Recently, Mark Schofield and I compiled 14 different lists of the 11 best players at every position. From those names, we then compiled this list of the top 101 players in the NFL today. In this top 101, we forced ourselves to stick to players we had named in the positional lists, to avoid overdoing “skill position players” at the expense of slot cornerbacks, guards and interior defensive linemen. By drawing from a full list of positions as opposed to loading this with the most popular or highest-paid players, hopefully it gives a better and wider sense of the talent around the league than some other lists might.
The top 11 lists: Slot defenders | Outside cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers | Edge defenders | Interior defensive linemen | Offensive tackles | Offensive guards | Centers | Outside Receivers | Slot receivers | Tight ends | Running backs | Quarterbacks
That said, this policy made for some weird decisions. Because when you limit yourself to the top 11 players at any position, you’re invariably going to leave some players out who deserve to be in. What if there are three or four really great slot cornerbacks, and 14 to 15 really great quarterbacks? You still have to leave Ryan Tannehill and Matthew Stafford off the list, which seems odd. Or, if Stefon Diggs doesn’t make your top 11 in a league where the group of outside receivers is absolutely stacked, you have to omit him, too. Not ideal.
Why 11 instead of 10? As the noted musical philosopher Nigel Tufnel once noted, it’s one louder.
But as they say, perfect is the enemy of good, and we wanted to stick with this particular paradigm. So, there are quite a few honorable mentions who didn’t make it, but certainly would have if the list were 10 to 20 players longer (and louder).
Chris Carson, Mark Ingram, Joe Mixon, Austin Hooper, Tyler Higbee, Dallas Goedert, Hunter Henry, Darren Waller, Jared Cook, Kenny Golladay, Joel Bitonio, Graham Glasgow, Richie Incognito, Brandon Scherff, Ryan Kelly, Jason Kelce, Alex Mack, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Jaylon Smith, Deion Jones, Cory Littleton, La’el Collins, Laremy Tunsil, and Taylor Lewan are among the players who just missed the cut. This should in no way be seen as us maligning their value as players… it’s just that there are only so many slots for any of these guys.
So, here are the ones who did make the cut. Here is Touchdown Wire’s list of the top 101 players heading into the 2020 NFL season.
The Top 101: 101-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
101. D.J. Reader, DI, Cincinnati Bengals
D.J. Reader has been steadily improving every season in the NFL, since being selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft by the Houston Texans. Last season was a stellar year for Reader, who parlayed his on-the-field success into a new contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on the open market. Reader set new career-high marks in quarterback pressures (36), quarterback hits (11), quarterback hurries (22), tackles (41) and “stops,” with 35.
His ability to help against the run is a selling point for many, but it is what Reader can do pushing the pocket from the interior that will make a difference in today’s NFL. On a Sunday night against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, Reader was a force on the interior against the veteran quarterback. That night he had a season-high five quarterback pressures and four quarterback hits, ad this play is just one example of how he wins on the inside:
Bear in mind that Reader is working against Joe Thuney, one of the league’s top guards. But let’s talk about why this play is impressive from the defensive tackle. Due to the late motion Reader actually gets a late jump on this snap, as he is trying to shift as the ball is snapped (begging the question as to why teams don’t use motion at the snap more often). Reader then uses a speed rush move on Thuney, and the guard looks in good position. Brady, however, does not, and tries to slide around Reader’s initial penetration upfield. That is when the DT responds with foot quickness and strength, cutting underneath Thuney to pressure Brady and force a throw under duress.
Quick interior pressure is one of the things that works best to throw off the timing of passing plays, and Reader can bring that in bunches. Now, with Geno Atkins alongside him, he’ll be able to do that for the Bengals.
100. Steven Nelson, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are known historically as a franchise that likes to develop its talent through the draft. So it’s interesting that so many pieces of a secondary that has become a much-needed strength have come through either free agency or the trade route. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, cornerback Joe Haden, and Nelson are all from other teams, and Nelson proved to be an especially astute pickup when Pittsburgh signed him to a three-year, $25.5 million contract before the 2019 season. Last year, he allowed just 34 receptions on 69 targets for 468 yards, 110 yards after the catch, one touchdown, one interception, and an opponent passer rating of 73.3.
Nelson isn’t the biggest guy at five-foot-11 and 194 pounds, but he uses quickness, as well as excellent technique, to match up with and succeed against bigger receivers who would seem to be able to take him out in a physical sense. Nelson was specifically one of the league’s best cornerbacks in man coverage, but the scheme didn’t really matter in 2019 — he was outstanding no matter what the schematic circumstances were.
99. Devin McCourty, S, New England Patriots
Versatility is going to be a trait woven throughout this piece when it comes to defense, and the first safety on this list is a prime example of what this ability means. Bill Belichick asks a ton of his defenders, and in particular his safeties, and perhaps moreso from his veteran Devin McCourty. A former cornerback at Rutgers, McCourty can be seen lining up all over the field for the New England Patriots. You might see him down in the box helping against the run, in single coverage against receivers or even tight ends (such as Travis Kelce in some of the memorable Patriots-Chiefs games of recent history) or playing in more of your traditional single- or double-high alignments.
The “pass coverage or pass rush” debate is one that plays out yearly – if not monthly – on football twitter. While Belichick himself has stressed that the two need to work in tandem, last season’s version of the Patriots did have its strength with the coverage unit. Stephon Gilmore won accolades as the Defensive Player of the Year, but behind him McCourty certainly played a role with what he brought to the table. The veteran safety was targeted 31 times in pass coverage, allowing just 19 receptions for 130 yards and a single touchdown, along with his five interceptions. That translated to an NFL passer rating allowed of just 41.8, the best mark of his career.
98. David DeCastro, OG, Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s funny how sometimes, when you’re eyeing one player in tape study, another player will jump off the screen and announce his presence with authority. That happened to me in 2012 as I was getting a better handle on what made Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck so special before the 2012 draft took place. Though Luck certainly stood out for all the obvious reasons, I couldn’t keep my eyes off guard David DeCastro, who alternated between perfect technique in his pass-blocking with reps in which he’d take unfortunate collegiate defensive linemen and just mash them all over the place in the run game.
Though his NFL career was derailed early due to injuries, DeCastro has proven to be equally effective at the NFL level. He’s made five straight Pro Bowls, and with good reason — he has never allowed more than three sacks in any NFL season, he didn’t allow a single quarterback takedown in either 2017 or 2018, and even though Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation was a hot mess last year, DeCastro gave up just two sacks, no quarterback hits, and 22 quarterback hurries. If Ben Roethlisberger has one or more healthy seasons left in him, expect more of the same from a guy who has impressed since his days at Bellevue High School.
97. Troy Hill, CB, Los Angeles Rams
Hill may be one of the lesser-known names on this list, but the former undrafted free agent out of Oregon made a real impact for the Rams’ defense in his fifth NFL season — especially as a cornerback in zone coverage, where he allowed seven receptions on 20 targets for 118 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and a Positive Play Rate of 35% — the fifth-best rate in the NFL for cornerbacks targeted 20 or more times. Overall, Hill allowed 20 catches on 50 targets for 263 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a Positive Play Rate allowed of 38%, which is the second-lowest among outside cornerbacks with at least 50 targets, behind only New England’s J.C. Jackson. It’s a testament to Hill’s trail ability, recovery speed, and intelligent aggression that he’s become a positive attribute in a defense that’s looking to (re)build around Aaron Donald.
96. Erik McCoy, C, New Orleans Saints
When former Saints center Max Unger announced his retirement in March, 2019, New Orleans was caught short at a very important position. Sean Payton’s team responded to this emergency by selecting McCoy out of Texas A&M in the second round of last year’s draft. All he had to do from there was to acclimate himself in one of the NFL’s most complicated offenses, especially for interior linemen — if you play inside the tackles for Payton and you can’t move, you won’t last. McCoy did that from the start at a rare level. He really hit my radar halfway through the 2019 season, and by the end of his rookie campaign, he had proven to have diagnostic skills beyond his years, perfectly matched with his athletic potential.
McCoy allowed one sack and 14 total pressures in 2019 as the Saints alternated between Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater, and no team was better in the run game up the middle, per Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Line Yards metric, than the Saints. Know his name now, and if Eric McCoy is the top center on this list next year, don’t be surprised at all.
95. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
After a solid rookie campaign, Mark Andrews had a massive season in 2019 for the Ravens. He was targeted 104 times (fifth-most in the league among TEs) and caught 68 of those passes for 891 yards and ten touchdowns. He was the only tight end in the league to crack the double-digit mark in receiving touchdowns.
Andrews’ athleticism and frame make him so dangerous in the passing game, particularly in the red zone. Watch him on this touchdown against the Houston Texans. He runs a post route out of the right slot, and is working against Justin Reid, a solid safety for the Texans. Andrews gets a bit of benefit from the traffic created by the route concept, but Reid has almost no chance here:
This offseason, the Ravens traded Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons, meaning Andrews will take on perhaps a bigger role in the offense in 2020. With his combination of traits and in a well-designed offense that relies on many multiple TE packages, he should be in store for another big year.
94. Marlon Humphrey, Slot CB, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore’s first-round pick in 2017 out of Alabama, Humphrey found himself manning the slot more and more as the 2019 season went along, and certainly after the Ravens acquired Marcus Peters in a trade with the Rams last October. Humphrey had no issue filling that role, as he totaled 37 receptions allowed on 59 targets from the slot, for 347 yards, 152 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, one interception, and an opponent passer rating of 83.1.
At 6-foot-0 and 197 pounds, Humphrey has the size and physicality to excel outside, but he also has the quick-twitch direction-changing ability and short-area speed required to take a slot receiver across the middle, close on the play, and shut it down.
93. Cooper Kupp, Slot WR, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams’ formerly vaunted passing offense fell off in 2019, dropping from fifth overall in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted efficiency metrics in the franchise’s Super Bowl season of 2018, to 13th in 2019. Some of that had to do with the running game falling apart, some of that had to do with defenses figuring Sean McVay’s offense out to a point, and a lot of it had to do with quarterback Jared Goff hitting his ceiling with the force of an Aaron Donald sack.
Didn’t matter to Kupp, though. The Rams’ third-round pick in 2017 had his most productive season as a slot target in 2019, with 69 catches on 99 targets for 853 yards, five touchdowns, and a passer rating of 101.1 when targeted inside. That was exactly Goff’s overall passer rating in 2018, but it dropped to 86.5 in 2019, while Kupp was the rare part of that passing game that actually presented improvement.
Kupp is especially good at reading and understanding coverage, which allows him to break to defensive openings and take advantage of those openings with his acceleration and downfield speed.
92. Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers
If we’re buying futures on players, Fred Warner is where I am placing a huge investment.
Coming out of BYU, Warner was a difficult evaluation during his draft process. He played primarily as an overhang defender for the Cougars, spending the bulk of his time out in the slot or in space. That, coupled with the “undersized” flag on his scouting profiles, caused many to wonder if there was a role for him in the modern NFL. That saw him slip to the third round of the draft.
Well, as he displayed the past few seasons, there certainly is a role for him. Last season Warner spent the bulk of his time in the box, logging 1,070 snaps down near the line of scrimmage, and all over that area of the field for Robert Saleh’s defense. He saw 156 snaps at middle linebacker, 574 snaps at one of the inside linebacker spots (left inside linebacker or right inside linebacker) and 330 snaps at one of the two linebacker spots in a 4-2-5 defense.
What can he do from those spots? Well, almost anything you ask. Here he reads the eyes of Jared Goff and breaks on a checkdown, turning it into a pick six:
This video package highlights all the things he brings to the table, from sideline-to-sideline ability against the run to his coverage skills in space:
When breaking down the top safeties in the league, flexibility and versatility was a big component. In the modern NFL defenses have to be able to adjust on the fly to what an offense is doing, and hybrid defenders play a big role. Warner might be the prototype for the next wave of NFL linebackers.
91. D.J. Hayden, Slot CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Raiders selected Hayden in the first round of the 2013 draft, but injuries derailed what seemed to be a promising early career. After a stint with the Lions in 2017, Hayden signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Jaguars, and though he’s still missed time with injuries of late, he’s also been a revelation in the slot even as Jacksonville has engineered the deconstruction of what was a truly great defense a couple years ago.
In 335 slot coverage snaps last season, Hayden allowed 24 catches on 38 targets for 195 yards, 110 yards after catch, no touchdowns, and an opponent passer rating of 76.1. He has the quickness and route awareness to track the game’s best receivers from the slot, and judging by his two sacks, seven total pressures, 18 stops, and five tackles for loss, he’s more than just a coverage guy.
90. Calais Campbell, DI, Baltimore Ravens
Another veteran playing at an extremely high level deep into his career is Calais Campbell. 2019 was his 12th year in the NFL, but he played some of his best football in what would be his final season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Campbell notched 71 quarterback pressures and 46 quarterback hurries, some of his best numbers to date, to go with his 41 total tackles. While his sack numbers dropped out of the double-digits for the first and only time during his stop in Jacksonville, those pressure numbers are nothing to scoff at.
If you want to get a sense of what he brings to Baltimore as a pass rusher, watch his Week 3 game against the Tennessee Titans. He was in the Titans’ backfield almost all night, racking up 10 pressures, a season-high three sacks, and five quarterback hurries. If you want a textbook example of upfield quickness from a defensive tackle, watch this play:
This is supposed to be a tunnel screen. Quarterbacks should not get sacked on tunnel screens. But Campbell gets upfield in the blink of an eye with a quick rip move, and stops this play before Marcus Mariota has a chance.
But if you want to see what probably brought him to Baltimore, the final play of the first quarter that night is probably the reason:
Remember. Derrick Henry put almost two hundred on the Ravens in the Division Round. Here, Campbell gets the running back for a loss of five yards on this outside zone play, slicing into the A Gap and beating the reach block attempt of the center. If Campbell can help the Ravens with both pass rush and run defense, watch out.
89. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
I made an appeal to authority for breaking the tie between Zach Ertz and Mark Andrews. Perhaps the premier authority of them all.
Bill Belichick.
No, no, no. It’s not like I managed to get the greatest coach of all time on the phone to ask him which tight end he considered more dangerous. Although, you would think he’d be willing to answer a call from a fellow Wesleyan University football player. No, this answer is based on the film.
Last season, the New England Patriots faced both the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles. Rewatching those two games this week I was reminded of an interesting schematic twist that Belichick put in place during that Eagles game.
Starting early in the contest on some critical third downs, and then increasing in volume over the course of the game, Ertz saw perhaps an unexpected face across from him in man coverage.
Stephon Gilmore, one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks and the Defensive Player of the Year a season ago.
When you see how Ertz puts defenders in a blender, like he does to Jeff Heath on this snap, you’ll see why Belichick wanted to put Gilmore on the TE:
Ertz is a great route-runner for the position, and like many other players on this list he can also use his frame and wingspan to create matchup problems. Forcing Belichick – and perhaps other defensive coaches in the future – to go to interesting lengths to try and slow him down. That kind of respect shows you just how valuable, and dangerous, Ertz is as a weapon.
88. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
In April, Cook promoted himself as the best running back in the NFL as he and the Vikings started talking about a contract extension. 2020 is the last year of Cook’s rookie deal, and the Florida State alum wants to be paid in the same range as the best in the business.
“The things I do coming out of the backfield, the things I do in between the tackles, I block, I pretty much do it all,” Cook said via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I don’t have to come off the field. I think some guys just don’t do as much as I do, and I think that’s why I’m today’s [top] back.”
Cook has never played a full 16-game season, and he had to work through shoulder issues in 2019. He also wore down as the season went along, averaging 5.3 yards per carry in the first eight games of the regular season, and 3.3 in the final eight. Cook’s postseason was an encapsulation thereof — he looked great in Minnesota’s wild-card win over the Saints, and was completely flummoxed by the 49ers’ excellent defense in the divisional round.
“It’s all a risk when you give any guy a contract in the league,” Cook concluded in April. “He could get hurt the next day in practice. So, it’s all a risk. But what if the guy doesn’t get hurt and he goes out there and helps contribute to the Super Bowl and he goes out there and balls out? … It’s all about what the person believes in, what the owners believe in, the GM believes in, and I firmly think the Vikings believe in me.”
Cook is right in that he possesses every attribute one would prefer in a franchise-level running back, but when asking for the kind of money he wants, the durability issue has to weigh on the minds of the Vikings’ decision-makers.
87. Brian Poole, Slot CB, New York Jets
The Falcons picked Poole up as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2016, and started him on a positive development curve as a slot defender. Poole was error-prone at times in that position, and would give up more touchdowns and big plays than was ideal, but after he signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal to replace Buster Skrine, things started to turn around. Last season, Poole allowed 32 catches on 51 targets for 237 yards, 131 yards after the catch, one touchdown, one interception, and an opponent passer rating of 72.1 — the lowest opponent passer rating allowed by any slot cornerback who played more than 50% of his snaps inside. Now, he has another one-year deal, with the money going up to $5 million.
Poole has maintained his aggressiveness, but has also refined his mechanics to allow him to trail receivers through different routes. As he’s been able to combine backpedal speed with an elevated route sense and a fluid hip-flip (as well as defined footwork), Poole is now a top-level slot asset.
86. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
Barkley’s 2019 season was mostly a disappointment after he led the NFL with 2,028 yards from scrimmage in his rookie campaign. A high ankle sprain diminished his effectiveness for much of his second season, and the nadir of that was his 13-carry, one-yard performance against the Jets in Week 10 where he couldn’t bounce outside, he was missing three starters on the offensive line, and his own pass protection was uncharacteristically awful.
Barkley started to put it back together near the end of the season, averaging 108.4 yards per game in December after a November in which he tallied just 29.3 yards per contest. The hope in 2020 is that a healthy Barkley will align with fourth-overall pick Andrew Thomas on an improved front five, new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will add continuity to the run game (no sure thing there), and Barkley will return to form. At his peak, he’s one of the quickest and most elusive backs in the game, and his receiving ability forces defenses to do… well, more than whatever the Washington Football Team was doing on this 33-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Jones.
Barkley isn’t as quite as transcendent as one might have assumed in his rookie season, but he’s better than what he showed in the middle of the 2019 season when it seemed that everything possible was aligned against him. His third season will say a lot about his future potential.
85. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis Colts
It was viewed as something of a reach when the Indianapolis Colts drafted Darius Leonard out of South Carolina State in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. But there is a reason Colts’ general manager Chris Ballard is widely regarded at one of the best in the business, and the Leonard pick is great evidence why. Leonard has been an elite-level player during his two seasons in the league, and last year was no exception. He was great in coverage, allowing 59 receptions on 74 targets for 559 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but grabbing five interceptions along the way, a career-high. Watch what he does here on this pick six of Jameis Winston:
He begins the play down in the box, showing pressure. But after engaging the center to mess with the protection scheme he drops off the line of scrimmage and gets underneath the slant route, reading this play perfectly. He finishes it off by returning it 82 yards for the score. This is veteran awareness from the young LB.
Leonard is also solid against the run, and in 2019 he notched 79 tackles – along with 36 “stops” – and just six missed tackles. He possesses a great combination of strength and short-area quickness, that allows him to evade and/or stack-and-shed against the run. Watch him on this play against the Miami Dolphins as he picks his way through traffic and stops this run before it gets going:
Entering just his third season in the league, there is no reason Leonard will not continue to show up on lists like this in the years to come.
84. Joe Thuney, OG, New England Patriots
Thuney might be the least physically imposing player on this list at his position. The third-round pick out of North Carolina State in 2016 doesn’t really pop off the tape in any particular category. At 6-foot-5 and 308 pounds, he doesn’t impose his physical will on defenders as other guards do. What Thuney has become, however, is the best possible distillation of the value of great technique. You just don’t see him out of position, and though he’s not some kind of leverage monster, he’s able to use that technique to get the job done in ways many far more physically gifted guards can’t.
The stats prove the story. Thuney allowed just one sack, four quarterback hits, and 12 quarterback hurries in 732 pass-blocking snaps last season after allowing no sacks, five quarterback hits, and 21 quarterback hurries in 765 snaps the year before. That kind of protection with that frequency of contact has made Thuney one of the most valuable offensive linemen in the league, regardless of position. And it’s especially impressive when you consider that Tom Brady got battered around quite a bit in 2019 as he waited for his receivers to gain separation — a process that generally yielded negative results. It will be fascinating to see how Thuney and the rest of the Patriots’ line adapts to Cam Newton in 2020. One thing’s for sure — New England doesn’t want that to happen without Thuney involved, which is why the team placed the franchise tag on him.
83. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
As a writer I’ve crafted my share of “mea culpa” articles, and one of the most recent was a piece about the Minnesota Vikings passer. Kirk Cousins is viewed with skepticism in most of the NFL world, and I was among that group a season ago when I asked the question of him: “Baker or Chef?”
But then last season happened, and when viewed in the context of Cousins’ time in Minnesota, it was time for me to revisit him as a quarterback. Statistically, Cousins has been one of the better passers in the league over the past two years, and his ANY/A of 8.15 was seventh-best in the NFL. he also saw an increase of 5% from his expected Completion Percentage to his actual Completion Percentage, third-best in the league.
Play-action passing is where Cousins is at his best, and playing for Kevin Stefanski he found many such opportunities. Out of his 481 total dropbacks last season, 151 of those were on play-action plays. That accounted for a 31.4% mark, fifth-highest in the league. On those designs, Cousins led the way with a 129.2 NFL passer rating on play-action, tops in the NFL. He also posted averaged 9.7 Yards per Attempt on play-action, and threw for 14 touchdowns, tying Lamar Jackson for the league high.
But he also impressed when pressured. Cousins had an Adjusted Completion Percentage of 73.0% when under pressured, behind only Drew Brees and Derek Carr.
Stefanski is now in Cleveland, where he hopes to bring some of that to the Browns and Baker Mayfield. But stepping into his shoes is the veteran offensive mind Gary Kubiak, whose system is very similar conceptually to what Stefanski was calling for Cousins a season ago. Given this, you can expect a similar level of play from the veteran passer in 2020.
82. DeForest Buckner, DI, Indianapolis Colts
Continuing our run of players moving teams, DeForest Buckner has a new home after being traded to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a first-round pick. After what some considered to be a down rookie season, calling into question the wisdom of drafting him seventh-overall, Buckner rounded into form his second year in the league. Last season, his fourth in the NFL, was another great year of play from him, as he showed the ability to both get after the passer and help against the run.
Buckner was a big part of the San Francisco 49ers’ defense and their run to the Super Bowl. He was a force as a pass rusher, stringing together 66 total quarterback pressures and 46 quarterback hurries, both career-high numbers. His sack totals were down from 2018, but it was his second-straight year of double-digit sacks with 11. Better still is his versatility. He saw the bulk of his snaps in the interior, with 305 at left defensive tackle and another 392 at right defensive tackle, but he also saw 46 at left defensive end and 159 at right defensive end. That allowed Robert Saleh to play with his matchups up front, and put opposing passers in some precarious situations.
Buckner notched a pair of sacks in the season’s final game, getting to Patrick Mahomes twice. It was his only multiple-sack game of the year, and if you want a glossary-style example of a swim move, watch what he does to the left guard on this play:
Even more impressive than the pass rushing move itself – which is what the kids call “teaching tape” – is the balance. Buckner loses his feet as he gets tangled up with the left tackle, but stays upright (while changing direction mind you) and gets to Mahomes for the sack.
His other sack that night was also a thing of beauty, coming from the other side of the line:
Obviously the Colts are going to expect big things from him, given his tape the past few seasons and the cost of acquiring him. But with his ability to collapse pockets from the inside, and his positional flexibility, the price is going to be worth it for Indianapolis.
81. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
Outside of the 2017 season, when he was battling injuries, you could pretty much pencil Odell Beckham Jr. in for over 100 targets, over 75 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards and be pretty confident that you’d hit on those bets. Even last year, Beckham came close to hitting all of those numbers, falling one reception shy of that 75 number.
But watching him in the Cleveland Browns offense in 2019, there were issues. He was good, but it was not the same level of dominance we have grown accustomed to seeing from him in years past. To that point, last season Baker Mayfield threw seven interceptions on passes in his direction, and Mayfield had a passer rating of just 70.5 when targeting Beckham. That was the lowest QB passer rating when targeted of Beckham’s career.
Of course, some of that is on the quarterback, and perhaps even more on the coach. There are reasons that Freddie Kitchens was fired and that Mayfield is under some pressure as 2020 beckons. I mean, are you putting this INT on Beckham’s plate:
Sure, he slows up a bit but Mayfield both overthrows him, and throws this into coverage. Not exactly on the WR.
But what about this interception:
Beckham is open on the dig route and Mayfield delivers a catchable ball, but the pass goes through the receiver’s hands and is intercepted. This is something to watch in 2020. Beckham was charged with seven drops this past season, his most since 2016.
If there is reason for optimism, it comes in the form of Kevin Stefanski. You can see how in the 2020 version of Cleveland’s offense, Beckham will fill the downfield threat role held by Stefon Diggs in the 2019 Minnesota Vikings’ offense. In such a system, Beckham could very well return to the top-flight form we have seen from him in year’s past.
80. Marcus Peters, CB, Baltimore Ravens
Peters is the ultimate boom-and-bust cornerback of his era, and nobody else comes close. Since his rookie season, he has outpaced the rest of the league with 29 interceptions, but he’s also allowed 26 touchdowns. In 2018 for the Rams, he allowed six touchdowns to three interceptions, and for the Rams and the Ravens following an October trade, he allowed five touchdowns to his five interceptions.
Yes, he gave up just 46 catches on 80 targets for 534 yards, 212 yards after the catch, and an opponent passer rating of 72.6, his relative consistency allowed Baltimore to retain its status as the NFL’s most blitz-heavy team, and the Ravens set their faith in Peters’ future potential with a three-year, $42 million contract extension in December, but one wonders what Peters would be if he freelanced a bit less and adhered to the system a bit more. Perhaps he’d have fewer explosive plays, but would also be a more efficient defender in a down-to-down sense.
79. Micah Hyde, S, Buffalo Bills
It is no secret that the Buffalo Bills have a tremendous defense, and it probably comes as no surprise given the background of their head coach. But Sean McDermott – along with general manager Brandon Beane – has assembled a top-flight defensive unit that could be one of the best in the AFC.
From where I sit, it begins with the safety tandem of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, already acknowledged as the best pair in the league in my opinion. Hyde in particular has raised his level of play the past few seasons. He does perhaps some of his best work down in the box helping stop the run, but he also has coverage skills that are necessary in today’s game. His awareness on this red zone interception of Tom Brady, coupled with his ability to read the QB, is without question elite:
He and Poyer work so well in tandem, with their ability to confuse quarterbacks like Brady – along with wide receivers – with how they can take basic coverage concepts and make them look exotic to an offense. Erik Turner, who covers the Bills extremely well for Cover 1, has a audio breakdowns of this in action that you can watch here:
I expect to see more of plays like this from this tandem, and Hyde in particular, in 2020.
78. Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears
Christian Hackenberg. Blake Bortles. Mitchell Trubisky.
If it sounds like the answer to a “Jeopardy!” question, that is because it is. The question: “What is the Murderer’s Row of quarterbacks Allen Robinson has played with over the past eight years?” But even with those prodigious passers slinging him the pigskin, Robinson is one of the game’s consistent performers at the position.
Watch this route from him, a simple slant against the Kansas City Chiefs:
You cannot run this route better than that. He gets right on the toes of the defender, presses a leverage advantage, and then immediately crosses his face to get open. From there, Robinson extends the hands, makes the sure catch – only three drops last season – and immediately transitions from receiver to ball-carrier.
On this play against the New York Giants, he runs a deep over route from the left slot. Again, he presses a leverage advantage at the top of his vertical stem, as he drives his left foot into the turn. Notice how that gets the defender to open up his hips, allowing Robinson to then cross the defender’s face and get separation on his cut:
The explosion into and out of the break is impressive. Robinson does not lose any speed coming out of the fake, and that enables him to get and then maintain his separation on the play.
Now a post route out of the left slot. Once more, he gets the defender into a pretzel with his footwork and ability to press leverage, and explodes into and out of his break. He also makes a great adjustment to a low throw, and finishes this with a score:
Robinson is one of the game’s greats. Now about the guys on the other end of those throws…
77. Ross Cockrell, CB, Unsigned Free Agent
If Troy Hill isn’t the least-known cornerback on this list, it’s because Ross Cockrell is. But after a broken tibia and fibula that cost him the entire 2018 season, the fourth-round pick of the Bills in 2014, who also played for the Steelers and Giants before he signed a two-year deal with Carolina in 2018, recovered quite nicely.
Last season, Cockrell gave up 37 receptions on 67 targets for 441 yards, 171 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 68.1 — sixth-best among cornerbacks with at least 50 targets. With James Bradberry signing with the Giants in free agency, one would think that the Panthers would want Cockrell back on the roster for 2020 and beyond; his lack of a new team may just be a procedural hangup due to the complications brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. But any team looking for a reliable player who has developed excellent technique should have his agent’s number.
76. Grady Jarrett, DI, Atlanta Falcons
Jarrett somehow lasted until the fifth round of the 2015 draft despite his dominant play at Clemson, and though he played in a limited role as a rookie, playing just 266 snaps and notching 16 tackles, he took on a bigger part for the Atlanta Falcons in 2016 during their run to the Super Bowl. That season Jarrett logged 763 snaps, racking up 36 tackles and 47 quarterback pressures.
Over the past two years, Jarrett has grown into an elite player on the interior of Atlanta’s defense. While the Falcons struggled on that side of the football a year ago, you could not fault Jarrett. He set a career-high with eight sacks, and also added 43 tackles, another career-high mark. In a win over the hated New Orleans Saints back in Week 10, Jarrett played a massive role. he pressured Drew Brees seven times, getting to him three for a season-high in sacks.
“Power to speed” is a phrase that comes to mind with Jarrett, and this sack of Brees that he splits with Vic Beasley is a prime example. Watch as he drives the left guard back into the pocket, and then runs the arc akin to a defense end, knifing towards the QB:
With additions such as Marlon Davidson in the draft and Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency, the Falcons defense should be in better shape in 2020. Having Jarrett patrolling the interior will certainly help.
75. Cameron Jordan, EDGE, New Orleans Saints
A remarkably consistent player, Jordan has at least 70 total pressures in each of the last five seasons, and only Chandler Jones and Aaron Donald have more sacks since 2015 than Jordan’s 58. Moreover, Jordan has maintained that consistency through some dismal times for New Orleans’ defense — the three years from 2014 through 2016 where the defense never ranked higher than 28th overall in points allowed, Drew Brees was passing for about 20,000 yards per season, and the franchise could never get above 7-9. Things have been better for that defense of late, but Jordan has been badly under-represented for the most part when it comes to complementary pass-rushers to help him avoid double teams. No matter, though — in 2019, Jordan set a career high with 16.5 sacks, and his 84 total pressures was his highest mark since he put up 88 in 2017. One of the best outside rushers in the league, Jordan is also capable of kicking inside the giving guards more trouble than they’d prefer.
74. Fletcher Cox, DI, Philadelphia Eagles
Selected in the first round of the 2012 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Fletcher Cox has certainly lived up to the expectations that come with an early selection. If you want productive pressure from a defensive lineman, Cox is your man. In 2018 he put together one of the best seasons you will see from a pass rusher from the interior, as he notched 101 total pressures, 11 sacks and 65 quarterback hurries. His 2019 numbers – while incredible as well – seem almost pedestrian by comparison. Last season Cox got home four times to go with 60 pressures and 30 hurries. Still tremendous production from an interior defensive lineman.
How does he do it? With a combination of athleticism and technique you would love to see from an EDGE defender. We have discussed some technique already, but watch this picture-perfect rip move he implements on the right guard to get to Josh Allen:
And now, the power against the left guard to strip Dak Prescott:
I left the celebratory jig in there for good measure.
This season, he’ll have Javon Hargrave to run with on the inside, along with the usual suspects of Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett on the outside, Is another three-digit pressure campaign in store? Odds are in his favor.
73. Von Miller, EDGE, Denver Broncos
Chiefs right tackle and Top 101 member Mitchell Schwartz on Von Miller on a recent episode of Doug Farrar’s “Speaking of Everything” podcast: “Spin move? Best in the game. Quickness? Best in the game. He’s sneaky powerful, which is something I think he’s worked on in the past few years. People don’t really know about it. I mean, he literally launches guys into quarterbacks. You watch that, and you’re like, ‘What am I supposed to do with this guy?'”
It’s a question that Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan is probably still trying to answer in his head after this play.
2019 was a relatively down season for Miller as he battled through injuries — his eight sacks marked the first time he didn’t hit double-digits since 2013. But he still amassed 77 total pressures, good for eighth in the league, including a remarkable 58 quarterback hurries, and his 28 stops speak to the fact that he’s more than just a pass-rusher. Miller will be 31 coming into the 2020 season, and that’s a time when most speed-rushers tend to regress, but a healthy Von Miller should still present trouble for opposing tackles for a while yet.
Just ask Mitchell Schwartz — or Taylor Lewan.
72. Earl Thomas III, S, Baltimore Ravens
Earl Thomas III has been a mainstay of lists such as these since his days with the Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom,” and with good reason. Thomas is perhaps the prototype at free safety, with sideline-to-sideline ability and the eye skills to match. His first season with the Ravens after a decade in the NFC West did see his play slip a bit, but when you start at such an elite level any slippage still sees you check in as one of the game’s best.
His coverage skills remain elite. Thomas was targeted in the passing game just 14 times last season, allowing just six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, to go with his pair of interceptions. He allowed an NFL passer rating of just 47.9, which was the lowest mark surrendered by him since the 2016 season in Seattle. His ability to read the eyes of a quarterback remains elite, as he displayed on this interception of Ryan Fitzpatrick:
Unfortunately, for many their lasting impression of Thomas from last season was from the DIvisional Round, when Tennessee Titans’ running back Derrick Henry gave him the stiff-arm of all stiff-arms on a long run, but with some recent additions to the Ravens’ defensive front, Thomas should get to focus on what he does best in 2020: Shutting down opposing quarterbacks.
71. Tyron Smith, OT, Dallas Cowboys
Selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Smith began his career on the right side before moving to left tackle in 2012, and he has been the Cowboys’ starter there ever since.
Over eight years at left tackle, Smith has allowed just 19 credited sacks. That includes one in 2018 and one again in 2019. That is extremely impressive for a left tackle. He did allow 23 quarterback hurries in 2019, his most allowed since 2013, as well as 30 quarterback pressures (again his most since 2013), which sees him slide a bit in these rankings. But not too far.
It does not take too much film study to find examples of Smith executing at a high level. On this play against Khalil Mack – and the dreaded “wide-9 technique” – watch as Smith mirrors the athleticism from the pass rusher with great footwork and a tremendous kick slide:
Check out the awareness and recognition here against the Philadelphia Eagles. Smith fans out off the snap in the direction of the defensive end, but when Vinny Curry drops into coverage, Smith immediately snaps inside to pick up the interior rusher, and stops Tim Jernigan cold:
It’s hard to run off-tackle if you don’t have a good tackle. Watch what Smith does on this outside zone running play:
Smith checks so many boxes at the offensive tackle position, that if you wanted to make a case for him atop your tackle rankings, you are absolutely free to do so.
70. K’Waun Williams, SLOT, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had a bit of an outside cornerback problem opposite Richard Sherman in 2019. One of the NFL’s best defenses last season would have been even better had Ahkello Witherspoon done something besides allowing touchdowns (six through the air), or if the defensive staff had been definitive about the fact that Emmanuel Moseley was the better option. Regardless, one thing defensive coordinator Robert Saleh didn’t have to worry about was the slot position, which is important when your defense lines up with five defensive backs on 70% of your snaps.
Williams, an undrafted free agent out of Pitt, spent 2014 and 2015 with the Browns, missed the 2016 season in an injury dispute, and ultimately landed on the 49ers’ roster in time for the 2017 season. He saw a lot of reps in 2017 and 2019, but 2019 was the season in which he became an indispensable part of a championship-level defense as an inside defender. Williams allowed 50 catches on 69 targets for 389 yards, 258 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 73.9.
He’s not the biggest guy at five-foot-9 and 185 pounds, but as is true of a lot of smaller defenders, Williams brings smooth and fluid movement skills to the field, as well as the speed and range to take everything from bubble screens to deep posts against some of the NFL’s best receivers.
69. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Now we are getting into even tougher territory to tread, with the players having such talent at this point in the list. If someone wanted to include Minkah Fitzpatrick as their top safety in the game, I could see the argument. Fitzpatrick is part of the next generation of safeties, players that can align all over the field and play three different roles on three consecutive downs. For example, in a piece on the safety from Doug Farrar it was highlighted that in 2018:
…[Fitzpatrick] played 23 snaps on the defensive line, 95 in the box, 166 at free safety, 281 at wide cornerback and 379 in the slot. The slot was where Fitzpatrick did his best work as a rookie last season; no other interior pass defender with at least 20% of his team’s snaps at that position allowed a lower opponent passer rating than Fitzpatrick’s 53.4. He allowed just 20 slot receptions on 39 targets for 200 yards, 111 yards after the catch, one touchdown and two interceptions.
But after his acquisition by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fitzpatrick was used in more of a traditional single-high role. In that element, he shined last season. During his time with the Steelers last year, Fitzpatrick was targeted 16 times in coverage. On those targets he allowed eight receptions for 89 yards, no touchdowns and a career-high five interceptions. That translated to a passer rating allowed of just 27.3. And on a play such as this, you can see how he put up those numbers:
Players like this make Top 101 lists…
68. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings
In the talented tandem of Minnesota Vikings’ safeties, both Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith have their preferred roles. Harris is more of your traditional free safety, while Smith is more of the in-the-box, strong safety type. But these two can do both, as evidenced by their utilization last season. For his part, Smith saw 91 snaps on the defensive line, 278 snaps in the box, 91 snaps in the slot, 22 snaps at boundary cornerback, and 488 snaps in a deep safety alignment.
Smith does some of his best work down near the line of scrimmage against the run. According to Pro Football Focus, his run defense slipped a bit in 2019, but he is still a force in that part of the game. Smith notched 66 tackles and 20 “stops,” plays which constitute a failure for the offense according to PFF. Plays like this are considered a failure for the offense:
When you add what he can do in coverage to his run defense skills, Smith remains a formidable talent at the position. Smith had one of his better pass coverage seasons in 2019, allowing just 18 receptions on 30 targets and an NFL passer rating allowed of just 35.7, his second-best season in his career. With Harris patrolling the field alongside him, Smith and the Vikings remain a stout defense to face.
67. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Keenan Allen is another player who provides teaching tape at the wide receiver position, but still seems to fly under the radar when lists like this are assembled. But when you study Allen, you get a sense of what it takes to play the WR position at a high level. Over the past three years Allen has posted over 100 receptions, over 1,100 yards and over five touchdowns in every single campaign.
Watch this touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs:
Allen runs an out route against a safety, and he is able to exploit a leverage advantage to the outside. But look at the body control, as he both goes up to get the football yet manages to get both feet down inbounds. This is not an easy play, but he makes it look as such.
Watch this next route from the left side of the field, and as you do, please keep the phrase “full-body route-running” in mind:
Allen sells this route perfectly. At the top of his vertical stem he sinks his hips – and his upper body – into the cut, baiting the cornerback on a move to the inside. The CB bites and jumps underneath, but Allen feels that impeccably and uses that moment to make his true intended cut, diagonally on the corner route. But his work is not done. He needs to stop and work back to an underthrown ball and make the catch.
Which he does. A thing of beauty.
Allen will be playing with a new quarterback this season, in either Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert. But his tremendous talent and skillset makes him a dangerous target every time he steps on the field.
66. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Running back truthers regarded the Raiders’ selection of Jacobs with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 draft with the standard degree of skepticism — not just because he’s a running back, but because he was never able to manage more than 120 carries in a season in Alabama’s always-loaded backfield. Turned out, all Jacobs needed was more reps to prove his value. In his regular-season debut against the Broncos, Jacobs ran 23 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns, adding a 28-yard catch for good measure. His worst game of the season was a 10-carry, 34-yard go against the Jets, but there really wasn’t another game in which he was bottled up like that, and he averaged less than four yards per carry in just three of his games.
More common were games like his two against the Chiefs — Jacobs beat up the eventual Super Bowl champs for 203 yards on 31 carries. Jacobs proved right away that he could be a high-volume sustainer with six games in which he carried the ball at least 20 times, and no other back broke more rushing tackles in the regular season than Jacobs with 69.
Only 17 running backs have been taken in the first round since 2010, but Jacobs could prove to be the best of the lot down the road.
65. Jamal Adams, S, Seattle Seahawks
Just insert the John Malkovich as “Teddy KGB” video here please. Pay that man. Pay that man his money. Or, trade him to the Seahawks, and make the Seahawks do it.
Jamal Adams, like some of the players discussed and those yet to come, is the modern defender. That player who can pressure the QB on first down, stop the run on second down, and lock down a receiver on third down. As the game transitions to perhaps a model of the “positionless defender,” Adams is that player.
Last year Adams was elite in almost every facet of the game. You could actually begin with what he did in rushing the passer. He was used often as a blitzer, and Adams generated 25 total pressures, seven sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
I mean, come on:
Adams blitzes here, runs through Saquon Barkley, strips Daniel Jones and takes the football to the house.
Then Fran Duffy from the Philadelphia Eagles his this quick audio breakdown of what Adams does near the line of scrimmage:
Adams did allow a pair of touchdowns and an NFL passer rating of 79.1 last season. But numbers alone do not speak to his coverage skills. Adams is a tremendous, fast-twitch athlete who can lock down tight ends, running backs and even receivers in coverage. That allows the Jets to use Marcus Maye and the rest of the defense in a variety of roles around him. For what he brings to the table, and for what Seattle gave up to get him — two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald — the Seahawks need to bring the dough.
64. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Chicago Bears
Here’s what Khalil Mack had to say at the end of the 2019 season about a year in which he totaled 8.5 sacks and 70 total pressures — not horrible numbers, but when you have Mack’s talent, more is expected.
“I’m going to start with myself, pick up the film like I do after every season and work on the things I need to work on and get ready for the next one,” Mack said, per the Chicago Tribune. “My therapy is being a part of the grind. My grind is not going to stop this year. I can’t take too many breaks. I’m looking forward to it in that sense.”
Injuries along the Bears’ defensive line, especially to superior defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, were part of the problem. But even when single-teamed in 2019, Mack lacked his usual ability to take apart anybody who blocked him, and he seemed stalemated more often than expected in those instances. A mid-season ankle injury certainly affected his burst, but it didn’t slow his effort to get to the quarterback.
Two down years in a row from Khalil Mack? Highly unlikely. Expect a motivated force in 2020.
63. Joey Bosa, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
Bosa seems to have never gotten his just due as a pass-rusher — he’s had to share the limelight with Melvin Ingram with the Chargers, and younger brother Nick took the family name to new heights as a player in his rookie season of 2019. But make no mistake — when it comes to effectiveness through technique, especially in setting up tackles to go where he wants them to go, Bosa has few peers in the league. Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari, who allowed just two sacks in 762 pass-blocking snaps and made the Pro Bowl in 2019, would testify to that.
Bosa bounced back from an injury-plagued 2018 season to register 11.5 sacks and 72 total pressures in 2019, and no other edge defender could match his 49 stops. He’s one of the most complete players at his position in the NFL, whether people recognize it or not.
62. David Bakhtiari, OT, Green Bay Packers
Among the great innovations in football coverage over the last season was ESPN’s creating of “Pass Block Win Rate.” This statistic measures how often a pass blocker holds his block for 2.5 seconds.
By this new metric, there was no better offensive tackle in the NFL last season than Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari, who accomplished that task a whopping 96% of the time.
Bakhtiari has been a starter at left tackle for the Packers his entire career, since being selected in the fourth round out of Colorado in the 2013 NFL Draft. Last season was another great campaign for him, as he allowed just two sacks on 762 pass blocking snaps. Some of his numbers did slide a bit, as Bakhtiari allowed eight quarterback hits, the most he has allowed in a season, and he surrendered 37 quarterback pressures, the most since his rookie campaign.
Studying him on film you see many elements of high level execution and reps that belong on teaching tape. He is a master at hand placement and leverage, and is extremely smooth coming out of his stance and getting into position to take on blockers. He also has some veteran savvy, and will jump set on one play and kick slide the next. Bakhtiari will also change his technique from snap to snap, keeping defenders off key.
If you want a good example of a jump set, here is Bakhtiari doing just that:
Technically sound with a good pass block win rate. That usually gets you somewhere in today’s game.
61. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Amari Cooper is the player who first showed me the value of “full-body route-running.”
It was during his time with the Oakland Raiders. He was running a vertical route against the Baltimore Ravens, and on his break he used his shoulders and his head to sell the defender on a different pass pattern.
It was this play:
Did you catch it? That look that Cooper flashed on his quick cut to the inside. As soon as he brought his eyes to the quarterback while slicing towards the middle of the field, the DB tried to jump the route. It was then that Cooper accelerated away from the defender and left him behind.
Full-body route-running.
Of course, “catching” was the issue that plagued Cooper during his time with the Raiders, which made him available on the open market a season ago. In stepped the Dallas Cowboys, and his impact on the offense was immediate. Thanks to Cooper’s ability to separate, Dak Prescott was an improved quarterback after the acquisition.
That success continued into 2019, as Cooper tied or surpassed career-high numbers in receptions, yards and touchdowns. He also set a new career-high number in yards per reception, averaging 15.1 yards per catch. Prescott also had an NFL passer rating of 117.3 when targeting Cooper, which for the WR was his best mark as a professional.
And yes, the full-body route-running is still there. Watch this route against the Green Bay Packers. Cooper is at the top of the screen:
Cooper really sells the under route, putting his whole body into the deke. But then he accelerates vertically, and Prescott hits him in stride. From the route to the finish, perfection.
60. Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
Unfortunately, Garrett’s most infamous on-field action in 2019 — swinging his helmet at Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph — cut his season from 16 games to 10 with an indefinite suspension. Nonetheless, the Browns exercised Garrett’s fifth-year option in April, and then made that redundant in mid-July with a five-year, $125 million contract extension that makes the first overall pick in the 2017 draft the highest-paid edge defender on a per-year basis in the league.
When he’s been on the field, Garrett has done a lot to justify the Browns’ faith in him.
Garrett put up 10 sacks in just 10 games last season, with 49 total pressures and 20 stops. At 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds, Garrett brings an unusual combination of size, speed, power, and technique to the equation. As long as he can keep his head on straight, the 24-year-old Garrett should be one of the league’s premier players at his position for a long time.
59. Denzel Ward, CB, Cleveland Browns
The Browns have had more than their share of first-round busts in recent years (especially in 2012, when they blew it on both Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden, and 2014, when they blew it on both Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert), but the fourth overall selection of Ohio State’s Denzel Ward in 2018 has been one of the league’s better choices. Cornerback is generally a position that requires an adjustment period when one goes from college to the NFL, but Ward hit the ground running, and he’s never stopped. Ward gave up a few big plays in his rookie campaign, but proved mature beyond his years on the field, and the 2019 season showed his further development. Last season, Ward allowed just 31 catches on 69 targets for 426 yards, 128 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 58.0. This despite hamstring injuries that cost him four games, and an ankle issue later in the season.
Ward has great technique and on-field acumen, but it’s his pure athleticism that sets him apart — it allows him to make an exceedingly difficult position look embarrassingly easy at times. If there’s one young cornerback I’d say could be at the top of this list in a year or two, it’s Ward.
58. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
“The Duality of Man” is one of those Literature 101 themes, that crops up in a variety of works. Perhaps best displayed in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the theme stands for the proposition that humans are in essence both good and evil. That inside each of us is a struggle between our better angels and our more base instincts and desires.
Given the commonality of this theme, you can transpose it to allmost anything in life. Including football. Take the next quarterback on this list. Benjamin Solak, who in addition to the great work he does for The Draft Network, covers the Philadelphia Eagles for Bleeding Green Nation. In a piece from last September, titled “The Quarterback Who Never Says Die,” Solak tapped into the duality of Wentz, and how what makes him great, makes him flawed in a sense. Quoting at length from a masterful piece:
Carson Wentz again made such plays on Sunday night in a losing effort to the Atlanta Falcons, 24-20. He wore Vic Beasley on his back and welcomed a steamrolling Adrian Clayborn into his ribcage. Cameras tracked his walks to the sideline, his climbs up from the ground, his trip into the infamous blue tent. The box score remembers these plays as late-down conversions at key moments in the fight, but that is somehow not enough. It is not enough, and we all knew that as we watched Wentz peel himself off the turf, the cost of his valor exacted from his body, but not his will. Wentz’s heart dazzled the crowds as he braced it onto his sleeve, but the price of admission for the clinic on competitive toughness wasn’t paid by the people. It was paid by the quarterback.
This is the shadow that hangs, and with it comes a cold wind. How many more times can Wentz turn in a performance as he did last night? Not a performance characterized by endurance, which Wentz showed in spades as the team fought back; nor characterized by self-reliance and creativity, which the situation required, given the lack of offensive weapons at his disposal; but characterized by the lack of self-preservation, the regardlessness with which only a man possessed could offer himself to the game.
On that horizon, the cold wind that blows is Cam Newton, or rather the fraction of him that takes snaps for Carolina today. Large and fast and strong and adamantine, Newton heard the opening bell in 2011 and came out swinging; the league didn’t have an answer. He took the NFL three rounds and two Pro Bowls before he lost even a game to injury, and was back in Round 5 for a league MVP and Super Bowl berth. He broke 10 tackles for every rushing record he set, christened the QB sneak as the QB “there’s nothing sneaky about this, you just can’t stop it anyway.”
But they could stop it — not any one defense, but defenses as a whole. With every hit — several of them late, several of them on slides, many of them uncalled — the giant wheel of NFL misfortune spun, and eventually, Newton landed on red. His 2016 season was one of his worst as a passer, and in the offseason, he had surgery on his throwing shoulder. Two years later, and out routes flutter in the air before dying into the sideline; deep balls are cast like javelins and land with just as much accuracy. Newton took on the NFL, and attrition won.
That is the duality of Wentz. What makes him such a wonderful quarterback to watch, and what has earned the respect of those in the huddle with him, is what might lead to his “injury prone” tag, and the fear that we might never see what he could become in the NFL. This dates back to his days at North Dakota State. Watch one of the games that put him on the #DraftTwitter map, his junior year National Championship Game against Illinois State, and you will see moments that leave you in awe, and yet with the words of Sweet Lou Brown on your tongue. “Nice play Carson, don’t ever [bleeping] do it again.” A quarterback with that never-say-die attitude, who will run defenders over in the open field, and fight until the whistle, and even after.
What makes him great, that attitude and toughness, may result in unfulfilled potential.
Consider his 2017 season. In the midst of an MVP-caliber year, Wentz tucks the football and plows forward, diving for the end zone in a huge road game against the Los Angeles Rams. His touchdown plunge is called back due to a holding penalty, and Wentz returns to the huddle, every so often grabbing at his knee. Four plays later, he throws a touchdown pass.
He then limps to the locker room, with a torn ACL. Dream season over.
Never say die.
57. Quinton Dunbar, CB, Seattle Seahawks
The good news for the Seahawks, who traded a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Washington NFL Team for Dunbar in March, is that Dunbar is one of the league’s best cornerbacks, and was one of just three players to make my list of the best at his position in both man and zone coverage. Dunbar shared that with the two top players on this list, and based on stats and tape, there’s little doubt that he’s one of the NFL’s best. If he’s able to bring his athleticism and acumen to the field in Seattle, he’ll do a lot to bring the Seahawks’ defense back after a few years of worrying regression in the Emerald City. Not too much to ask for a guy who allowed 29 catches on 52 targets last season for 344 yards, 145 yards after catch, two touchdowns, four interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 56.9 in a defense where he was the only credible cornerback.
The bad news for the Seahawks? Dunbar’s legal situation gets weirder and weirder, and there’s no way of knowing how it will turn out. He’s currently on the Commissioner’s Exempt List until further notice.
56. Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The offensive side of the football has generated the bulk of headlines in Tampa Bay over the past six months. First, quarterback Jameis Winston threw a whopping 30 interceptions, bringing new meaning to the idea of a “30/30” player in sports. Then this past offseason, Tom Brady took his talents to the Bay and then coaxed former running mate Rob Gronkowski out of retirement.
All of these storylines overshadowed the fact that Tampa Bay’s defense was quietly one of the better groups in the league. This was an almost-porous unit in 2018, when they turned opposing passers into Matt Ryan on a weekly basis. No seriously, in 2018 opposing passers had an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of 7.7, a mark which would have placed this generic opposing passer fifth in the league, ahead of Matt Ryan.
But last season, and in particular down the stretch, this was a much better defense. The Buccaneers finished 2019 with a Defensive DVOA of -11.5%, good for fifth-best in the league and a huge improvement over their 2018 finish, which was dead last. Perhaps more importantly, they finished with a Weighted Defensive DVOA of -20.4%, third-best in the league. (Weighted Defensive DVOA places an emphasis on recent performance).
Linebacker Lavonte David was a critical component of this turnaround. Last year was another great campaign for the veteran linebacker, as he notched 18 quarterback pressures, 85 tackles and an interception. He also tallied four passes defensed, tying his career high. David allowed an NFL passer rating of 95.6 when targeted, his best number since his 2013 season.
But the numbers do not tell the full story. Watch what he does on these successive plays against the Houston Texans. First he covers tight end Darren Fells in the flat on a misdirection design, making a sure tackle in space:
Then on third down, he gets to the sideline on a screen to DeAndre Hopkins, preventing a conversion:
The Buccaneers’ offense might continue to gather the headlines in 2020, but if David and the rest of this defense continue to play at this level, watch out.
55. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is not just the “Brady Effect,” although having the veteran passer on the other end of the connection will certainly put Mike Evans in a position to be successful in 2020.
This has more to do with the simple fact that since coming into the league in 2014, Evans has been one of the NFL’s most consistent producers at the wide receiver position. Over 100 targets, over 60 receptions and over 1,000 yards every single season in the league. That is consistency.
All receivers have a calling card or two. For Evans, one of his is his catch radius. Perhaps a trait he honed at Texas A&M with Johnny Manziel throwing him “YOLO” balls on every drive, Evans is a ball-winner. If the pass is thrown in his direction, odds are he is coming down with it.
But beyond what he can do at the catch point, Evans is smooth as silk off the line of scrimmage. Watch this video package on his releases at the line of scrimmage:
There are many ways to “win” a route. If a receiver can get a clean release at the line of scrimmage, he makes life easier on himself. This video package shows the myriad ways Evans can beat defenders immediately. Using a combination of footwork, upper body strength, and leverage, Evans can get inside or outside a defender in the blink of an eye.
Just watch the quick change-of-direction on this release:
Get yourself some Mike Evans shares now, before it’s too late.
54. Marcus Williams, S, New Orleans Saints
His rookie season was perhaps defined by a single moment in time. A missed tackle at the end of a playoff game that allowed the Minnesota Vikings to pull off a stunning miracle finish in the NFC Divisional Round. But that one moment in time propelled Williams towards becoming one of the NFL’s best players at his position, and last season was no different.
Last season was his best in terms of pass coverage. Williams was targeted 24 times in the passing game, allowing just 12 receptions for 139 yards and a single touchdown, against four interceptions. He gave up an NFL passer rating of just 42.2, his best mark in three seasons in the NFL. A prime example of his ball-hawking ability comes from his interception of Matt Ryan this past season, on a deep throw intended for Calvin Ridley. Williams reads the quarterback’s eyes perfectly and breaks on the throw, taking a perfect angle to undercut the pass:
With his steady growth over the past few seasons, and now with a veteran running mate in Malcolm Jenkins in town, Williams should continue to shine.
53. Eric Kendricks, LB, Minnesota Vikings
Run defense might be a dying art in the modern NFL, but it is hard to find a better linebacker at stopping the run in today’s game than Eric Kendricks. Last season was another stellar campaign for the Minnesota Vikings’ LB, as he tallied a career-high 93 tackles, and 42 “stops.” He also contributed as a pass rusher, adding 17 total quarterback pressures and a career-high mark of 15 quarterback hurries.
Where he took a big step forward, however, is in coverage. Kendricks was targeted 73 times in coverage last season, and allowed just 39 receptions, a reception rate of just 53.4%. While he allowed a pair of touchdowns, he also notched an interception and a career-high 13 pass breakups. Opposing passers had an NFL passer rating of just 74.8 when targeting Kendricks last season, which was his best mark since entering the NFL.
Watch what he does here on this interception of Jimmy Garoppolo from the Divisional Round:
This is textbook underneath defense from the linebacker.
The Vikings’ defense was very solid in 2019, and as we have seen they have a talented pair of safeties behind him in Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith. But Kendricks is a standout defender in his own right, and should be a huge part of Minnesota’s defense in the season ahead.
52. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas Cith Chiefs
“No. No I don’t want to. You can’t make me choose between them. I’m make this a tie, I swear I will.”
Okay, so that is not technically a direct quote from me to my editors when given this assignment, but it is pretty darn close.
Look, both Travis Kelce and George Kittle are transcendent players at the position. They both do everything you want and more from a tight end. For years, the knock on Kelce was that he was not a great blocker, but over his time in Kansas City he has worked mightily on his craft, and has become better in that facet of the game as well. Making this decision even harder is the fact that both players operate under coaches that put them in positions to be successful. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy put get Kelce a ton of favorable matchups, and having weapons like Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman certainly helps. Kyle Shanahan’s route designs do wonders for Kittle.
In the end, Kittle is four years younger, so he’s got more football ahead of him. A copout? Perhaps. But as these lists are also forward-thinking in nature, ask yourself this: If you could choose between the two to build an offense around for the next five years, which player are you picking?
But these are both great, great players. Kelce is such a weapon in the passing game that putting him atop this list is a certainly reasonable position.
51. Terron Armstead, OT, New Orleans Saints
It took a while, but Terron Armstead put together a tremendous season for the New Orleans Saints in 2019. Last year logged over 1,000 snaps for the first time in his career, and gave up just a single sack, which came in the Wild Card round in New Orleans’ victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Armstead has put in some time the past few offseasons at “OL Masterminds,” the offensive line clinic put together by Duke Manyweather and Philadelphia Eagles’ right tackle Lane Johnson. You can see some of the technical knowledge on film this past season from Armstead’s game. This video breakdown of Armstead’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars is a good place to start:
Then there is this play, with an actual fake block from an offensive tackle. A thing of beauty:
Finally, if seeing a big man in space is your thing, then well, here you go:
I’ll be honest, that “fake jump set with a head fake” is reason enough to make Armstead a top five offensive tackle.
50. T.J. Watt, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers took J.J. Watt’s younger brother in the first round of the 2017 draft, and Watt made the Pro Bowl in his second season with 13 sacks, 52 total pressures, and 47 stops. But Watt ratcheted things up even higher as a pass-rusher in 2019, with 14.5 sacks and 81 total pressures. Pittsburgh led the league with 180 total pressures and a pressure rate of 30.5%, and Watt was the force multiplier in that equation.
Not only is Watt one of the best around-the-edge rushers in the league, he also has a great feel on stunts and games — you’ll often see him jumping two gaps to get to the quarterback on plays when he’s asked to switch places after the snap with other defensive stalwarts like Cameron Heyward. His excellent season would have received more national focus had the Steelers not finished 8-8 due to an absolutely horrific quarterback situation, but that could easily change in 2020.
49. Rodney Hudson, C, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have the NFL’s most expensive offensive line, with more than $58 million in contract value in 2020 alone — the Packers rank second at just under $50 million, so it’s pretty clear where Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock want their money spent. One deal that had to be made in 2019 to keep that line together was the three-year, $33.75 million extension given to Hudson in August, 2019. Hudson has been among the best at his position for a number of years, going back to his time with the Chiefs from 2011 through 2014, but he’s just added to his power, leverage, and agility as the years have gone on. Any linebacker on a blitz would be able to tell you how effective Hudson is as a brick-wall blocker; this rep from Jaguars linebacker Donald Payne is but one example.
In 597 pass-blocking snaps last season, Hudson allowed a paltry three total pressures — no sacks, one quarterback hit, and two quarterback hurries. 2019 marked the second straight season, and the third in the last four seasons, in which Hudson refused to give up a single quarterback takedown. When it comes to consistency at the top level at the center position, Hudson outpaces all the rest.
Hudson also insists on excelling off the field.
48. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Barrett was the winner of 2019’s “From Out of Nowhere” award following his signing with the Buccaneers before the 2019 season, amassing a league-high 19.5 sacks after five seasons with the Broncos in which he struggled for starting reps and put up just 14 total takedowns. All it took was an opportunity in Todd Bowles’ aggressive defense for Barrett to display the strength to break through double teams, the speed to close to quarterbacks on the move, and and burst to make slower offensive tackles regret their hesitancy. Barrett did all that on a one-year, $4 million deal, making him one of the NFL’s more remarkable bargains in recent years. When you sign a guy to a replacement-level contract and he responds with 82 total pressures, he’s worth a lot more. The Bucs will have Barrett on the franchise tag for $15,828 million in 2020 — perhaps to ensure that he wasn’t a one-year wonder. The tape shows that he wasn’t, and the team would be wise to invest in his services beyond this upcoming season.
47. Tyler Lockett, Slot WR, Seattle Seahawks
Including the postseason, no slot receiver caught more touchdown passes than Lockett did in the 2019 campaign with six. He also allowed Russell Wilson a 122.9 passer rating when targeting him from the slot. Not that creating supernatural efficiency for his quarterback is a new thing for Lockett — in 2018, he became the first receiver since at least 2018 to take at least 20% of his snaps and still rack up a perfect passer rating overall when targeted.
Lockett has become a top-level receiver no matter where he lines up, but he’s a great slot target for the same reasons you’ll find for slot guy — he knows how create separation with spacing and leverage, he has an extra gear when he needs it, and in Lockett’s case, there are things he’s learned about adjusting the speeds of his routes that make things very difficult for opposing defenders.
In addition to those six slot touchdowns, Lockett caught 64 inside passes on 88 targets for a league-high 901 yards, and he dropped just one pass. As D.K. Metcalf becomes more of a force and a threat as an outside receiver, the Seahawks have one of the more dynamic duos at the position. But as much as Russell Wilson is the epicenter of Seattle’s passing game, this thing doesn’t work without Lockett’s presence — inside and out.
46. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
As the expression goes, “speed kills.” Tyreek Hill certainly checks that box. Among the fastest players to suit up, Hill is a home run threat every single time he touches the football. Combine that with the fact that he has the combination of Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy designing the plays for him, and Patrick Mahomes getting him the football, and he is a highlight reel in cleats.
Watch this touchdown against the Denver Broncos. Hill is the single receiver aligned to the left side of the formation:
This is a variation of the “throwback” or “leak” design that is all the rage in today’s NFL. Here the Chiefs run X Leak, with Hill dragging across the formation and then getting vertically along the opposite numbers. From the otherside of the formation the Chiefs run a shallow crossing route with the tight end and a deep post route. Those routes create traffic, and Hill gets an assist as he works across the field against Chris Harris Jr. Matt Moore hits him in stride, and it’s an easy TD.
But Hill’s speed, as well as designs like this, overshadow what he has developed in terms of route-running. You might think that a player with his burst and acceleration could simply rely on raw speed to get open, but Hill has developed some nuance to his game that is worthy of appreciation.
On this late season TD against the Broncos, watch how he beats the CB with his route-running, before racing away from the free safety:
Hill sells Harris on the crossing route, getting the DB to bite, and then bursts away from both him and Justin Simmons. Harris is probably wishing he left the AFC West in the rearview mirror…
In the AFC Championship Game Hill reached the end zone on a simple seam route, but his footwork on the release was anything but:
This is like one of those receiver workout videos you see posted during the summer, with the quick footwork against a ladder. Hill is doing it in the AFC Championship Game with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Adding nuance to his game is much like when Happy Gilmore learned to putt. Game over friends. Game. Over.
45. Ali Marpet, OG, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marpet was one of the most intense and entertaining players to talk with at the 2015 scouting combine. He had grabbed the attention of NFL scouts and personnel people despite his time at Division III Hobart College, especially after a promising week at the Senior Bowl, and we listened enviously as he regaled us with stories about his 7,000-calorie per day diet.
The Buccaneers selected Marpet in the second round of the 2015 draft, and even in his rookie season (when he allowed just two sacks and 22 total pressures), he proved right away that he had no issue dealing with the best the NFL had to offer. That has continued to this day. Though the 2019 Bucs didn’t have much of a run game, Marpet allowed just two sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 13 quarterback hurries in a league-high 751 pass-blocking snaps. Now, imagine Marpet going from blocking for Jameis Winston to Tom Brady, and it’s easy to imagine the veteran giving up even fewer pressures in a far more efficient passing game.
44. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
Jones’ potential production seemed clear in the 2018 season, his second in the NFL as the Packers’ 2017 fifth-round pick out of Texas-El Paso. Then, he led the league with a 5.5 yards per carry rate and scored eight rushing touchdowns on just 133 carries. Still, then-head coach Mike McCarthy was relatively unimpressed, and said so when asked why he didn’t make Jones his primary back.
“There’s more to the offense than just running the football,” McCarthy said.
This would imply that Jones’ pass protection was a problem, or that perhaps he wasn’t a good receiver, but the tape didn’t show that. Jones would have to wait for Matt LaFleur to become the Packers’ new head coach and offensive play-designer to really break out, which Jones did in 2019. Only Ezekiel Elliott, Christian McCaffrey, and Mark Ingram ranked higher in Football Outsiders’ season-cumulative efficiency metrics for running backs, and only New Orleans’ Latavius Murray ranked higher in FO’s Success Rate metric.
There were other ways in which Jones stood out in 2019.
Sometimes, all you need is the right coach.
43. Demario Davis, LB, New Orleans Saints
The past three seasons have seen Demario Davis come into his own as a linebacker in the NFL. During his first years in the league, starting with his time with the New York Jets and then a season in Cleveland, Davis was a solid, if unspectacular, defender. Then in 2017 he rejoined the Jets after a season with the Browns and started to flourish. That year he notched 28 quarterback pressures (with a career-high five sacks) as well as a career-high 104 tackles.
Then he moved to the NFC South, and the past two years with the Saints he has performed at an elite level. Last year saw Davis post some more career-high numbers, including his best tally of quarterback pressures (30) and a career-high with nine passes defended. In coverage Davis allowed 57 receptions on 76 targets, and passers posted an NFL passer rating of just 87.4 when targeting Davis, the best mark from the linebacker over his entire career.
But Davis is also a force against the run. He has the footwork and explosiveness to stop plays before they get going. Watch him knife into the backfield to stop this toss play from the Tennessee Titans:
Now watch what he does on this gap/power design from the Atlanta Falcons. Davis sees the down block from the left guard and recognizes the design, crashing forward to fill the hole in response. He meets the pulling guard in the hole, stones him, and scrapes off to make the tackle:
This, like the rest of his all-around game, is elite.
42. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
Something tells me this piece will not get the same kind of run other lists have from our partners over at Packers Wire…
For years Aaron Rodgers has been my answer to this question: “If you needed one quarterback to make a throw with your life on the line, who would you trust?” I would imagine many now look to the kid in Kansas City as the answer to that question, but for a long stretch of time that player was Rodgers in my mind.
And yet, there is a case to be made that even though Rodgers is one of the most feared quarterbacks in the game and still a tremendous player, his best days are behind him. That starts with the numbers. After leading the NFL with an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of 8.65 back in 2014, Rodgers has struggled to keep that number north of 7.00 in the seasons since. His 6.71 mark from last season was good for 11th in the league, which was in line with his 6.96 mark of 2018, which was the tenth-best number in the league. Then there is Expected Completion Percentage. That number for Rodgers was 63.8%, which was higher than his actual Completion Percentage of 62%. That difference of -1.8% ranked Rodgers among such notables as Eli Manning, Marcus Mariota and Andy Dalton.
And yet, can you really in your heart count Rodgers out completely? Traits-wise, he remains an elite player. But the numbers have not backed that up recently. With the Packers and Matt LaFleur moving to a more San Francisco style of offense, with more 21 personnel usage and play-action, Rodgers could be in position to improve his productivity in the season ahead. While his play-action numbers were woeful in 2018, they did improve slightly in 2019, giving Packers fans cause for hope. But for now, he’s still one of the game’s best, but there are others we might trust more to make that one throw.
41. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Kansas City Chiefs
If you logged onto Twitter over a few weeks ago, you were probably treated to outrage over another rankings list. ESPN put together rankings lists based on conversations and interviews with NFL decision-makers. When it came time to put together their offensive tackle list, one name was missing:
Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.
Since being drafted in the second round out of the University of California, Mitchell Schwartz has been a starter at right tackle in the National Football League. After four years in Cleveland, Schwartz has been a rock solid contributor for the Chiefs the past four seasons. Last year was a masterpiece from Schwartz, who went the entire season without allowing a single sack. He also gave up just 21 quarterback pressures, the lowest mark of his entire NFL career.
Schwartz threw basically the offensive tackle version of a perfect game in his final two starts of the season: The AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LIV is a perfect case study, given the talented San Francisco 49ers’ defensive front. On this play he stones former Kansas City Chief Dee Ford with great hand placement and footwork, after taking the fight to the defensive end:
On this snap, Schwartz slow-plays Arik Armstead, but never gives an inch once the contact is made:
But Schwartz’s work in the AFC Championship Game should not be ignored. Take this example on a fourth down conversion, as he locks down the right edge:
So perhaps the NFL decision-makers might not appreciate Schwartz for what he does, but here at the Touchdown Wire, we are huge fans.
40. Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As someone who grew up a New England Patriots fan, and then became lucky enough to cover them professionally, I thought a bright spot of Tom Brady’s departure for the NFC South was that I could avoid the inevitable “Tom Brady Battles” that pop up from time to time on the Twitter timeline. “Won’t be my problem anymore,” I would think to myself while dabbing the salty discharge around my eyes with the front of my #12 jersey. But enough about how I spend my Tuesday nights…
Unfortunately, this assignment was dropped on my desk so I’m wading back in.
Part of ranking Brady over Rodgers right now at this point in their respective Hall of Fame careers are these twin pillars of opinion: First, Brady is going to be playing with some of the best weapons he’s had at his disposal in years. A pair of the game’s best wideouts in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Two tremendous tight ends in O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate. Along with of course his old buddy in Rob Gronkowski. Second is this, and this fact cannot be understated: Brady is out to prove the world wrong.
Think about it. In addition to changing teams this offseason Brady started his own film production company. His choice of name? “199 Productions,” in homage to his draft slot back in 1999. To this day, with his status on the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks solidified, Brady is still that sixth-round pick, forced to prove everyone wrong about him. This past season in New England was a tough one for the quarterback, as the speculation about his future and the endless questions, coupled with the team’s poor offensive performances, wore on him. Now in Tampa Bay, people might get a chance to decide who really was responsible for the run in New England: Brady or his head coach. Brady wants to make that answer known to the world.
As someone who has watched him for decades, I would not bet against him.
39. Kevin Byard, S, Tennessee Titans
A few seasons ago Kevin Byard was a darling of #DraftTwitter, but was left on the outside looking in when invitations to the Scouting Combine were sent out.
Now he is one of the league’s premier safeties.
Byard had another great season in 2019 as he and the Tennessee Titans made a run to the AFC Championship Game. While Derrick Henry and the offense grabbed the lion’s share of the headlines, Byard and the Titans’ defense is not to be overlooked. Byard spent the bulk of his season in a deep safety role, logging 691 snaps in that alignment. A scant majority of those, 397 to be exact, were in some kind of two-high coverage. On this interception of Baker Mayfield, he begins in a two-high alignment before buzzing down underneath, and reads the quarterback perfectly:
Byard has been one of the league’s most dangerous secondary players the past few seasons, tallying 18 interceptions and 17 passes defended since he entered the NFL. His coverage skills and ball-hawking ability keep him near the top of any list of the league’s best safeties.
38. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle is the definition of teaching tape at the tight end position. In the San Francisco 49ers offense he does everything asked of him at an extremely high level. His numbers are fantastic. He gives you yardage after the catch (Kittle led tight ends with 7.3 YAC per reception as well as 621 total yards after the catch). He is a great blocker in both the run and the pass game. He is everything you want from a tight end, and he’s just 26 years old.
Hard not to appreciate him.
37. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Elliott led the league in carries and rushing yards in 2018, but he was even more productive in certain ways last season, and this was reflected in his Football Outsiders metrics — he jumped from ninth to first in DYAR (FO’s cumulative efficiency metric) and from 20th to fourth in DVOA (FO’s per-play efficiency metric). Elliott scored 14 total touchdowns to nine the year before, he broke 48 rushing tackles to 41 in 2018, and his only real downgrade was in explosive plays — he had 28 carries of 15 or more yards in 2018, and only 12 in 2019.
That said, the explosive plays were still evident, and quite often, a product of the fact that if you don’t wrap-tackle Elliott, things are not going to go well for you.
Elliott’s only potential issue in 2020 and beyond is that new head coach Mike McCarthy has exhibited some interesting decision-making when determining the value of his running backs — as we just detailed when writing about Aaron Jones. And with first-round pick CeeDee Lamb joining Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup to form perhaps the NFL’s best receiver trio, Elliott may not get the carries he has in previous years. But we’ll go ahead and assume that even Mike McCarthy will be able to figure out who Dallas’ offense goes through.
36. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
2019 was certainly a down year for both the Atlanta Falcons and their quarterback. After their 2016 season which ended in a Super Bowl loss, and saw Matt Ryan earn both Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, Ryan’s numbers have trended downward over the past three years. In both 2017 and 2018 he posted identical ANY/A marks of 7.12 (down from his 2016 number of 9.03 which led the league) and in 2019 his ANY/A fell to 6.08, 19th in the league.
Part of this is due to the quarterback of course, and part is also due to the surroundings. Last year Ryan was sacked 48 times, tying him with Russell Wilson for the most in the league. He still performed well under duress, as his Adjusted Completion Percentage of 66.5% when pressured was eighth-best in the league, but those hits and that pressure takes a toll.
Still, Ryan is worth betting on. He continues to have one of the game’s best receivers at his disposal in Julio Jones. Calvin Ridley is an a solid number two across from Jones. Ryan still has the ability to quickly work through his reads and make smart, quick decisions with the football. He remains one of the game’s more accurate passers – bolstered by the difference of 1.4% between his Expected Completion Percentage and his actual Completion Percentage. And while he does not go deep often – just 9.1% of his throws last year were 20 yards or more – he is effective when he does. Ryan’s Adjusted Completion Percentage of 48.2% was fifth-best in the league.
35. Lane Johnson, OT, Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles’ right tackle Lane Johnson struggled with injuries during the 2019 season, but it should not diminish his overall level of play. Last year Johnson was another stud in pass protection, as he allowed just one sack (Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys) and a total of only four quarterback hits and 23 quarterback pressures.
Another idea bandied about on #OLTwitter is the notion that “finishing is non-negotiable.” If you want an example of that on film, watch what Johnson does against Ryan Kerrigan from their first meeting last season:
On this play against the Green Bay Packers, Johnson takes the fight to Za’Darius Smith, one of the NFL’s top pass rushers:
Finally, here’s some appreciation for the processing and awareness here against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins use a “radar” defensive front, trying to disguise where the pressure is coming from:
In addition to reading the front perfectly, Johnson flashes some impressive lateral movement skills to handle the inside rush attempt and protect Carson Wentz.
The Eagles’ offensive line might look a bit different in 2020, with changes such as Jason Peters kicking inside, but Johnson should remain a rock solid tackle for the Eagles as they try and repeat in the division in 2020.
34. Kenny Clark, DI, Green Bay Packers
I remember the exact moment I first heard the name Kenny Clark. It was back in 2015, and I was writing a preview of a September matchup between Arizona and UCLA during the halcyon days of Inside the Pylon. While studying the Bruins’ defense, I came across this play from a nose tackle, highlighted by the white box pre-snap:
Since that moment, I’ve been a fan.
Clark has lived up to the expectations I, and the Green Bay Packers, had for him when the Packers drafted him in the first round of the 2016 draft. 2019 might have been his best season yet, as he saw a career-high 971 snaps and made the most of them. Clark tallied career-high numbers in pressures (69), sacks (9), hurries (58), tackles (46) and stops (45).
It is rare to see sideline-to-sideline ability from an interior defensive lineman, but Clark brings that to the table, along with great awareness for the position. But you also have to take note of his strength, power and leverage. Watch what he does here on this running play from the Carolina Panthers. Off the snap he drives his left arm into the right shoulder of the center on this zone running play, driving the center back. Once he gets control of the blocker his hands are fast enough that he can flare out his left arm to control the ball-carrier, while using his right arm and shoulder to maintain leverage over the center:
With Clark on the inside and the dueling Smiths on the outside, the Packers defense is in solid shape up front heading into 2020.
33. Chandler Jones, EDGE, Arizona Cardinals
Which NFL player has the most sacks since the 2012 season? If you guessed Chandler Jones with 96, you would be correct. Both with the Patriots (who selected him in the first round of the 2012 draft out of Syracuse) and the Cardinals (his team since 2016), Jones has done his thing in relative obscurity, but always at a high level. 2019 marked a career high in sacks with 19.0 and total pressures with 75, and he led the NFL in both sacks (17.0) and tackles for loss (28.0) in 2017. Jones’ suddenness off the snap allows him to combine power and speed in interesting ways, and he has the diagnostic abilities to know when to stop heading for the pocket and peel off to take after a running quarterback or running back. He’s always suffered from a lack of recognition in relation to his on-field accomplishments, but Jones has been one of the top handful of edge defenders in the NFL for a long time.
32. J.C. Jackson, CB, New England Patriots
If you’re a cynic when reading Jackson’s preposterous charting stats for the 2019 season, you might insist that Jackson is a man-dominant quarterback, he’s not challenged by No. 1 receivers because he’s got Stephon Gilmore in his secondary, and when a safety like Devin McCourty in his back third, he’s got the cushion to take chances that most cornerbacks don’t. Then, you turn on the tape and you realize that most teams have more than one “No. 1 receiver,” and that Jackson wouldn’t be on the field as much as he is in Bill Belichick’s defense if he wasn’t legit. Which he certainly is.
In this Week 14 interception of a Patrick Mahomes pass, watch how Jackson (at the bottom of the screen) delays his drop on the crossing route, giving the NFL’s best quarterback (spoiler alert!) a false sense of security before dropping the hammer.
So, how preposterous were those charting stats? Last season, Jackson allowed 31 receptions on 65 targets for 328 yards, 146 yards after the catch, one touchdown, five interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 35.9 — by far the best among cornerbacks with at least 50 targets (Richard Sherman finished second at 45.3). Jackson is No. 4 on our list only because he’s not his team’s top cornerback, but he’d be CB1 on most teams. The tape and the stats make that abundantly clear.
31. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sure, this is human:
That’s just your average, ordinary everyday dude fighting off a jam from a defensive end, erasing the eight-yard cushion from one of the NFL’s better coverage linebackers, making a catch in traffic and forcing a missed tackle from a safety who had a free shot at him. Normal stuff. (Bonus points if you recognize the song lyric used here).
Completely normal things:
Just adjusting to a low throw and outrunning the defense to the end zone. Normal things.
Not human things:
I mean:
Last season he posted a stat line of 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 15.5 yards per reception. Quarterbacks posted an NFL passer rating of 121.7 when targeting him.
And in 2020, he’ll have Tom Brady targeting him. Whew.
(Oh, and it was “Let’s Get Rocked” by Def Leppard. 15 year-old me loved that tune).
30. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
Leading the league in yards from scrimmage (2,392) and total touchdowns (19) as McCaffrey did in the 2019 season was impressive enough. To do so with a quarterback situation in which Cam Newton played just two games and then was replaced due to injury by Kyle Allen and Will Grier? Well, that’s next-level stuff. McCaffrey came out of Stanford as the eighth overall pick known as a back who could make things happen in the passing game, and his route understanding has only increased in his three NFL seasons. McCaffrey leads the NFL in receptions (303) and receiving yards (2,503) among running backs since he came into the league, and he’s tied with New England’s James White with 15 receiving touchdowns over that time.
What makes McCaffrey more than just a situational satellite back is his ability to run with surprising power for his 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame. In 2019, he broke 49 tackles on 287 carries, and added 26 more broken tackles on his 116 receptions. Today’s NFL requires offensive skill position players who can be effective in multiple ways, and few in the league possess more effective versatility than Carolina’s franchise back.
29. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, New Orleans Saints
Ryan Ramczyk began his NFL career on the left side of the New Orleans Saints’ offensive line, before sliding across the formation to lock down the left tackle spot. Since moving there for good in Week 6 of the 2017 NFL season, he has been holding that spot down for Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints’ offensive huddle.
Last year was unquestionably his best season to date. He gave up just two sacks, both of which came against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round, and allowed just one quarterback hit over the entire regular season. He was also dominant as a run blocker, as you can see on this example from the Saints’ win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 17:
This is textbook work getting to the second level. His aiming point is perfect on the linebacker and then he prevents any attempt at getting back to the ball-carrier, who cuts behind Ramczyk for a big gain. If you want to see how he was coached, you can check out this clinic from Dan Roushar on how he coaches the Saints’ and their wide zone scheme:
Then on this touchdown run from Alvin Kamara, also on a zone design, watch as the right tackle works a combination of blocks. First a down block on the defensive tackle – working “through the crotch” of the defender as coached by Roushar – and the at the end he recognizes the linebacker trying to scrape, so he peels off the DT and into the backer:
Then there is this pass-blocking rep, that includes a quick set, a trip down the line of scrimmage, and some finishing which is yes, non-negotiable:
The young right tackle put together a tremendous campaign, despite the two sacks surrendered in the playoff game. With the Saints loading up for another run, and with a great running mate in Terron Armstead, Ramczyk is in good shape for another great season.
28. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland’s offense under former head coach Freddie Kitchens was a disorganized mess in 2019, but Chubb was the stalwart among all the mess. In his second NFL season, the Georgia alum ranked second behind Tennessee’s Derrick Henry with 1.494 yards, adding 278 receiving yards on 36 catches, and there’s a reason the Browns led the league in running back screens. Nobody in the 2019 regular season had more runs of 15-plus yards than Chubb’s 20, and only Josh Jacobs of the Raiders had more broken rushing tackles than Chubb’s 66. With two notable exceptions, Chubb was everything the Browns hoped he would be in 2019. Given his near-perfect attributes for the position, you can expect more of the same over the next few seasons.
The only things that prevented Chubb from ranking first on this list were his relative ineffectiveness against stacked boxes (per Football Outsiders, the Browns had just 2.4 yards per carry and -37.2% DVOA when facing a heavy box of eight or more defenders, compared to a 5.6-yard average and 8.8% DVOA on other running back carries), and certain red zone issues (he ran 51 times for just 89 yards in the red zone, and only seven of those carries were touchdowns or first downs). We can attribute some of that to Cleveland’s overall offensive malaise, and the idea is that new head coach Kevin Stefanski will bring enough of the things he learned from Gary Kubiak in Minnesota to turn Chubb into a force multiplier in the very few ways he isn’t already.
27. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
That sound you hear is me being asked by my friend and colleague Michael Kist to submit my letter of resignation as the co-host of “The QB Factory,” a Philadelphia Eagles podcast. Well, we had a good run Mike…
But in my defense here, Dak Prescott played the game at an extremely high level last season. His ANY/A of 7.84 was sixth-best in the league. His Total QBR of 70.2 was fourth-best in the league. He threw 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career, and most impressive to me was the difference between his Completion Percentage (65.1%) and his Expected Completion Percentage (62.6%). That difference of 2.5% was fifth-best in the league, and for a quarterback who was knocked by some during his draft process and after – including by me – that is great to see. That is in line with what we have seen from him over the years, a quarterback with the competitive toughness to improve himself. It’s what put him in position to step into the Cowboys’ huddle as a rookie, replacing a team legend in Tony Romo, and be successful.
Now let’s think about the year ahead. Sure the quarterback and the team failed to come to terms on a long-term extension, but prior to that moment Prescott will get to throw to an incredibly talented trio of receivers in Michael Gallup, Amari Cooper and first-round pick CeeDee Lamb. He has Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield with him, one of the game’s more complete running backs. So Prescott has weapons to play with and a contract to play for.
Place your bets.
26. Cameron Heyward, DI, Pittsburgh Steelers
Another former first-round pick who enjoyed a great campaign in 2019 is Cameron Heyward with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Heyward was selected by the organization near the end of the first round back in 2011, and has been a presence up front for the Steelers almost since his rookie season. He had a breakout year in 2013, when he played 836 snaps – which was a career-high to that point – and notched six sacks.
But the past three seasons in Pittsburgh have seen some of the best football he has to offer. 2019 marked his third-straight season of double-digit sacks, as he took down the opposing passer ten times. But he also set career high numbers in tackles with 52 and “stops” with 44. He was also impressive in coverage, as it were, as he was actually targeted one time in pass coverage and he broke up the attempt.
To be considered the best you have to beat the best, and Heyward did that in Week 9. In a game that has gotten a lot of attention on the timeline recently, Heyward had a great outing against the Indianapolis Colts and their impressive guard Quentin Nelson. That day Heyward notched five pressures, four hurries and four tackles, while often working against the talented guard.
For example, watch the push-pull move he puts on Nelson on this running play:
Not only does Heyward have the power and technique to shed the guard on this play, but he then finishes the rep by tracking Marlon Mack down along the line of scrimmage and making the tackle for a loss.
Sure, Javon Hargrave is on to new ventures in Philadelphia, but Heyward’s talent, technique and effort make him a force to be reckoned with on the inside of the Steelers’ defensive line.
25. Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys
When it comes to the best guards in the NFL today, you can choose between one Notre Dame alum or another. Martin, who the Cowboys took with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 draft, has clearly established himself as the rock of one of the NFL’s preeminent offensive lines. He was one of just five guards who played at least 50% of their teams’ snaps without giving up a sack (joining Buffalo’s Quinton Spain and three other guys on our list of guards — Graham Glasgow, Elgton Jenkins, and Quenton Nelson). Martin has allowed just eight sacks in his six-year career, he’s as technically proficient as you’ll find with any offensive lineman at the professional level, and it’s a singular pleasure to watch him demolish defenders in the run game.
24. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
You can probably start the discussion here:
In fact, that’s almost a case for moving Davante Adams higher up this list, so…maybe forget I said that, Packers fans.
But there is no question that over the past few seasons Adams has played himself into the “top receivers in the game” conversation. With his combination of footwork, releases, and athleticism, Adams is one of the game’s top talents at the position. Matt Harmon, who devotes the bulk of his work to studying the position for his Reception Perception series, posted this after studying Adams’ 2019 season:
That line of analysis, based on the film, is great insight into what makes Adams so dangerous as a receiver. There are almost no holes in his game, from the snap to the finish he is a complete study at the position.
Watch this touchdown catch against the Detroit Lions, working out of the right slot:
That’s just filthy. Adams slow plays this route to perfection, using multiple gears as he sells the shallow route and then just explodes on the corner. But he is facing off coverage here, and as Harmon found with his film study, Adams is also very effective against press alignment.
As he is on this play:
Ross Cockrell tries to get a jam on him, but it comes much too late. Adams has already won the route, and then makes a tremendous adjustment on the throw to complete the play.
Sure, the Packers lost in the NFC Championship Game, but here is Adams getting Richard Sherman all turned around on a big play late in that game:
A few weeks later, Sammy Watkins would use a similar move on Sherman for a huge play late in Super Bowl LIV.
Adams is among the game’s elite at the position. This is one of those cases where the numbers – and the film – do not lie.
23. Justin Simmons, S, Denver Broncos
Speaking of breakout seasons, Justin Simmons with the Denver Broncos had one a year ago, and his great season coupled with how that defense looks heading into 2020 has him jump to the top of the board at his position.
Last season Simmons posted some of the best coverage numbers of any safety in the league. He was targeted 47 times, allowing just 25 receptions, a completion percentage of just 53.2%. On those targets Simmons allowed zero touchdowns, grabbed four interceptions, broke up 11 potential completions and surrendered an NFL passer rating of a meager 32.1.
Simmons was also solid against the run. He notched 80 total tackles, including 28 “stops,” as charted by Pro Football Focus. Put together what he did in both facets of the game, his improvement going from 2018 to 2019, and what the Broncos defense looks like going forward on both sides of the football, and Simmons looks here to stay.
22. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
At this point in his career Drew Brees still checks many of the boxes you look for in a quarterback. It begins with his mind, as Brees resembles a computer on the field with how quickly he can diagnose a defense and make the right decision with the football. This has been a hallmark of his career, especially during his time playing in New Orleans under Sean Payton.
Another consistent mark of Brees is his accuracy and ball placement. Yes, the scheme does have something to do with his consistently impressive Completion Percentage, but that statistic is not a true measure of ball placement. Consider Next Gen Stats and their Expected Completion Percentage. Brees did lead the NFL in Completion Percentage in 2019, as he has every year since 2016, but his Expected Completion Percentage of 68% was well below his actual Completion Percentage of 74.3%. That difference of 6.3% was second-best in the league, behind only Ryan Tannehill.
Brees and the Saints agreed on a new two-year deal this offseason, but expectations are that this might be his final ride. To that end the Saints certainly added some talent for him, beginning with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. That gives him another weapon in addition to the impressive Michael Thomas on the outside, and of course tight end Jared Cook and running back Alvin Kamara. If this is indeed his last year in the league, Brees has a shot to make one last run at a title with these weapons.
21. Richard Sherman, CB, San Francisco 49ers
Being a great cornerback is hard. Being a great cornerback for a long time? Well, that’s really hard, and very rare.
Sherman was unquestionably the NFL’s most dominant cornerback in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl seasons of 2013 and 2014. In those two years combined, he gave up just two touchdowns to 14 interceptions, and quarterbacks were better off throwing the ball away than anywhere near him. In the years since, Sherman had a couple of relatively off-years due to injury, but he enjoyed a remarkable comeback season with the 49ers in 2019. At 31, an age when a lot of cornerbacks are preparing for broadcasting gigs, the nine-year veteran allowed 34 catches on 61 targets for 373 yards, 123 yards after the catch, one touchdown, five interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 45.3 — his lowest since he hit 40.3 in 2014. Sherman hasn’t lost much of a step, and he’s been able to offset whatever physical attrition he may have undergone in his career with as incisive a football mind as you’ll see on any field.
How long will he be able to play at this level? Unknown, but betting against Richard Sherman has proved to be a fool’s errand for a long time.
20. Anthony Harris, S, Minnesota Vikings
Harris joins the list now after what was a breakout season of sorts for him. After serving as more of a role player the previous three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Harris took on a featured position with Minnesota the past two seasons. He took over as a starter midway into the 2018 season, and locked down a role across from Harrison Smith. That continued into 2019, and with the Vikings last season, he notched a career-high 1,033 snaps.
He was a stalwart in coverage, holding opposing passers to an NFL passer rating of just 55.0 and tallying seven interceptions, without allowing a touchdown catch. This interception of Aaron Rodgers demonstrates both Harris’ ability to play in coverage, and how he and Harrison Smith work together in concert:
This interception of Drew Brees from Wild Card Weekend highlights his range as a single-high player:
With what he can do downfield, and what Smith can do near the line of scrimmage, there is no surprise that this is one of the game’s best safety pairings.
19. Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
With his second straight 14.5-sack season, Hunter became the youngest player in NFL history (or at least since 1982, when the sack became an official statistic) to record at least 50 sacks in his career. He did so at age 25 with room to spare — Hunter has 54.5 regular-season sacks and 3.5 more takedowns in the postseason. Per Football Outsiders, he’s also one of four players to finish in the Top 10 in quarterback hurries in each of the last two seasons — and he’s at least three years younger than any of the others (Cameron Jordan, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Aaron Donald). Not bad for a guy who lasted until the third round of the 2015 draft as an athletically superior but very raw prospect. Now, he’s filled in all the blanks. Hunter has the straight-line speed to turn himself into nightmare fuel for any tackle who’s slow off the snap, his inside move is a work of art, and he has the athleticism to roll step-for-step with the most mobile of quarterbacks. Last season, he finished third in the league with 97 total pressures, adding in 40 stops for good measure, and it seems that the arrow is still pointing up.
18. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals
It still seems odd to put Arizona Cardinals next to his name. And yes, for those wondering, I almost used our favorite Bill O’Brien photo out of habit.
You know, this one:
Like a warm face cloth and a shave. Two bits.
If you are going to crack the top three of a list like this, you need to have every club in the bag as a wide receiver.
DeAndre Hopkins has every club in the bag. Let’s go from snap-to-finish.
Releases? Check:
Beating press? Check:
Route-running? Check:
Awareness? Check:
Catch-point? Check:
From the line of scrimmage to the catch-point, Hopkins is teaching tape. He can vary his releases off the line to keep defenders off-balance, he is savvy throughout his routes and especially into his vertical stem, and he displays an incredible catch radius that will make any quarterback happy.
This season, that quarterback will be Kyler Murray, and not Deshaun Watson.
Don’t make me post that picture again…
17. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
In 2019, Henry faced a series of defenses out to get him at all times, at all costs, and he responded in historic fashion. Including the postseason, 1,605 of Henry’s 1.918 rushing yards came after contact. Not only did that mark the most yards after contact in a season since at least 2006, per Pro Football Focus’ database, it’s the only time in that span (which is as far as PFF’s public database goes at this point) that the NFL’s rushing leader had more yards after contact than any other back had total rushing yards — Cleveland’s Nick Chubb finished second in total rushing yards with 1,494. And Henry did all of this while facing boxes of eight or more defenders on a league-leading 45.2% of his snaps, per Sports Info Solutions.
Not only did Henry produce at a level that most other backs would find impossible to replicate over a full season, he was the epicenter of a Titans offense that saw the professional rebirth of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and though rushing success and play-action success are not always as aligned as you may think, you can bet defenders were slow to draw away from Henry on any Tannehill play-fake. Whether it was Tannehill or Marcus Mariota, Tennessee’s quarterbacks threw 14 touchdowns to just two interceptions when using play-action, and that wouldn’t have happened to the extent it did without Henry’s presence.
Henry turned 26 in January, and the Titans signed him to a four-year, $50 million contract extension in mid-July. Contact-based runners tend to have short lifespans, but as long as he can stay healthy, Henry should be one of the league’s predominant forces at his — or any — position. Regardless of his future, Henry performed at an all-time level in 2019, and that’s why he tops our list of running backs.
16. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
Some quarterbacks just have “it.”
For the record, “it” matters at the QB position. That ability to walk into a huddle and immediately command the attention and respect of the ten men looking back at you. That respect and attention is not given, it is earned, over months and years of hard word and leadership.
In his final college football game, on a third and long situation, Deshaun Watson pulled the football down and began to scramble. Short of the first down marker, he came face to face with Reuben Foster, Alabama’s star linebacker. Watson never flinched:
Foster may have won the battle, stopping Watson short of the first down marker, but the quarterback won the war, as Clemson knocked off the Crimson Tide.
Watson inspires those around him with plays like this, and it continues to this day in the NFL. As he has developed as a passer and a QB, Watson displays on a weekly basis the ability to beat teams both inside and outside of the pocket. Under his leadership, the Texans have made back-to-back playoff appearances and secured two-straight AFC South titles.
Of course, there are questions about what Bill O’Brien is putting around him, such as trading away DeAndre Hopkins, but there is potential with a wide receiver room that includes Brandin Cooks, Kenny Stills, Randall Cobb, Will Fuller V and Keke Coutee. Tight end Darren Fells was a productive weapon for the Texans a year ago, and perhaps David Johnson, acquired in the Hopkins trade, can rekindle some of his past magic. If those pieces come together, Houston can take a big step forward under the leadership of their young QB.
15. Bobby Wagner, LB, Seattle Seahawks
As hard as it is to believe, 2019 could be considered a down year for Bobby Wagner. At the heart of the Seattle Seahawks defense for the ninth-straight season, Wagner notched 117 total tackles, three sacks, 52 “stops,” an interception and five passes defended. But that was actually a step back from some of his best work as a linebacker, and it saw his overall grade at Pro Football Focus (for those believers in that sort of thing) dip from 91.7 to 76.4, his lowest mark since 2015.
But given his talent and overall body of work, it is hard to put Wagner anywhere but the top spot at his position. He is that rare type of linebacker that fits with the modern game, but you still feel that if he were dropped into the late 1970s or even the 1980s, he would fit right in with that style of football. He’s just as comfortable playing downhill against the run as he is dropping into coverage or running with receivers.
If there is an area to watch, it is the coverage part of the game. Last season saw Wagner slip in that area, as he allowed 62 receptions on 75 targets (a reception rate of 82.7%, his worst mark as a professional) and he allowed an NFL passer rating of 112.5 when targeted (again his worst mark as a pro). But we’re betting that in the season head, with some additions to the defensive side of the football such as Jordyn Brooks, Darrell Taylor and the return of Bruce Irvin, Wagner should return to his all-around elite form.
14. Chris Jones, DI, Kansas City Chiefs
Jones has been an imposing force inside for the Chiefs since entering the league in 2016. His best year in the league was likely the 2018 campaign, when he recorded a career-high 16 sacks, but last year was nothing to scoff at. During the Chiefs’ run to a Super Bowl title, Jones notched nine sacks to go with his 64 quarterback pressures, and also set a career-high with 23 tackles. Even more impressive is when you remember that he played in just 13 games while dealing with a calf injury.
Versatility is also a calling card of his. Jones notched 236 snaps at left defensive tackle, 181 snaps at right defensive tackle, 79 snaps at left defensive end, and 97 snaps at right defensive end. He also saw a handful of snaps at inside linebacker.
For a look at how he excels, watch how he single-handedly destroys the Tennessee Titans on this play:
Jones beats the double-team and explodes towards Ryan Tannehill, for the strip-sack. The Chiefs recover and would put a field goal on the board with their ensuing possession.
Obviously there is a contractual situation to play out in Kansas City, as Jones is facing playing under the franchise tag. The organization has until July 15th to work out an extension, otherwise he will play under the one-year deal.
He’s worth the long term deal, friends.
13. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Baltimore Ravens
It was hard, like it is for almost every position, to pick a top name at offensive tackle. We went with Baltimore Ravens’ left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who was almost perfect last season. Stanley allowed just one sack in 2019 (which came in the Divisional Round against the Tennessee Titans) and one quarterback hit, which came back in Week 4. Yes, he has the benefit of Lamar Jackson playing behind him, who can escape from a variety of situation, but the Ravens also run a diverse offensive system which asks a lot of the offensive line.
And Stanley handles it all well.
In Week 2 he faced a tough test in Chandler Jones from the Arizona Cardinals, but as is broken down here by OL guru Brandon Thorn, Stanley was up to the test:
In that running game, Stanley does a great job in a variety of different concepts. Watch the execution on this outside zone play as he reaches the defensive end and then twists them away from the play:
Need a tackle who can climb to the second level in a flash? Consider that box checked:
A fun study is Baltimore’s game against the San Francisco 49ers on a mucky day inside M&T Bank Stadium. On this Lamar Jackson run, Stanley gets to the second level and takes linebacker Fred Warner out of the picture:
In the end though, to be an elite tackle you need to pass block. Remember, it’s all about protecting that spot seven yards behind the center. On this play from that same game, Stanley is matched up against Nick Bosa. He uses a quick set and wins the initial challenge, but when the talented pass rusher tries to counter, Stanley stays right on him:
As they say, a five-tool player. And an elite tackle in today’s game.
12. Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers
Most rookie pass-rushers tend to struggle a bit when they get to the NFL. The 20-hour rule in college football (which, of course, every coach follows to the letter, ha ha) prevents coaches from teaching their pass-rushers all the moves that will help them succeed at the next level. And now, they’re going against seasoned practitioners at the highest level, as opposed to slow, fat guys they can simply run around. All that is prelude to the notion that Nick Bosa had one of the more remarkable rookie campaigns we’ve seen from any edge defender. Though his nine regular-season sacks didn’t come close to the rookie record of 14.5 set by Tennessee’s Jevon Kearse in 1999, Bosa made up for that with an absolutely incendiary postseason in which he registered four more sacks, and a 12-pressure performance in Super Bowl LIV that would have had him on the precipice of an MVP award had the Chiefs not performed another one of their comeback specials.
There isn’t much the Ohio State alum can’t do to get to the quarterback. Speed, power, versatility of moves… he’s got it all. And he’s able to set up opposing blockers as if he’s been in the league for years. Perhaps he’s picked up a few things from his older brother.
Bosa finished second only to Green Bay’s Za’Darius Smith with 102 total pressures in the 2019 season; to see him wind up on top of that list in any of the next few seasons would come as no surprise.
11. Lamar Jackson, QB, Batimore Ravens
Jackson was one of the most impressive players in all of football last season, and it earned him a Most Valuable Player award and the Baltimore Ravens the first overall seed in the AFC. Of course, for the second year in a row the Ravens saw their playoff hopes dashed at home, as the Tennessee Titans and Derrick Henry came into M&T Bank Stadium and ran all over Baltimore.
But in the run-up to that game Jackson showed why he is a dynamic talent at the quarterback position. Of course what he can do with the football in his hands as a runner is irreplaceable. However, that almost sells short what Jackson has done as a passer. He was a better pocket passer than he was given credit for coming out of Louisville, and that ability showed up on film and in the numbers last season. When kept clean in the pocket, Jackson posted an NFL passer rating of 118.5 last year, second only to Drew Brees. He also completed 70.9% of his throws from clean pockets for 2,476 yards and 26 touchdowns, against only four interceptions. When pressured? Jackson was just as good. He put up an NFL passer rating of 97.7 when under duress (second again to Brees) and his Adjusted Completion Percentage of 67.9% when pressured was sixth-best in the league.
Jackson can do everything you want from a modern quarterback. Now he just needs that first playoff win. Odds are he gets that done in 2020.
10. Tre’Davious White, CB, Buffalo Bills
Last December, I did a tape piece in which I tried to discern who was the NFL’s best cornerback — New England’s Stephon Gilmore, or Buffalo’s Tre’Davious White? The differences between the two as far as overall excellence were tough; these are the two best at their position in the NFL. But White’s attributes in zone coverage were made abundantly clear:
White is slightly less aggressive, and perhaps more of a technician. His backpedal is a thing of beauty, which allows him to play off coverage more effectively. Few if any cornerbacks play bail coverage better — White has a supernatural ability to track the backfield with his eyes while keeping up with the most difficult routes and most talented receivers. He showed this with his first interception against the Steelers, covering speed receiver James Washington downfield. If you want to draw up a zone cornerback and all that is required from the position, White is as close to the paradigm as you’ll find in the league today.
The Bills played zone on 57% of their snaps last season, and whenever they did, White put on a clinic — which is why I believe him to be the NFL’s best cornerback in zone coverage. There, he allowed 25 receptions on 43 targets for 325 yards, no touchdowns, five interceptions, and a Positive Play Rate of 48.8%. But in man coverage, he was just as effective — he gave up 15 catches on 35 targets for 132 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and a Positive Play Rate of 31.4%, which was third-best in the NFL.
Were it not for the presence of Stephon Gilmore, who White replaced as Buffalo’s top cornerback before Gilmore moved on in free agency to the Patriots, we’d be talking about Tre’Davious White as the NFL’s best cornerback. We may do so anyway before too much more time has elapsed.
9. Za’Darius Smith, EDGE, Green Bay Packers
It’s not that Smith was unspectacular during his four seasons with the Ravens — he put up 18.5 sacks in that time, including 8.5 and 61 total pressures in 2018. But after he signed a four-year, $66 million contract with the Packers in March, 2019, all hell broke loose. Paired with fellow free-agent acquisition Preston Smith on the edge, and the perennially underrated Kenny Clark on the inside, Smith was able to work opposing offensive linemen as never before. The 15.5 sacks in the 2019 season were nice, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Smith led the NFL with 105 total pressures, the most by any edge defender since Von Miller matched that total in 2015, and he did it from all over the field — everywhere from wide-nine end to inside linebacker. Wherever he aligned, trouble was coming for opposing quarterbacks. As great as he was on the edge, he was perhaps more effective inside the tackles.
Smith could make himself a nightmare for centers as well, as he did on this rep in his 3.5-sack game against the Vikings in December.
There was no edge defender more effective in 2019 than Za’Darius Smith, and there’s no reason to think the same won’t be true in 2020.
8. Tyrann Mathieu, DB, Kansas City Chiefs
Speaking of versatility…
Tyrann Mathieu already made two positional lists here at Touchdown Wire, when we named him the league’s best slot defender and the sixth-best safety. Mathieu saw 561 snaps in the slot last year, and as Doug Farrar highlighted, he was a force in that role:
. .When he was in the slot, there was no more effective defender in the league last season. Mathieu allowed 42 slot receptions on 61 targets for just 297 yards, 174 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 69.1.
Mathieu is able to do so many things at such a high level because he has somehow managed to combine the ideal traits for multiple positions — he has the quickness to excel in the slot, the range to play two-deep safety, the aggressiveness to face up to the run in the box, and his diagnostic abilities make him nightmare fuel for receivers all over the field. If you want to see the ideal slot guy — not to mention the best five-tool pass-defender in the game — look no further than the Honey Badger.
But Mathieu also saw over 500 snaps at safety, and he more than deserves to be recognized for his contributions from that spot on the field. Specifically, Mathieu saw 388 snaps down in the box, and another 205 snaps in a deep safety alignment.
And when a guy can do this in the box, against one of the league’s more talented QBs:
Or do this as a Robber:
You are talking about greatness. As Farrar described him, a true five-tool player.
7. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
Whether Michael Thomas belongs in the conversation regarding the elite talents at WR has become a point of contention over the past few months. Detractors point to the route tree he is asked to run, as well as the fact that some of his routes come from the slot, and say that there are more complete players at the position.
But from where I sit, he’s among the best there is.
This route is a perfect example of what he brings to the table:
When stacking players in a position group, it becomes easy to get caught in the scheme trap. Digging in a little deeper, you can see beyond what they are asked to do, and into what they can do in other systems. Sure, Thomas gets the benefit of playing in a friendly offense, with a great quarterback in Drew Brees, and with some talent around him. And no, he doesn’t run “just slants.”
Watch the move he makes, and the separation he gets, on this route breaking towards the left sideline:
Look at this double-move at the bottom of the screen to convert a 3rd and 17:
Hey, if the book on you is that you “only run slants,” use it to your advantage, right?
Here he is beating press coverage at the line of scrimmage with footwork and strength. This play was reviewed for potential Offensive Pass Interference, but upon review the completion was left to stand:
Thomas has put up elite numbers every season in the NFL, and for his career Saints’ passers have an NFL passer rating of 118.5 when targeting him in the passing game. That is elite, as is Thomas himself.
6. Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts
Throughout the history of the NFL draft, which goes back to 1936, only 11 guards have been selected higher than Nelson, who was taken with the sixth overall pick in 2018. In his rookie season, Nelson allowed just two sacks and 24 total pressures, while establishing himself as one of the league’s best run-blockers right out of the gate.
And then, in 2019, he got even better. Nelson didn’t allow a single sack last season, with just two quarterback hits and 18 quarterback pressures allowed. But it’s not the numbers that set Nelson apart– there are other guards with equally good metrics. Whet sets Nelson apart from everyone else who plays his position is the almost comically dominant reps he puts on tape. Yannick Ngakoue and Jadeveon Clowney, two of the better edge defenders in the league, would certainly testify.
First, the way he’s able to pick up this multi-gap stunt from Ngakoue is as textbook as it gets. Nelson isn’t just a mauler, though he can certainly beat the living crap out of defensive lineman — this is ideal technique regarding how to take an opponent into your area and dominate him from side to side.
There’s also this against Clowney back when Clowney was with the Texans, which pretty much sums the argument up that Nelson is the best guard in football, and everybody else is playing for second. This is just not normal.
5. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
There is not much else to say about Julio Jones. The Atlanta Falcons’ standout is elite in every single facet of the game. So much so that Ted Nguyen, who does tremendous work covering the NFL for The Athletic, has named a route after the receiver:
Frankly, in my mind this discussion ended a few years ago, on this very moment:
This was arguably better than the Julian Edelman catch from earlier in the game, and is for my money the best play from a losing team I’ve ever seen in the Super Bowl. (Note to editors: Future column idea).
But Jones continues his high level of play to the current day. In what was a down season for the Falcons he still posted absurd numbers, catching 99 passes for 1,394 yards and six touchdowns. Crazier still? Those were actually down a bit from 2018, when he caught 113 passes for 1,677 yards and eight touchdowns. In fact, that was the first season since 2013 where Jones did not haul in 100 passes or crack 1,500 yards receiving. He is the complete package. From the line of scrimmage:
To downfield:
With the ball in his hands:
And everywhere in between:
And sure, this is a different era. But this is crazy to think about:
For these reasons, and so many others, he is the best of the best.
4. Aaron Donald, DI, Los Angeles Rams
Lists such as these often generate angst and controversy, but this should be a universally-accepted selection. To that end, as evidence for making Aaron Donald the top interior defensive lineman in the game, I’ll just link this lengthy Twitter film study I did of him before Super Bowl LIII.
In which I refer to him as a destroyer of worlds.
Sure, it’s from two seasons ago, but this is who Donald is. A destroyer of worlds, and the top guy at his position.
3. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson is a magician behind the line of scrimmage. He is one of the best – if not the best – at creating under pressure, off of structure and outside of the pocket. Last year he was pressured on 243 snaps – second most in the league – and put up great-to-elite numbers in those situations. On those 243 pressured dropbacks, Wilson completed 85 of 168 passes for 1,217 yards and ten touchdowns, against just two interceptions. Those ten passing touchdowns tied him with Lamar Jackson, Sam Darnold, Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz and Gardner Minshew for the most in the league. Wilson’s 1,217 passing yards while pressured were fourth-best in the league. His completion percentage while pressured was ninth-best in the league, and his NFL passer rating was fifth-best in the league.
This is not a new phenomenon. Last season Wilson was sacked 51 times – third-most in the league – but again put up great-to-elite numbers when pressured. On his 202 pressured dropbacks Wilson completed 64 of 134 passes for 926 yards and ten touchdowns, against just three interceptions. His NFL passer rating when pressured of 86.2% was fifth-best in the league, and those ten touchdown passes when pressured placed him in the top spot.
But Wilson is also almost as good throwing from the pocket. According to charting date from Pro Football Focus, Wilson had an NFL passer rating of 109.6 from clean pockets last season, fifth-best in the league among qualified passers. His 26 passing touchdowns from clean pockets led the league.
Wilson is that rare breed of quarterback that can beat you from the pocket, but can be just as dangerous when pressured, or outside of the pocket. That makes for a darn good combination.
2. Stephon Gilmore, CB, New England Patriots
I had Gilmore as the NFL’s best outside cornerback last year, and putting him back at No. 1 was an easy call. Why? Because although the Patriots play more man coverage than any other team (54% of their snaps last season), and Gilmore is an ideal man cornerback, there isn’t anything he doesn’t do well. In 2019, Gilmore allowed 28 catches on 62 targets for 424 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions, and an opposing QBR of 34.1 in man coverage. He allowed 11 receptions on 24 targets for 124 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and a Positive Play Rate of 41.7% in zone coverage. And when he was asked to move inside to the slot, Gilmore allowed 10 catches on 20 targets for 161 yards, 77 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 54.4.
Recently, ESPN revealed its list of the NFL’s top 10 receivers, and on that list, Cowboys star receiver Amari Cooper was debited for catching just two passes on 30 routes against the Patriots last season. Here’s the problem for Cooper: Gilmore was on him throughout the game, and when the Cowboys telegraphed their route concepts, Gilmore picked them up and used them against Dallas (and specifically Cooper) when the ball came Cooper’s way. So. maybe we should give Cooper a break on that one.
Gilmore won the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year award, and there’s no way to argue the honor. At a position that has become more and more crucial to team success, he’s as good as it gets in every way possible.
1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
When you become the NFL’s first “half a billion” man, you come in atop a list like this. Patrick Mahomes, in just two years as a starting quarterback in the NFL, has both an MVP and a Super Bowl title. He can make any throw from any platform, and can find you anywhere on the field, even if he is not looking at you. He is a joy to watch every time he is on the field – even if he is playing against your team – and an easy pick for the top quarterback in the league heading into 2020.
But if you are not convinced, here is a link for you. This takes you to a YouTube search for “Patrick Mahomes best throws.” Spend some time there, and you’ll come away convinced.
