NFL.com released their top ten players in coverage on Friday, and new Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Levi Wallace cracked the list for his performance last season.
Wallace clocked in as the eighth-best cover man on the list, with NFL.com’s Nick Shook citing advanced metrics to quantify his positioning and ability to stick with receivers.
“His targeted EPA is a strong -15.3, and his tight-window percentage of 27.2 is indicative of a corner who stays very close to the intended target and is ready to make a play,” Shook writes. “Wallace’s 10 passes defensed should come as no surprise, then, and he might have landed higher on this list had he finished with more than two interceptions (on 81 targets).”
While Wallace tends to fly under the radar, Shook believes his strong technique will put him in position to make more plays and rise up the rankings in Pittsburgh.
“Wallace might not have racked up the gaudiest numbers, but he’s frequently in the right position to make a play,” Shook adds. “He’ll end up with a better ranking if he makes more of those plays in Pittsburgh.”
Undrafted out of Alabama in 2018, Wallace played the first four years of his career with the Buffalo Bills. He totaled six interceptions and 30 passes defended. The Steelers signed Wallace to a two-year, $8 million contract earlier this offseason.
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell was the topped this list as the best cover man in the NFL.
RELATED: Levi Wallace Loving Togetherness of “Egoless” Steelers Secondary