New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke finished last season with a herniated disc and a whole lot of under-the-radar production. He missed the final five games, played in a new defensive scheme that didn’t always highlight his strengths, and still found his name in the top 12 among all linebackers in Pro Football Focus' final grading.
So when PFF’s Mason Cameron dropped his preseason linebacker rankings for 2025 and Okereke landed all the way up at No. 6, it was the kind of surprise that makes you pause mid-scroll. A top-six ranking feels pretty high at first. But then you look closer and realize he was dropped into Tier 3 — behind a short list of linebackers that includes Fred Warner, Roquan Smith, and a couple of aging names on the back nine of their careers — and suddenly it all gets a little murky again.
Okereke’s in the same tier as Devin Lloyd, Jack Campbell, Edgerrin Cooper, T.J. Edwards, and Quincy Williams. No shade, but this is where things get confusing. There’s a case to be made he’s under-ranked and over-grouped.
PFF ranks Bobby Okereke among NFL’s top linebackers for 2025
The ranking itself is impressive. Okereke didn’t finish the 2024 season healthy, had a dip in raw stats, and still managed to earn a spot among the league’s best.
Cameron highlighted how the Giants linebacker finished with the 12th-highest PFF grade (74.9) among qualifying players at the position — despite the injury. He also noted: “Having posted three straight seasons eclipsing a 73.0 PFF overall grade, Okereke is a model of consistency at one of the most volatile positions in the game, and will be again should his recovery go well.”
That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident. Even while adapting to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s more zone-heavy defense, Okereke was doing everything from wearing the green dot to stuffing the run to punching out footballs. He forced three fumbles, broke up three passes, and notched 93 tackles in just 12 games. His per-game pace had him on track to hit career averages across the board.
So here’s the disconnect. If this guy is a “model of consistency” and one of the most complete linebackers in football, why is he lumped into a tier with names that haven’t touched his level of production or responsibility?
Tier 3 feels like a hedge — like PFF didn’t want to push him too high. But if that’s the case, then how is he still ranked sixth overall? Either Okereke belongs with the Roquans and Bobby Wagners or he doesn’t. And if he does — which his body of work suggests he does — then the tiering feels off.
There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that the Giants linebacker room hasn’t been perfect. There’s also nothing wrong with admitting Okereke might be the single most important piece on this defense. Getting him back at full health might be the biggest “addition” Big Blue makes all offseason.
If anything, the ranking just confirms what Giants fans have seen with their own eyes the past two seasons. Okereke’s been one of the few constants during a stretch of 9-25 football, and even with a back injury and a new scheme, he still managed to anchor the defense. Debate the tier all you want — the guy’s done more than enough to speak for himself.