For ten years the players of the NFL have voted to determine the best players of the NFL. For ten years the results of the vote have been released on NFL Network with commentary from the players. The commentary is the best part. It's informative, often hilarious, and always entertaining. Over the first several years, NFL Network started revealing the rankings soon after the draft. It was a multi-month long process. It was condensed to about a week last year. It was further condensed this year to just four days. No matter how it's packaged, The NFL Top 100 Players is a fun way to ramp up to a new season. It's also one of the few instances when it's the players ranking the players. The first three evenings revealed the players ranked from 100-41. Here are those players.
100. Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
99. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
98. Brandon Brooks, OG, Philadelphia Eagles
97. Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals
96. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks
95. Frank Clark, Edge, Kansas City Chiefs
94. Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles
93. Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears
92. Darius Slay, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
91. Grady Jarrett, DT, Atlanta Falcons
It's about time for Budda Baker. The 90s feel a little low for Brandon Brooks, Frank Clark, and Grady Jarrett but there are a lot of terrific football players in the NFL. Some terrific players have to wind up ranked in the 90s.
When Jason Kelce was revealed it was mentioned that he's the first brother of three sets of brothers on the list. That, of course, got me thinking about those brothers. Jason and Travis Kelce, Joey and Nick Bosa, and J.J. and T.J. Watt must be the three.
90. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
89. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
88. Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas Cowboys
87. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
86. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Baltimore Ravens
85. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
84. Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
83. Eric Kendricks, LB, Minnesota Vikings
82. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, New Orleans Saints
81. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
It's great to see finally see Eric Kendricks included among the best football players in the league.
It's a little early for rookies Kyler Murray and DK Metcalf. Each had a handful of scintillating moments but each also had many more moments in which they looked like intriguing rookies.
80. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
79. Calais Campbell, DL, Baltimore Ravens
78. Tyron Smith, OT, Dallas Cowboys
77. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
76. Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints
75. Earl Thomas, S, Baltimore Ravens
74. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Baltimore Ravens
73. Fletcher Cox, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
72. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
71. Jurrell Casey, DT, Denver Broncos
With three in this group, and four so far, it's no surprise to see the Baltimore Ravens well represented on The NFL Top 100.
I always find it interesting to see NFL Top 100 Players on new teams. So far, Darius Slay, Calais Campbell, and Jurrell Casey are listed with teams for whom they have yet to play. Tom Brady, Jamal Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, DeForest Buckner, and Stefon Diggs should join them as players that have made an offseason relocation. Stars get traded. It's part of the game. It still surprises me because these are supposed to be the players around which teams are built.
70. Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers
69. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
68. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans
67. Demario Davis, LB, New Orleans Saints
66. Laremy Tunsil, OT, Houston Texans
65. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
64. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings
63. Preston Smith, Edge, Green Bay Packers
62. David Bakhtiari, OT, Green Bay Packers
61. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns
#64 is way too low for Harrison Smith.
Larry Fitzgerald is still great.
Fred Warner has made a quick ascent up the linebacker ranks.
60. Logan Ryan, S, Free Agent
59. Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
58. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
57. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
56. DeForest Buckner, DT, Indianapolis Colts
55. Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys
54. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
53. Marcus Peters, CB, Baltimore Ravens
52. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
51. Todd Gurley, RB, Atlanta Falcons
The Vikings have a QB on the Top 100!
Stefon Diggs has yet to play a game in his new uniform but I miss him already.
50. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis Colts
49. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys
48. Za'Darius Smith, Edge, Green Bay Packers
47. Tre'Davious White, CB, Buffalo Bills
46. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
45. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
44. Mark Ingram, RB, RB Baltimore Ravens
43. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers
42. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
41. Jadeveon Clowney, Edge, Free Agent
Logan Ryan and Jadeveon Clowney are ranked among the Top 60 Players of 2020. Neither has signed with a team. It's been a weird offseason.
It was mentioned in one of the six episodes that the Ravens tied the Saints for the most players on this year's list. Seven. So far, six Ravens have been revealed. So only Lamar Jackson made the Top 40.
A clip of Drew Brees and Russell Wilson at the Pro Bowl was played when Preston Smith was revealed. It was played again when Za'Darius Smith was revealed. In the clip, Brees and Wilson are chatting about the impact that each Smith has had on the Packers pass rush. It's a funny clip because Kirk Cousins is standing with Brees and Wilson with apparently nothing to add. He faced the Smiths twice that season. Maybe he added his opinion off-camera. The clip is also funny because the ~6'3" Cousins towers over his itty-bitty passing peers.
My favorite part of the NFL Top 100 has always been the commentary. Some of the players are hilarious. Ike Taylor and Mike Daniels have stood out in that regard. Some of the commentary is really informative. I often think of Luke Kuechly's breakdown of Charles Clay from one of the early seasons. Funny and/or informative, the commentary is always entertaining. Darius Slay has impressed this year.
The Vikings have five players on the Top 100. Looks like Dalvin Cook and Danielle Hunter made the Top 40.
Players ranked 40-11 will be revealed tonight.
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