Colts DT DeForest Buckner named among PFF’s ‘Top 101 players’ from 2023 season

The Colts’ Pro Bowl defensive tackle racked up another honor as he was named to PFF’s Top 101 players from 2023.

Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been named among the ‘PFF 101’ (i.e., its top 101 players from the 2023 season)—finishing at 62nd overall:

62. DI DEFOREST BUCKNER, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Buckner recorded 52 quarterback pressures for the Colts this past season and posted an 81.8 PFF overall grade. He made 43 defensive stops and forced two fumbles as one of the most destructive interior pass rushers in the game.

Buckner recorded 81 tackles (45 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, 7 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery (*returned for a touchdown) during 17 games (16 starts) in the 2023 campaign.

He’s been a perennial Pro Bowler since arriving from San Francisco in a 2020 offseason trade—and has been about as elite as initially advertised, being every bit of worth that year’s first round pick that Indianapolis ultimately surrendered to the 49ers.

If you factor in injuries, and his largely clean bill of health, not only has Buckner been arguably the Colts most valuable player of this past year—but of the past few seasons.

He’s a routine difference-maker along their interior defensive line, causing disruption, penetration, and consistently commanding double teams—which frees up his fellow defensive linemen and linebackers to more easily get to the football and make plays.

Quite frankly, he’s the engine that power the Colts’ defense.

This is just another recognition that’s so far been a long list in Indianapolis.