Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Shaquil Barret; it’s easy to see Denver’s defensive front is absolutely loaded with top-tier talent.
But, the forgotten man up front is Shelby Harris, and he deserves a great deal of recognition for his superb season so far.
Harris, who plays defensive end on the interior of the Broncos D-line, has 26 total tackles, 1.5 sacks — which came during the win over the Bengals last week — and one interception. That clutch pick, off Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone, saved Denver’s much-needed win over Pittsburgh.
And, according to Pro Football Focus, Harris is one of the best interior defenders in the NFL this season:
The top graded players on the defensive interior so far this season. pic.twitter.com/YKUeNmmmmN
— PFF (@PFF) December 4, 2018
Harris’ 90.7 overall grade puts him in a tie for sixth-best interior defender in the league, and his individual games have been tremendous, too.
In Week 1, Harris earned a 91.7 grade by totaling four pressures, hitting the quarterback twice and hurrying him twice, as well. Week 7 brought a 90.1 grade, highlighted by his run defense, which included four run-stops and two pressures. And, finally, that Steelers game was his best of the year, earning a 95.3 grade (of 100). Along with his 1.5 sacks, he hit Roethlisberger twice and hurried him once as well, and came up with that game-sealing pick, of course.
Along with celebrating the recent three-game win streak, Harris celebrated the birth of his baby girl the day of the Steelers win.
Harris and the Broncos (6-6) now face the 49ers (2-10) in San Francisco, with kickoff scheduled for 2:05 p.m. MT. While Von Miller is fun to watch, keep an eye on the consistent and disruptive Harris, No. 96.