The top 10 of "The Top 100 Players of 2015" were revealed Wednesday night, with J.J. Watt becoming the first defensive player to finish No. 1 during the five seasons of the show.
If you missed the show, here are some takeaways on the top 10:
1. J.J. Watt, Houston Texans: I wholeheartedly agree with the choice. If the list was simply about the most valuable players, the top twenty should include roughly 12 quarterbacks. But the list is about individual excellence. Watt is better at what he does than any defender we've seen in the last 20 years. (Peak Darrelle Revis was close.)
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: He could easily be No. 1 and he's rightfully elevated after he comically was left out of the top 10 last season. At his best, like last season and 2011, he's more dynamic than Tom Brady or Peyton Manning ever were.
3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots: After another slow start, Brady enjoyed a deadly season. He avoided pressure better than the previous two seasons and excelled in situational football all season. A two-touchdown fourth quarter to win the Super Bowl against a historically good defense was his finest moment as a pro.
4. DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles: This shows the respect Murray gained from his NFL peers during his massive season in Dallas. He was ranked 87th a season ago. It's also a little nutty. Murray is great, but we'd take five running backs in the league over him. The Cowboys said plenty by not worrying about him leaving town.
5. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos: Fellow players aren't going to dig dirt on Manning's career until it's truly over. Even though Manning struggled down the stretch, he was arguably the best quarterback in the league until December. It's the first time Manning was out of the top three players since after he missed the 2012 season.
6. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions: This is the first time Megatron has been out of the top three since 2011. This is also the first time Johnson is coming off a "down" year since 2009. Entering his ninth season at age 30, folks will be looking hard to see if his decline phase is approaching.
7. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts: Luck is still fine-tuning his game, but fellow players recognize his ridiculous skills. It was his first time in the top ten. He's the safest bet of this current crop to still be there when 2020 rolls around.
8. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers: We remember when Emmanuel Sanders played ahead of Brown. We also remember when it seemed strange the Steelers gave Brown all the money instead of Mike Wallace. It sure doesn't seem strange anymore.
9. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks: We also remember when Lynch was viewed as a mid-level starter and malcontent in Buffalo. That seems like a long time ago. Perhaps Lynch will get the ball at the goal line in key situations more if he hits the top five.
10. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots: The summer of Gronk is winding down with an appropriate homage to his status as the biggest mismatch problem in football. If anything, he's too low.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses Jason Pierre-Paul's firework incident, and reviews recent 'Making the Leap' candidates.
