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NFL Top 100 – A Deeper Look
by Graeme Young
July 21st 2011
 
Ive let the dust settle for a week or so and listened to the experts claim sacrilege on certain player rankings in the NFL Networks Top 100 players of 2011. The show ran for ten weeks and was voted on by current NFL players. I personally found the show enthralling but was surprised along the way with certain rankings – finding some players ranking too high and some criminally low. While the show was a success many viewers were left perplexed by the criteria for ranking the cream of the crop in the NFL today; after a few weeks the party line dished out by the talking heads on NFL Network was that the players were voting on who they believed will be the top 100 in 2011. They were asked to take into account last seasons performances and the body of work of each players career.
 
So lets delve deeper and look at a handful of players who I think are in the right spots, others who are too low, and some who are simply too high.
 
Just Right
 
Ed Reed (Safety) Baltimore Ravens – Number 5
I think the biggest misconception regarding Reed was that Troy Polamalu was his biggest threat to the crown of best defensive back in the league, not Darelle Revis, The two safeties from bitter rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh respectively seem to be two peas from the same pod, you cannot mention one without the other, so I thought why break a habit of a lifetime and not include Polamalu in here. The two are completely different players and play the role of free safety in completely different styles. Polamalu is the definition of a human highlight reel. Flashy, makes big plays and gets burned when his attacking instincts do not pay off. Both Reed and Polamalu have suffered injuries in recent years, The Steelers safety has had to deal with a myriad of injuries and Reed has been plagued with chronic neck issues. Reed is arguably the greatest ball-hawk who has ever graced an NFL field. He reads the game as well as anyone in recent years and has a nose for the football and an ability to turn his interceptions into points. For me Polamalu is the human equivalent of Samsons hair, he gives the Steelers an aura and a confidence with just being in the lineup even if he is not 100% fit – but that confidence can be misguided if Troy is only half fit, which can leave the Steelers D exposed (most notably in the SuperBowl in Dallas). While you wont see Ed Reed doing Polamalu-style back flips at the line of scrimmage to stop a 4th and 1, he is the premier safety in the NFL and wholly deserving of his place in the top 5. Reeds 54 career interceptions to Troys 27 are just too much to go against when evaluating these two elite players.
 
Andre Johnson (Wide Receiver) Houston Texans – Number 7
When I think of Andre Johnson I always imagine how highly rated he would be if he played in the bright lights of New York or Dallas. He is almost universally ranked as the best wide out in the game but I still wonder how well he would be regarded if he was playing for a big market team. An imposing receiver who has gotten better with age and now has a consistent quarterback in Matt Schaub. Has cleared well over 1,000 yards in four of the past five seasons and the only year he didnt reach that mark (2007) he still had 851 yards and 8 touchdowns. He is the definition of consistency and has made some unbelievable big plays in his career. His reception from a jump ball which he caught in the Week Two thriller from last season against the Redskins is an obvious highlight. Johnson more than deserves his place in the top 10 players in the NFL.
 
Michael Vick (Quarterback) Philadelphia Eagles – Number 20
I have a lot of respect for the way Michael Vick has came back from the extremely unsavory incident which led to his exit from the NFL and his jail term. He did his time for his offences and the former Falcons QB landed in Philadelphia prior to the 2009 season. He looked decent on his limited opportunities that year and was used in a lot of gadget and option plays where he could use his feet to get out of trouble. No one foresaw his resurgence and his improvements as a pocket passer when he replaced the injured Kevin Kolb in Week One against the Green Bay Packers. But Vick continued to grow as the season went on and probably reached his zenith against the Washington Redskins in one of the all time great quarterback performances. Vick went through his whole repertoire of skills and always chose the right moments to scramble and make big plays with his feet. His six touchdown show will live long in the memory. He has four QBs above him in the Top 100 list and you could argue a fifth in Rivers could or should be ranked higher, but you could counter argue that no QB has the skill set that Vick has with his newly added ease in the pocket. Some have said too high, some too low but I think Vick deserves a place in the top 20.
 
All Wrong
 
Ben Roethlisberger (Quarterback) Pittsburgh Steelers – Number 41
Big Ben is far too low and in my opinion this is probably the biggest injustice in the rankings overall. Big Ben will never be as pretty a passer as Tom Brady or be as accurate as Drew Brees but his will to win and his ability to continually rally his team late on in games and not to mention his two Super Bowl rings and an appearance in a third should allow him to be placed higher than he is currently ranked. In my opinion he should be at the very minimum be in the top 15. Its a quarterback driven league and I think Big Bens inclusion amongst the truly elite would have been justified. He is not a game manager, and he has dug his team out of a whole with many clutch plays in the biggest moments.
 
Devin Hester (Wide Receiver/Returner) Chicago Bears – Number 32
Devin Hester you are ridiculously overrated on this list. He is a fantastic return man but his two non-existent seasons in 2008 and 2009 for a guy who lines up at receiver should not be in the top 50 players in this list. His record breaking 14 punt/kick-off returns for touchdowns are fantastic but I question whether his return to special teams after being in the return game wilderness for two years does enough to mask what is at best a decent no. 3 receiver for most teams. I think my other gripe is the lack of inclusion of other great special team talent in the list. I think Shane Lechler is in the top 100 players in this league but his chances of inclusion were slim to none and for me Hesters overall value does not represent such a high placing in the list.
 
Brandon Lloyd (Wide Receiver) Denver Broncos – Number 58
This for me is the biggest miscarriage of justice on the whole list. It has nothing to do with his unbelievably good 2010 season more due to the fact it took him to the age of 29 to show the world what he can really do. He didnt impress much either when appearing on the debate show after his placing was announced, he seemed very pleased with himself and almost dismissive of other receivers ranked below him, for that doesnt bode well for a player who took all those years to fulfil his talents. Lloyd made some of the hardest catches look routine last season and had a fantastic knack of being able to get down low and scoop up a sure-fire incompletion. My worry is the adulation will get to Lloyd and if it takes you that long to show your talent you probably dont deserve to be placed so high.
 
You Can Argue All You Want
 
Greg Jennings (Wide Receiver) Green Bay Packers – Number 74

This was probably the most discussed placing of any player in the early weeks of the countdown and for me there isnt much wrong with it. Receivers such as Brandon Marshall, Marques Colston, Wes Welker and Jennings have put up similar numbers in the last five seasons or so and it is hard to come to an agreement who should top the second tier of receivers in the league. I think Jennings should be higher than Miles Austin and Brandon Lloyd but I think the real shock in his placing comes after his exploits for Green Bay in 2010 and most notably in the Super Bowl itself. In a league which has a short memory many probably assumed Jennings would crack the top 50, but while some may argue with his placing at 74 it is hardly the snub of the century either.
 
Josh Freeman (Quarterback) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Number 86
I think Freeman deserves his place in the top 100 and has the ability and young talent around him to be placed much higher in the future. To throw for 25 touchdowns to only six interceptions in his first full season as a starter is quite remarkable. When I watch Freeman he seems to have whatever it is to become one of the best in the league. His blossoming relationship with rookie wide receiver Mike Williams was fantastic and that in it will only get better as the seasons progress. Sam Bradford is another young QB who has instantly shown his worth but for me Freeman as of right now has been the star of the last three very talented QB draft classes.
 
Jared Allen (Defensive End) Minnesota Vikings – Number 80
I think Allen is probably rated about right in this countdown. When Mario Williams is at 71 I think it shows the defensive end position wasnt as highly valued in this process as some others. Allen after his destruction of the Packers in 09 was the hottest ticket in town but in truth Allen is a streaky player who can rack up sack totals in consecutive games or disappear for stretches. He is however able to bring consistent pressure and his 11 sacks for last season is more than impressive. Allen again was another who caused great argument among guests and experts on the countdown debate show but in truth it is probably not as big a snub as some would have you believe.