PFF's All-Pro teams

[ChrisPozz]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/02/2012-pff-all-pro-team/
Left Tackle: Duane Brown (HST)

Which way would we go? Would we go one of the four guys out there (Andrew Whitworth, Joe Thomas, Michael Roos and Ryan Clady) who are elite pass protectors but don’t get much movement in the run game? Ultimately no. We wanted linemen who prevent pressure and contribute to their teams rushing attack. Thus Brown was the obvious choice, doing a fine job in pass protection and being an impact player in the run game.

Second Team: Joe Staley (SF) – Once we decided we wanted all round tackles the best run blocker at his position in the league Staley had this place sown up.

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Left Guard: Evan Mathis (PHI)

In the highlight driven world in which we live, many people seem to like like guards who pancake people on occasion, regardless of what they do on the other 1000+ plays. We like them doing whatever it takes to block guys consistently, play in play out. In that regard there isn’t a player in the league close to Mathis.

Second Team: Mike Iupati (SF) – If you are however looking for a mauling guard then we’ve got you covered with, the at times, downright vicious, Iupati.

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Right Guard: Marshal Yanda (BAL)

There aren’t many offensive linemen who year after year can be relied upon to deliver at an elite level particularly once they’ve been paid. Yanda is certainly one of them and once again he finished the year as our top ranked right guard.

Second Team: Alex Boone (SF) – A big part of the 49ers offensive improvement was Boone coming in at right guard with some fantastic run blocking.

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Edge Defender: Von Miller (DEN)

See what we did here? Miller plays the 4-3 outside linebacker role but any player who rushes the passer on 75.9% of drop-backs (the next 4-3 OLB was 29%) is an edge rusher in our book. As hard to block as any player in the league, Miller ended the year with 86 quarterback disruptions and 15 tackles for loss (not including sacks). Truly a beast of a player.

Second Team: Aldon Smith (SF) – Smith got to the quarterback an awful lot but in productivity terms he wasn’t the best. For him to be on the first team we’d need to see more consistent pressure, or better work in the run game.

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Middle Linebacker: Patrick Willis (SF)

Willis is capable of playing any linebacker spot and playing it well. You don’t finish as our top ranked inside linebacker without having some serious skills, and Willis has used this year to reinforce his claim to being the greatest linebacker currently in the game.

Second Team: Bobby Wagner (SEA) – The Seahawks couldn’t keep him off the field for long (four games coming out in nickel) and he turned his every down role into the highest grade of all 4-3 middle linebackers.

 

[deep9er]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/02/2012-pff-all-pro-team/
Left Tackle: Duane Brown (HST)

Which way would we go? Would we go one of the four guys out there (Andrew Whitworth, Joe Thomas, Michael Roos and Ryan Clady) who are elite pass protectors but don’t get much movement in the run game? Ultimately no. We wanted linemen who prevent pressure and contribute to their teams rushing attack. Thus Brown was the obvious choice, doing a fine job in pass protection and being an impact player in the run game.

Second Team: Joe Staley (SF) – Once we decided we wanted all round tackles the best run blocker at his position in the league Staley had this place sown up.

----------

Left Guard: Evan Mathis (PHI)

In the highlight driven world in which we live, many people seem to like like guards who pancake people on occasion, regardless of what they do on the other 1000+ plays. We like them doing whatever it takes to block guys consistently, play in play out. In that regard there isn’t a player in the league close to Mathis.

Second Team: Mike Iupati (SF) – If you are however looking for a mauling guard then we’ve got you covered with, the at times, downright vicious, Iupati.

------------

Right Guard: Marshal Yanda (BAL)

There aren’t many offensive linemen who year after year can be relied upon to deliver at an elite level particularly once they’ve been paid. Yanda is certainly one of them and once again he finished the year as our top ranked right guard.

Second Team: Alex Boone (SF) – A big part of the 49ers offensive improvement was Boone coming in at right guard with some fantastic run blocking.

-------------

Edge Defender: Von Miller (DEN)

See what we did here? Miller plays the 4-3 outside linebacker role but any player who rushes the passer on 75.9% of drop-backs (the next 4-3 OLB was 29%) is an edge rusher in our book. As hard to block as any player in the league, Miller ended the year with 86 quarterback disruptions and 15 tackles for loss (not including sacks). Truly a beast of a player.

Second Team: Aldon Smith (SF) – Smith got to the quarterback an awful lot but in productivity terms he wasn’t the best. For him to be on the first team we’d need to see more consistent pressure, or better work in the run game.

-------------------

Middle Linebacker: Patrick Willis (SF)

Willis is capable of playing any linebacker spot and playing it well. You don’t finish as our top ranked inside linebacker without having some serious skills, and Willis has used this year to reinforce his claim to being the greatest linebacker currently in the game.

Second Team: Bobby Wagner (SEA) – The Seahawks couldn’t keep him off the field for long (four games coming out in nickel) and he turned his every down role into the highest grade of all 4-3 middle linebackers.

i was wrong on Boone moving to RG. my main reason for not wanting him to move........was to 'protect' BOTH OT spots. preferred we kept the swing tackle SHARP to enter games at a moments notice.

if Boone only did so so at RG, then i'd still hold my opinion. but since he rated so highly for the season, it was a good move to RG.

 

[ChrisPozz]

i was wrong on Boone moving to RG. my main reason for not wanting him to move........was to 'protect' BOTH OT spots. preferred we kept the swing tackle SHARP to enter games at a moments notice.

if Boone only did so so at RG, then i'd still hold my opinion. but since he rated so highly for the season, it was a good move to RG.

Hell, I've been wrong about Boone being able to play at all. Granted I was judging him as a tackle prospect and didn't think he had the versatility to play anywhere else.

I also should also admit that I was disappointed the 49ers were the ones to use UDFA money on him and give him a shot when I thought there were so many other good fits out there at the time. That was before his off-the-field transformation, though, which obviously set everything else into motion.

 

[deep9er]

Hell, I've been wrong about Boone being able to play at all. Granted I was judging him as a tackle prospect and didn't think he had the versatility to play anywhere else.

I also should also admit that I was disappointed the 49ers were the ones to use UDFA money on him and give him a shot when I thought there were so many other good fits out there at the time. That was before his off-the-field transformation, though, which obviously set everything else into motion.

haaa.

but considering he wasn't drafted at all, your opinion at the time wasn't so wrong.

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Hell, I've been wrong about Boone being able to play at all. Granted I was judging him as a tackle prospect and didn't think he had the versatility to play anywhere else.

I also should also admit that I was disappointed the 49ers were the ones to use UDFA money on him and give him a shot when I thought there were so many other good fits out there at the time. That was before his off-the-field transformation, though, which obviously set everything else into motion.

I think singletary deserves some credit here. I remember Boone in an interview talking about how singletary got his ass in gear and helped start his life turn around.