For the players. By the players.
This was the inspiration behind the NFL Players Association's second annual vote to determine the top players at each position.
After Dexter Lawrence was selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl last week, it should not come as a surprise that he was voted by his peers to the Players' All-Pro team at nose tackle.
The fifth-year pro was once again one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in the NFL this season. He registered 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits and two passes defensed to go with his 53 total tackles (32 solo). He did this despite missing the game against the Patriots and playing limited snaps in the final five games of the season.
"He's a really good football player. He's dominant in the interior part of the defense," coach Brian Daboll said in his weekly sit-down with Giants.com before the season finale. "I would say a lot of things set him apart. He's got great size, length, athletic ability, quickness, power and explosion. That's why he's getting recognized, because he's an exceptional football player, but he's an even better person."
According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence also picked up 65 total pressures, which topped his previous career-high of 63 set last year.
This marks the second straight season Lawrence was voted to the Players' All-Pro Team at nose tackle.
"I think I got better in some areas," Lawrence told the media last week when asked to compare this season to his 2022 campaign. "Still got room to improve, still got to continue learning my position and crafting it up. There are things that now I get all this attention, it's different things that I've got to learn how to play through and different schemes I've got to learn how to play through, stuff like that. All I can do is just keep going out there and giving everything I've got every time I step on the field and that's what I'm going to do."
View photos of defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence's career with the Giants.
The Players' All-Pro Team is voted on exclusively by players.
Here are the voting rules, according to the NFLPA website:
- Only active NFL players can vote and they get only one vote.
- If a player missed five or more games as of Week 15, then they are ineligible.
- Players cannot vote for themselves or for their own teammates
- Players vote for the position group they play in and line up against. (For example, centers can vote for centers, nose tackles, interior defensive linemen, off-ball linebackers)
- Various player leaders from each team nominate their two best special teams players (or "core teamers") for the ballot. We wanted the locker rooms to decide who should represent their team in that position.
Here is the entire 2023 NFLPA All-Pro Team:
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers
Wide Receiver: CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys; Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Tight End: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Left Tackle: Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Left Guard (tie): Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns; Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Center: Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles
Right Guard: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
Right Tackle: Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Edge Rusher: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Nose Tackle: Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants
Interior Defensive Lineman: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs; Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
Off-Ball Linebacker: Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens; Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
Cornerback: DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys; Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Free Safety: Jessie Bates III, Atlanta Falcons
Strong Safety: Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
Kick Returner: Keisean Nixon, Green Bay Packers
Punt Returner: Derius Davis, Los Angeles Chargers
Core Teamer: Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Detroit Lions; Brenden Schooler, New England Patriots
Kicker: Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys
Punter: AJ Cole, Las Vegas Raiders
Long Snapper: Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville Jaguars