NFL Network has begun releasing their annual Top 100 list, and two Patriots made an appearance on Tuesday’s episode. Wide receiver Julian Edelman came in at 90 while safety Devin McCourty came in one spot later at 89. This was Edelman’s fourth time on the list, while McCourty made the first appearance of his career. This list is created by the current players in the NFL as an exercise in predicting who will be the best players in the upcoming season.
Julian Edelman Too Low, Devin McCourty Spot on in NFL Top 100
Julian Edelman
Edelman didn’t make the cut last year after missing the entire 2017 season with an ACL injury. Apparently, players around the league didn’t believe he could return and remain in the NFL elite.
Edelman proved the doubters wrong with a fantastic 2018 season. After missing the first four games of the year, Edelman returned to be New England’s top receiver from Week Five onward. Edelman recorded 74 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season before going on one of the great playoff runs of all time. Edelman recorded 26 receptions for 388 yards while winning Super Bowl LIII MVP honors.
This type of performance should have put Edelman higher on the list. Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver Jarvis Landry came in at 84, and nobody would argue Landry is better than Edelman. Edelman isn’t an elite receiver like Julio Jones, but he should’ve ended up in the top 80-85. With Rob Gronkowski out of the picture, look for Edelman to have a great season as New England’s top receiving threat.
Devin McCourty
The players got this one right. Devin McCourty isn’t the borderline top-five safety he once was, but he’s still an above-average starter capable of doing a little bit of everything. McCourty’s speed allows him to take away the deep part of the field, and his coverage skills allow him to drop into the slot and line up against tight ends, receivers, and running backs. He’s not quite what he used to be, but he’s still one of the best safeties the NFL has to offer.
The real insult is that this is McCourty’s first year on the list. He had a strong 2018, but he’s had better seasons in the past. From 2014 to 2016, it was hard to find a better safety outside of Earl Thomas and Eric Berry. You could make an argument that guys like Eric Weddle were better during that timeframe, but McCourty was right there in the conversation. Back in the 2015 installment of the list, Thomas came in at 21 and Weddle came in at 86. McCourty should have been a top-80 player back then, but he never earned the honor.
So far, Edelman and McCourty are the only Patriots to have made the list. However, NFL Network still has 80 players left to reveal. It’s safe to assume that there will be more Patriots on this list by the time all is said and done.
