June 24, 2012

The Top 100 NFL Players of 2011: 100-91

By - Tim Gorman

Over the course of the next several weeks, we're going to be counting down the top 100 players in the National Football League from last season.

While many of these picks were no-brainers, some of them will probably be considered controversial to say the least. But hey -- that's what makes this process fun.

So with that, here are numbers 100-91:

100. Tim Tebow - QB, New York Jets: A lot of people will argue that Tebow doesn't deserve to be on the list, but he's a proven winner. He led the Broncos to five come-from-behind victories in 2011, and in the 4th quarter of games -- he played like a superstar. Last season, Tebow rushed for 660 yards and 12 scores, and passed for 1,729 yards with 12 TDs and 6 INTs.

Photo by: Getty Images
99. Ryan Kalil - C, Carolina Panthers: Kalil is an extremely dependable lineman who has started every game for the last three years. The Panthers made him the 59th overall pick in the 2007 draft, and he has basically been the anchor of their offensive line ever since. Kalil is a 3-time Pro Bowl selection, and last season he was voted to the All-NFL 2nd team by the associated press.

98. Donald Penn - T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Penn has been in the league since 2007 and has started every game of his career. In 2010, he was selected to the Pro Bowl. Penn is one of the top linemen in the game today, so he is certainly deserving of a spot on this list.

97. Chris Johnson - RB, Tennessee Titans: Prior to last year, many people believed Johnson was the best running back in the NFL. Despite a down 2011 season, Johnson is still one of the fastest backs in the game and can take it the distance every time he touches the ball. In 2009, he rushed for over 2,000 yards, so that tells you what he's capable of.

96. Cortland Finnegan - CB, St. Louis Rams: Finnegan is a very physical corner who has averaged 47 tackles a season since entering the league in 2006. He has 14 career interceptions with 357 INT return yards. He should be a great addition to the Rams secondary in 2012.

95. D'Qwell Jackson - LB, Cleveland Browns: Jackson had his best statistical season in 2011 with 115 solo tackles and 41 assisted tackles. His 115 tackles were well above the 34 he's averaged a year over the course of his career. The Browns made Jackson the 34th overall pick in the 2006 draft.

94. Willis McGahee - RB, Denver Broncos: McGahee is a great all-around back who can run, block, and catch passes out of the backfield. He is currently ranked 27th overall among active players for career all-purpose yards with 8,464 yards.

93. John Kuhn - FB, Green Bay Packers: Kuhn is a hard-nosed runner who is always a threat in the red zone and in short yardage situations. Always a fan favorite in Green Bay, Kuhn was voted to the All-NFL 2nd team by the associated press in 2011.

92. Hakeem Nicks - WR, New York Giants: Nicks has become one of Eli Manning's favorite targets, and last season, he helped the Giants win their second Super Bowl in five years. Nick's had 76 receptions for 1,192 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2011.

91. Marshawn Lynch - RB, Seattle Seahawks: Last season, Lynch averaged 80 yards a game and rushed for 12 touchdowns. His 1,204 rushing yards in 2011 were a career-high. Look for Lynch to have a big 2012 campaign as well, especially when you take into the considering the fact that the Seahawks have a roster full of young QBs.

Hope you enjoyed the first ten selections. Be sure to check back here next Sunday for numbers 90-81!

3 comments:

  1. Don't care what Tebow did in the 4th quarter of games last season. He still doesn't belong on a top 100 list.

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  2. I think Lynch deserves to be way higher up on the list. He had a big year last year.

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  3. Top 100 doesnt just mean stats though. Tebow was a leader on and off the field and willed his team to wins even if he didnt have the best stats he stilled changed the game.

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