2022 NFL All-Region team: Here are the best defensive players from the Philadelphia area

You know the old adage: Defense wins championships.

A day after we put together a championship-caliber offense from the Philadelphia area, it is time to unveil our defensive roster, headlined by new Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick.

» READ MORE: 2022 NFL All-Region team: Here are the best offensive players from the Philadelphia area

Here are the best NFL defensive players and special teamers from Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Delaware:

DE Carl Nassib, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The West Chester native made national waves last September by becoming the first active NFL player to come out as gay while a member of the Los Vegas Raiders. Now with the Bucs, Nassib, 29, will look to add to his career total of 22 sacks. Before becoming an All-American with Penn State, Nassib starred in football and basketball at Malvern Prep.

DT Christian Barmore, New England Patriots: Ask anyone in New England about the former Neumann Goretti star and they will tell you how much of a steal Barmore looks to be as a second-round pick. The Philly product racked up 45 tackles and was a force in the middle last season for the Patriots on the way to earning Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie honors.

DT Teair Tart, Tennessee Titans: The 6-foot-4, 304-pound Tart took an unlikely road to the NFL. Originally a basketball player, he did not play football until his junior season in high school. He picked it up quickly, earning All-Public League honors as a defensive tackle at West Philadelphia before making collegiate stops at ASA College in New York, Valley Forge Military Academy, East Mississippi Community College, Ellsworth Community College (Iowa), and finally Florida International. The undrafted free agent then caught on with the Titans, with whom he started 10 games last season.

DE Da’Shawn Hand, Tennessee Titans: Like Barmore, Hand was born in Philadelphia and later attended the University of Alabama, where he won two NCAA championships. A fourth-round pick of the Lions in 2018, Hand has bounced around a bit so far but has a great pedigree – he was once ranked as the top recruit in the country while playing at Woodbridge High School in Virginia.

OLB Haason Reddick, Philadelphia Eagles: Reddick is Philly through and through as he grew up in Camden and then walked on at Temple. After a banner career with the Owls, Reddick was selected in the first round of the NFL draft and has subsequently established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league. Reddick, who signed a three-year, $45-million contract with the hometown Eagles this summer, has 23.5 sacks over the past two seasons, the fifth-most in the NFL during that span.

» READ MORE: Haason Reddick is critical to the Eagles defense ... and Jonathan Gannon’s job

MLB Troy Reeder, Los Angeles Chargers: Fresh off a Super Bowl title with the crosstown Rams, Reeder signed with the Chargers this summer. The Wilmington native finished third on the Rams with 91 tackles last season and joins a Chargers defense that also added Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson. At the Salesianum School, Reeder was named the Delaware Defensive Player of the Year before heading to Penn State and later the University of Delaware.

OLB Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis Colts: The former La Salle College Prep standout has become a real leader in the Colts’ locker room, serving as a captain the past few seasons. A star on special teams, Franklin is expected to play more on the defensive side of the ball this season. Last year, Franklin tallied 40 tackles, but that could increase in 2022-23 with the Colts’ depth chart slating him to start at the Sam linebacker spot.

CB Bryce Hall, New York Jets: The young Jets corner is coming off an excellent season, one in which he earned a 64.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, the 18th best mark for defenders who played at least 80% of his team’s defensive snaps. Hall racked up 79 tackles and 16 passes defended last season

CB Eli Apple, Cincinnati Bengals: The former top 10 pick has had an up-and-down NFL career but last season advanced to the Super Bowl with the Cincinnati Bengals, his fourth team in four years. As a senior at Eastern Regional in Voorhees, Apple was rated the No. 1 recruit in the state of New Jersey and ultimately committed to Ohio State. He is coming off arguably his best pro season, racking up 49 tackles, 10 passes defended, and two interceptions, while grading out as the best corner in man coverage in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

CB Anthony Averett, Las Vegas Raiders: The Woodbury product will be beginning his fifth NFL season, and like Apple, is probably coming off his best one to date. Averett had 54 tackles, 11 passes defended, and three interceptions last year in his first year as a full-time starter with the Ravens. He parlayed that into a free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders this summer. Averett is the nephew of former Pro Bowl tackle Bryant McKinnie.

S Chuck Clark, Baltimore Ravens: The strong safety was born in Philadelphia before moving and attending high school in Virginia. A former sixth-round pick, Clark has been a full-time starter over the last three years on one of the league’s best defenses. Clark finished second on the Ravens with 80 tackles last season, and also racked up 12 passes defended and two interceptions.

S Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans: Born in Philadelphia, Byard, who moved to Atlanta at 14 years old, has consistently been among the best safeties in the NFL since entering the league in 2016. A two-time All-Pro, Byard ranks fourth in the NFL in interceptions since 2016 with 23. The 29-year-old is coming off a banner year, as he led the Titans in tackles with 88 and also had five interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

P Ryan Winslow, Free Agent: Winslow, who punted in four games last season with Carolina, Arizona, and Washington, was recently waived by the Chicago Bears. The former La Salle College High product was an All-ACC performer in college at the University of Pittsburgh and will be waiting by the phone for an opportunity in 2022-23.

K Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos: Another player with deep Philly roots, McManus kicked and punted at North Penn High before attending Temple, where he set the school’s career scoring record. McManus, who is heading into his ninth year in the NFL, has consistently been among the top scoring kickers in the league and ranks in the top 50 all-time in accuracy (82%).

KR Damiere Byrd, Atlanta Falcons: The veteran receiver has experience in the NFL both as a kick returner and punt returner, particularly earlier in his career with the Carolina Panthers, where he returned one kick for a touchdown in 2017. Born in Gloucester Township, Byrd played his high school ball at Timber Creek before earning a scholarship to the University of South Carolina.