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If not for Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox would likely be a consensus first-team All-Pro and a likely candidate for the best defensive player in football.
Even with Donald’s presence Cox has reigned supreme and will likely use his standing among his peers as the ultimate motivation for the 2020 NFL season.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com polled a group of more than 50 executives, coaches, scouts, and who ranked the NFL’s interior defensive linemen and Cox was third behind Aaron Donald and Chris Jones.
3. Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 29 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 5Cox had a similar composite ranking to Jones but garnered fewer top-three votes. “If you’re talking quickness, Cox gets the edge,” an NFC exec said.
Cox is still No. 1 on opposing offenses’ game plans each week. But production slipped last year. Cox’s 3.5 sacks were his lowest total since 2013.
“Fastball wasn’t what it was two years ago, but still premier,” said a veteran NFL defensive coach.
Ask veteran offensive linemen about that fastball — as we did — and they’ll debunk that in a hurry.
“There’s no one else I hate facing more, maybe other than Aaron Donald,” said one veteran NFL guard. “He can beat you with speed or overpower you.”
Even if he’s lost a step, Cox is still dominant and should benefit from getting Malik Jackson back and Javon Hargrave added to the mix.
As Cox enters his ninth NFL season, the future Hall of Famer has made the Pro Bowl the last five seasons and is a four-time All-Pro.
Cox failed to make an All-Pro for the first time since 2016 last season and his 3.5 sacks were the second-lowest total of his career yet he still earned an 84.5 grade from Pro Football Focus.
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