79. Linval Joseph, DT, Vikings

Joseph isn’t a sack artist, per se—he has just 12.5 in his six seasons—but he brings a lot of pressure with his strength and quickness.

If you want a good example of why Joseph is such a major factor in the Vikings’ defense, watch his performance against the Rams in Week 9 of last season. Not only was he a constant thorn in Todd Gurley’s side, he also proved his speed when he crossed half the field to take the speedy Tavon Austin down on an off-tackle run. The only thing that’s keeping Joseph from being ranked higher is the fact that he missed four games with turf toe, but his dominance when healthy is something to see. Joseph isn’t a sack artist, per se—he has just 12.5 in his six seasons—but he brings a lot of pressure with his strength and quickness. Moreover, he’s one of the league’s best run defenders, and when Mike Zimmer sets him up angled towards the center in a Stunt 4–3 look, he’s just about guaranteed to blow through protection and create tackles for loss. Joseph is a rising name on what might be the NFL’s next great defense.