NFL Top 200: Breaking it Down by Position

Before we start, here is a disclaimer: I was going to break this down by team as well but I realized that a ton of these guys are free agents, and the amount of guys on particular teams can drastically change (as can the teams in the broader sense of who is good or bad). Case in point - the Raiders have 8 players ranked, but three of them are free agents and can easily be gone (Asomugha, Gallery and Miller). When the FA period sorts itself out in a ridiculous frenzy that it will assuredly be, I'll do the team-by-team breakdown. Anyway, let's get to the positional groupings, and here are the Top-10 (plus 1) at each position by ranking


Safety

11.) Chris Harris, CHI

10.) Oshiomogho Atogwe, STL
9.) Michael Griffin, TEN
8.) Eric Weddle, SD
7.) Antoine Bethea, IND
6.) Charles Godfrey, CAR
5.) Adrian Wilson, ARZ
4.) Nick Collins, GB
3.) LaRon Landry, WAS
2.) Troy Polamalu, PIT
1.) Ed Reed, BAL


Cornerback

11.) Antoine Cason, SD

10.) Charles Tillman, CHI
9.) Tramon Williams, GB
8.) Jerraud Powers, IND
7.) Devin McCourty, NE
6.) Antoine Winfield, MIN
5.) Jabari Greer, NO
4.) Charles Woodson, GB
3.) Nnamdi Asomugha, OAK
2.) Asante Samuel, PHI
1.) Darrelle Revis, NYJ


Outside Linebacker
(both 4-3 and 3-4)

11.) Geno Hayes, TB

10.) Stephen Tulloch, TEN
9.) Elvis Dumervil, DEN
8.) Shaun Phillips, SD
7.) Lance Briggs, CHI
6.) Cameron Wake, MIA
5.) LaMarr Woodley, PIT
4.) James Harrison, PIT
3.) Terrell Suggs, BAL
2.) Clay Matthews III, GB
1.) DeMarcus Ware, DAL


Inside Linebacker
(both 4-3 and 3-4)

11.) Curtis Lofton, ATL

10.) DeMeco Ryans, HOU
9.) Daryl Smith, JAX
8.) Lofa Tatupu, SEA
7.) Jon Beason, CAR
6.) Jonathan Vilma, NO
5.) Jerod Mayo, NE
4.) Chad Greenway, MIN
3.) Ray Lewis, BAL
2.) Brian Urlacher, CHI
1.) Patrick Willis, SF


Defensive End
(4-3 only)

11.) Osi Umenyiora, NYG

10.) Justin Smith, SF
9.) Tamba Hali, KC
8.) Robert Mathis, IND
7.) Jared Allen, MIN
6.) Trent Cole, PHI
5.) John Abraham, ATL
4.) Mario Williams, HOU
3.) Julius Peppers, CHI
2.) Justin Tuck. NYG
1.) Dwight Freeney, IND


Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle
(3-4 DE and 4-3 DT)

11.) Kyle Williams, BUF

10.) Kevin Williams, MIN
9.) Terrance Knighton, JAX
8.) Jay Ratliff, DAL
7.) Casey Hampton, PIT
6.) Ndamukong Suh, DET
5.) Darnell Dockett, ARZ
4.) Jonathan Babineaux, ATL
3.) Richard Seymour, OAK
2.) Vince Wilfork, NE
1.) Haloti Ngata, BAL


Guards/Centers

11.) Jeff Saturday, IND

10.) Todd Harremens, PHI
9.) Ben Grubbs, BAL
8.) Carl Nicks, NO
7.) Dan Koppen, NE
6.) Robert Gallery, OAK
5.) Chris Snee, NYG
4.) Logan Mankins, NE
3.) Jahri Evans, NO
2.) Harvey Dahl, ATL
1.) Nick Mangold, NYJ


Tackles

11.) Sebastian Vollmer, NE

10.) Tyson Clabo, ATL
9.) D'Brickshaw Ferguson, NYJ
8.) Andrew Whitworth, CIN
7.) Eric Winston, HOU
6.) Donald Penn, TB
5.) Ryan Clady, DEN
4.) Jordan Gross, CAR
3.) David Stewart, TEN
2.) Jake Long, MIA
1.) Joe Thomas, CLE


Tight Ends

10.) Brandon Pettigrew, DET

9.) Owen Daniels, HOU
8.) Heath Miller, PIT
7.) Dustin Keller, NYJ
6.) Marcedes Lewis, JAX
5.) Zach Miller, OAK
4.) Dallas Clark, IND
3.) Jason Witten, DAL
2.) Vernon Davis, SF
1.) Antonio Gates, SD


Wide Receivers

11.) Vincent Jackson, SD

10.) Austin Collie, IND
9.) DeSean Jackson, PHI
8.) Reggie Wayne, IND
7.) Hakeem Nicks, NYG
6.) Greg Jennings, GB
5.) Santonio Holmes, NYJ
4.) Roddy White, ATL
3.) Calvin Johnson, DET
2.) Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ
1.) Andre Johnson, HOU

*- Devin Hester is ranked as the 7th highest WR, but that is almost all due to his returning.


Running Backs

11.) Steven Jackson, STL

10.) Rashard Mendenhall, PIT
9.) Michael Turner, ATL
8.) LeSean McCoy, PHI
7.) Arian Foster, HOU
6.) Darren McFadden, OAK
5.) Jamaal Charles, KC
4.) Ray Rice, BAL
3.) Chris Johnson, TEN
2.) Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX
1.) Adrian Peterson, MIN


Quarterbacks

11.) Matt Ryan, ATL

10.) Joe Flacco, BAL
9.) Eli Manning, NYG
8.) Michael Vick, PHI
7.) Matt Schaub, HOU
6.) Drew Brees, NO
5.) Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
4.) Philip Rivers, SD
3.) Aaron Rodgers, GB
2.) Tom Brady, NE
1.) Peyton Manning, IND


There you have it, broken down by position. With the lockout hopefully ending within days, the Free Agent frenzy might really change some of those three letter abbreviations next to the players names.

NFL Top 200: The List in One Place

Here's the List: 200-1, in one place for safekeeping.

200	Justin Tryon	CB	IND
199	James Farrior	MLB	PIT
198	Jonathan Goodwin	G/C	NO
197	Jason Peters	T	PHI
196	Steve Hutchinson	G/C	MIN
195	Shaun Ellis	DT	NYJ
194	Sheldon Brown	S	CLE
193	Brandon Pettigrew	TE	DET
192	DJ Williams	OLB	DEN
191	Rashean Mathis	CB	JAX
190	Michael Roos	T	TEN
189	Steve Johnson	WR	BUF
188	Phil Loadholt	T	MIN
187	Mark Sanchez	QB	NYJ
186	Leonard Davis	G/C	DAL
185	Carson Palmer	QB	CIN
184	Nick Hardwick	G/C	SD
183	Jason Jones	DT	TEN
182	Owen Daniels	TE	HOU
181	Matt Shaughnessy	DE	OAK
180	Ryan Kalil	G/C	CAR
179	Levi Brown	T	ARZ
178	Heath Miller	TE	PIT
177	Joe Haden	CB	CLE
176	Peyton Hillis	RB	CLE
175	Eric Berry	S	KC
174	Brandon Lloyd	WR	DEN
173	Dustin Keller	TE	NYJ
172	Antonio Garay	NT	SD
171	Calvin Pace	OLB	NYJ
170	Chris Clemons	DE	SEA
169	Lawrence Timmons	MLB	PIT
168	Ronde Barber	CB	TB
167	Duane Brown	T	HOU
166	Brian Orakpo	OLB	WAS
165	Chris Harris	S	CHI
164	Josh Sitton	G/C	GB
163	Joselio Hanson	CB	PHI
162	Rey Maualuga	OLB	CIN
161	Paul Soliai	DT	MIA
160	Ron Bartell	CB	STL
159	Kenny Britt	WR	TEN
158	David Harris	MLB	NYJ
157	Leon Hall	CB	CIN
156	Kris Dielman	G/C	SD
155	Oshiomogo Atogwe	S	STL
154	Gary Brackett	MLB	IND
153	Mike Patterson	DT	PHI
152	Geno Hayes	OLB	TB
151	Israel Idonije	DE	CHI
150	Terrell Thomas	CB	NYG
149	Chris Long	DE	STL
148	Sam Bradford	QB	STL
147	Michael Griffin	S	TEN
146	Zach Miller	TE	OAK
145	Tony Romo	QB	DAL
144	Cliff Avril	DE	DET
143	Anquan Boldin	WR	BAL
142	DeAngelo Williams	RB	CAR
141	Aubrayo Franklin	NT	SF
140	Brent Grimes	CB	ATL
139	Matt Forte	RB	CHI
138	Marcedes Lewis	TE	JAX
137	Brandon Albert	T	KC
136	Brandon Marshall	WR	MIA
135	Charles Johnson	DE	CAR
134	Curtis Lofton	MLB	ATL
133	Ahmad Bradshaw	RB	NYG
132	LaMarr Houston	DT	OAK
131	Jeff Saturday	G/C	IND
130	Barry Cofield	DT	NYG
129	Stanford Routt	CB	OAK
128	Steven Jackson	RB	STL
127	Jason Babin	DE	TEN
126	Sebastian Vollmer	T	NE
125	Josh Freeman	QB	TB
124	Tyson Clabo	T	ATL
123	Marques Colston	WR	NO
122	Rashard Mendenhall	RB	PIT
121	Antoine Cason	CB	SD
120	Sidney Rice	WR	MIN
119	Stephen Tulloch	OLB	TEN
118	Jay Cutler	QB	CHI
117	Eric Weddle	S	SD
116	Kyle Williams	NT	BUF
115	Osi Umenyiora	DE	NYG
114	Michael Turner	RB	ATL
113	DeMeco Ryans	MLB	HOU
112	Elvis Dumervil	OLB	DEN
111	D'Brickashaw Ferguson	T	NYJ
110	Antoine Bethea	S	IND
109	Todd Harremens	G/C	PHI
108	Daryl Smith	MLB	JAX
107	Miles Austin	WR	DAL
106	Andrew Whitworth	T	CIN
105	Matt Ryan	QB	ATL
104	Charles Godfrey	S	CAR
103	Shaun Phillips	OLB	SD
102	Charles Tillman	CB	CHI
101	Ben Grubbs	G/C	BAL
100	LeSean McCoy	RB	PHI
99	Tramon Williams	CB	GB
98	Lofa Tatupu	MLB	SEA
97	Carl Nicks	G/C	NO
96	Jon Beason	MLB	CAR
95	Mike Wallace	WR	PIT
94	Kevin Williams	DT	MIN
93	Justin Smith	DE	SF
92	Jonathan Vilma	MLB	NO
91	Jerraud Powers	CB	IND
90	Dan Koppen	G/C	NE
89	Terrence Knighton	DT	JAX
88	Joe Flacco	QB	BAL
87	Dwayne Bowe	WR	KC
86	Robert Gallery	G/C	OAK
85	Devin McCourty	CB	NE
84	Arian Foster	RB	HOU
83	Eric Winston	T	HOU
82	Eli Manning	QB	NYG
81	Dallas Clark	TE	IND
80	Jerod Mayo	MLB	NE
79	Vincent Jackson	WR	SD
78	Tamba Hali	DE	KC
77	Jay Ratliff	NT	DAL
76	Austin Collie	WR	IND
75	Donald Penn	T	TB
74	Adrian Wilson	S	ARZ
73	Antione Winfield	CB	MIN
72	Darren McFadden	RB	OAK
71	DeSean Jackson	WR	PHI
70	Michael Vick	QB	PHI
69	Jabari Greer	CB	NO
68	Ryan Clady	T	DEN
67	Reggie Wayne	WR	IND
66	Chris Snee	G/C	NYG
65	Chad Greenway	MLB	MIN
64	Lance Briggs	OLB	CHI
63	Robert Mathis	DE	IND
62	Jason Witten	TE	DAL
61	Jared Allen	DE	MIN
60	Matt Schaub	QB	HOU
59	Ray Lewis	MLB	BAL
58	Charles Woodson	CB	GB
57	Hakeem Nicks	WR	NYG
56	Devin Hester	WR/R	CHI
55	Logan Mankins	G/C	NE
54	Casey Hampton	NT	PIT
53	Jamaal Charles	RB	KC
52	Vernon Davis	TE	SF
51	Jahri Evans	G/C	NO
50	Ndamukong Suh	DT	DET
49	Cameron Wake	OLB	MIA
48	Darnell Dockett	DT	ARZ
47	Harvey Dahl	G/C	ATL
46	Ray Rice	RB	BAL
45	Trent Cole	DE	PHI
44	Nick Collins	S	GB
43	LaRon Landry	S	WAS
42	Jonathan Babineaux	DT	ATL
41	Jordan Gross	T	CAR
40	John Abraham	DE	ATL
39	LaMarr Woodley	OLB	PIT
38	Richard Seymour	DT	OAK
37	Brian Urlacher	MLB	CHI
36	Greg Jennings	WR	GB
35	Mario Williams	DE	HOU
34	Santonio Holmes	WR	NYJ
33	Terrell Suggs	OLB	BAL
32	David Stewart	T	TEN
31	Vince Wilfork	DT	NE
30	Chris Johnson	RB	TEN
29	Julius Peppers	DE	CHI
28	Roddy White	WR	ATL
27	Nnamdi Asomugha	CB	OAK
26	James Harrison	OLB	PIT
25	Jake Long	T	MIA
24	Troy Polamalu	S	PIT
23	Maurice Jones-Drew	RB	JAX
22	Asante Samuel	CB	PHI
21	Justin Tuck	DE	NYG
20	Calvin Johnson	WR	DET
19	Drew Brees	QB	NO
18	Dwight Freeney	DE	IND
17	Antonio Gates	TE	SD
16	Clay Matthews	OLB	GB
15	Adrian Peterson	RB	MIN
14	Larry Fitzgerald	WR	ARZ
13	Patrick Willis	MLB	SF
12	Ben Roethlisberger	QB	PIT
11	Darrelle Revis	CB	NYJ
10	Philip Rivers	QB	SD
9	Joe Thomas	T	CLE
8	Ed Reed	S	BAL
7	Nick Mangold	G/C	NYJ
6	Aaron Rodgers	QB	GB
5	DeMarcus Ware	OLB	DAL
4	Andre Johnson	WR	HOU
3	Haloti Ngata	DT	BAL
2	Tom Brady	QB	NE
1	Peyton Manning	QB	IND

There it is, in all its everlasting glory. Both sides are capped with Colts, from Justin Tryon to Peyton Manning himself. I'm following up with a post breaking down the list by team and position, giving a nice overall look at the league.

NFL Top 200: The Top 25

Finally, we get to the Top 25, the best of the best, the top players in the NFL. Let's go....

TO

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25.) Jake Long, T, MIA

He's good. He's really good. Offensive Tackles drafted really high are often just assumed to be good players mostly because it is really hard to judge an o-lineman. I fall into that category at times, but Jake Long is dominant every time I watch him at run blocking, and is also getting better and better at pass blocking. Long is basically the only great player the Dolphins have to build around, but he's a damn good one.


24.) Troy Polamalu, S, PIT

This is probably too low, but much of what he did last year was concentrated in the first handful of games. It might be injury, it might be age finally showing, but he was almost close to a liability in coverage late last season. It probably was injury, but Polamalu just seemed a tad slower late in 2010. He did have the single biggest play of the season for Pittsburgh though, with his leaping strip sack of Joe Flacco in their game against Baltimore in Week 13.


23.) Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAX

This wasn't MoJo's best year on paper. He only got 5tds and had arguably his worst pass-catching year of his career. Why then do I rate him higher than Chris Johnson? Because he's his team. The Jaguars have nice players on offense, but they are nothing without Drew. His presence on the field does so much for the rest of that offense. He's also a better blocker and the most complete every-down back in the NFL. The lack of TDs is probably a fluke anyway.


22.) Asante Samuel, CB, PHI

He gets unfailry harrassed for his supposed proclivity to shy away from contact (despite two of the more memorable Colts-Pats playoff 2003-04 game plays being his tackles and hits), but he was incredible in 2010. Asante Samuel was the best corner in football as per Football Outsiders charting numbers topping the league in both success rate and yards allowed per pass. It might be a flukey good year, but it was a flukey good year that was the best in the NFL.


21.) Justin Tuck, DE, NYG

After a sub-par year in 2009 (which followed two great years in 2007-08), Justin Tuck was a beast for the entire 2010 season. He's always been a great pass rusher, but he was better against the run. Justin Tuck ranked second in the entire NFL in FO 'Defeats', which was 18 spots better than any other DE. Justin Tuck, the man who impacted Super Bowl XLII more than anyone and forever changed NFL history, is now easily one of the best 4-3 DEs in the NFL.


20.) Calvin Johnson, WR, DET

It's easy to say that Calvin Johnson is the most physically gifted WR in the NFL, but that usually means that people feel like he underperforms (like the other past "most physically gifted WRs" like Randy Moss). That's not true. Megatron had a great year considering Shaun Hill was the guy throwing to him and he was being doubled all the time. He is right with Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson as the best WR to go up and get any ball thrown to him. He's a monster and just getting better.


19.) Drew Brees, QB, NO

People excoriated Peyton Manning for having an uncharacteristically pick-happy year, but that was mostly due to his four pick-sixes in a two week span (and pick sixes are fluke plays). Brees threw five more picks and had a worse passer rating but that went relatively unnoticed. Like with Manning, I'm not going to overreact to what happened with Brees but unlike Manning, Brees had his o-line still play well and most of his receivers healthy. The picks will probably return to the norm.


18.) Dwight Freeney, DE, IND

He doesn't slow down. He doesn't stop his motor. He doesn't have off games. Dwight Freeney put up double digit sacks for the 7th time in his 8 full seasons (the year he didn't he led the league in hurries). Dwight Freeney was still able to have a huge impact in the pass rush game and has quietly become a totally fine player against the run. He's still the most effective 4-3 DE in the game and that is a position that ages well. Canton is in his future.


17.) Antonio Gates, TE, SD

Antonio Gates played 10 games last year, but even those 10 games were about as valuable as any TE who put up 16 games, what with his ridiculous 15.6 ypc and 10 tds. Antonio Gates probably won't catch Tony Gonzalez's TE receiving totals because he's too injury prone (although his are more chronic nagging injuries and not ones that miss games), but Gates has already locked up his spot in canton. He's the one guy Phil Rivers has to have to be great.


16.) Clay Matthews III, OLB, GB

Pro-football-reference has a stat where they approxamate value. Of course it is completely subjectively calculated but it usually is a good reference. Clay Matthews led the NFL in AV in 2010. Matthews was an absolute beast with 13.5 sacks and many more hits. Clay Matthews is also a pretty good player in coverage. I think he gets a little overrated, but he will get better. He's a hard worker and is on the way to joining his Uncle in Canton.


15.) Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN

With all the talk of Favre's penis and Chilly-Dress and the Moss trade and the hole in the roof the fact that Adrian Peterson had a great year. The o-line in Minnesota is getting worse and worse but he rebounded with a far better year then he had in 2009. Firstly, he cut his fumbles down to just one. He also put up better ypr numbers and was better receiving out of the backfield and in blocking. The Vikings also used Peterson better. He's not close to slowing down.


14.) Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARZ

90 catches, 1137 yards with gives him a 12.6 ypc. He put up those numbers with the following guys throwing to him: Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton. Fitzgerald in many ways had a better year in 2010 than he did in 2009 with Warner. Fitzgerald had big years with Leinart before the Warner resurgence. No one has surer hands. No one runs better routes. Other than one man, there is no better wide receiver than Larry Fitzgerald.


13.) Patrick Willis, MLB, SF

Over 100 tackles again. That's no longer a surprise. The 6 sacks? That was. Patrick Willis is becoming more than just a run-stuffing ILB. He's great in coverage and now he's a really good blitzer as well. Patrick Willis is still just 26 so there are many great years ahead of him. The rest of the 49ers defense really isn't that great, but he makes it an upper-half defense.


12.) Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT

Ben Roethlisberger quietly had an excellent statistical year, with a league leading 13.3 ypc and a fourth season with a ypa above 8. His completion percentage drop but a lot of the year he was playing with an about gone Hines Ward and Antonio Brown among his top four targets. He had a flukily low int rate but Roethlisberger has been more careful with the ball for years. In reality, the Super Bowl loss hurts him but in many ways Roethlisberger is as good now as ever.


11.) Darrelle Revis, CB, NYJ

Revis led the league in FOs success rate again. He dropped in yards per pass but QBs threw deep at him more often. He wasn't as good as he was in 2009, but it will be a long time before a CB has that good of a year again. Darrelle Revis is now finally starting to get the Nnamdi treatment and in a couple years it probably will get closer to the ridiculous levels of avoidance that QBs displayed at Nnamdi, but until then his value remains really high.


10.) Philip Rivers, QB, SD



He led the league in yards and yards per attempt (the third straight year leading in that). He put up a passer rating over 100 for the third straight year (only Peyton Manning has done that). Philip Rivers is statistically the best QB in the NFL over the past three years. His problem is that his team finds the most bizarre ways to lose. For whatever reason he doesn't get the same baseless bashing that Peyton gets for the Chargers repeated failures, but at least that allows people to judge Rivers accurately, as one of the best in the game.


9.) Joe Thomas, T, CLE



I have no idea why he's always seemed to be thought of as worse than Jake Long, but the main job of a LT is to protect the passer and Joe Thomas is the best in the NFL at that. His feet are incredibly fast and agile which allows him to keep up with Suggs and Harrison, two of the best pass rushers in the NFL, twice a year. He has a big job in protecting the future of the Browns, but if I were McCoy I would thank God Thomas is protecting me.


8.) Ed Reed, S, BAL



He played 10 games. All he did was lead the league in interceptions with eight and defend 16 more passes while being more active tackling. Ed Reed honestly keeps getting more and more impressive each year. I love Troy Polamalu and I had many problems with the NFL Networks' player-voted Top 100 Players of 2011 show, but one of my favorite results was Reed over Polamalu. Polamalu is special. Reed is an all-time player. There's a reason why Reed was on the Top 100 of All-Time list NFL Network did. There's a reason why the Ravens pass defense stays good despite a revolving door at CB. #20 is the reason.


7.) Nick Mangold, C, NYJ



Forget what Mangold does in calling the line audibles and signals and such. I have no way of accurately judging his ability in that. What I can judge is the fact that I don't believe there was a single more dominant lineman at any position than Mangold in 2010. Mangold is a giant for a center and he absolutely destroyed basically every DT and NT he faced in 2010, from Vince Wilfork to Ndamukong Suh, to Haloti Ngata. Ironically Casey Hampton got the better of him in the title game, but Mangold was a beast all year long.


6.) Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB



Aaron Rodgers is the all-time leader in passer rating. I think this speaks more to the benefits of sitting behind a QB for a couple years (Rivers is 2nd all time and Steve Young is 3rd - both sat for a lot of years). Rodgers inherited a talented team and started his career already in his prime age and the results have been staggeringly good. In many ways he had a better year in 2009, but his 2010 results are more sustainable. Of course, how can I not mention his insane playoff track record, with four great games (and one admittedly lousy one against Chicago).


5.) DeMarcus Ware, OLB, DAL



He's been in the league six years. He has 80 sacks already. There is no one close to him in terms of pass rushing production over the past six years, and although he's not doubled as much as Freeney, I doubt 93 puts up Ware numbers even then. DeMarcus Ware basically never drops into coverage and why would you make him considering he's the best in the NFL at getting to the quarterback. Ware is also steady against the run. Dallas has whiffed on a lot of early draft picks in recent times but Ware was an easy grand slam.


4.) Andre Johnson, WR, HOU



Because of three missed games his total numbers look like a step back from his dominant 2008-2009 seasons, but Andre Johnson still led the league in yards per game. He averaged over 93.5 yards receiving per game for the fourth straight season. Randy Moss did it once in his career. TO did it twice. Marvin Harrison three times. Same with Torry Holt. More amazingly, none of them ever did it back to back. Andre Johnson's done it back to back to back to back. (Jerry Rice did it 5 times btw, only once back to back). Andre Johnson is historically good.


3.) Haloti Ngata, NT, BAL



Unblockable. He's where Albert Haynesworth was from 2006-2008, only he does it every game and never gets hurt. Ngata had 5.5 sacks and numerous more hits from a 3-4 DT position. He's quick on his feet. He's great at deflecting passes. He's great against the run. He dominates every game he is in. The Ravens defense is really built around four people: Suggs, Lewis, Reed and him and they all have different roles. Ngata is both the youngest and the sturdiest. He's inherited Richard Seymour's role as the perfect 3-4 DE/DT.


And now for the Top 2, and the you know who they are.....................




2.) Tom Brady, QB, NE



Ahh yes, the big debate. Here's my take. The ranking is not based on 2010 alone. Just 2010, yes Brady was the better player. However, at this high in the list the last 3-5 years are taken into acount and when you couple Manning's superior stats over that period it's easy. Brady also is no longer doing those great "intangible" things that once made the argument so awfully intoxicating. He's no longer winning playoff games or playing great in the clutch, he's just putting up stats far better than any of his Super Bowl seasons. Tom Brady will never have that int fluke year again, but he doesn't need it. He just needs to win a playoff game.


1.) Peyton Manning, QB, IND



He lost his 2nd, 3rd and 5th receiving options for long stretches throughout the season. He lost his starting running back for 10 games. He had nine different o-line combinations in front of him and none of them good. The running game was awful. The defense was bad. The Colts still went 10-6 and were 10 seconds away from the divisional round. Because of injuries, if you switched Peyton Manning with Eli, the Colts go 3-13. Manning went 16-1 in games the Colts tried in one year ago. He won MVPs in two of the last three seasons. He just finished a 7 year stretch that dwarfs any such stretch by any QB ever. (from 2003-2009, he had a 102.2 passer rating). One bad three game stretch (the 7 td, 11 pick stretch from the Pats game to the Chargers game) doesn't somehow make everything else irrelevant. He's still the best, the most feared.


Can't wait for the lockout to finally end and the season to start and to see if I was right about some of these rankings.

NFL Top 200: #50-26

Here are numbers 50-26.

TO

50.) Ndamukong Suh, DT, DET

How good was Ndamukong Suh as a rookie? He led the NFL in sacks as a DT. He was the biggest contributor to one of the league's best defensive lines. Ndamukong Suh honestly had one of the best rookie seasons by a defensive players in decades, so much so that Devin McCourty could have had the year he had and not come close to receiving any support for Defensive Rookie of the Year. McCourty's an all-pro in the making. Suh is a hall-of-famer in the making.


49.) Cameron Wake, OLB, MIA

Bill Parcells' last move in Miami was to unearth Wake from the CFL. What a move it was. Wake was a terror off the edge, near the lead in hurries in the NFL. Wake still has room for improvement against the run, but he has quickly become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Hopefully success stories like him allow for more CFL prospects to get to the NFL.


48.) Darnell Dockett, DT, ARZ

Dockett was an all-pro caliber 3-4 DT in 2009, and his play in 2010 was nearly just as good. Dockett had 5 sacks and played great against the run. His pass rushing numbers dropped a little from 2009, but it is hard to keep up that pace when the rest of the team went to hell in 2010. Dockett is still a premier 3-4 DT/DE.


47.) Harvey Dahl, G, ATL

He's the best guard in the NFL. Period. Dahl excels at pass blocking and is absolutely nasty at run blocking. The Falcons have a good line overall, but Dahl is what makes them one of the better ones in the league. His ability to run block allows Michael Turner to run left so easily. How he has never been elected to the pro bowl is beyond me.


46.) Ray Rice, RB, BAL

Rice wasn't as great as he was in 2009 last year but that was a hard act to follow. What Rice did improve on was cutting down his fumbles as well as imrpoving his pass blocking. The latter is especially important given his small size. The Ravens o-line as a whole didn't have a stellar year, so that is partially to attribute to the drop-off in aggregate statistics.


45.) Trent Cole, DE, PHI

How many years is Trent Cole going to be a monster player before he finally gets the national exposure someone of his performance deserves. Trent Cole was incredible again. His total sacks went down, but his overall play went up. Cole did even better against the run and had enough pressures to merit more sacks. Cole is still just 29, and in pass rushing years that is square in his prime.


44.) Nick Collins, S, GB

His interception numbers dropped for the second straight season, but that just hides the fact that he gets better and better. Nick Collins now gets the partial Ed Reed treatment where people don't throw at him as much (of course this is easier said than done for a safety), but still he gets his hands on the ball. Nick Collins is the true MVP of the Packers secondary.


43.) LaRon Landry, S, WAS

I think he still suffers from his average up and down first two years because for the last two years LaRon Landry has been a pro-bowl caliber player, and he was one of the better SS in the NFL in 2010. Landry didn't get many interceptions, but only Troy Polamalu was better as a SS in run support, and Landry was able to cover well. Just imagine the safety pair he could have made with Sean Taylor.


42.) Jonathan Babineaux, DT, ATL

I criminally underranked Babineaux after 2009, so I'm giving him the bump for three straight great years as a 4-3 DT in Atlanta. Babineaux is close to what Albert Haynesworth was late in his Tennessee. He isn't as unblockable as Big Al was in his prime, but is probably more consistent. The reason the Falcons are so consistently good at run defense is Babineaux.


41.) Jordan Gross, T, CAR

I earlier said that the Panthers are about the best-set 2-14 team ever and Gross is the biggest player in that. He's still a premier LT in the NFL. Other than a fluke injury in 2009 he's barely missed a game. He's anchored an upper-tier o-line for years. Jordan Gross is about as consistent as they come and other than the man infront in Miami, is the best run blocking LT in the league.


40.) John Abraham, DE, ATL

John Abraham could be one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. He's been in the league 11 years now, and in six of those registered double digit sacks, with another year at 9.5. His past year was tied for his second most sacks. He plays the run about as well as any DE. Over and above this he's done it in two cities without slowing down. I doubt he gets there, but he's one of the quietest borderline hall-of-famers ever.


39.) LaMarr Woodley, OLB, PIT

What is really scary in Pittsburgh is that Woodley is so great, but he's unquestionably the 2nd best OLB on his team. What Woodley does better than Harrison is play the pass. Harrison has the one amazing highlight with his INT return in Super Bowl XLIII, but Woodley can stick to TEs and WRs like glue at times. Again, he's not the best at his position on his team.


38.) Richard Seymour, DT, OAK

While Brandon Moore was abusing any member of the motley crue of DEs Bill Belichick threw at him, Richard Seymour was probably laughing. Seymour was dominant in Oakland, every bit as unblockable as he was in New England. Seymour spearheaded one of the league's most maddeningly dominated d-lines. Other than the man yet to be named, he's performed the best after leaving the confines of Foxboro.


37.) Brian Urlacher, MLB, CHI

The future hall-of-famer had one of his best years of his of his career in 2010 coming off a wrist injury that sidelined him for all but one game in 2009. What was really noticeable was how good he was in the pass game. Urlacher has had good sack seasons before, but he's never been as good in coverage as he was in 2010. Urlacher was also still active in the run game.


36.) Greg Jennings, WR, GB

Here's what Greg Jennings has done over his past 4 seasons. With two different QBs, he's averaged 69 receptions for 1147.5 yards and 9.25 tds in an offense with an array of targets. Jennings has also in each of the past four years gotten at least 16.2 yards per reception. He's the best deep threat in the NFL, as well as one of the best in yards after catch. He's a monster.


35.) Mario Williams, DE, HOU

Talk about Monsters. He missed three games, so his sack numbers are about at career average. That said, he gets held more and more each year and double-teamed more and more each year and still is one of the most dominant DEs in the game. Williams will now move to a DeMarcus Ware type position so he could potentially put up scary numbers in 2011.


34.) Santonio Holmes, WR, NYJ

Greg Jennings has Aaron Rodgers throwing to him. Reggie Wayne has Peyton. Santonio has Mark Sanchez, and he still is dominant. Santonio is in my mind the new Steve Smith (Carolina). Factoring in his time missed due to suspension he had a 1000 yard season with Mark Sanchez throwing to him on a team that runs the ball a lot. Then, factor in his amazing plays in overtime over the year and that insane catch against New England and you get the best clutch WR.


33.) Terrell Suggs, OLB, BAL

The Ravens are sneakily an average pass rush team. They have this image of a crazy blitz team, but they really aren't like that. Terrell Suggs in many ways is their pass rush. The Ravens had 27 sacks and Suggs had 11 of them, and then add in 3 more in the playoff loss to the Steelers. Terrell Suggs is still just 29 despite playing 8 years and is perfectly placed to continue to dominate. Lewis and Reed are nearing the end, but Suggs is most certainly not.


32.) David Stewart, T, TEN

He's the best run blocking tackle in the NF, and although his pass blocking slipped a bit in 2010, he was still great on the right side. Chris Johnson's numbers running left weren't great, but when running around Stewart they were great. David Stewart has never made a pro bowl but has made a 2nd team all-pro. Odd, but at least he once got the recognition he deserves.


31.) Vince Wilfork, NT, NE

The biggest man in the NFL (I'm guessing) gets the nod for the best nose tackle. He's almost always double-teamed and still almost-always disruptive. He's been the centerpiece of the Patriots defense and really the only guy keeping their run defense going at this point. Wilfork is about as consistently good as they come and his importance shows by the Pats actaully paying him.


30.) Chris Johnson, RB, TEN

As much as a 1364 yard season can be called a disappointment, 2010 was a disappointment for CJ2K. The nicknamed one still made his way into the end zone and was about as consistent as he was in 2009 (just fewer huge runs). What is really odd is his awful 5.6 yards per reception. It was at 10.1 the year before, so we should see which one is closer to the real CJ in 2011.


29.) Julius Peppers, DE, CHI

He, Mario and the two DEs yet to be named have one thing in common. They all get held, a lot. It dampens their sack total, but has about as much importance as a sack. The amount of work Peppers does for the Bears d-line is incredible, making what seems like a random assortment of players perform quite well. If the Bears only could've had him and the 2005-06 Tommie Harris together the NFC Championship might have gone differently.


28.) Roddy White, WR, ATL

In many ways Roddy White had a Reggie Wayne-esque year, where his ridiculous amount of targets and catches makes the yards and TDs seem less impressive. The difference is that Matt Ryan has barely any other WR to throw to. White gets doubled all the time, and almost always that's with a safety over the top. As long as he can suck up all short throws, he's immensely valuable.


27.) Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, OAK

Nnamdi didn't have his greatest year in 2010; of course, for him that makes him just the 3rd best corner in the NFL. He still is about as valuable as the other two since he erases a half of the field as people rarely throw at him. However in 2010, when the QBs dared to throw at him, they were successfuly more than most years. That said, he's still a beast and about to be a very rich beast.


26.) James Harrison, OLB, PIT

How does someone who does nothing in the NFL for 4 years suddenly put together a 4-yr run with 45 sacks in it, along with 25 forced fumbles and a ridiculous 62 tackles a year average? James Harrison is downright dominant and shows no sign of slowing down, and in fact he's getting better as now he's improved in pass coverage. Scary things go on in Pittsburgh at the linebacker position.


Coming up next, the Top-25.

NFL Top 200: 100-51

We're now into the Top-100, with #'s 100-51. Let's go.

TO

100.) LeSean McCoy, RB, PHI

The only reason I'm a bit skeptical of just how good a player LeSean McCoy is is that in his Falcon days, Michael Vick always had the ability to make the whole running operation around him better. That said, McCoy was so dangerous last year as a threat running and receiving, getting better in basically every category from 2010. Has a lot of Westbrook in him.


99.) Tramon Williams, CB, GB

Williams had a great year, no doubt, but he gets burned a little too much. He was matched up against the top receiver in most games, and both Johnny Knox and Hines Ward (who Williams primarily covered) had pretty big games. Tramon Williams also benefits from having great players around him and a great pass rush. He's a little overrated in my book.


98.) Lofa Tatupu, MLB, SEA

Lofa Tatupu was about the only Seahawk defensive player in the back-seven worth a damn in 2010. He's been a stable reliable and smart nervous center of the Seahawks 4-3 defense for years now. He seems to get lost a lot since he's playing in the great white North, but Tatupu has been one of the best MLBs in the NFL since he entered the league in 2005.


97.) Carl Nicks, G, NO

Carl Nicks makes up one of the Saints two dominant guards and he's probably the better run blocker of the two. Nicks was a little flag happy in 2010, but he's still the Saints most reliable blocker. With all the turmoil at the running back position for the Saints in 2010, he had a great year opening holes from everyone from Julius Jones and Chris Ivory to Pierre Thomas.


96.) Jon Beason, MLB, CAR

The reason why Beason has lost some of his luster is he played 2010 out of position at RLB and away from the MLB position he manned brilliantly from 2007-2009. I'm not sure if that is the future plan for Beason, but he did play pretty well in that position although he was less active in pass coverage which he was pretty good at in the past.


95.) Mike Wallace, WR, PIT

Mike Wallace had a quietly amazing season, with over 20 yards per reception and 10 tds. After Ben Roethlisberger came back from suspension, Mike Wallace's game rose higher and stayed crazily consistent with never having a really bad game. Wallace had a disappointing Super Bowl but there's a really bright future for the man tabbed to replace Santonio Holmes.


94.) Kevin Williams, DT, MIN

The Williams Wall is basically about to be torn down, but Kevin is still hanging on to the top 100. He had probably his worst season of his career, which is the main reason for his precipitous drop from #18 to #94. It's crazy to think that Kevin Williams is a man who had seasons of 11.5, 8.5 and 6 sacks at DT and last year he had 1. He still has the ability though, and is still in his prime.


93.) Justin Smith, DE, SF

I was initially skeptical of his ability to play in a 3-4 when he was signed by the 49ers in Free Agency, but he's arguably been better in San Francisco than he was in his pro bowl career in Cincinnati. I will say that he doesn't seem to be as interested in stopping the run as much as he did in the past, which led to a fall of the whole 49ers run defense on that side.


92.) Jonathan Vilma, MLB, NO

Vilma had a great year in 2009 and I definitely underranked him. He had an average year in 2010, and to make up, I'm probably overranking him. Despite having a 11-5 record and probably a better overall defense in 2010, the Saints had a lot of individual defensive players play worse. Vilma was one of those. He was better blitzing in 2010 but struggled at times in coverage.


91.) Jerraud Powers, CB, IND

Jerraud Powers had a great year in 2010. He's the Colts best corner at both man and zone, especially man, which is what the Colts run more and more often every year. He's extremely quick at reacting to routes, and although he has a tendency to drop interceptions, he really plays well on the ball. One problem is that he, like every Colt, has a problem staying healthy.


90.) Dan Koppen, C, NE

Dan Koppen was dominated by BJ Raji, but then also dominated Casey Hampton and whoever the Jets threw at him. He was one of the only o-lineman for the Pats to play well in the divisional round loss. Dan Koppen is getting a bit old, and he's more inconsistent now, but he's still one of the league's better centers.


89.) Terrence Knighton, DT, JAX

In his second year in the NFL, Terrance Knighton was a beast. He collapsed the pocket about as well as most of the premier NFL DTs. Knighton wasn't great in run support, but he's one of the more consistent interior pass rushers in the NFL. The Jaguars have a nice set of young defenders and Knighton is the best of the bunch.


88.) Joe Flacco, QB, BAL

Joe Flacco's year was strikingly similar to his 2009 year. How close were the two years? He threw just ten fewers times and gained nine more yards. His completion percentage went down by just .5%. His yards per attempt went up by .2. The big difference was the Joe Flacco got a lot better at throwing TDs and fewer INTs. Flacco is a QB on the rise. That said, my opinion of whether he or Matt Ryan is the better player changes just about every week.


87.) Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC

Dwayne Bowe overall had a monster season, one worthy of a spot much higher on the list, but like many players on KC, he had a tendency to beef up those numbers against the weaker teams. He had a three-game stretch against DEN-ARZ-SEA where he had 32 catches for 465 yards and 7 tds. His games against the better defenses were not near anything that good.


86.) Robert Gallery, G, OAK

Robert Gallery has publicly said he intends to leave Oakland. If he does, he's leaving out on top. Gallery has played each of the last four seasons at LG and in those seasons the Raiders have been among the better running teams in the league. He's always gotten a bad rap since he was supposed to be the next great LT, but he's been great since switching inside.


85.) Devin McCourty, CB, NE

What a rookie year. Devin McCourty was great in man coverage as a rookie, locking down some of the better receivers in the NFL. There were notable times where he was beaten, but that is to be expected from a rookie who will undoubtedly improve. Devin McCourty was a great find by the Patriots and has really shored up a transient position for them at corner.


84.) Arian Foster, RB, HOU

Arian Foster had, how should I say this, a big year in 2010. Foster was incredible, leading the league with 1616 yards and adding over 600 more receiving. Why I don't have him any higher is that I've been burned by trusting running backs coached by Gary Kubiak. Steve Slaton had a massive rookie season and now he's basically as NFL relevant as Mike Anderson or any Kubiak running back in Denver.


83.) Eric Winston, T, HOU

Winston's play is probably just a big a reason for the Texans great running game as Foster. He's one of the best RTs in the game, and he's the best blocker the Texans have. The Texans love running right, right over Winston. What makes him even better than his 2009 self is that Winston got better as a pass blocker in 2010.


82.) Eli Manning, QB, NYG

Eli Manning did have a ton of interceptions in 2010, but so many of them were due to passes that hit off the hands of his receivers. That was a legitimate concern for Eli. Apart from those plays, Eli had a great year, with 31 tds over 4000 yards and a career high completion percentage. Manning is making great music with Nicks, Smith and Manningham.


81.) Dallas Clark, TE, IND

In a year where the Colts pass blocking probably hit their all time low, Clark was even more important when he played. Dallas did a great job of being the perfect safety valve for Manning. His injury was extremely flukey so there shouldn't be any lingering effects in 2011. Dallas Clark was on pace for a huge year before he got hurt anyway.


80.) Jerod Mayo, MLB, NE

Jerod Mayo had a bit of a sophomore slump in 2009 but he returned to being an exceptional player for the Patriots in 2010. He was one of the surest tacklers in the NFL, missing just a couple of tackles when he got to the player. The problem was that he isn't the cerebral player that the Patriots linebackers of old were.


79.) Vincent Jackson, WR, SD

Vincent Jackson barely played because of a prolonged holdout, but when he came back, although he wasn't targeted like he was in years prior, Jackson was still one of the NFL's best deep threats. Unlike other players that played few games, since Jackson's wasn't due to injury, he should be fine to have another great year in 2011.


78.) Tamba Hali, OLB, KC

Hali had a monster year with 14.5 sacks, but hidden behind those glittering numbers was the fact that he was worse against the run and very Brian Orakpo-ey in that he played for sacks much more than he tried to hold his run responsibilities. For years Tamba Hali was the only pass rusher worth a damn in KC. That's changing a bit, but he's getting better than ever.


77.) Jay Ratliff, NT, DAL

Jay Ratliff was still a pass rushing force in 2010 but he became very inconsistent in games and took a step back at stopping the run. Ratliff made a pro bowl in 2010 but that's probably just because he wears the star on his helmet. The Cowboys really need Ratliff to return to his true form that he displayed often in 2009.


76.) Austin Collie, WR, IND

This is my second ranking that is probably Colts biased (this and Tryon at #200 - I have full confidence that Jerraud Powers is that good). Austin Collie was a machine in 2010 before his concussions. In nine games, Collie had 58 catches, 650 yards and 8 tds. My guess is the Colts don't want Manning throwing near 700 times in 2010 so his aggregate numbers may drop, but if he stays healthy, he will become the most explosive slot receiver in the NFL.


75.) Donald Penn, T, KC

In his 4th season, Donald Penn's play really took off as he was one of the most underratedly good pass blockers in the NFL. Josh Freeman's blind side was ably protected all year by Penn who if he has a weakness is that he doesn't have the quickest of feet of all the LTs. Donald Penn can also improve his run blocking. I'm sure he will since he's improved every year of his career.


74.) Adrian Wilson, S, ARZ

Wilson is firmly in the downside of his career but he's still one of the best SS in the NFL. Adrian Wilson played more in the box to help stop the continuous bleeding that was the Cardinals run defense, but he wasn't the same in coverage. He's not as active blitzing as he used to be either. His amount of diverse skills has probably lessened, but the one's he still has are top notch.


73.) Antoine Winfield, CB, MIN

Antoine Winfield led the NFL in fewest yards allowed per pass. He was second in the NFL in Football Outsiders' success rate for corner backs. Some of this is skewed (particularly the first stat) by the fact that he plays in a cover-2 scheme, but Winfield had an awesome year in 2010. The Vikings still have a really talented defense that should help Christian Ponder or whoever is the QB in 2011.


72.) Darren McFadden, RB, OAK

Darren McFadden is a bust no more, and he turned from a bust to a pro bowler in one year. McFadden was one of the best two-way RBs in the NFL in 2010 and now that Michael Bush is probably gone, he'll have the backfield to himself. His downhill running style was basically unstoppable and he's just 24. Scary times ahead for McFadden.


71.) DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI

Scary times ahead for DeSean Jackson as well. I didn't do the research, but I doubt there has been anyone with over 100 yards and fewer than 50 receptions in a long, long time. What DeSean Jackson did was special in 2010. He still can be erased if you keep him from beating you deep and his short routes are not great, but he's the best deep threat in the NFL.



70.) Michael Vick, QB, PHI

Late in the season, Vick became a bit like the old Vick but in my opinion that is primarily because the Eagles' pass blocking became a lot worse late in the season. He still was more composed and cerebral at QB than he has ever been. Vick was also a lot more protective of the ball. He reminds me a lot of a younger Donovan McNabb, and as Eagles fans' should know, that is pretty good.


69.) Jabari Greer, CB, NO

Jabari Greer was about as good in 2010 as he was in 2009. Greer held down some of the better WRs in the NFL in man coverage last year, like Roddy White in both Atlanta games and Mike Wallace against the Steelers. Greer was quite a bit healthier in 2010 than he was in 2009 also. Greer is the spearhead of a good young secondary.


68.) Ryan Clady, T, DEN

Clady was awesome again in Denver. His run blocking was a bit worse but he was a rock in pass blocking. I remember his game against Dwight Freeney where he got little help and controlled him well. Clady is one of the few offensive players in Denver that they can truly build around, but his value as a LT will be cut if they start Tebow.


67.) Reggie Wayne, WR, IND

Forget the aggregate numbers like 111 catches and 1355 yards, Wayne was not the same guy in 2010. He had some dominant games but against the premier corners he was pretty well matched play for play. Reggie Wayne still has some years left but the days of him being a dynamic deep threat are probably done.


66.) Chris Snee, G, NYG

His play isn't where it was a couple years ago when he was a surefire all-pro, but he's still the best OG for the Giants and a sturdy foundation for their offensive line, one that has opened holes for a top-5 running game going on four years now. Chris Snee is also one of the better pass blocking interior lineman in the league.


65.) Chad Greenway, OLB, MIN

Chad Greenway was a beast in 2010, with over 100 tackles playing on the outside and 28 "defeats" as FootballOutsiders tracked. Greenway has always quietly been a great blitzer. He's not used often in that defense, but the Vikings blitz more than most Tampa-2 teams, and Greenway's used more than most. He's still young enough to have many more good years.


64.) Lance Briggs, OLB, CHI

Briggs had the same amount of defeats as that linebacker in Minnesota. What made Briggs truly great was the fact that he was great in pass coverage in 2010. Lance Briggs also had a great year at run support with a stop rate of 85% as calculated by Football Outsiders. Briggs was a monster in 2010, and he's 31, so there should be a couple of good years left in him.


63.) Robert Mathis, DE, IND

Robert Mathis definitely benefits from Dwight Freeney being consistently double teamed, but he was great in 2010, with 11 sacks and countless more pressures. Mathis also was among the leaders at the DE position in tackles for loss. Mathis also has become really good at stopping the run.


62.) Jason Witten, TE, DAL

Witten was still elite at run blocking in 2010 and improved his red zone presence, but Witten, and this has been true since 2009, is nowhere near as explosive. His yards per reception has dropped for four straight years down to 10.7 in an offense where the total offenses number is a lot higher. Jason Witten is still relatively young so he could turn it around, but it looks like he's peaked.


61.) Jared Allen, DE, MIN

Jared Allen had three great seasons coming into 2010. That's why his 11 sack season didn't seem that impressive (that and the fact that many of those sacks came late in the season after the Vikings were essentially eliminated). Allen was still among the league leaders in hurries, but was just a half step slow early in the year. He got that half step back and looks good getting forward.


60.) Matt Schaub, QB, HOU

We don't here those stories about Matt Schaub being injury prone anymore, do we? Schaub played a full season again and had another huge year. Schaub's completion percentage went down, but he cut down his mistakes. Schaub was also great late in games. His problem was that his defense usually played worse, blowing the leads Schaub gave them.


59.) Ray Lewis, MLB, BAL

In terms of their importance to their team, Ray Lewis is a top-10 player. In terms of the greatest active players, he's probably either 2 or 3 (depending on how you feel about him vs. Brady). That said, he wasn't the same in 2010. The players around him played better (there are three more Ravens defenders higher on the list). His emotional leadership will never be questioned, but he is no longer an all-pro caliber player.


58.) Charles Woodson, CB, GB

He still is an all-pro caliber player. His coverage skills aren't where they used to, but he's become about the most versatile corner in the NFL. He plays almost exclusively over the slot in 3-WR situations. He's great in run support and a really effective blitzer. He's basically Troy Polamalu as a corner. Charles Woodson might be a hall of famer one day, and although some of his best seasons were in Green Bay, it would be just another Raider D-Back to make the hall.


57.) Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG

Beast. That's all this guy is. He had 79 catches, 1050 yards and 11 tds; and he missed three games. Hakeem Nicks also rarely dropped passes and ran great routes. The best part is that he's only a second year player. The Giants searched for a Plaxico replacement. They got him, and he might be even better.


56.) Devin Hester, KR/WR, CHI

I really struggled about where to put him, but then I remembered. He's easily the greatest return man in the history of the league coming off one of his best years. Yes, he's just another guy at WR, but he just put up 17.1 yards per punt return. That is insane. He's now the all-time leader in return TDs. That merits a high, high spot. Plus, he maybe the greatest "X-Factor" in sports. He can change any game.


55.) Logan Mankins, G, NE

Here are the stats: Mankins played 8 games in the regular season. In those games, the Patriots went 8-0 and scored over 30 points in every game. Mankins made the Patriots o-line absolutely dominant late in the season. He didn't have a great game in the playoffs (which is becoming a trend with him) but that can't discount his amazing run blocking in the regular season.


54.) Casey Hampton, NT, PIT

Casey Hampton was the biggest snub on the 2010 list, and he responded by playing great. He was double teamed like every snap, and although his stats don't look great he was one of the best lineman at sucking up two blockers. Hampton was also one of the few noses who got the better of Nick Mangold all season.


53.) Jamaal Charles, RB, KC

He was amazing, I just want to see what he does when he's the feature back. Michael Turner is a different type of runner and he wasn't used as much, but he had around a 6 ypc in San Diego and although he is a very good player, those numbers went down when he was the every down back. Jamaal Charles is putting up numbers that no one has really put up in his short career. His 1467 yards on just 230 carries is insane. If he can do this consistently, he'll be one of the greatest running backs of all time, and that is why I'm skeptical.


52.) Vernon Davis, TE, SF

His 13 tds in 2009 was probably a fluke, but even his 2010, which is about what he really is, was damn good. He still was a great target in the red zone, and became much more explosive. When Vernon was drafted he was supposed to be a deep threat playing tight end. He finally became that, averaging 16.3 yards per catch from the tight end position.


51.) Jahri Evans, G, NO

He is simply the best pass blocking guard in the NFL. Jahri Evans is a rock at guard and allows Brees, who because of his height needs good interior line blocking, to step up into a clean pocket time after time. 2006 was notable for the Saints as Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Marques Colston's first year. It was also Jahri Evans first year, and his importance is close to the other three.


Next up, numbers 50-26.