Leighton
Vander Esch
LB
#55
Leighton Vander Esch
#55LB
Dallas Cowboys
Height : 6' 4" · Weight : 256 lbs · Age : 30
NFL record
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | AST | SACK | FF | FR | YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dallas Cowboys | 6 | 30 | 17 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 2022 | Dallas Cowboys | 14 | 90 | 54 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Dallas Cowboys | 17 | 77 | 48 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 60 | 32 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | Dallas Cowboys | 9 | 72 | 43 | 29 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Dallas Cowboys | 16 | 140 | 102 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Advanced stats, 2023 Linebackers
NFL stats →2023 season. The percentile ranks the player among regular linebackers: 90th means better than 90% of them.
Tackles
27
3th percentile
Tackles for loss
1
3th percentile
Sacks
0.0
5th percentile
Pressures
—
Interceptions
0
31th percentile
Passes defended
0
5th percentile
Yards allowed per target
5.3 yd
73th percentile
Passer rating allowed
107.5
17th percentile
Missed tackle rate
3.2 %
98th percentile
Defensive snaps
269
0th percentile
Regular season. Data: nflverse (play-by-play, snap counts), Next Gen Stats, Pro Football Reference. EPA: expected points added. CPOE: completion percentage over expected.
2024 projection
NFL trends →Projected WAR
0.0
Games
9
WAR 2023
0.0
Games played
5
The pace of the last three seasons (WAR per game, 60/25/15), pulled toward the group average, over the games expected from his availability in the last two, adjusted for age.
Trend
→ Stable (0)
- 20210.1 WAR · 0.006 per game
- 20220.1 WAR · 0.007 per game
- 20230.0 WAR · 0.000 per game
The trend compares this season's WAR per game with last season's, weighted by games played.
Outlook, age included
+10 · 27 y.o. · prime years
It is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes.
Player ratings, 2023
All ratings →Ratings from 0 to 100, computed over four seasons from data, never by hand, against regulars in the same position group. 75 = established regular, 87 = 90th percentile, 95+ = elite.
OV · Overall
60
Depth player
- TCK
- Tackling
- 79
- COV
- Coverage
- 72
- RDF
- Run defense
- 70
- PRS
- Pass rush
- 55
- DUR
- Durability
- 45
- EX
- Experience
- 65
Why these ratings?Hide details
- TCK — Tackling : Tackles made and missed tackles
- COV — Coverage : Yards and passer rating allowed per target
- RDF — Run defense : Run tackles and tackles for loss, per snap
- PRS — Pass rush : Pressures, sacks and QB hits, per snap
- DUR — Durability : Games played out of his team's, over several seasons
- EX — Experience : Seasons in the NFL
WAR and PAL Rating, 2023
How we rate →WAR: the EPA (expected points added) of every play, above replacement level, shared among those who made it, then converted to wins (35.3 points = one win). PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against regulars in the same group (50 = median).
PAL: dimensions
Where WAR comes from (in wins)
Half the EPA of his sacks, interceptions, passes defended, forced fumbles, tackles for loss and QB hits, against his position's average per snap.
Yards allowed per target against his position's average, 0.12 points per yard (measured).
Replacement level: the share of defense the league spends on his position (by payroll), prorated by snaps.
How much better or worse than average his team's defense was (EPA allowed), minus what is already credited to players, prorated by snaps.
The individual part is splash plays and coverage. The rest is the position share and his team's defense, split by snaps played.
| Season | Team | G | WAR | PAL | OV | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | DAL | 5 | 0.0 | 31 | 60 | 27 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2022 | DAL | 14 | 0.1 | 38 | 68 | 83 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2021 | DAL | 17 | 0.1 | 50 | 71 | 72 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 |
Leighton Vander Esch in five questions
What are Leighton Vander Esch's stats in 2023?
Leighton Vander Esch has 0 sacks and 0 QB hits in 5 games in 2023.
How old and how tall is Leighton Vander Esch?
Leighton Vander Esch is 30 years old. He is 6'4" (193 cm) and weighs 256 lb (116 kg).
How good is Leighton Vander Esch?
Leighton Vander Esch produced 0.0 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2023. His PAL rating is 31 out of 100: below average for his position.
What number does Leighton Vander Esch wear, and what team does he play for?
Leighton Vander Esch plays for Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, at LB, and wears number 55.
What is Leighton Vander Esch's projection for 2024?
Our projection has him at 0.0 WAR in 2024, based on his weighted recent seasons and age.
