The 101 best players in the NFL today

Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Aaron Donald lead Doug Farrar’s and Mark Schofield’s list of the NFL’s top 101 players.

50. Grady Jarrett, IDL, Atlanta Falcons

(Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)

Jarrett lasted until the 137th pick in the fifth round of the 2015 draft because he was allegedly too small to make an impact at the NFL level, and he’s been making people pay for it ever since. Nobody remembers the three-sack performance in Super Bowl LI due to Jarrett’s Falcons blowing a certain 28-3 lead, but Jarrett had a legit shot at MVP in that game had Atlanta held on, and Jarrett has been an absolute force throughout his NFL career. 2020 showed more of the same, as Jarrett totaled four sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 35 quarterback hurries, and 26 stops with very little help alongside him. Jarrett is able to win consistently inside the guards because he’s freakishly strong for his 6-foot-0, 305-pound frame, but he also brings a formidable quickness to his pass rush.

49. A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

One of the joys of having this job is getting to watch some of the best athletes on the planet do what they do on a weekly basis. As someone who focuses on quarterbacks, I’m blessed to get paid to watch players like Tom Brady, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes and more each week. But I also get to study some incredible wide receivers, and someone who became must-watch for me over the past season is A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans.

Brown’s ability to attack the middle of the field without fear or reservation is critical not only to Tennessee’s offensive philosophy, but also the huge numbers he puts up for the Titans. Last season was a career year for the second-year receiver, as he caught 76 passes for 1,158 yards and 12 touchdowns. In this video breakdown you’ll see that fearlessness over the middle — and how that fits into the Titans offense — as well as what he can do in the vertical passing game:

48. Rodney Hudson, C, Arizona Cardinals

(Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports)

And a second top player in the interior has switched teams.

First it was Corey Linsley, and now Rodney Hudson who is moving from one desert to another, joining the Arizona Cardinals after playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. Over his NFL career Hudson has been one of the league’s most consistent pass blockers at center, having allowed just ten sacks on over 5,000 pass blocking reps. Here is a sampling of what he’ll be bringing to the NFC West:

https://youtu.be/qRMzVXkyutY

I pulled these plays because you see some different techniques from Hudson, including quick-setting, as well as him handling stunts and looking for work. Arizona Cardinals fans are hoping that Kyler Murray takes a big step forward in 2021, and having Hudson in front of him will be a huge help.

47. Eric Kendricks, LB, Minnesota Vikings

(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

To be an impact off-ball linebacker in today’s NFL you need to cover in the passing game. Minnesota Vikings LB Eric Kendricks has improved in that facet of the game each and every season he has been in the league. Last year Kendricks did not allow a touchdown pass when targeted in the passing game for the first time, and he posted four pass breakups along with a career-high three interceptions.

His NFL passer rating allowed of 60.5 was also the best mark of his career.

This interception of Andy Dalton highlighted Kendricks’ athleticism, as well as his awareness in zone coverage:

Kendricks is also solid against the run and gives the Vikings another option in their pressure packages, but his ability to cover in the passing game is a reason why he is one of the best linebackers in the game today.

46. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

(Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports)

Since breaking out with the Minnesota Vikings a few seasons ago, Stefon Diggs has been one of the most impressive wide receivers to study. His combination of athleticism and footwork makes him such a difficult receiver to cover, as Diggs can sink into and out of breaks with the best in the game. This was something I highlighted a few years back when he was with the Vikings.

But last season with the Buffalo Bills Diggs enjoyed his beast year as a professional. He caught 147 passes for 1,846 yards and ten touchdowns, all of which represented career-high numbers. Part of what makes him so dangerous right now is the relationship he immediately forged with quarterback Josh Allen. The feel between QB and WR is a critical part to success, and you see that in this upcoming video:

45. Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns

(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)

Garrett, who had 14 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 41 quarterback pressures in the 2020 season, presents a unique problem for opposing blockers. Generally speaking, pass-rushers with his quickness and ability to bend the edge are 20 to 30 pounds lighter, and guys who can just bull a tackle out of the way aren’t as quick to the quarterback as he is. Perhaps no other edge defender comes to the field with such a total package of skills, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Garrett at the top of this list in a year or two.

44. Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears

(Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

How excited should fans be about the pairing of Allen Robinson and Justin Fields?

Very excited. And not just Chicago Bears fans, but all fans of the sport. Because over his career — and dating back to college — Robinson has been an elite talent at the position while playing with some inconsistent passers. Still, Robinson’s footwork and ability to offer a complete route tree makes him a threat on the outside, even while his passers might struggle. You saw that show up last season as he set career-highs in targets (157) and receptions (108) while the Bears offense fluctuated between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles:

Robinson’s ability to win at all levels thanks to his route-running makes him one of the game’s most complete players at the position:

And that ability is a reason why the future could be bright in Chicago with Fields throwing him the football. Goodness knows, Robinson is past due for some great quarterback play…

43. Stephon Gilmore, CB, New England Patriots

(AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Last year might have been a down year for both the New England Patriots defense on the whole and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, but there is no denying that Gilmore is one of the top CBs in the game. Just a year removed from winning Defensive Player of the Year honors, Gilmore gives head coach Bill Belichick the ability to play matchups on the defensive side of the football.

You might see him covering a receiver like Tyreek Hill or Deebo Samuel on first down, and then matched up with a tight end like Travis Kelce or George Kittle later in the drive. Belichick trusts Gilmore implicitly, and that frees up the Patriots to play with a numbers advantage in the rest of the secondary.

Gilmore dealt with some injuries last season, and is now a holdout from mandatory mini-camp over the status of his contract, but a fully-healthy Gilmore is still one of the league’s best. Certainly, there are few cornerbacks better at working a receiver through the route in man or match coverage.

42. Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Similar to the discussion around teammate Devin White, one needs to just turn on the Super Bowl to see what Lavonte David means to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the runup to Super Bowl LV  many wondered how the Buccaneers would try and slow down the vaunted Kansas City Chiefs offense. Part of their answer came with pressuring Patrick Mahomes. But they also found a way to limit tight end Travis Kelce, and David was a huge part of that:

Kelce still managed to finish the game with ten receptions for 133 yards, but David broke up a few passes intended for the tight end and the Buccaneers managed to keep him out of the end zone.

Prior to the big game, David had put together yet another great season in the heart of Tampa Bay’s defense. His nine pass breakups were a career high, and his 114 tackles were his most since the 2014 campaign. With the Buccaneers running things back for 2021, and his running mate by his side, there is no reason to expect anything other than another great season in 2021.

Watching tape with Buccaneers star linebacker Lavonte David

41. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Baltimore Ravens

(Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

Stanley missed all but six games in the Ravens’ 2020 season with an ankle injury, and Baltimore’s offense — especially the passing offense — suffered in his absence, predominantly from a pressure perspective. Per Sports Info Solutions, the Ravens had a blown block pressure rate of 13.5% when Stanley was off the field, and 7.2% when he was lined up at left tackle. Orlando Brown Jr., now with the Chiefs, did a pretty nice job holding things together in Stanley’s stead, but there are reasons Stanley was our top offensive tackle in last season’s rankings, and as long as he returns to form in 2021, there’s no reason not to expect the same level of play we’ve seen from Stanley since he came into the NFL as Baltimore’s first-round pick in 2016.

Last season, Stanley gave up no sacks, one quarterback hit, and five quarterback hurries in 176 pass-blocking snaps, and in 2,467 career pass-blocking snaps, he’s given up just nine sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 78 quarterback hurries. Not bad when you’re protecting a quarterback in Lamar Jackson who often forces his linemen to protect beyond the breaking point due to his mobility.

Given the Ravens’ reliance on a complex run game, it also stands to reason that Stanley is one of the NFL’s best run-blocking tackles.

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