Three Eagles Make This Year's NFL Top 100 List
Each year, the NFL puts together a player poll to determine the top 100 guys in the league.
Last season, the Eagles landed Brandon Brooks, Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, Zach Ertz, and Darius Slay on the list, though they did not have a representative in the top 50. Cox topped out at #73.
And in 2019, they landed Ertz at #23, Cox at #29, Carson Wentz at #31, and Lane Johnson joined Kelce in the 90s.
This year, it looks like the rebuilding Birds are going to end up with three players on the list, and they are:
#99 – Brandon Graham
“Leading the Eagles in QB pressures (49), hurries (30), hits (24) and sacks (eight), Graham has continued to display a menacing presence on the Philadelphia defensive line. Starting in 79 of the last 80 Eagles’ games between 2016 and 2020, Graham’s consistency on and off the field boasts the pass rushing specialist’s ability to be a centerpiece in the City of Brotherly Love. “
#92 – Jason Kelce
“Kelce makes his third consecutive appearance in the Top 100, one of just three centers on this year’s list. Entering his 11th season, Kelce is a model of durability, not missing a game in six straight seasons. For each of the past five years, Kelce has been selected to the Pro Bowl or named to the first-team All-Pro.”
#63 – Fletcher Cox
“As the Eagles defense has eroded in recent years, Cox remains a dominant defensive tackle. With opposing offensive lines able to focus on him more than ever, he still was able to regularly collapse the pocket while earning a sixth consecutive Pro Bowl selection. In 2020, he was good for 6.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss, though even that productivity pales a bit to his performance level. Any decline in Cox’s numbers is really a reflection of the decline in his supporting cast.”
They haven’t released the top 40 yet, but that should be it for the Eagles, right? There’s nobody on this team that would be ranked that high. Just three guys, all outside of the top 50.
It speaks to the nature of the rebuild. It’s a young team turning a corner. Cox is still Cox, Kelce is still Kelce, and Brandon Graham gets a nice nod for his stellar 2020 season, but otherwise we’re flipping this thing over. Trying to find the next stars to wear the midnight green.