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.

30. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns

(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

Prior to the 2020 season, I was among many who argued that if Baker Mayfield was going to succeed in the NFL, he would not find a better situation than he did last season. Incoming head coach Kevin Stefanski installed an offensive system rooted in wide zone concepts with an emphasis on play-action and boot-action passing designs built off those plays. The Cleveland Browns also assembled an impressive offensive line, and when coupled with their stable of running backs, Stefanski was able to dial up shot plays downfield out of heavy personnel packages.

That put Mayfield in advantageous situations, and the result was the kind of season Browns fans were hoping for when the organization drafted him first-overall in the 2018 NFL draft. Mayfield completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,563 yards and 26 touchdowns against just eight interceptions, and the Browns won a playoff game for the first time in over 20 years.

Let’s dive into his film:

29. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)

Including the postseason, only Aaron Donald had more total pressures than Barrett’s 98, and it wasn’t that close — T.J. Watt finished third with 75. And in the Buccaneers’ postseason Super Bowl run, no defensive player accounted for more pressures than Barrett’s 21. Barrett was a great player during the regular season, but he became transcendent when things got really important. My Touchdown Wire colleague Mark Schofield made the case that Barrett should have been the MVP of Super Bowl LV, and the tape confirms the assertion.

With a full array of pass-rushing moves, and the ability to get to the quarterback as consistently as anyone in the NFL, Barrett rose to our top edge defender coming into the 2021 season.

Stephen White, who played defensive end for the Bucs from 1996 through 2001, agreed with this analysis.

28. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

(teven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports)

Why does George Kittle top our list of the game’s top tight ends? A few reasons, but chief among them is his all-around ability at the position. A player that can line up against Stephon Gilmore on a third down and beat him in man coverage:

But then block like this against a defensive tackle:

Or this when he climbs to the second level on a zone blocking design:

Kittle represents everything you want at the position.

26. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans

As I argue in one of the following videos, one of my favorite quarterbacks to study each Monday is Tennessee Titans passer Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill’s rebirth in Tennessee has been a joy to watch, and it has provided hope for players like Carson Wentz and Sam Darnold as they look to turn around their own careers.

A multitude of traits stand out when studying Tannehill. From his ability to set and reset in the pocket, how he works through progressions on various concepts, and his ability to make anticipation throws under duress to all levels of the field, Tannehill is one of the first QBs I study each Monday:

Hopefully after watching these clips, you’ll look forward to studying Tannehill each Monday as well.

25. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

(Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)

We know that “speed kills” in the NFL, and that mantra has propelled Tyreek Hill to the top of most rankings of wide receivers. Hill’s ability to stress defenses to all levels with elite speed is chief among the reasons he is the kind of weapon that keeps opposing defensive coordinators up at night.

2020 was a huge year for him, as he posted career high marks in receptions (111), yards (1,631) and touchdowns (15). As you’ll see in these next few videos, is his somebody that you have to account for as an opposing defense:

Defending Hill anywhere on the field has been a royal pain in the posterior for opposing defenders since Hill came into the league in 2016, but he’s especially dangerous as a slot receiver, and just about uncoverable when the Chiefs place him as the inside slot man to the dominant side of the field and run tight end Travis Kelce as the Y-iso receiver to the other side. No fun, that.

Hill’s combination of blazing speed, elusiveness, and route acumen (which he doesn’t get enough credit for) makes him the toughest inside receiver in the NFL.

In 2020, including the postseason, Hill caught 59 passes from the slot on 88 targets for 831 yards, and seven touchdowns. Six of those touchdowns came on passes of 20 or more air yards, and three of those touchdowns came on passes of 30 or more air yards. What does it all mean? From receiver screens to deep overs, once Hill is tracking the ball from the slot, your defensive back is about to have a very bad rep.

Of course, Hill benefits from playing with Patrick Mahomes. But this is a mutually-beneficial relationship, and the QB benefits perhaps as much — if not more — than the WR.

24. Bobby Wagner, LB, Seattle Seahawks

(Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Death, taxes and Bobby Wagner in the heart of the Seattle Seahawks defense.

That cliché certainly applies to Wagner, who has been a dominant force for the Seahawks his entire NFL career. 2020 was his ninth NFL season, and he was still putting up some career-best numbers. Pro Football Focus charted Wagner with seven pass breakups, tying a career-high mark set in 2018. He also was credited with 12 quarterback pressures, a career-best number.

When you watch him on film remain so consistent against the run, in coverage and when tasked with applying pressure, you’ll see why he remains atop lists like this one:

23. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

(Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports)

There is a case to be made that all of the throws and plays that Patrick Mahomes makes on a weekly basis were things that Matthew Stafford was doing during his time with the Detroit Lions. On a traits basis, Stafford remains one of the most talented passers in the league. His ability to make any throw to any level of the field, as well as how he can drop the arm slot to adjust to pressure in his face and/or off the edge, is an elite trait that keeps him near the top of lists like this one.

You’ll see those traits, as well as how well Stafford can manipulate defenders in the secondary, in this series of breakdowns:

Of course, now Stafford gets to operate in Sean McVay’s offensive system, that should find ways for him to attack defenses working off play-action concepts with misdirection elements that stress defenses sideline-to-sideline as well as deep downfield. This could lead to some of the best football of Stafford’s career.

22. Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys

(Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

Since entering the league in 2014, right guard Zack Martin has consistently been one of the NFL’s top players in the interior. 2020 was no exception. While the Dallas Cowboys endured struggles on the defensive side of the football and saw their starting quarterback go down with a horrific injury early in the year, Martin continued to impress week-in and week-out. As the offensive line suffered through some injuries of their own, Martin even slid to right tackle for 117 snaps, showcasing his skills on the outside.

Let’s take a quick look at some of what makes Martin such an elite player, focusing on awareness in both the run and pass game, his ability to anchor his lower body against power moves in pass protection, and his willingness to look for work:

https://youtu.be/X_O5GYnJFes

Cowboys fans are hoping that a healthy Dak Prescott and an improved defense will translate to a better 2021 campaign. Having Martin in the fold will certainly help.

21. Xavien Howard, CB, Miami Dolphins

(ALLEN EYESTONE/The Palm Beach Post)

We round out our tour of the AFC East’s cornerbacks with a stop in South Beach. Brian Flores is putting together an impressive secondary of his own, and cornerback Xavien Howard is a critical component of that unit. Last season Howard was targeted a career-high 90 times — due in part to the presence of Byron Jones on the other side of the field, another tremendous cornerback — and Howard responded with a career year.

The cornerback set a career-high mark of ten interceptions, and also broke up ten passes, another career-best number. Howard allowed an NFL passer rating of just 53.0 when targeted, again a personal best. This play against Justin Herbert (the second time the young QB has been featured in this list) dives into both Howard’s technique, and what Flores has designed on the defensive side of the football:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D87m0ZuUCWo

It’s rare for a top outside cornerback to also excel in the slot, but when you have the ability to man up on Tyreek Hill on a deep route as Howard does here (generally speaking, manning up one-on-one with Tyreek Hill is a recipe for disaster)… well, it’s clear why Howard is one of the NFL’s best defenders, regardless of where he’s aligned. Howard had three of his 10 picks from the slot last season, as well as just eight receptions on 16 targets for 83 yards, 60 yards after the catch, one touchdown, and an opponent passer rating of 46.6

Given his success last season, one cannot help but wonder if it is Jones who faces the lion’s share of targets next year, and responds with a huge season of his own.

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