The end of the NFL Draft means another annual NFL Network tradition is about to start. The Top 100 Players of 2015 kicks off Wednesday night at 9 ET on NFL Network.
This is the only ranking of NFL players by NFL players. While we wait for the first show to air, we started thinking: Which players should be new to the list this year?
Let's take a guess:
Odell Beckham, New York Giants receiver: Beckham is one of many rookies who should make the list. It's only a question of how high or how early NFL players want to call Beckham a top receiver. He's certainly good enough to make the Top 100 list, and there's a strong argument to be made he's already a top 10 player at his position.
Other rookie receivers who could make the list: Mike Evans and Sammy Watkins. Top defensive rookies like Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald and C.J. Mosley are also candidates to crack the Top 100. We would definitely put Mack and Donald on the list.
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers running back: It's amazing how much perception can change in a season. At this time one season ago, Bell was considered a promising player with discouraging numbers. Now he's rightly viewed as the most complete running back in the league. There's no doubt that Bell will be on the list. Will he be the highest running back or in the top 10 overall?
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver: We scoured last year's list looking for potential names that didn't make the cut and couldn't find Hilton. The voters seem almost certain to right that wrong this year. Hilton caught 82 passes for the second consecutive year, but goosed his yardage total by nearly 300 yards. Hilton is the type of talent that changes the way teams look at the position. How many players of the last few years have been compared to him?
Vontae Davis, Indianapolis Colts cornerback: When coming up with this list, we tried to think of players who took a huge leap in 2014. Davis went from a solid starter to a guy who was viewed as one of the best cornerbacks in the league.
Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks linebacker: He didn't deserve that MVP vote, but Wagner made the leap in 2014 to a household name recognized as one of the best at his position. His fellow players should agree.
The first episode of the Top 100 Players of 2015 debuts Wednesday night at 9 ET. We'll have reaction every week on what the voters got wrong, and occasionally even what they got right.Â
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