Tag: NFL Top 100 Players of 2020

Watch: Alvin Kamara showcased on NFL Top 100 Players of 2020

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara slipped nearly 30 spots in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020, but he still got his due credit.

He may have fallen 28 spots from his ranking in last year’s list, but Alvin Kamara’s peers didn’t get it twisted: he still belongs on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 despite a drop in performance.

And now that he’s healthy, Kamara is poised to return to upper echelon in next year’s listing. Considering that he was slotted in at No. 42 even after a down year, and well, he might not have much higher he can climb.

Kamara is the fifth running back selected for the 2020 Top 100 ranking, ahead of former teammate Mark Ingram (No. 44) as well as L.A. Rams-turned-Falcons runner Todd Gurley (No. 51), Raiders breakout rookie Josh Jacobs (No. 72), and Seahawks starter Chris Carson (No. 96). It’s unclear how many running backs will be ranked higher than Kamara, though high-end playmakers like Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott, and Derrick Henry figure to make the list.

The three-time Pro Bowler was introduced on the Top 100 list by several opponents who he had frustrated throughout the 2020 season, including Buccaneers linebacker Devin White, who described Kamara as, “The number one thing I can say about him is how electrifying he is. In the passing game, in the running game. He’s a do-it-all back.”

Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett agreed, saying, “He can catch a checkdown and take it 20, 30 yards. Quarterback always has a nice safety blanket back there.”

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Demario Davis makes the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 at No. 67

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis, a team captain and first-team All-Pro, clocked in at No. 67 for the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020

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Don’t look now, but Demario Davis is finally getting his due credit. The New Orleans Saints linebacker was named to the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 list for the first time in his career, as voted on by his fellow players. Davis was also named to the Associated Press All-Pro first team for his impressive efforts during the 2019 season.

He’ll join six of his teammates selected for this year’s Top 100 list, tying the Baltimore Ravens for the most players from one team in the league; right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (No. 82) and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (No. 76) were previously announced, leaving four more Saints to be revealed.

Davis became an all-around elite defender last season, combining his quick recognition against run plays with rapid awareness in the passing game. He also showed out when called on to blitz quarterbacks. But Davis’s best quality might be his leadership, filling in admirably when franchise quarterback Drew Brees was sidelined for five weeks with an injury.

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NFL Top 100 Players of 2020: Marshon Lattimore is still in Mike Evans’ head

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans took issue with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

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Few divisions around the NFL enjoy as strong of rivalries as the NFC South, with seemingly every team finding a bone to pick with each other. That extends to individual matchups between common opponents, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

When Lattimore was introduced on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 list at No. 76, Evans was brought on to help discuss what makes Lattimore great. But when it was pointed out that Lattimore shut Evans down in their first meeting last season (NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill charted 29 matchups between them, with Evans failing to catch his only target) the big Buccaneers wideout took issue with how that was framed.

“Woah, woah, woah, he had a really good game against me?” Evans asked. “The defense had a really good game against me.”

Evans continued, “I will talk good about him — he’s a good player. I guess he had a good game and the whole team had a good game.”

When pressed, Evans did highlight a few of Lattimore’s strengths, saying, “He plays really hard. He’s physical. He makes good breaks on the ball. And he can tackle at corner. That’s not something a lot of corners can do, and he can do it.”

Lattimore has won the lion’s share of games against Evans since entering the league in 2017, though his bad day at the office in the 2018 season-opener left a lasting impression on some fans. While most of the hype videos for this year’s opening-day kickoff will focus on Tom Brady dueling Drew Brees, the latest entry in the Lattimore-versus-Evans saga is sure to be must-watch TV.

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Ryan Ramczyk ranked 82nd on NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2020

New Orleans Saints All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk was ranked 82nd on NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2020, his first appearance on the list.

We now know which New Orleans Saints player will be the first voted into NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2020: right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. It’s the first appearance on this list for Ramczyk, who has also been recognized as an All-Pro in both 2018 (second-team) and 2019 (first-team) while routinely locking down the league’s best pass rushers on his side of the line.

Ramczyk hasn’t missed a start except for the 2018 regular season finale (when the Saints rested most of their starting lineup, having secured the NFC’s top playoff seed), while leaving the field only sparingly. He’s been an iron man out at the right tackle spot, and if anything, this placement might be too low.

Initially picked at the end of the first round in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ramczyk immediately made an impact for the Saints despite having started just one year of college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. A collegiate left tackle, he at first filled in for Terron Armstead before a career-ending injury struck right tackle Zach Strief. Ramczyk effortlessly flipped over to the other side, and hasn’t looked back since.

The Saints tied the Baltimore Ravens for the most representatives on this year’s NFL Top 100 list, as voted on by active players, with seven selections. Just four of Ramczyk’s Saints teammates made the cut last year in Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and Cameron Jordan, so we’ll be interested to see who joins him on the 2020 ranking. We made our best guess at the seven Saints who belong on this year’s list, and Ramczyk absolutely made the cut.

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