2025 was another big year for Demario Davis. The veteran linebacker started all 17 games he played for the New Orleans Saints and set a new career high for tackles (143), doing more than enough to quiet some of the discourse suggesting it was time to take the bench.
Pro Football Focus was impressed by Davis, too, ranking him at No. 70 in their list of the top 101 players of 2025. We’ve already talked about where Chris Olave ranked on the list (No. 97, which ended up being 11th among all wide receivers). Here’s what they had to say about Davis, who placed fifth among linebackers:
Now 37 years old, Davis remains one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He ranked fifth at the position in PFF overall grade (80.3) in 2025. He’s at his best against the run, where his 88.9 PFF run-defense grade ranked sixth at the position, and he managed to place in the top 15 in PFF coverage grade, too.
Ironically, Davis was lapped by one of his former backups. Zack Baun was well ahead of him at No. 42. But back to Davis. He’s proven himself to be as durable and reliable as they come in the NFL by playing a hard-hitting position for 14 years — and now he’s aiming for Year 15. Whether or not he’ll continue his career in black and gold remains to be seen, but if he’s decided to chase a Super Bowl ring with another team, nobody could blame him. He’s set a standard in New Orleans that everyone coming after him will try to meet.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints Demario Davis, Chris Olave make PFF’s Top 101 Players of 2025