Favorite NFL Players

Nate’s 9: Favorite NFL Players in 2013

                Before I get started, I just want to give a shout out to two college players that will be on this list in just a few seasons, it’s unfortunate that they are both too young to go to the NFL this season, as I think they would have a big impact on how things play out next April.  They are Barry Sanders Jr. and Jameis Winston.  I have only seen Sanders run the football once this season.  You may think that’s a small sample size, but it’s actually 16.6% of all his carries. And it was for a 22 yard TD run.  There is plenty of potential there, but Stanford runs a well-known conservative offense and he’ll have to wait his turn.  He runs like his father, but still needs to learn patience and how to stay on the field in passing situations.  With that being said, he’ll be in the NFL soon enough.

                Winston on the other hand… if you know anything about college football, then you know who he is and what he does for a living.  I do not like the Florida State Seminoles; I never have, and I also don’t care for their ‘mockery’ of Native American tradition.  But I can’t look away from the program this year and it’s because of one player.  He simply has the “it” factor.  He can make every throw, he understands the position immeasurably, and leads like a champion even though he’s a freshman. Michael Vick and Aaron Rodgers are the only other two quarterbacks that I recognized these traits in at the college level, and outside of Michael’s personal issues, they have transferred well enough to the pros.  Look for Winston close to the top of my NFL list in the near future.

#9. Joe Haden CB Browns. I believe that he would be mentioned in the top 10% of defensive players if he played somewhere outside of Cleveland.  For whatever reason since their return in 1999, no one has put any valuation on any of the players that put on a Browns uniform outside of the Indianapolis Colts.  Although I thought Trent Richardson would be great too.  Haden, however is pure class, one of the best shut-down corners in the league, and if they had just drafted Morris Clairborne instead of Richardson, the Browns may have been one of the toughest outs in football.

#8. Tyrann Mathieu S Cardinals.  I hate the I-Told-You-So stories, but this one I have to talk about a little bit.  Only a handful of teams could have probably drafted him, because I do think he can be a hard guy to reach and motivate.  Arizona was perfect because of his friend Patrick, and I think we are going to see one of the great NFL players of our time.  A real treat to watch, and it’s only the beginning.

#7. Charles Woodson S Raiders.  It’s still one of my favorite Packer signings in the history of the franchise.  A joke only because we’ve signed about 3 significant players since free agency began 20+ years ago (Reggie White, Ryan Pickett).  He didn’t want to sign with Green Bay, and I don’t blame him.  The money talked (7/52), and I’m glad it did.  He was the leader for the franchise for many years while Aaron Rodgers was getting acclimated, and a major reason that the Packers won the Super Bowl.  Although he went to Michigan, I consider him a true gentleman. 

#6. Randall Cobb WR Packers. Another great moment for the Green Bay Packers franchise.  Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the Jordy Nelson pick at the time; because I thought there were better players to be had earlier like a Dwayne Bowe or a Robert Meachem. (It sure isn’t fun to be wrong). So when the Packers drafted Cobb, I was ecstatic.  It seemed like all the other teams had these types of players: the Devin Hester’s, the Antwaan Randle El’s and the Dante Hall’s.  I may be biased thinking that mine is the best, and he does have Aaron throwing to him, but I wouldn’t swap Cobb straight up for any of those guys.  The Packers are a different team without him, no doubt about it.

#5. Patrick Peterson CB Cardinals.  The other cornerback in the league that I don’t think is far away from shutdown.  Teams are already afraid to throw in his direction and he seems to get better every season. I think he is a key part of the resurgence of the Cardinals defense, although his return skills have appeared to diminish this season.  If he can get that part of his game going again, then I can continue to wreak havoc on those that think that Cam Newton still should be the #1 pick from the 2011 draft.  Because the Panthers defense is that superstar away from being dominant.

#4. Drew Brees QB Saints.  If Troy Aikman + Jason Garrett = anything, this would be it.  I’m enjoying Drew Brees’ career, due to the fact that what we are witnessing we may never see again, (an under six footer kicking serious butt year after year), but what I’m really excited for is when he becomes a head coach in the NFL.  I think it’s only a matter of time.   He’s so intelligent, so precise, so calm, so valuable, that any team would be silly not to give him a chance.  I don’t care for the Saints, but I do get absolutely giddy with excitement when they’re on television.  That will continue to happen only as long as Brees is throwing the passes and running the offense.

#3. Adrian Peterson RB Vikings.  A footballing contradiction every time I watch a Vikings game.  He’s so easy to cheer for not only because he’s the closest thing alive to Walter Payton, but he just loves football.  Part of me feels bad for him in the same way I feel bad for Barry, cause I don’t think he’ll ever get his ring.  But he’s one of the few players in the league that has the chance to go the distance every single time he touches the football.  I’m not sure how you can’t be a fan of that.

#2. Joe Flacco QB Ravens.  I’m just kidding.  I actually think he’s somewhat of a bleep hole.

#2. Sean Lee LB Cowboys. The guy is such a football stud.  I mean that sincerely.  For any of you that watch the Cowboys, he is seriously the leader of this team.  We all know that they don’t get it from the offensive side.  The signs were there early though, as I got to see a lot of him at Penn State.  I wouldn’t say he’s irreplaceable, but I did think he would be better than Paul Posluzny and Navorro Bowman.  I don’t think I have been wrong on either account, and he could be the anchor of any franchise in the league.  I’m not happy that it’s the Cowboys, but I know they are better off for having him.

#1 Aaron Rodgers QB Packers. If any of you know me, know me at all, this hasn’t changed in 8 seasons.  Since draft day 2005 at Champps Maple Grove.  I still don’t understand to this day, how he fell from the top 5 and down to the 24^th pick in that draft.  I watched those same college games, and I saw great numbers and a guy that had a great feel for making the tough throws and winning games late.  I remembered reading a grade out on both Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers.  (I am a big Alex Smith fan as well, I think he doesn’t get enough credit) Both graded pretty similarly, but the only difference is that SF felt like Aaron Rodgers was arrogant.  Well, NFL execs, if arrogance is a bad thing then give me Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers all day, because I love it.  Aaron is quite simply my favorite player of all-time, and I hope that everyone gets the chance to see him for what he is: an “arrogant” quarterback that can make every throw, lead any team, and win any game.