NFL Network's ranking of the Top 100 Players in the league is complete. They revealed the Best of the Best on Wednesday. The Top 10 Players in the NFL.
10. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
9. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks
8. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
6. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
5. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos
4. DeMarco Murray, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
3. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
2. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
1. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
This is a ranking of the top players voted on by the players so it's a lot better than rankings done by yahoos at a keyboard. At the very least it's different.
The most significant happening in this list is that a defensive player landed at #1. That's never happened in the five-year history of NFL Network's player rankings. J.J. Watt is very deserving of being that player. In five short years he's become one of the most disruptive defensive players the league has ever seen. It's been a treat to see him make the football lives of quarterbacks and running backs miserable.
The surprises for me from this list are finding DeMarco Murray ahead of Marshawn Lynch and Peyton Manning ahead of Andrew Luck. Murray had a fantastic year in 2014 and that placed him high. I just think that Lynch is the better back. When his body is moving fine Manning is still a terrific quarterback. He wasn't moving so well at the end of the 2014 season. At his age, that is a concern for 2015. I hope that he's at his physical best. The NFL is a better league with him in it.
I can't say this enough. The best thing about this ranking is that it's done by the players. And the most enjoyable part of the NFL Network reveal programs are the player commentary. Pittsburgh Steelers corner Ike Taylor provides the most entertaining of that commentary. He retired this offseason. I hope that as long as players that he played against populate this list he continues that commentary.
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