"The Top 100 Players of 2017" reaches its finale on Monday, June 26, with the final 10 names revealed in a two-hour special beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The conversation will continue on the "Top 100 Players Reactions" show, airing immediately after at 10 p.m. ET.
For the second straight year, NFL Media's Ike Taylor is sharing his own spin on "The Top 100," listing who he thinks is among the league's best heading into next season. Let's continue by revealing his next set of rankings, Nos. 41-50:
» No. 41:Xavier Rhodes, CB, Minnesota Vikings
» No. 42:Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons
» No. 43:Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
» No. 44:LeGarrette Blount, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
» No. 45:T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts
» No. 46:A.J. Bouye, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
» No. 47:A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
» No. 48:Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers
» No. 49:Michael Bennett, DE, Seattle Seahawks
» No. 50:Joey Bosa, DE, Los Angeles Chargers
There's a reason Joey Bosa and Dak Prescott were the Defensive and Offensive Rookie of the Year award winners. During his holdout, No. 3 overall pick Bosa attracted a lot of haters. But that hate almost instantly stopped once he took the field. Bosa finished his rookie campaign with 10.5 sacks in 12 games. Prescott, who was poised to back up Tony Romo for the Cowboys, was thrust into the starting role before the season even started. And to everyone's surprise, the fourth-round selection was just what Dallas needed to rebounded from a horrendous 2015 season.
Michael Bennett and Greg Olsen have established themselves as cornerstones on their respective units. Bennett's motor doesn't quit, and even in a down year, teams must account for him. Olsen is Mr. Consistent for the Panthers' offense. He's poised to record his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season in the fall if Cam Newton stays healthy.
A.J. Green is one of my favorite players in the league. A healthy Green for 16 games is more than hell for defenders, but heaven for Andy Dalton. T.Y. Hilton, last year's receiving yards leader (1,448), keeps proving people wrong and is a big reason Andrew Luck is as productive as he is. Running backs LeGarrette Blount and Devonta Freeman couldn't be more different when it comes to running style. The rushing TDs leader in 2016, the 6-foot, 250-pound Blount is more elusive than people think and he should help the Eagles compete in the NFC East. Freeman was used in so many ways in Kyle Shanahan's offense, and with his ability to help in the run and pass games, he'll be a huge threat again for Atlanta.
Lastly, the two cornerbacks in this list had huge seasons in 2016. A.J. Bouyegot paid by Jacksonville as a result. Xavier Rhodes is a helluva player, and his breakout 2016 season established himself as one of the premier cover corners in the NFL.
Follow Ike Taylor on Twitter _@IkeSwagginU_.
