My Top 10 NFL Players
Tom Brady
(Photo: Sporting News, Getty Images)
NFL Network does an amazing job at unveiling the Top 100 players for each NFL season. The players vote on their peers and the list is unfurled, with plenty of secrecy around the top 10 spots. It's just another example of the quality content produced by various media broadcasters on the happenings of the NFL.
So, because the NFL Top 100 is such a brilliant concept, why not imitate with my own version of a top 10... three girls under three does not quite mesh with listing all 100, sorry!
Here goes;
1 TOM BRADY
Tommy Terrific is not the best player in the NFL but the man simply has to sit atop the pedestal - because last season proved his greatness knows no bounds. He took the hapless Buccaneers from nowhere to the promised land as Super Bowl champions.
At 45, it’s impossible to imagine anyone could be performing this well but Brady made a real run at MVP late last season, before going on to claim Super Bowl MVP honours - again. We keep waiting for the drop off - and it will eventually come - but there’s nothing to suggest Brady and his Bucs cannot repeat.
2 PATRICK MAHOMES
Talent-wise, it’s not close, Mahomes is that dude.
Last season ended poorly with a Super Bowl beatdown but for a man so early into his NFL career, Mahomes has already achieved so much. His resume is already Hall of Fame worthy. With coach Reid, Tyreek and Kelce still in place - as well as a re-built offensive line - Ferrari Pat is favourite to claim his second league MVP and second Super Bowl crown.
3 AARON RODGERS
Rodgers’ 2021 was freakishly amazing. It’s easy to forget the greatness he displayed last season because of the drama which followed him this off-season. That drama is something Rodgers will need to deal with most weeks of the season as opponents and reporters prey on the differences between Rodgers and the Packers brass. No. 12 still has the same pieces which flanked him during his MVP campaign, so drama aside, he should again be able to produce mind-glowingly efficient numbers whilst winning a lot of games and making a deep Championship run.
4 AARON DONALD
Donald’s greatness is hard to measure unless you’re a genuine film studier. I see the highlights like anyone else, but what allows me to place him at 4 overall is the commentary you hear from every coach who faces Donald. They all talk about how difficult he is to block and scheme against. Some coaches even mention how they are forced to re-align their offensive line just to contain Donald so he cannot wreck the game.
With J Ramsey in the back end and Donald up front, the Rams possess two defensive megastars.
5 DERRICK HENRY
Henry is an old-school running back in an era where backs are asked to be half-back, half-receiver and many teams run the rock through necessity and not through choice.
Henry is an exception to that rule and he certainly is exceptional. A 2,000-yard rusher in multiple seasons, King Henry can run over you, run around you and out-run you in open space. He’s so much more than a bulldozer but when he decides to run through you, it’s worth making a business decision and stepping aside - otherwise you’ll get your feelings hurt.
6 JOSH ALLEN
Allen’s my MVP favourite entering the season, coming off a sensational 2020 campaign. He was asked to carry such a load last season and carried the Bills all the way to the AFC Championship game. With Bills Mafia back in the stands, these Bills will be incredibly hard to topple at New Era Field.
Some added help at RB would make Allen’s life easier but he’s a big, strong, powerful dude entering the prime of his career so at this point in time, there seems to be few things Allen cannot do. Allen went north of 4,500 yard last season with a brilliant 3.7-1.0 TD-INT rate. He also punched it in eight times on the ground.
7 TRAVIS KELCE
The 'other 87' has a pretty cool job - catching passes from Patrick Mahomes, but, make no bones about it... Kelce helps Mahomes as much as Mahomes helps him. Kelce is an elusive TE with great wiggle and route running. He’s tough, is willing to go over the middle and make the tough catch and understands the system so well. Last season was massive for Kelce, posting north of 1,400 yards, 100 catches and 11 TD.
8 JALEN RAMSEY
Ramsey was an athletic talent at Florida State University and exploded as a young CB in Jacksonville during the Jaguars AFC Championship game run. The lengthy shadow man forced a move to Los Angeles and has formed a lethal 1-2 punch with Aaron Donald on the Rams formidable defence. The 26-year-old won two battles with D.K. Metcalf last season, as well as keeping many other elite receiver under wraps. Ramsey talks a big game. But he walks an even bigger one - no matter what you think about his antics.
9 LAMAR JACKSON
Since blowing the NFL off the hinges with a record-breaking season as a running QB, Jackson - and the Ravens' as a whole - post-season struggles have seen some of the gloss come off. In reality, Jackson is still that dude. He remained a 1,000-yard rusher and scored seven times on the ground, just as he did during his MVP-winning campaign. The former Louisville Heisman Trophy-winning QB could use more help at wideout, but all in all, any team who comes up against Baltimore plans for one thing - slowing down No. 8 in purple.
10 ALVIN KAMARA
It's arguable Kamara has - at times - been the third most prominent offensive weapon on the Saints, but with the departure of Brees and injury issues to Mike Thomas, Kamara has become vital to any further success these Saints may have.
Kamara is a quad-threat running back with receiving skills up there with any of the top wideouts.
No. 41 is a big play waiting to happen. He amassed 16 rushing TD last season and caught 83 balls for a further 756 yards and five scores. With Jameis or Taysom now under centre, you've got to figure offensive guru head coach Sean Payton will be spending his wee hours trying to come up with ways to consistently get the ball in the hands of the man with the nose ring and blinged out teeth.
Next men up: DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona), Khalil Mack (Chicago), DaVante Adams (Green Bay), Dalvin Cook (Minnesota), Russell Wilson (Seattle).
Who’s your No. 1 NFL player? And who have I disrespectfully left out of my top 10?