with the Jaguars in 2026. He made an impact as a run defender, in coverage and as a pass-rusher, earning PFF grades above 75.0 in all three facets. That pass-rush grade was the result of him registering three pressures from just six pass-rushing snaps.

Kansas City Chiefs: G Hunter Nourzad, 90.2

A fifth-round draft pick in 2024, Nourzad was another player to produce their best preseason in 2026. He registered PFF grades above 90.0 both as a run-blocker and in pass protection, allowing zero pressures from 88 pass-blocking snaps.

Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Patrick Johnson, 90.2

Johnson has impressed in each of the past three preseasons and flashed again this year. He recorded seven tackles resulting in a defensive stop, and generated five pressures from 40 pass-rushing snaps while also forcing a fumble.

Los Angeles Chargers: LB Marlowe Wax, 90.9

Wax was an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse last year and was solid in the 2025 preseason. He was even better this year, though, improving his PFF preseason grades in both run-defense and coverage. He tallied six tackles resulting in a defensive stop and had a pass breakup over the past three weeks.

Los Angeles Rams: EDGE Darryl Peterson, 89.6

An undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, Peterson had a strong preseason for the Rams off the edge. He recorded seven total pressures from 68 pass-rushing snaps, had six tackles resulting in a defensive stop and forced a fumble.

Miami Dolphins: LB Jackson Woodard, 78.1

In his second preseason and first with the Dolphins, Woodard was dominant against the run. He earned an 89.2 PFF run-defense grade and posted eight tackles resulting in a defensive stop while missing just 5% of the tackles he attempted.

Minnesota Vikings: S Jacob Thomas, 92.7

The highest-graded rookie in the NFL this preseason, Thomas looked anything but an undrafted free agent. He finished with a PFF grade of 80.0 or better in all three games. Although the final contest saw him play just seven snaps, Thomas recorded both an interception and a pass breakup altogether.

New England Patriots: WR Kyle Williams, 84.3

With the Patriots trading Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans, the performance of Kyle Williams this preseason will be encouraging for their coaching staff. He averaged 4.37 yards per route run and 27.7 yards per reception, finishing the preseason with 166 yards and three touchdowns.

New Orleans Saints: G Easton Kilty, 92.3

An undrafted free agent last year, Kilty was solid as a pass-blocker this preseason, giving up three pressures from 93 pass-blocking snaps. He was even better as a run-blocker, though, compiling a 93.5 PFF run-blocking grade that led all offensive lineman this preseason.

New York Giants: S Tyler Nubin, 91.4

The 47th selection of the 2024 NFL Draft started all three of the Giants’ preseason games this summer and excelled in the process. He recorded a 91.3 PFF coverage grade, with just one reception allowed on throws where he was the primary coverage defender.

New York Jets: LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball, 91.4

McCrary-Ball’s grade is heavily driven by the opening game of the preseason, where he earned a 96.4 PFF grade against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He finished the preseason with eight tackles resulting in a defensive stop, an interception and a pair of forced fumbles.

Philadelphia Eagles: T Fred Johnson, 90.0

Johnson started all three games for the Eagles this preseason, netting PFF grades above 80.0 in two of the three. He didn’t allow a pressure from 31 pass-blocking snaps and was even better as a run blocker with a 91.7 PFF run-blocking grade.

Pittsburgh Steelers: G Doug Nester, 82.3

Nester started the Steelers’ final preseason game and earned a 90.6 PFF grade, which is a big part of why he finished the preseason with an 82.3 PFF grade. Over the course of the three games, he secured PFF grades above 80.0 in both pass protection and as a run-blocker, permitting just two pressures from 91 pass-blocking snaps.

San Francisco 49ers: CB Jack Jones, 86.0

Jones was on the field for 48 snaps in preseason, just hitting the snap threshold required for this list. He was targeted four times from 31 coverage snaps and gave up just one reception for 14 yards, finishing the preseason with three pass breakups.

Seattle Seahawks: LB Chazz Surratt, 85.4

The 2021 third-round pick played 75 snaps in the Seahawks’ first two preseason games. He recorded four tackles resulting in a defensive stop, had a 0.0% missed tackle rate and forced a pair of fumbles.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE David Walker, 85.5

In his first NFL action after missing all of his rookie season with an injury, Walker flashed the pass-rush dominance we saw from him at Central Arkansas. He earned a 90.2 PFF pass-rush grade, with seven pressures from 32 pass-rushing snaps over three games.

Tennessee Titans: G Fernando Carmona, 90.5

Carmona started all three of the Titans’ preseason games as a fifth-round pick out of Arkansas. He finished with PFF grades above 80.0 both as a run-blocker and in pass protection, allowing just one pressure from 40 pass-blocking snaps.

Washington Commanders: S Quan Martin, 90.0

Martin was on the field for 49 snaps over the first two preseason games for the Commanders, just getting over the required snap minimum. He didn’t miss any of the tackles he attempted and recorded a pair of interceptions.