3 Eagles Among the Top NFL Players
Recently, here at LWOS, we were asked to rank who we thought were the best players in the NFL going into this year. Tons of writers from many different places and team allegiances participated in the survey. In the end, a comprehensive list was created of LWOS top 50 players in the NFL. Go check out the article for the full list below, from player 50 to number one.
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3 Players from the Philadelphia Eagles in the Top 50
As for the reigning NFC champs, the Eagles, they were able to boast three players in the top 50 list. At #39 was Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick, wide receiver A.J. Brown was at #34, and Jalen Hurts slid in at #10 in the entire league. The Eagles having three players on the list puts them on par with other playoff contenders like the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pittsburgh Steelers. However, they were tied for third among teams with the most players on the list. The Los Angeles Chargers were second with four players, and the Dallas Cowboys and San Fransisco 49ers were tied for first with five players each.
Top 50 NFL players: #39 Haason Reddick
Reddick has had an interesting career path up to this point. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft out of Temple University by the Arizona Cardinals and was disappointing at first. In his first three years, he only produced a total of 7.5 sacks combined. In his fourth year with the Cardinals, he started to play in a role more solely focused on rushing the passer and produced 12.5 sacks that year. After another productive year with the Carolina Panthers in 2021, he got his chance in the perfect situation with the Eagles and dominated his way onto the LWOS top 50 list.
Reddick finished last year with 16 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles to cap off a career-best season. Reddick finished as the sixth-best edge defender on the LWOS Top 50 list. He was ranked behind Joey Bosa, T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett, and Micah Parsons. Even making the top 50 list is a huge and positive jump for Reddick, but he believes he can be even better, and maybe we’ll see him even higher on the list next year.
Top 50 NFL Players: #34 A.J. Brown
A.J. Brown has been a stud in the NFL ever since his rookie year after being drafted by the Tennessee Titans. When the Eagles traded for him in the 2021 draft, many fans were obviously ecstatic. Brown is a player that can outmuscle the biggest corners and still outrun some of the fastest in the league. He is a deep threat and a matchup nightmare who even exceeded expectations in his first year in Philly. He finished with 88 catches for 1496 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, with an electric 17 yards per catch. Finally moving away from a run-first offense with the Titans, Brown shined and proved himself to be among the best receivers in the NFL. He finished as the sixth-best receiver on our list, behind Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Marr Chase, and Justin Jefferson.
Top 50 NFL Players: #10 Jalen Hurts
Many people believed Hurts was fighting for his job rather than a Super Bowl before the season last year. There was a ton of skepticism and questions about whether Jalen Hurts was the answer to the Eagles quarterback problems. It must feel great to not only prove the doubters wrong but prove them wrong to the degree he did. Not many players have gone from a question mark to a top ten player in the league. Hurts’ incredible progression comes from much of the improvement of accuracy and reading the field he has accomplished over the years. While only getting more and more comfortable will allow him to take even more steps using his athleticism and arm strength to degrees that challenge the top five or six players on this list. Hurts ranked as the fourth quarterback on our list, behind Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes.
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Top 50 NFL Players: Did Any Eagles Get Snubbed?
Two notable omissions from this list were two Eagles offensive linemen, center Jason Kelce, and tackle Lane Johnson. Yes, offensive linemen are not the most exciting players, but many would argue that those two players are at the top or near the top of their respective positions. To be fair, at #47, Corey Linsley from the Chargers was the only center that just squeaked on the list. There were two offensive tackles that made the list, #46 Tristan Wirfs from the Buccaneers, and #12 Trent Williams from the 49ers. Wirfs is a terrific young player, but it was surprising to see him on the list and not Lane Johnson. Especially when many pundits and analysts argue that Johnson is at least in the same tier as Trent Williams who ranks in the top 15.
Other players that had potential cases to make the list but fell short include cornerback Darius Slay and wide receiver Devonta Smith. However, it may be too early for Smith’s first appearance on this list, but don’t be surprised if he makes an appearance next year. Slay has been a star for much of his career, but maybe the lack of love for cornerbacks is what forced him off this list. Only three corners made the list, Patrick Surtain, Jalen Ramsey, and Sauce Gardner, who all certainly deserve to be there. All in all, while some players might’ve got snubbed from this list, it’s still clear the Eagles have an amazing roster. Also, consider that the three players that made the list from the Eagles are under 30 years old, with Brown and Hurts being 26 or younger. The present and the future are looking bright for the Eagles.
Main Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
