DT Tyson Alualu
Tyson Alualu is proof that you don’t need to be an overly popular player or a bad player to still be somewhat overrated. Alualu was very good for the Steelers in 2020, but I don’t think he was necessarily vital to the team’s success, as many believed he was. This may have had something to do with Pro Football Focus.
PFF graded Alualu as one of the best interior defenders in the NFL last season. While his efficiency on a per-snap basis was certainly good, it’s hard to argue that he is better than players like Stephon Tuitt, Leonard Williams, Grady Jarrett, Jeffery Simmons, or Quinnen Williams.
Despite receiving recognition as one of the league’s highest-graded interior defenders, Alualu was just a part-time player for the Steelers – playing 44 percent of defensive snaps last season, according to Pro Football Reference. As a result, he rarely made an impact in the box score as the big defensive tackle earned just 2.0 sacks and 4 tackles for a loss in 15 games in 2020.
I do believe that Tyson Alualu is still a solid player despite his age. However, he’s clearly not a top-10 player along the interior defensive line in the NFL like some would believe. In fact, he’s a distant 3rd on his team behind Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt.