Cedric Gray Shockingly Snubbed from Top Linebacker List Ahead of Week 1

The Tennessee Titans didn't have many bright spots during the 2025 season. The team struggled to a 3-14 record, so naturally, there weren't many individual performances to write home about.

However, there was one very positive development on defense. Linebacker Cedric Gray had his coming out party, ending with a team-leading 164 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, four pass deflections, and three quarterback hits, The young linebacker cemented himself as a key defensive building block, which is nice because the Titans don't have that many of those.

By almost any metric, Gray was one of the best off-ball linebackers in the league last year. However, the former fourth-round pick is not getting the national recognition he deserves.

Cedric Gray Snubbed from Top Linebacker List

Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray (33) takes the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

To get through the offseason, ESPN is revealing top 10 lists for each position group. The lists are made by surveying NFL executives, coaches, and scouts. The linebacker ranking was recently revealed, and it's a bit shocking to not see Gray.

Here is the full list:

1. Fred Warner
2. Roquan Smith
3. Carson Schwesinger
4. Zack Baun
5. Jack Campbell
6. Azeez Al-Shaair
7. Jordyn Brooks
8. Nick Bolton
9. Edgerrin Cooper
10. Devin Lloyd

Not only did Gray not make the top 10, he also didn't make the honorable mentions list or the "also receiving votes" category. Not a single exec, coach, or scout interviewed that Gray was worthy of being in the top 10? That seems absurd.

In 2025, Gray earned a 78.9 grade from Pro Football Focus. That was the seventh-best grade out of 88 qualified linebackers. Furthermore, Gray had an elite 92.7 run defense grade, which ranked second out of every linebacker in the league. Those two grades alone should have guaranteed at least a couple of votes for Gray.

Plus, PFF credits Gray with 117 tackles, which is the third-most of any linebacker. So, at the very least, Gray is among the best tacklers and run defenders in the league. The linebacker could get better in pass coverage and as a pass rusher, but he's elite in his area. Gray is also just 23, so it should be expected that he will only get better.

I was going to give the benefit of the doubt due to Gray having a small sample size of just one season, but that excuse doesn't hold up. Carson Schwesinger is already ranked as the No. 3 linebacker in the league solely based off his rookie season, so Gray wasn't left off due to sample size.

I hate to be that guy, but this seems like another example of the "Titan Tax." Titans players have to be extra elite to get national recognition most of the time, and that trend seems to be continuing with Gray. The solution is for Gray to have another elite season in 2026 and make it impossible for those around the league to ignore him going forward.

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