After improving from 14th to fourth between 2023 and 2024, the Green Bay Packers ascended to the top spot of PFF’s tackling grade ranking during the 2025 season.

The Packers finished with an NFL-best tackling grade of 81.3, nearly seven points higher than the second-placed team (Detroit Lions, 74.7).

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Although the Packers had double-digit missed tackles from Edgerrin Cooper (19), Evan Williams (14) and Javon Bullard (13), and Carrington Valentine had one of the highest missed tackle rates among cornerbacks (21.3 percent), Jeff Hafley’s defense was littered with terrific tacklers in 2025. The team’s overall tackling grade was a testament to the culture change created by Hafley’s arrival in Green Bay — this was a team that flew around the field with speedy players at every level and prioritized getting as many hats to the ball as possible.

Several individual performances in the tackle department are worth noting.

Linebacker Quay Walker missed only 6.7 percent of tackle attempts, ranking ninth among all NFL linebackers with at least 500 snaps in 2025. He was bested by Isaiah McDuffie, who missed only 5.2 percent of tackles — ranking fourth at the position. Walker’s tackle grade was 84.6, ranking fourth among linebackers.

At safety, Xavier McKinney was once again one of the NFL’s best tacklers. He missed only five tackles and had a missed tackle percentage of 4.5 percent, ranking third among safeties. His tackling grade of 90.6 was a career high. McKinney arrived in Green Bay with a decorated past as a sure tackler, and he’s lived up the billing over his first two seasons.

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Cornerback Keisean Nixon missed only four tackles and had a missed percentage of 4.9, and he ranked seventh among cornerbacks in tackling grade. Say what you want about his coverage ability as a perimeter corner, but Nixon is a physical player who is typically unafraid to do the dirty work as a tackler (save for one ugly snap near the goal line in the postseason).

Edge rusher isn’t a high priority tackling position, but Micah Parsons ranked first among all edge rushers with at least 500 snaps in overall tackling grade. He missed only two tackle attempts in 2025. Rashan Gary also ranked in the top five in tackling grade among qualified edge rushers. Lukas Van Ness set a career-high for tackling grade (80.8) after missing only one tackle attempt over 310 snaps.

Even Devonte Wyatt, who has had issues finishing tackles during his pro career, had a top season as a tackler, missing only one tackle over 400 snaps.

The worst tacklers on the team, by grade and opportunity, were Valentine and two interior defenders, Colby Wooden and Warren Brinson. A few of Wooden’s missed tackles came on potential tackle-for-loss opportunities. Playing closer to the line of scrimmage on most snaps put Bullard in more tackling situations, and he’ll need to be better as a tackler next season, but there’s not much for negatives in the tackle department exiting 2025.

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Hafley helped the Packers rewrite the narrative around the defense’s tackling ability. This was a Packers defense that got to the ball and put players on the ground. Continuing this tackling culture should be a priority for Jonathan Gannon in 2026 and beyond.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers were NFL’s top tackling team in 2025