Tag: NFL Top 100

Seahawks CB Riq Woolen has a positive outlook from his up and down 2023

Seahawks CB Riq Woolen has a positive outlook from his up and down 2023

There has been a lot of talk about Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen lately. That is because he has been rather newsworthy during training camp!

In his rookie debut of 2022, Woolen took the league by storm. He was tied for the league lead in interceptions with six, started all 17 games and recorded 63 total tackles. However, he did take a bit of a step back with a sophomore slump. One where he had only two interceptions, ten less tackles, and was even benched at one point.

But it’s all good, according to Woolen. He was recently asked about his second year in the league, and he gave a rather insightful answer. One that says a lot about his mentality and maturity on the situtation.

“Honestly, I had fun,” said Woolen. “It was part of the hourney. I’ve been through ups and downs. I’ve been to the Pro Bowl. I’ve been on the bench before. It was just all part of the hourney to me. I felt like as a young player I had to go through that just because it shows me that there’s some places that I don’t want to be and there’s places where I do want to be. That’s being a Pro Bowler, that’s to help my team get to the Super Bowl and just be a great player. 

Honestly, I just felt like last year was a great year for me. To some people, they may have their own opinions but those are the same people that’s not playing the game. So, it’s okay with me. I feel great and I feel like this year will be even better.” 

Quite frankly, this response did impress me. It would be all too easy for a younger player to respond to a “down” season with negativity. Instead, he’s approaching it with the best possible mindset.

Oh, I say “down” season, because even in his regression he still managed to make it on the NFL Top 100 Players list at No. 91 overall.

The 12th Man should start to feel a lot more confident about what Woolen can bring back to the table in 2024.

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3 Raiders land in NFL Top 100 with Maxx Crosby making top 10

3 Raiders land in NFL Top 100 with Maxx Crosby making top 10

The NFL 100 is now counted down. And the final tally has the Raiders landing three players in those ranks. The highest ranking of them being Maxx Crosby who comes in at 10 overall.

What makes the NFL 100 special, is it’s put together based on player votes. It’s the NFL players grading those who they take the field with and against every week. So, it means a bit more.

Crosby was in the conversation last season for Defensive Player of the Year as one of the best all-around edge defenders in the league. He came in at number ten in the rankings, with EDGE players Myles Garrett (5) and TJ Watt (8) ahead of him in the voting.

One would be hard-pressed to find a more desirable pass rusher than Crosby, whose refusal to give up on plays and willingness to leave it all out on the field was best exemplified in 2023. Despite a knee injury suffered in Week 2, which required offseason surgery, the Raiders defensive end enjoyed a career-best season, notching 14.5 sacks, 50 QB pressures, 31 QB hits, 23 tackles for loss and 90 tackles to earn him a third consecutive Pro Bowl trip. Crosby, who’s strong and aggressive yet nimble and crafty, has yet to miss a game through five seasons and the former third-round pick has embraced the “Raider Way” in virtually every way possible. What’s more amazing is that he’s largely grown to become a star without much help. With that set to change in 2024, the sky’s the limit for the Raiders’ star pass rusher.

Two other Raiders players made the list. Next up was Davante Adams who came in at 40th.

It’s a testament to Adams that in a season widely considered disappointing, he still finished in the top 10 in in receptions (103), top 15 in yards (1,144) and tied for eighth in touchdown catches (eight). As his former quarterback Aaron Rodgers once humbly stated, “Down years for me are career years for most.” The Raiders’ uneven QB play was Adams’ biggest detriment in 2023, but one of the game’s slickest route runners persevered to make the Top 100 for a seventh consecutive season.

Seven receivers were ranked higher than Adams, including Tyreek Hill who took the top overall spot in the Top 100.

The final player to make the top 100 was new addition, Christian Wilkins who came in at 59 overall.

After four solid years, Wilkins broke out in 2023 as a key piece of the Dolphins’ lethal pass rush, which ranked third with 56 sacks. For his part, Wilkins had nine sacks, double his previous career high and also set new highs with 62 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats, and 23 QB hits. Peaking at the perfect time to capitalize on free agency after playing on his fifth-year option, Wilkins signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Raiders to take his talents out west.

There aren’t really any other Raiders players who could lay claim to a NFL 100 spot. Mainly because kickers and punters don’t make this list.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson finishes at No. 2 on NFL’s Top 100 players of 2024 list

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson finished at No. 2 on the NFL’s Top 100 players list of 2024

The Baltimore Ravens saw a handful of their players land on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2024 list. Players are ranked by their peers, which gives fans a view of how the people playing the game view each other year-to-year.

The list concluded on Friday night, with players ten through one announced. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson landed at No. 2, only behind Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who claimed the top spot for the first time in his career.

Jackson earned first place following the 2019 season but couldn’t secure it this time around despite winning MVP in both instances. He was also the top quarterback ranked on the list, as Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes came in behind him at No. 4 overall.

Watch: Tyreek Hill reacts to being named No. 1 on NFL Top 100

Tyreek Hill was more than a little excited when Raheem Mostert broke the news.

It’s safe to say Tyreek Hill was more than a little excited when he learned the news that he was voted the No. 1 player in the NFL by his peers.

On Friday night, NFL Network revealed the final 10 players on their annual NFL Top 100 list, which is exclusively voted on by players. The Miami Dolphins speed threat became the first ever wide receiver to earn the top spot.

It was Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert who got to break the news to Hill:

After celebrating with Mostert, Hill got out his phone to let him mom hear the news. And he reminded both her and the audience that he called his shot back in 2017 when he was fresh off his rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

At that point in his career, Hill was primarily a returner, earning All-Pro honors at the position but recording only 593 receiving yards. Since then, Hill has emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons and has eclipsed 1,700 receiving yards in each of his two seasons with the Dolphins.

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Controversial: Former Chief earns No. 1 spot on ‘NFL 100’ list

A former #Chiefs star took the top spot on the ‘NFL 100’ list ahead of the 2024 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs have hosted some exceptionally talented players over the years, and have plenty of impressive contributors on their roster ahead of the NFL’s 2024 season.

Three current members of Kansas City’s roster were featured in the top 10 of the ‘NFL 100’ television program on Friday night. Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Patrick Mahomes took the No. 9, No. 6, and No. 4 spots respectively.

But at the show’s conclusion, it was former Chiefs star Tyreek Hill who sat alone at the top of the ‘NFL 100′ list, despite the Miami Dolphins’ brutal loss to Kansas City in the AFC playoffs earlier this year.

Though Hill certainly deserved to be ranked among the league’s top players, fans and members of the media pointed out that Mahomes was the logical selection for the No. 1 spot in posts to social media on Friday night.

Expect this development to put a chip on Mahomes’ shoulder ahead of the Chiefs’ championship defense campaign next season.

Seahawks’ Devon Witherspoon snubbed from NFL Top 100 list

Seahawks’ Devon Witherspoon snubbed from NFL Top 100 list

The annual NFL Top 100 Players list has officially been completed. It was a solid showing for the Seattle Seahawks, who managed to land four (well, technically three and one former) of their players on the list. The Seahawks to make it were:

Ultimately, the 9-8 Seahawks did not have an outstanding year. Yes, they finished with another winning season… but were two missed fourth quarter Matt Prater field goals away from losing their final game of 2023 to the Arizona Cardinals. Yes, they were in playoff contention in the final week, but they were in that position because they dropped a winnable game to the Steelers the week before.

Still, despite all this, there should have been one more Seahawk on this list: star rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon. After some questioned his lofty draft positioning, the No. 5 overall pick proved he was worthy of his selection and gave the Seattle secondary a dearly needed boost.

The frustrating aspect of Witherspoon not making it is the fact Riq Woolen did. Now, I must clarify immediately: I am, under no circumstances, not suggesting Woolen shouldn’t have made it! He was well deserving.

What I am saying is if Woolen made it, then so should have Witherspoon. Woolen and Witherspoon had similar stats, but a clear edge was to the rookie. Witherpoon had 79 total tackles, Woolen had 53. Witherspoon defended 16 passes compared to Woolen’s 11. Woolen did have one more interception (2 to 1) than Witherspoon, but Witherspoon logged three sacks compared to none for Woolen.

Just looking at the raw numbers tells us Witherspoon had a stronger season. The eye test does as well, considering at one point Woolen was actually benched for his issues tackling.

There are 1,696 active players in the NFL right now. Cracking into the Top 100 is no easy feat. But Witherspoon did everything he could in his rookie season to prove he belonged among the league’s elite.

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Lions Frank Ragnow snubbed on the NFL Top 100

Lions All-Pro center Frank Ragnow is a glaring snub from this year’s NFL Top 100 list

Whenever I see power rankings, position rankings and things of that nature, I always take it with a grain of salt. Not everyone is going to agree with those lists or rankings and more often than not, everyone tends to be a little different with how they rank a team or a player.

That said, the NFL and the players that vote on the NFL Top-100 players got it wrong by not having Frank Ragnow on their list this year. As of now, the top 10 is still set to be revealed, but the way it sits, there are only two interior offensive linemen in the top 100.

I’d be curious what the criteria is to make the NFL Top-100. Is it data and analytical rankings from sites such as Pro Football Focus (PFF)? Or is it based off the number of games played? Could these rankings be strictly based off the film?

Whatever the case may be, Ragnow is better than just about everyone at his position. Especially now that Eagles’ longtime center Jason Kelce retired. But when you look at the PFF grades for centers in the NFL, Ragnow led the way in 2023 with an 88.1 overall grade.

If you go to the film, you can see multiple reps on every single drive where Ragnow just dominates the opposition. Whether it’s physically driving defenders into the dirt or just having proper positioning to climb the second level and seal off linebackers and safeties.

Look at the play above where Ragnow gets up to the second level and clamps onto a linebacker with ease. He stays square, keeps his hands tight and inside and then he shows off his grip strength by being able to steer and drive the defender. The defenders in the NFL would be lying if they said there’s no game plan or preparation needed for Ragnow.

Meanwhile, he’s tough as nails. During the Lions playoff game against the Buccaneers in 2023, Ragnow suffered a sprained knee and ankle in that game. While he missed a few plays to get checked out by trainers, he came back in and finished the game. In fact, he made one of the key blocks from his knees on Vita Vea during a 4th and 1 run play from the Bucs half-yard line. This block helped keep running back Craig Reynolds clean long enough to enter the end zone for a touchdown.

You can call me biased or a fanboy, but the fact remains that Frank Ragnow should be rated as one of the top 100 players in the NFL. Certainly, the list means nothing to Ragnow but he should still be given a tip of the hat by his peers and by the league for his toughness and dominance at his position. If he can stay healthy, I’d expect that same dominance from the Lions 7-year veteran.

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Ravens ILB Roquan Smith ranked at No. 19 on NFL’s Top 100 player list

Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith was ranked at No. 19 on the NFL’s Top 100 player list

Over the last few days, the Baltimore Ravens have seen plenty of their players appear on the NFL’s Top 100 list. However, their 2023 season was so impressive that they still have more players left, even as the list enters the top 20 names.

On Wednesday, it was announced that inside linebacker Roquan Smith was placed at No. 19 overall, an impressive accomplishment considering how phenomenal he was last year. He appears to be the second-highest-rated ILB on the list, only behind San Francisco 49ers ILB Frank Warner, who came in at No. 11.

Smith has the respect of his peers, and it’s hard not to consider his immense leadership skills and production on the field. He will look to have an even better year in 2024, with both personal and team goals at the top of his list.

49ers defensive MVP a fringe top-10 player in NFL Top 100 list

Is Fred Warner the 49ers’ defensive MVP?

Trying to pick an MVP of the 49ers on either side of the ball is difficult.

There are arguments to be made for several players on offense, but typically running back Christian McCaffrey gets the nod. San Francisco’s defensive MVP is less clear, but it’s getting harder to argue anyone besides linebacker Fred Warner deserves the crown.

Warner landed at No. 11 overall in NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2024 – a four spot jump from last season.

Every year there’s some form of controversy around the NFL Top 100, which is a survey of active NFL players conducted by NFL Network. It’s not a definitive ranking by any means. It is, however, a good barometer for how certain players are viewed by their contemporaries.

That Warner was by far the highest-ranked 49ers defender speaks volumes about what he brings to the table for San Francisco. There’s not another 49ers defensive player on the list until No. 27 where defensive end Nick Bosa resides. While Bosa is the one with a Defensive Player of the Year award under his belt, it makes sense that Warner has separated himself amongst his peers.

Bosa’s holdout that lasted until Week 1 of the regular season last year had an impact on his play. While he was still dominant it was a discernible step back from his stellar 2022 campaign.

Meanwhile, Warner has been sensational on a regular basis over the last four years. In that stretch he’s been a First-Team All-Pro three times and he finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023. His range allows him to bottle up run plays to either sideline, and his coverage skills take away a ton of easy throws modern offenses are built around. He’s also the vocal leader of San Francisco’s extremely talented defense.

Perhaps in 2024 Bosa puts together another DPOY campaign that bolsters his case to be the 49ers’ defensive MVP. Going into 2024, however, there aren’t many players on either side of the ball for San Francisco better than Warner.

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Penei Sewell lands at No. 22 Top 100 NFL Players list

Penei Sewell lands at No. 22 Top 100 NFL Players list

Penei Sewell was rewarded with a new contract for his play on the field and now he has been recognized by his peers as one of the best players in the NFL. The Lions’ right tackle landed at No. 22 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024, his first appearance on the list.

Sewell is coming off an All-Pro season, one in which he was charged with just one sack allowed, per Pro Football Focus. The former Oregon tackle and No. 7 pick of the 2021 draft has quickly become one of the top tackles in the league, starting every game since coming into the league and is now a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Sewell signed a four-year extension worth $112 million ($85 million guaranteed) this offseason to make him the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history.

Sewell joined wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the top 25 of the list. The Sun God was right behind Sewell at No. 23. Overall, Sewell was the fifth Lion revealed on the list.

  • TE Sam LaPorta – No. 80
  • QB Jared Goff – No. 48
  • DE Aidan Hutchinson – No. 47
  • WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – No. 23
  • OT Penei Sewell – No. 22

With 20 players still to be revealed, could we still see left tackle Taylor Decker, who also just signed a new contract?

Overall, the Lions’ breakthrough 2023 season has given them a lot of respect throughout the league.  They already have more players on this list than they did last year (Goff, St. Brown, Hutchinson).