NFL kickoff is only a few days away, and we at Gridiron couldn’t be more excited. While we sit through these last few weeks until the start of the season, we’ve all been trying to keep ourselves entertained, and what better way to do so than taking a peek at Pete Prisco’s Top 100 NFL Players list? There is no shortage of Sooners that made the cut, as seven players from the Palace on the Prairie found their way onto the list. Let’s find out who they are.
Trent Williams
Coming in at number nine overall, our first Sooner on the list is Offensive Lineman Trent Williams. He is the highest rated offensive lineman on the list. This should come as no surprise to anyone, as Williams has been a dominant force in the trenches. He earned himself a PFF grade of 97.8, making him the highest graded offensive lineman in the NFL. All in all, Williams’s ranking accurately reflects the type impact that he can have on a game.
Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews slots in at 30 on the top 100 list, and quite frankly, that seems a little low. For being arguably the best receiving tight end in the league aside from Travis Kelce, 30 just doesn’t quite feel right. The fourth year tight end went for 1361 yards and nine touchdowns with 107 catches. For reference, Travis Kelce, who is ranked 19th, had around 200 yards less than Andrews last year, and that’s in an offense that is much more pass heavy. Not to mention, Kelce has a far superior QB in terms of passing. However, 30th isn’t too shabby, and with the departure of Marquise Brown to the Cardinals, Andrews has potential to be one of the best pass catchers in the entire league this season.
Ceedee Lamb
Next up is Ceedee Lamb at 57, and to be honest, I think it’s a pretty good rating if you’re trying to predict the future here. He finished 16th in receiving yards last year with 1102 with only six touchdowns. Those numbers alone aren’t enough to warrant him being so high on the list as of right now. However, he finally has the opportunity to be the number one guy in the Cowboys’ offense. An offense in which had the third most passing yards in the league last year. As I stated previously, if this is a prediction for this year, Lamb is rated properly. If it’s mostly based off of last year though, he is a bit too high for my taste.
Creed Humphrey
In what is possibly the most disrespectful ranking on the list, Creed Humphrey is listed at 59. For a guy that was debatably the best Center in the entire league last year as a rookie, 59 seems like a bit of a slap in the face. I understand that the Center position isn’t one in which there are many game changing players, and he is still the highest rated Center on the list. However, he should still be ranked higher. There is nowhere to go but up for Creed, and he’s only going to get better. He is certainly a top 50 player in the NFL. Nevertheless, I can understand and accept why he is ranked where he is ranked.
Kyler Murray
Coming in at number 88, we have former Heisman winning QB Kyler Murray. To be honest, I’m not quite sure why Murray is this high. He didn’t have the greatest of years last year, and although he was banged up, he placed outside the top ten in completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. With only 29 total touchdowns last season, it doesn’t make much sense to have him listed as a top 100 player in the NFL. However, he has potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league this year. With the addition of former teammate Marquise Brown and the athleticism that he wields, Murray could end up having a career year if his offensive line can hold up.
Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon is listed at 89 on the top 100 list, which is pretty accurate when you look at the numbers. Last year Mixon rushed for 1205 yards and 13 touchdowns, both being top five in the league. That was with a lackluster offensive line as well. It’s the third time that Mixon has broken 1000 yards in his career up to this point. His offensive line has improved over the offseason, and with an offense like the Bengals have, they should be able to spread the field easily. Expect Mixon to have potentially his best year yet.
Lane Johnson
The last Sooner we have on the list is none other than Lane Johnson, who checks in at number 90. Johnson had a solid season with the Eagles last year, especially in pass protection, playing 821 snaps without a single sack allowed. He earned a PFF grade of 82.4, which isn’t bad, but it isn’t anything that necessarily jumps off the charts. Although he’s had a great career, a top 100 rankings seems a little generous as of right now.