Tag: NFL Top 100

Budda Baker No. 97 in NFL Top 100 Players

Baker gets recognized by his peers as one of the best players in the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals had two players revealed as being among the NFL Top 100 Players for 2020 on Sunday evening. Both were making their debut on the list.

Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker was the first. He came in at No. 97.

He led all safeties in the league in tackles and led the NFL with 104 solo tackles.

What was said about Baker?

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk had good things to say.

“He’s just all over the place,” he said. “Budda is just extremely instinctual, very quick twitch. He’s not scared to be physical. He gets down there and he’ll stick his nose in places most safeties wouldn’t. I think is’ one of the better tackling safeties in the game.”

The video featured his ability to knock the ball out, either breaking up passes or forcing fumbles.

Baker made his second Pro Bowl last season but first as a safety. He is a key piece to the Cardinals defense and is entering the final year of his contract. His appearance in the top 100 is more validation about the type of player he is becoming, as it is purely based on player votes.

Baker is a young star in the league.

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Locksmiths: Jaylon, Tyron first Cowboys in NFL’s Top 100 for 2020

The Dallas Cowboys had six Pro Bowlers last season and a handful of snubs, so in any NFL top 100 list based on 2019, they should be expected to appear several times. When the list is the NFL’s own Top 100, it is even more imperative for America’s …

The Dallas Cowboys had six Pro Bowlers last season and a handful of snubs, so in any NFL top 100 list based on 2019, they should be expected to appear several times. When the list is the NFL’s own Top 100, it is even more imperative for America’s Team to be represented.

The NFL’s list is curated based on votes of the player’s themselves, and though over the years many of the participants have admitted to not taking the process too seriously, it’s still a high honor to be recognized by one’s peers. Thus far, the first 30 of the list have been revealed with, linebacker Jaylon Smith checking in at No. 88, and left tackle Tyron showing up in the next set.

Smith enjoyed his first Pro Bowl season in 2019, but drops 28 spots from his No. 61 ranking in last year’s list. Smith proved himself durable in 2019, however, posting a career-high 142 tackles while starting all 16 games for the second year in a row.

The specifics of Smith’s rankings are actually pretty accurate. Smith did not have nearly the same season he had in 2018, when he was a Pro Bowl snub. Playing without his partner-in-crime Leighton Vander Esch for most of the season, Smith racked up the tackles, but did not have the greatest season in coverage.

Smith’s Pro Football Focus coverage grade plummeted from a stellar 80.6 in 2018 down to a mediocre-at-best 60.8 in 2019. He allowed three touchdowns and was called for five penalties. With Vander Esch’s return and a switch to a new role in Mike Nolan’s defense, the hope is Smith can return to form, or even improve on where he was in 2018.

As for the tackle, Smith once again was among the league’s best, earning him position No. 76.

A seven-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2010’s All-Decade Team, Smith is one of the best blocking offensive tackles to ever play the game. A nine-year veteran, he has twice made first-team All-Pro. In 13 games at left tackle last season, the USC product allowed just one sack.

Though he only played in 13 games yet again, when he did play he was his great self again. Though he was dinged for eight penalties, close inspection shows he was being dinged for immaculate technique and ridiculous quickness.

Smith has been named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls and looks to anchor another edition of one of the NFL’s best offensive lines with guard Zack Martin and right tackle La’el Collins.

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Marshon Lattimore clocks in at 76th on NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2020

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore was ranked 76th on the Top 100 Players of 2020 from NFL Network, as voted on by the players.

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New Orleans Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk didn’t have to wait long for one of his teammates to join him on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2020 countdown. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore placed just a few spots above Ramczyk (No. 82) at No. 76, making them the first two Saints players on this year’s list. The Saints tied the Baltimore Ravens for the most representatives on the 2020 ranking, with seven players each voted in by their peers.

Lattimore has been voted into two Pro Bowl appearances in his first three years in the NFL since being drafted eleventh overall out of Ohio State in 2017, though he missed last year’s all-star game with a postseason wrist injury. He previously appeared on the Top 100 Players of 2018 list at No. 82.

While he had a bit of a quiet year in 2019, notching just one interception, Lattimore’s whole body of work speaks for itself. Since he entered the league in 2017, he’s one of just two players to record 40-plus pass deflections and three or more interceptions, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries. The other player is Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who trails Lattimore in each category and was ranked No. 86. Pound for pound, there might not be a better all-around playmaker at cornerback in the game today.

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Watch: Ryan Ramczyk introduced on NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2020

New Orleans Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk was introduced on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2020 list by longtime Packers star Bryan Bulaga.

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New Orleans Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk may have been named an All-Pro twice in his three-year NFL career, but he recently earned new recognition with a spot on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 list, as voted on by his peers. It’s the first appearance on this list for Ramczyk, who started right away as a rookie in 2017 and hasn’t let off the gas.

And Ramczyk was introduced by someone who knows a great right tackle when he sees one: longtime Green Bay Packers starter Bryan Bulaga, who signed a $30 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason after nearly a decade up north.

“I would say, for me personally, we’ve got to watch him on film a few times this year; that’s Ryan Ramczyk from the Saints,” Bulaga said, “A right tackle from Wisconsin, a Big-10 guy. I watch a lot of Big-10 football being in this state, I remember watching him a lot at Wisconsin. Seeing him in the NFL, I think he’s transitioned really well.”

Bulaga pointed to Ramczyk’s success in pivoting from playing left tackle full-time in college to standing out on the right side, which is no small thing to accomplish. Ramczyk’s clean footwork and consistent snap-to-snap execution have helped him dominate at the pro level, and Bulaga made sure to hammer that point home. You can see his full remarks and some of Ramczyk’s highlights in the video embedded below:

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Colts to have 3 players on Top 100 players of 2020 list

Which Colts will make the list?

Each year, NFL Network rolls out its “Top 100 players” list for the upcoming season. The Indianapolis Colts will have three players make that list in 2020.

While the specific players on the list hasn’t been leaked, the number of players on each team was posted to Reddit by the NFL. The league will begin the countdown on Sunday, July 26, and over the course of three days will reveal the top 100 players on the list.

It’s relatively easy to predict who the Colts will have on the list. Left guard Quenton Nelson has the potential to be a top-10 player on the list while linebacker Darius Leonard is also a candidate to be ranked pretty highly.

The third spot is a bit of mystery, but it will most likely be defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Though he was acquired this offseason, he will count as a member for the Colts because that’s who he is playing with in 2020.

Some other candidates to sneak in for that final spot would be cornerback Kenny Moore and defensive end Justin Houston. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton didn’t do enough in 2019 to likely be considered. But it likely means there will be some snubs on the list regardless.

The Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints have the most players on the list with seven each while the New York Giants, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots were the teams with the fewest at one player each.

Broncos will have 2 players on NFL Network’s ‘Top 100’ list

The Broncos will have two players on the NFL Top 100 list this year.

NFL Network will reveal its 2020 list of the Top 100 players in the NFL this week. The list is made using results from player voting (but the process is flawed).

This year, the Denver Broncos will have two players on the list, according to a chart the NFL published on Reddit last week. It’s probably safe to assume Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller will make the cut. The list of candidates to join him includes star safety Justin Simmons.

Last year, Denver had three players on the list: Miller (No. 10), outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (No. 82) and running back Phillip Lindsay (No. 68). Chubb missed most of last season with an ACL injury and Lindsay’s production slipped so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them fall off the list.

The league interviewed 132 players and collected 970 ballots for this year’s ‘Top 100’ list. Players Nos. 100-71 will be revealed on NFL Network on Sunday, July 26 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The countdown will continue on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

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CBSSports releases 2020 NFL Top 100 list: Three Georgia players included

Three former Georgia football players made CBSSports’ list of the top 100 NFL players for 2020.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports recently released his list of the top 100 NFL players for the 2020 season and included three Georgia Bulldogs.

Related: If UGA was fielding a starting team based on current NFL players, here’s what it would look like

A few notable players who did not make the list include: Matthew Stafford, Todd Gurley, Justin Houston, Roquan Smith, David Andrews

Here are the Dawgs that did make the list:

53. Geno Atkins

At #53 on the list is Georgia great Geno Atkins.

Atkins has been one of the league’s most dominant interior defensive lineman since entering the NFL in 2010. He has played his full career with the Bengals, is an eight-time pro-bowler, a two-time first-team all-pro and a member of the 2010s NFL All-Decade Team.

Prisco’s thoughts on Atkins:

“His sacks numbers were down to 4.5 last season, the fewest he’s had since 2014. He’s still capable of doing more than sacking the quarterback, but is age (32) starting to slow him down?”

63. AJ Green

At #63 on the list is another Cincinnati Bengals star, former Georgia phenom AJ Green.

Green remains one of the league’s best wide receivers despite missing the entirety of the 2019 season. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best in the league, and some can argue that he is the best.

Let’s see what he can do this year now that he finally has a quarterback in Joe Burrow.

Prisco’s thoughts on Green:

“He sat out the entire 2019 season with an ankle injury, so he’s a tough one to slot. But I still think at the age of 31, he can still be a No. 1 receiver. Health is the key.”

71. Nick Chubb

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Nick Chubb is fresh off of his second season in the NFL that saw him come 46 yards shy of leading the league in rushing.

Chubb is the 7th ranked running back on this list, coming in behind Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Derrick Henry.

Prisco’s thoughts on Chubb:

“With much of the talk about the Browns passing game coming into the season, it was Chubb who was the best offensive player. He was second in the league in rushing with 1,494 yards and also caught 36 passes. He averaged 5.0 yards per rush.”

for the full list, click here

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2 Broncos make Pete Prisco’s list of Top 100 NFL Players

Broncos linebacker Von Miller and safety Justin Simmons made Pete Prisco’s list of the Top 100 players in the NFL.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports published his list of the Top 100 players in the NFL this week and two Denver Broncos defenders made the cut.

Superstar outside linebacker Von Miller is ranked No. 21.

“He didn’t play up to his usual standards, which would put him in the top-10 of this list,” Prisco said. “He had a career-low eight sacks in his first season in Vic Fangio’s defense. Even so, he has the tools to get that back up near 14 this season. But at 31 is age becoming an issue?”

Broncos safety Justin Simmons is ranked No. 78. Some fans in Denver feel that is too low but it’s actually somewhat of a flattering position considering that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick didn’t even make the cut.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge defender Shaq Barrett, who won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos in 2015, is ranked No. 82 on the list. Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton and inside linebacker Alexander Johnson are listed on Prisco’s list of players who “just missed” the top 100 list.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is ranked No. 1 on the list.

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The Detroit Lions were snubbed from CBS’ Top 100 NFL players list

Not a single Lions player makes Pete Prisco’s list at CBS Sports

Talk about a harsh reality check. The latest list of the top 100 NFL players, this one from CBS Sports and Pete Prisco, throws buckets of cold water on the Detroit Lions.

No Matthew Stafford. No Kenny Golladay. No Trey Flowers. Newcomer Jamie Collins isn’t anywhere to be found either.

Not a single Lions player earned a spot on Prisco’s list of the best 100 players in the NFL today. Golladay was the only Lion to earn “just missed” status in the list of afterthoughts beyond the top 100.

That’s the national perspective on a Lions team that fell from six wins in 2018 to just three in 2019, with several key players suffering injuries or just not playing as well as hoped. Darius Slay was the only 2019 Lion to make the list. The new Eagles CB checks in at No. 96 after his worst season since his rookie campaign in 2013.

Golladay, a healthy Stafford, Flowers, Frank Ragnow and perhaps Collins are the best candidates to appear on the list at this time next year. It will take more than three wins to get any of them on the list, however.

 

 

Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey considers Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins the 11th-best player in the NFL

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey revealed his NFL Top 100 ballot and had Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins at 11th overall.

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins continues to get the respect and attention from his counterparts, and a recent NFL Top 100 ballot revealed as much.

According to Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who shared his NFL Top 100 ballot on Twitter on Friday, Hopkins is the 11th-best player in the NFL.

Hopkins is the best receiver in the AFC. However, he is the third-best in the NFL as the Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones is ahead of him at No. 7 and the New Orleans Saints’ Michael Thomas is No. 2 overall.

Curiously, Humphrey did not face Thomas or Jones in 2019, but he did face Hopkins. The three-time All-Pro produced seven catches for 80 yards in a 41-7 loss at the Ravens in Week 11. Coincidentally, the tenor of that game may have changed if officials had called defensive pass interference on Humphrey as he aggressively guarded Hopkins and knocked away an intended touchdown in the end zone early in the first quarter.

What makes Hopkins’ case as the best receiver in the game the most compelling is that he didn’t have the luxury of a Pro Bowl quarterback consistently throwing him the ball until 2018 when Deshaun Watson completed his first full season healthy. Since then, Hopkins continues to make his case as arguably the best receiver in the game, and cornerbacks such as Humphrey are taking notice.