NFL Top 100 players of 2018

#71. Telvin Smith

#72. Alex Mack

#73. Everson Griffen

#74. Tre’Davious White

#75. Deion Jones

#76. Jimmy Smith

#77. Chris Harris

#78. David Bakhtiari

#79. Derek Carr

#80. Travis Frederick

Telvin Smith was the second guy I considered for that third-best linebacker in the league. However, he is a much different type of player. At 6’3’’, 215 pounds, Smith has wide receiver size and he runs faster than most of those pass-catchers, showing up in places you just wouldn’t expect him to.

Mack got the nod a year ago as my top center because he really brought that Falcons O-line together and consistently performed at an extremely high level. There’s not much difference in his play last season. The unit overall took a slight step back, but they will be key to their success in 2018 once again.

I usually give Griffen a lot of love, but I was really surprised to see him land inside the top 20. He is a very powerful defensive end and often doesn’t get mentioned enough, but he is in that group with a bunch of really good edge rushers.

White was the only player, who really was in the conversation with Marshon Lattimore for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He could have easily won, but I’d take Lattimore slightly above him for the future. I thought he was better suited to play nickel coming out of LSU, but he definitely proved he can get it done outside.

Similar to Telvin Smith, Deion Jones is another one of those modern-day undersized linebackers, who runs sideline to sideline. I argued for him to win Defensive Rookie of Year in 2016 because he did it over the course of the season, but he was a game-changer last year as well.

Jimmy Smith. If this guy could ever stay healthy. In seven seasons, he has appeared in 12 games or less five times. When he is on the field, however, he is a shutdown corner.

In my cornerback rankings through ten weeks, I mentioned that Smith had recorded more yards on returns than he had given up against him, despite dealing with an Achilles injury.

The Broncos defense had a down-year in 2017 and so did the next player up, but Harris is still one of the most versatile cover-guys. As a far as nickelbacks go, he might still the top guy, but he will likely stay on the perimeter this upcoming season with Aquib Talib being dealt to L.A.

With Trent Williams and Tyron Smith hurt, you could easily argue Bakhtiari was the best left tackle in the game last season. He was definitely the best pass protector at the position and his work in the weight room has not only helped him deal with bull-rushers, but also in terms of his run-blocking.

At number 79 I have the guy who I said last year would soon be one of the great QBs in the game. Carr took a step back from his 2016 campaign when I looked at him as an MVP candidate. I still strongly believe in him, because he can make some huge plays and has the ability to buy time.

There’s a lot of people who think Frederick is the premier center in the league. While I “only” have him at number three, I think he has been tremendous ever since entering the league. He gets overpowered every once in a while but, is asked to make tough one-on-one reach blocks in Dallas’ outside zone game routinely.