To preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked over 50 leaders, coaches, scouts and league players to help us stack the top 10 players in 11 positions (sorry, special teams). The results may surprise you. They surprised me.
Here’s how it worked: the voters gave their best 10 to 15 players to a position, and then we compiled the results and ranked the candidates based on the number of votes in the top 10, the composite average, interviews and the research. We had several links, so we broke them by isolating the meeting for two with additional votes and follow-up calls. Each section is filled with voter quotes and nuggets about every guy – even honorable mentions.
The goal is to identify the best players right now for 2020. It is not a five-year projection or a success prize. Who is the best today? Simple enough.
We will deploy one position per day over the next 11 days. Here is the schedule:
Week 1: ends tight (July 7); quarters (July 8); running backs (July 9); wide receivers (July 10); offensive tackles (July 11)
Week 2: domestic offensive linemen (July 12); Edge Defenders (July 13); interior defensive linemen (July 14); off-line linebackers (July 15); half corner (July 16); security (July 17)
After his retirement this off-season, we will miss Luke Kuechly. But many linebackers are ready to fill the void. Our linebacker rankings include a clear # 1, established veterans vying for the next four spots and rising young players trying to knock off the guys in the second and third contracts.
The linebacker position – all internal linebackers here, as well as outside linebackers in a 4-3 lineup and hybrid options – has at least five first-round picks in the past two years who have won the first 10 votes.
But older NFL players have problems with some of the youngsters who like to tackle.
“Turnovers and ball disruption,” said a veteran NFL linebacker. “That’s what it is. Young guys can get a lot of tackles but it takes a while to learn how to take the ball away.”
With that in mind, here is how the young players fared compared to the 30s. And a cry to Ryan Shazier, who, at 27, would undoubtedly be at the top of the list without the serious back injury of 2018 which required spinal stabilization surgery.
.
