SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #12 Russell Wilson

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #12 Russell Wilson

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by | Aug 23, 2019 | Featured, NFL

12. Russell Wilson

Team: Seattle Seahawks

Position: QB

Experience: 7 Years

Russell Wilson was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks had just given free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn a $26 million contract and Wilson was looked at as taking a chance as opposed to a potential starter. However, before the end of the preseason, the undersized Wilson had beat out Flynn and was named the team’s starting quarterback. He started every game as a rookie and was named to the Pro Bowl in his first year. The Virginia native has not looked back since then.

At 5’11”, Wilson is one of the few sub-six-foot players to have success at the quarterback position. He’s made five Pro Bowls total, has not missed a single start in seven seasons and has split his two Super Bowl appearances (won SB XLVII, lost Super Bowl XLIX). In spite of his lack of height, Wilson has easily been one of the best players in the league. In six of his seven seasons as a starter, the Seahawks have won double-digit games—in the one year they didn’t (2017) they won nine. At the end of the day, a quarterback is ultimately judged by one thing, wins. Wilson’s 75-36-1 record looks pretty good compared to his peers.

Under Pete Carroll, Seattle has been known more for its aggressive defense (see: Legion of Boom) and run-first approach (see: Marshawn Lynch). During the team’s early success, Wilson didn’t receive much credit. Instead, those other two parts of the team were championed as the reason why they had made such a quick turnaround. Yet, as the Legion of Boom disassembled and Lynch left, the one constant remained is the quarterback. In 2017 his 34 touchdown passes led the league and he followed that up by throwing a career-high 35 last season as an encore.

With a quarterback as good as Wilson it would be assumed that the smart thing to do would be to let Wilson throw as often as he could. However, after back-to-back seasons of 500-plus pass attempts, his total dipped down to 427. The run game is still the backbone for Carroll’s offensive attack. This still benefits Wilson as he is one of the best play-action and bootleg quarterbacks in the league today. Getting him on the move not only allows him to use his legs as a threat but also helps to get him a clearer picture of the field away from the offensive and defensive linemen.

Passing has grown to become a big part of the modern NFL. Though the Seahawks offense hasn’t fully caught up to the times, they have one of the premier players at a position of need. Wilson’s presence on their roster makes them a playoff-caliber team year-in and year-out. This season, the team hopes it can unseat the reigning NFC champions, the Los Angeles Rams, and reclaim supremacy over the NFC West that they used to rule easily. Another Pro Bowl—maybe a potential MVP year—is what is needed of Wilson and so far he’s come up big for the Seahawks each year.

Aug 23, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #13 Luke Kuechly

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #13 Luke Kuechly

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by | Aug 22, 2019 | Featured, NFL

13. Luke Kuechly

Team: Carolina Panthers

Position: MLB

Experience: 7 Years

The second highest LB on the NFL SneakerReporter Top 30 countdown is Caorlina Panthers Luke Kuechly. Kuechly wasn’t always the best of the field, as the linebacker was only a 3 star recruit in the class of 2009. He took his talents to Boston College, where his hard work earned him national recognition. The 6’3” 235 lbs LB made plays all over the field, as his tremendous play at BC led him to two consensus All-American seasons.

Kuechly was drafted 9th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers, where he has stayed his whole career. It didn’t take him long to leave his imprint on the field, as he led the league in combined tackles in his rookie campaign. From his second year on, Kuechly has made the Pro-Bowl every single year, a mesmerizing feat for such a physical position. Kuechly sustained dominance has been a vital reason for Carolina’s sound defense over the last decade. 

Kuechly had perhaps his best year in 2015, when the All-Pro LB helped lead the Panthers and their stingy defense to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they came up short versus the Denver Broncos in the infamous Cam Newton dive game. Kuechly earned All-Pro honors in 2015 after recording over 100 combined tackles, four INTs and two forced fumbles in only 13 regular season games. 

Some of Kuechly’s best attributes are his pristine tackling form and top-notch intelligence. His reading of formations and knowledge of tendencies always leads him to the right place at the right time. Kuechly also displays remarkable athleticism for such a strong LB. He recorded a 4.58 40 yard dash along with a 38 inch vertical. His 40 time ranked him third highest among LB in the 2012 draft. 

After an average season in 2016, Kuechly made it back to All-Pro level in 2017 and 2018. There are no signs of Kuechly slowing down, as Pro Football Focus released their 2018 end of season “Best Player” at every position, which ranked Kuechly as the number two Linebacker. Kuechly is only 28 years of age, and with his lack of injuries there is no reason to believe he doesn’t have plenty of football left. Stay tuned to the SneakerReporter Top 30 countdown as you may see who we rated as the Best Linebacker in the business.

Aug 22, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #14 Odell Beckham Jr.

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #14 Odell Beckham Jr.

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by | Aug 21, 2019 | Featured, NFL

14. Odell Beckham Jr.

Team: Cleveland Browns

Position: WR

Experience: 5 Years

The notion of the diva wide receiver is not new to the NFL. The idea dates back to Michael Irvin and there are plenty of other examples leading up to modern-day to pick from. The player today who is most often associated with this moniker is Cleveland Browns superstar Odell Beckham Jr. The wideout has yet to play one game in a Browns uniform but has made plenty of headlines in the short time he’s been with the team. However, no matter how much news he makes he more often than not cashes the checks that his talk writes.

During his five seasons with the New York Giants, he routinely made highlight plays and broke records. As a rookie, his 108.8 yards per game average led the league. By his third season, he eclipsed the 100 receptions in a season mark. That same year he led the league in average yards per touch (13.5 yards). Yet, despite the All-Pro receiver’s talents, the Giants were unable to accomplish sustained success with him on the roster. When it came time to re-up, New York gave him what was then the biggest contract in NFL history for his position. However, before the ink dried Beckham was sent packing to Ohio.

What was once a place where nothing good happened, Cleveland has transformed itself into a respectable organization in a flash. Drafting the likes of Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield first overall and bringing in veterans Jarvis Landry, Sheldon Richardson, and Kareem Hunt has upgraded the organization. The team is now expected to at least make the playoffs given the amount of talent they have gathered heading into the season. Offensively, this team could break some records this year. Mayfield is an upgrade over an older Eli Manning, Nick Chubb is no Saquon Barkley but he nearly had a 1,000-yard season as a rookie, and Beckham is joined by Landry and emerging talents Antonio Callaway, Rashad Higgins, and tight end David Njoku on the outside.

Joining his former LSU teammate, and best friend, Landry provides him with someone who understands him on a deeper level than just football. In case there are any dustups like what happened between Beckham and the kicking net in the Big Apple, there’s someone there who can talk to him and get his focus back on playing the game. That tandem easily jumps to the top of the list of best wide receiver duos currently in the league. If both are able to keep their stats inline with what they’ve done to this point they could become the best the NFL has ever seen.

This season could see Beckham unleashed in a way we have yet to see and that thought is a scary one for the rest of the league. The Browns are a serious threat to shake things up in not just the AFC North, not just the AFC but the entire NFL. With one move to acquire an all-time talent who was wasting away elsewhere, the entire outlook of the league flipped on its head.

Aug 21, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #15 Michael Thomas

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #15 Michael Thomas

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by | Aug 20, 2019 | Featured, NFL

15. Michael Thomas

Team: New Orleans Saints

Position: WR

Experience: 3 Years

Michael Thomas has been one of the most productive receivers in the NFL since he debuted in 2016. After being drafted in the 2nd round (47th overall), Thomas has played in all but one of his 48 regular season games in his three years. Thomas has been so good that he broke Odell Beckham Jr.’s record for most receptions in your first three seasons. Thomas totaled an astounding 92 his rookie year, 104 in 2017 and a whopping 125 in 2018, leading the league in that category. Michael Thomas is quietly climbing many of the all time receiving ranks, collecting accolades all along the way. 

Thomas was a three star recruit that committed to Ohio State in the Class of 2011. After red shirting his freshman year as a Buckeye, the true sophomore totaled nearly 800 receiving yards and 9 TDs. He continued this dominance with another 800 yard season in 2015, once again tallying 9 TDs. He forgave his senior season to enter the NFL Draft. Thomas could not have found a better home, as the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees and Sean Payton deploy a brilliant aerial attack. 

In his rookie year playing alongside fellow WR Brandin Cooks, Thomas still posted over 1000 yards and 9 TDs. Throughout the season, it became clear that Thomas was indeed the #1 target of Brees. The target share kept rising and with the departure of Cooks in his second year in 2017, Thomas was already seeing approximately 150 targets per year. One of his best attributes is his incredible efficiency when being targeted. As the lead receiver in 2017, he helped the Saints finish 2nd in Total Yards, 5th in Passing Yards, and 1st in Net Yards per Passing Attempt. 

The dynamic duo of Brees and Thomas is a force that will continue to dominate until the former must step down. Thomas exhibits so many qualities of the ideal receiver in today’s game. He has tremendous timing and hands as a possession receiver, but he is also 6’3 and can go upstairs for jump balls. His 4.57 40 yard dash wasn’t considered top-tier, but don’t be fooled by Thomas’s speed and agility for such a strong and tall receiver. 

Thomas will continue to accumulate awards and honors as one of the best receivers in the game. He already has two Pro-Bowls, one 1st Team All-Pro and one 2nd Team All-Pro in his short three years in the league. Expect Thomas to put on a show in 2019, as the Saints look to bounce back from the no-call that could have cost them their season in the playoffs versus the Eagles. 

 

Aug 20, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #16 Fletcher Cox

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #16 Fletcher Cox

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by | Aug 19, 2019 | Featured, NFL

16. Fletcher Cox

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Position: DT

Experience: 7 Years

With all of the rule changes in the NFL lately it isn’t often that we get to talk about a player like Fletcher Cox. A throwback to an era of football where physicality was championed above all, the 6’4, 310-pound defensive lineman has plenty of strength. His presence in the middle of the Philadelphia Eagles line has made their defense one of the stingiest units against the run and still remained effective rushing the passer too. Cox isn’t just on the field to take up space, he has shown the ability to disrupt the passing game too. Whether it’s batting down throws or getting to the quarterback, he does it all.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of the last four years, Cox’s dominance at the defensive tackle position is among the best in the game today. Few others share his abilities to be a menace no matter what the game situation is. Need a goal line stand? Fletcher Cox is your man. Need a third and short run stuffed? Fletcher Cox is your man. Need pressure on the quarterback between the guards? Fletcher Cox is your man. He is the keystone of the Eagles defensive line.

Last year, Cox set a career-high with 10.5 sacks. The uptick in knockdowns saw him make First-Team All-Pro for the first time a season ago. He has 44.5 total in seven seasons. But it isn’t all about sacks with Cox. He has played in six postseason games—winning Super Bowl LII in 2017–and in each of the four playoff games Philadelphia has won with him on the roster, Cox has recorded at least one QB hit during the game. For the Eagles, just having the monstrous DT just in their vicinity is enough to rattle opposing quarterbacks.

Big things are expected out of this team in this upcoming year. With Carson Wentz healthy and handsomely paid, the team believes that they have a shot of making it to another Super Bowl. On top of that, the belief is that if they did make it to Miami for Super Bowl LIV, they’d be entering as favorites and not underdogs. All the pieces are in place for a great season. Now the team just has to get on the field and measure up to expectations. One player who certainly won’t let them down is Coz. He’s played in 109 of a possible 112 games since being drafted in 2012.

The former Mississippi State Bulldog is also still in the prime of his career. He won’t turn 29 until after the midway point of this year, and he’s found his groove on the field as the consecutive Pro Bowl selections can attest to. Speedy edge rushers might be all the rage nowadays but there’s a reason that the Eagles selected Cox 12th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. The move is paying dividends for the franchise now and it only seems like Cox is getting better with age. Philadelphia has its eyes on the prize this season and in order for them to take it home once more they’re going to need the best they can get from number 91.

Aug 19, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #17 Travis Kelce

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #17 Travis Kelce

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by | Aug 18, 2019 | Featured, NFL

17. Travis Kelce

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Position: TE

Experience: 6 Years

 

Travis Kelce was drafted to the Kansas City Chiefs with the 63rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The third rounder was placed on IR before he got to play in a regular season game due to a bone bruise that required a microfracture procedure. Kelce missed his entire rookie year, but since has remained relatively injury-free throughout his 6 year tenure. 

In Kelce’s first real season as a Chief, he caught 67 balls for 862 yards and 5 TDs. He continued to improve his totals over the next three years as he became Alex Smith’s favorite target. He made his first Pro-Bowl in 2015 and he hasn’t missed one since. Kelce took Gronk’s spot as the league’s best TE in 2016, as Kelce received his first All-Pro recognition. 

Coming into 2018, the league was sleeping on Patrick Mahomes. Little did everyone know that the Mahomes-Kelce duo would become one of the best in the NFL. Kelce had a career year with Mahomes behind center, as he reached new career highs in almost every statistical category. His first 100 reception season, over 1300 yards, and double digit TDs with 10. Kelce has always had big play ability, it is just finally being displayed due to the abilities of Patrick Mahomes.

The connection between the two will only get stronger over time. During the offseason, video clips surfaced of Kelce and Mahomes establishing a bond off the field, as the two were seen drinking and dancing together at a wedding. The cameras also caught their sheer excitement when they first saw each other at the training camp. The bromance being formed is a scary sight for opposing teams, as the two have such a natural rapport that translates to the field. 

Kelce is easily the top TE in the game today and his rank on the SneakerReporter Top 30 justifies it. Expect another 100 reception, 1000 yard and 10 TD season from Kelce, and that’s just the floor of his capabilities. Kelce can really do it all on the field. He has elite athleticism and coordination for someone so powerful. Really his only knock is that his emotions get the best of him from time to time. 

Aug 18, 2019 No Comments