Martes, Hulyo 5, 2022

r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2021 Season - #70-61

Welcome to the reveal for players ranked 70-61 for the r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2021 Season!

Players whose average rank landed them in places 70-61 are on this portion of the list revealed today. Players are associated with the team they finished playing for in 2021

Below you will see some write-ups from the rankers summarizing the players’ 2021 season and why they were among the best in 2021. Stats for each player are included below. Additionally, their ranks from previous years are available for y’all to see

METHODOLOGY

Link to more detailed writeup on our methodology

  • Step 1: A Call to Rankers right after the Super Bowl

  • Step 2: Rankers from each team nominated players to rank, with a 10 game minimum threshold. Players are associated with the team they played for in 2021

  • Step 3: The Grind. We instructed users to tier positions groups into T25, T50, etc based on 2021 regular season play only. This took several weeks as the rankers tiered each position group and discussed them. There were no individual player threads and no arbitrary position caps. Just questions and rankings.

  • Step 4: Users submitted their own personal Top 125 lists.

  • Step 5: User lists were reviewed by myself, u/mattkud , and u/MikeTysonChicken . The rankers were expected to answer questions about their lists. They were allowed to make any changes to their list, and were not forced to make any changes

  • Step 6: The Reveal… where we are now!

And without further ado, here are the players ranked 70-61 in the r/nfl Top 100 Players of the 2021 Season!

#70 - Deforest Buckner - Indianapolis Colts - Interior Defensive Line (IDL)

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
27 60 52 66 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

First Colts DT to make the Pro Bowl sine Mike Barnes in 1977

Written by: u/ghettogoatsauce

Hey y’all, it’s time to talk about the Colts 2020 (kinda)1st round pick, Pro Bowl IDL DeForest Buckner. #99 has been the anchor on the defensive line that they’ve needed and more, with his insane athletic ability for a player of his size. (6’7” 295 lbs, allegedly). We could talk more about his long arms and freakishly huge hands, but instead, let’s cut to the stats.

In terms of run defense, Buckner was solid. Sitting in the middle of the defense, teams tended to run around him but he still had his fair share of tackles and stops, but naturally pass rush is where he shines best. One thing some fans may know about the Colts is their pass rush leaves a lot to be desired. As you’ll soon find out, that is far from Buckner’s fault. Under Matt Eberflus, the Colts were in the bottom quarter of the league in Blitz percentage, relying on the 4 linemen to get to the QB for the most part. Per PFF, Buckner produced 9 out of the Colts 33 sacks, and 49 pressures. He did this while being double teamed the most in the NFL, as the line’s only true threat. Only threat you say? Here’s the rest of the Colts murderer’s row: Rookie Kwity Paye, Run-stopper Grover Stewart, and the decent Al-Quadin Muhammed. Ouch.

But who cares about stats? You’re more of a meat and potatoes and film kinda folk. Did you know Buckner was a good swimmer? I wish I had more video, but as I'm not too good at rippin clips, so these will have to do.

We can see here that he lived up to his billing, and with a little bit of help on the line, DeFo can truly wreck an offense.

#69 (nice) - Vita Vea - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Interior Defensive Line (IDL)

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

FootballOutsiders ranked the Bucs 2nd in run defense up the middle

Written by: u/ownange

Tevita Tuliʻakiʻono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau "Vita" Vea is 350 pounds of angry defensive tackle. After some past health struggles, Vita Vea made his first pro bowl this year as the threatening force in the middle of the D line everyone expected him to be.

A part of a thunder and lightning duo with Ndamnukong Suh, Vea was the thunder, swallowing up runs at a greater rate, letting Suh take on a more aggressive, anti passing role in the Todd Bowles defense that allowed the 3rd fewest passing yards in the league. If Vea didn't tackle the runner himself, he certainly ate up blockers that allowed his teammates, such as #95 on this list: Lavonte David, to clean up the ball carrier. However, even though Suh was more inclined to rushing the passer, Vita Vea still held his own in the pass rush, sacking the opposing quarterback 4 times, including a two sack effort in a 30-17 week 13 win against Matt Ryan and the Falcons. He also had another tackle for loss in the effort, having an all around stellar game. Another highlight of the season is when on a stunt by Joe Tyron-Shoyinka, Vita Vea completely demolishes the entire left side of a very good Pats O-Line.

The only complaint you can have with Vita Vea's game? He wasn't Aaron Donald. He was a dominant force who not only made plays, but put his teammates in the position to make plays. The Bucs have signed him to a lengthy extension, and he will be worth every penny as he demands double teams and respect from opposing offenses.

#68 - Casey Hayward - Las Vegas Raiders - Cornerback

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A 68 N/A 12 42 N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

1st in Snaps per Target (11.5) and Snaps per reception (21)

Written by: u/JarrodG78

75 percent of the Earth is covered by water, the rest is covered by Casey Hayward…ok maybe he was not that dominant, but to Raiders fans who haven’t seen a good Cornerback since our sweet prince Nnamdi Asomugha. Hayward was a godsend to a Raiders team in need of any kind of defensive help given the two previous seasons the Raiders fell apart at the end because they couldn’t stop a cat from getting into water.

Hayward didn’t have a ton of interceptions; in fact he only had 1. However it was against the Chargers in the last game of the season sealing a Raiders playoff berth for the first time since 2016. Hayward was a perfect fit in the Bradley system, giving up only 1 touchdown all season.

With the changes in coaching staff and front office for the Raiders this season it has led to scheme changes for the defense. So this great season Hayward had for the Raiders will be just that…one season. While the Raiders fans only got one season of Hayward his presence and play on the team, in what might be one of the craziest seasons for a team, will always be remembered and appreciated by Raiders fans. Good luck in Atlanta!

#67 - Cameron Jordan - New Orleans Saints - EDGE Rusher (EDGE)

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A 37 38 13 39 67 N/A 70 N/A​

Key Stat

2nd (out of 79 EDGE) in Run Stop % 9.7%.

Written by: u/calboy238

Throughout the 11th season of his career, Cam Jordan continued to be a defensive shitwrecker and lynchpin of a unit that consistently ranked in the top 10 in the league, coming in 4th place for points per game allowed, seventh for yards per game, second in first downs allowed, and topped the league in red-zone efficiency. A huge part of this was number 94 holding down the left edge in Dennis Allen’s 4-3 defensive scheme. Playing opposite Marcus Davenport, Jordan co-led the team in tackles for loss at 13, led the team in sacks at 12.5 and QB hits at 22, and tallied 59 total tackles, the third-best mark of his career.

Jordan showed off the full power afforded by his 6’4”, 287lb frame by repeatedly overpowering guards, tackles, and tight ends with straight bull rushes that got him into the QBs face before he had much time to think. He also proved tremendous quickness in getting around the edge and swimming blockers to stuff running backs behind the lines. Beyond quickness, Jordan showed he still had the 4.78 speed he clocked at the combine over a decade ago, regularly chasing down quarterbacks who had bailed on the pocket to force throwaways or even bat down passes.

What was probably Jordan’s best effort of 2021 came in week 15 when the Saints travelled to Tampa Bay. Jordan played an integral part of causing Tom Brady to be shut out at home for the first time in his career. In 57 snaps, he notched two sacks, five solo tackles, two tackles for loss, three QB hits, and a forced fumble. Beyond just the numbers, he consistently mangled and harassed one of the league’s better offensive lines, including straight-up wins on elite second-year tackle Tristan Wirfs. In this, and more, Cam Jordan spent 2021 showing why he deserves to be considered one of the league’s elite edge rushers.

#66 - Shaq Barrett - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - EDGE Rusher (EDGE)

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
36 21 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

4th in Sacks since 2019 (37.5)

Written by: u/BlindManBaldwin

When Shaq Barrett entered his second year in the league, he sold #56 to his new teammate Shane Ray for $2,000. Two grand. Now, all these years later, Shaq Barrett sits with two Super Bowl rings and a big money contract. $36 million guaranteed. Far cry from those humble days.

A man who has gone from fringe practice-squad player, to reserve pass rusher, to starter — and now as one of the NFL’s high level EDGE talents. Shaq Barrett notched together another Pro Bowl campaign in 2021, showing just as he’s always shown that draft status and prestigious schools are no guarantee. University of Nebraska-Omaha, Colorado State. Boys Town in Nebraska. Not heavily recruited coming out of high school? No draft buzz coming out of college? No problem! 10 sacks in 15 games, and a major contributor to a 2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that finished as one of the best in the league against the run game.

The beauty of the NFL, if there is any left, is found in story’s like Barrett’s — guys who come up from nowhere to mark their names in NFL history. 256 players were taken in the 2014 NFL Draft, Shaq Barrett was not one of them. Yet his career AV (a ProFootballReference stat to try and benchmark a player’s contributions) would tie him for the 14th best in the class. It doesn’t matter who you are — it matters what you can do. You can come from nothing, and still become something.

#65 -Trevon Diggs - Dallas Cowboys - Cornerback

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

First player since Marcus Peters in 2015 to lead the league in interceptions and interception return yards

Written by: u/Hepppster

The most exciting defensive player on the Cowboys since Demarcus Ware, Trevon Diggs is as electric and fast as he is controversial for many fans due to his playstyle. While many may argue with his placement, I find that a player that is asked to shadow WR1s as much as he does and when he isn’t is being asked to play flat zone coverage to get a turnover for our offense deserves all the credit he receives!

Let’s start with the obvious league leading 11 interceptions which hasn’t been done since 1981. Yes, some were luck based, but you also will find him: keeping up with a really good route runner in Keenan Allen every step of the way and picking off a hot Justin Herbet that was driving down the field and was pretty much in scoring position in a close game, being on the pace with a speedster like Terry McLaurin and easily taking advantage of an underthrown ball that many corner would just be in position to pass break, and showing off his hands on a ball so poorly thrown by Matt Ryan that I’m still not sure how he caught it (like seriously who was Matt Ryan throwing to). He had a few interceptions as well where he just undercuts a route like nothing (Eagles, Panthers, and Giants), and has a great awareness and presence to take advantage of tipped balls which may seem lucky at first, but remember that tipped passes happen in every game and it just seems like Trevon Diggs takes advantage of them more than most. Finally, he was also able to show off his ball handling skills having the most int return yards and tying Rasul Douglas with taking two of them to the house.

Now, I know many will argue against him with the receptions and yards he gave through the year. First, I will say that many sites use the closest defender to the play taking the penalty of the yards and receptions given up as opposed to the player actually assigned to the receiver who makes the catch. This happens to Diggs quite a bit because he always is near the play yet this is mostly caused by him having a great sense of where the ball is headed as opposed to him getting beat. For instance, in both the Falcons and Saints games you will find that Diggs is supposed to be in a flat zone in the typical Cover 2 Defense, yet you will find him much deeper into almost a corner zone because the safety over the top is not in position to stop his guy (if you’ve ever played madden and you run Cover 2 Zone where the AI just runs corner routes on you this exactly illustrates the point). Other times Diggs is asked by the Cowboys defense to be underneath the receiver with a safety over the top in order to make a play on the ball so we can get our offense back on the field. Second, despite playing as aggressively as he does, he still manages a catch % allowed similar to Xavein Howard, Marshon Lattimore, Patrick Surtain II, and Chidobe Awuzie and has less TD’s given up than Marshon Lattimore and Xavien Howard. And yet even with this there are still many times when he asked to follow a WR1 by himself and manages to have great man-to-man coverage (see Giants and Washington games). In man coverage, he is top 5 in the league in both forced incompletions and forced incompletion rate which further cements him as a top man-to-man corner.

Diggs was a top tier aggressive corner that many players in the league respect (including Jalen Ramsey). While play may be off-putting to some, to me he is well-deserving in his place on the top 100, and I hope to see him here for years to come.

#64 - Matthew Judon - New England Patriots - EDGE Rusher (EDGE)

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

Most sacks by a Patriot since Chandler Jones in 2015

Written by: u/mtzehvor

The Patriots went all in with a buyer's approach to the 2021 free agency market. Some acquisitions were relatively disappointing. Some showed ups and downs. Some, like Hunter Henry, fit in well and showed serious potential moving into year two.

And then there was Matthew Judon.

To say that Judon supercharged the Patriots' defense would be an understatement. Twelve and a half sacks. Sixty tackles, with twelve for loss. 39 total QB pressures. Judon's strength and speed was on display all season long.

And that speed really can't be overstated. Judon was the star for a front seven that otherwise was quickly showing its age and its lack of speed. This sack on Tom Brady in Week 4 comes after Judon beats both the pulling guard and gets into the backfield too quickly for the RB coming off play action to pick him up. Judon was one of the few members of the Patriots' defense that required opponents to respect his speed.

His numbers fell off slightly towards the end of the season as injuries piled up and as other teams realized the necessity of focusing on him; but Judon was a game changer for the Patriots' defense for a significant portion of the season.

#63 - Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys - Quarterback

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A 57 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

Prescott is the first postseason NVP to be ranked in the r/NFL Top 100

Written by: u/Yedic

Dak Prescott entered the 2021 season with sky-high expectations. An explosive start to his 2020 season was unfortunately cut short due to a gruesome ankle injury, and many were wondering if he'd be able to pick back up where he left off.

While he wasn't able to match 2020's 400 ypg start, Dak did turn in an elite QB season this past year, finishing a close second to Joe Burrow in AP Comeback Player of the Year voting, with a final statline of 4449 yards on 68.8% completion with 37 TDs and only 10 INTs in 16 games played. Going a little deeper than traditional stats, Football Outsiders' advanced stats loved Dak this year. He finished 3rd in both DYAR and DVOA, behind only Rodgers and Brady.

The season started off with an exciting matchup against Tampa Bay that saw Dak put on a fantastic individual performance, culminating in a clutch drive to take the lead with only 1:24 left in the game, only to watch from the bench as the Bucs marched down the field and won the game. Not to be deterred, Dak led another clutch drive the very next week. Starting on his own 13 and down 3, Dak put Greg Zuerlein in position for a game winning FG as time expired. Let's jump to a Week 6 matchup against New England, aka the Trevon Diggs experience. The star CB's high/lowlights from that game are well known, but it's worth noting that Dak engineered a drive for the game-tying FG with 24 seconds remaining in regulation, and then proceeded to throw a game winning TD to Ceedee Lamb on their first OT drive.

The middle of the season represented a bit of a slump for both Dak and the Cowboys. A calf strain caused him to miss the Week 8 game against the Vikings, and the team went 1-3 after he returned. Of note was the Week 12 loss against the Raiders, where Dak threw a 32-yard TD to Dalton Schultz with 2:54 left, followed by a tying 2 point conversion, and then followed it up with another game-tying drive, this one a FG near the end of regulation.

After the slump, Dak rounded out his excellent season with some strong performances, throwing 12 TDs to 0 interceptions in the last three games of the season to lead the Cowboys to 1st place in the division.

#62 - Micah Hyde - Buffalo Bills - Safety

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
76 N/A N/A 85 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

Highest coverage grade when lined up at Free Safety (89.2)

Written by: u/confederalis

Though much of the national attention last year was on the Buffalo Bills’ explosive offense, the other side of the ball ended the year as the top defense in the league. Crucial to that was the secondary finishing as the top pass defense in the league, anchored by the league’s best safety duo, one half of which was Micah Hyde, who comes in at #62 on the /r/NFL Top100 List. Most of Hyde’s stats don’t necessarily pop off the page, only accruing 56 tackles and 3 PBUs while allowing around a 70% catch percentage. However, this is more of a testament to the Bills’ scheme, who had Hyde play a large majority of his coverage snaps at Free Safety, only being targeted 26 times total on the season. The Bills ran primarily Cover 1 and Cover 3 last season, and Hyde usually slotted in as the deep safety, acting as the last line of defense for a unit that relied on their secondary to make important stops. Hyde was essentially the anchor for the best passing defense in the league and his stats show it, only allowing 32 yards after the catch total and grabbing a position-leading 5 picks. It’s no wonder opposing QBs were so scared to throw his way. An incredibly strong tackler, Hyde also shined in fighting through screens and making tackles on receivers or runningbacks that broke through the first level. In 2021, Hyde usually wasn’t flashy but still did it all; he prevented deep plays, provided incredible coverage support for his corners, and did his best to make sure nothing got past him, which is best exemplified by Hyde staring down King Henry himself and making the tackle in open field.

PFF gave Micah Hyde an 88.3 coverage grade on the season, the third best at his position, and it’s easy to see why by watching his tape. He is an all-around talent who can be moved around the secondary wherever needed, possessing incredible vision, top-tier ball skills, and impressive strength/tackling. In this play, both Bills corners mark the same receiver in the flat, leaving Diontae open. Hyde reads Ben’s eyes perfectly and quickly closes in on the receiver, breaking up the pass and preventing the first down. However, many of Hyde's best plays won’t appear on the stat sheet, for example this perfect coverage against the Commanders. The Bills are lined up in Cover 2 and Hyde perfectly positions himself to protect from the middle of the field, seam, and sideline, forcing Heineke to scramble instead of throwing where Hyde can make a play on the ball. Similarly, here the Bills disguise a Cover 1, leaving Hyde as the lone deep safety where he covers Demarcus Robinson throughout his whole route, exhibiting fluid hips and good trailing speed as he forces Mahomes to look elsewhere. Hyde also showed off an ability to play man off the line of scrimmage, excellently covering Devante Parker on this go route after fighting through a switch at the line. Hyde’s great ball skills complement his coverage ability, and he produced this year, picking off Mahomes for a TD, as well as Heinicke once and Mac Jones thrice, including an interception of the year candidate during the Divisional Round. What all this shows is that, if you throw toward Micah Hyde, not much good is going to come of it. He excelled in every area that a safety needs to, working in tandem with Jordan Poyer to produce some of the most impressive defensive performances of the year. With another year of partnership under their belt, I can see this duo producing at an even higher level in the coming years.

#61 - Joe Mixon - Cincinnati Bengals - Running Back

Previous Ranks

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A​

Key Stat

League-leading 785 rushing yards on plays negatively-graded blocks in front of him per pff

Written by: u/packmanwiscy

The offensive line was the crux of discussions of the 2021 Bengals offseason. The unit was universally scorned as one of the main reasons Cincinnati won just six games over the previous two seasons, left Joe Mixon battered and bruised to the tune of missing 10 games, and allowed a pair of Washington pass rushers to rip poor rookie Joe Burrow’s ACL into shreds. Ultimately the Bengals declined on using their 5th overall pick on a lineman, and even though their selection helped propel them to an AFC crown the offensive line remained a detriment rather than a strength. Usually a poor OL dooms running backs to inconsistent, frustratingly unproductive seasons. Joe Mixon didn’t care about that and instead rattled off the best season of his career

Mixon’s first cut is second to none. An OL that wasn’t adept at run blocking means defenders arrive quicker in the backfield, necessitating quick bursts to avoid the tackle for loss and get the play back on track. Wach this play against the Jets, Trey Hopkins completely whiffs on the block but Mixon is able to skirt around him and burst into the endzone before the other Jets can rally to him. Or here against my Packers, the line is unable to produce a hole so instead he bounces outside, makes a man miss and zip in for a crucial score. If you wanna see him make a division rival look silly, take this nasty run against the Yinzers, the defense fits the run but Mixon decides he can just stop, juke out James Pierre on the backside, and run free for a big gain. He makes it look effortless, but very few backs can navigate the line like he can. When the holes DO open up, Mixon can hit them hard and bully some defenders. Like this run against the Raiders where Tyler Boyd gives him a great block and Mixon muscles out an extra five yards at the end. You can’t use a corner to fill the gaps against Mixon because he’ll just do this instead.

Mixon has been used primarily as a 2 down back in 2021, with Samaje Perine taking up a majority of the snaps on third down for Cinci. But don’t let that fool you into thinking Mixon is just a pure runner. Mixon is a very competent pass catcher. Those cuts that allows him to be such a great runner also means he can turn upfield that much quicker on screens and flares. Watch how quickly he can go from the shoot route into a direct cut towards the end zone and dive in for six. He can also go deep too, if you like. His status as a pass blocker has never been high but we saw plenty of improvement in 2021, he definitely has the ability to pick up blitzes, he just needs to be a bit more consistent at doing so. Mixon lead the AFC in rushing yards in 2018, but this year he truly became the all-around back he was drafted to be

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