2022 All-underappreciated D-line team: Part 2

Photo via Tyler Wise

This is part one of a four-part series focusing on each individual selection. Part one covered Falcons DT Grady Jarrett. Part two features Titans DL Denico Autry.

The defensive line typically gets more praise than the offensive line, but there are always overlooked players in the trenches that deserve more shine. These selections below are largely based on my personal film study over the last several years with an emphasis on the current 2022 season, although most of them have been worthy of being included on this team for many years.

The criteria is simple: Identifying the defensive linemen that make the largest impact but have the fewest accolades, name recognition and overall hype from the mainstream media. These are guys that consistently pop off the film and need to be studied to be truly appreciated. Most of all if you love line play, they are just plain fun to watch.

After sharing a brief overview of each selection, I recorded 20 cut-ups from each player’s 2022 season and edited in audio to create a ‘film room short.’ This will serve as the meat of the analysis aimed at detailing what makes them special.

Titans DL Denico Autry

Overview

Denico Autry came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2014 after originally beginning his college career at East Mississippi Community College. Autry signed with the Raiders and quickly earned a spot in the rotation before becoming a key contributor during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He eventually became a full-time starter for the Colts in 2018. Autry has since carved out a nine-year career with 73 starts using some freaky physical tools, refined technique, a lunchpail mentality and mastery of the details from virtually any alignment to carry out the dirty work and help others shine.

I first noticed Autry during the 2017 season when I was tasked by Bleacher Report’s NFL1000 project to study and grade every defensive tackle in the NFL. I graded 104 DTs across the NFL and ranked Autry 21st overall at a time when he was virtually unknown outside of Oakland.

Many of the same traits and skills on display in Autry’s film then have led him to being a no-brainer selection for this team now. He has the versatility to align anywhere on the defensive front, rare physical tools (6’5” 275, 34 5/8 arms, 11 3/8 hands) and a polished skill-set to defeat guards and tackles with equal effectiveness.

Autry is a master at utilizing stutters and hesitations to set up and break down blockers with a collection of signature moves and counters to win outside, down the middle or across the face of virtually any blocker that he’s matched up against.

Preview:

Over his 9-year career, Autry has consistently been in the shadow of great defensive linemen with a much higher pedigree (Khalil Mack, DeForest Buckner, Jeffery Simmons) than he has while winning in mostly subtle ways and not blowing up the stat-sheet. Autry hasn’t record double-digit sacks in his career (reached 9 sacks twice), has never started more than 14 games in a season, has zero Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections and has never been included in the NFL’s annual Top 100 list of players.

Like Grady Jarrett before him and other ensuing players to be announced for this team, Autry hasn’t gotten the credit that he deserves for a variety of reasons over his career. His presence needs to be truly felt and appreciated studying film rather than adding up accolades or browsing surface-level statistics, neither of which come close to gauging the value he brings to a defensive line.

Below I broke down 16 plays from Autry’s 2022 season that illustrate how he wins and what traits make him the ideal candidate for this recognition.