Ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, the TGH staff have ranked their top 100 players for the 2021 season.
Five TGH staff members voted on their top 75 players, who were given scores based on their ranks, then sorted by their final score. The players were ranked regardless of position, and the editors broke any ties at their discretion.
Each article in this series will list 10 players at a time, with brief comments on their 2020 performances and what is expected of them in 2021. Make sure to check back every Friday for the next 10 players in our list!
Today, we list and evaluate players 100-91 in our list of the 2021 NFL Top 100.
[Check out the other entries in the 2021 NFL Top 100 here: #90-81, #80-71, #70-61, #60-51, #50-41, #40-31, #30-21, #20-11, #10-1]
100. James Robinson
One of the biggest surprises of the 2020-21 NFL Season was the emergence of James Robinson.
He joined the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State. By the time training camp was through, the Jaguars felt comfortable enough to make Robinson the team’s workhorse running back. They even cut former first-round pick Leonard Fournette after having a career-high in scrimmage yards the year before.
Robinson broke the NFL record for scrimmage yards for an undrafted free agent rookie. His 1,070 rushing yards were tied for fifth in the league among running backs. Robinson easily became the identity of the Jaguars offense, and earned himself a place on this list. -Christopher Thomas
99. Frank Ragnow
A Pro Bowl selection in 2020, Frank Ragnow has made the transition from left guard to center quite seamlessly. He missed two games last season, but still took the field on 88 percent of the Detroit Lions’ offensive snaps.
It continues a slight downward trend, as he played 100 percent in 2018 and 92 percent in 2019. However, his placement on this list may be just as much about how much the Lions miss him when he isn’t on the field. Plus, he was given only two penalties on the season and has only earned 12 total in his three-year career.
Like many centers, if the casual fan does not notice him, he is doing a great job. Ragnow’s play will not go unrecognized here, however. -Ben Hendricks
98. Josh Jacobs
Jacobs first broke out as a rookie in 2019, rushing for 1150 yards and seven touchdowns. He made the 2019 All-Rookie Team that year and was named rookie of the year by Pro Football Writers of America. He did even better in 2020, though.
Jacobs had another 1,000-yard rushing season and almost doubled his touchdown total from 2019 with 12. He can also be useful in the passing game, racking up 238 receiving yards in 2020. The Raiders back is known for his speed and his ability to break tackles
Jacobs seems to have proven himself as one of the better running backs in league, regardless of time served. -Matthew Brown
97. Orlando Brown
After Marshal Yanda retired and Ronnie Stanley suffered an injury, Brown filled in admirably at left tackle for the Ravens.
In 11 games as the starting blindside protector he allowed no sacks and played every snap. This offseason, Brown has stated he wants to stay at left tackle instead of right tackle, where he started the season. If the Ravens can keep him happy, they’ve got a strong offensive lineman for the future. -Jack Kochman
96. Von Miller
Von Miller did not get to play in 2020 due to a tendon injury, but still deserves a place among the 2021 NFL Top 100.
Miller, who is an eight-time pro bowler, had eight sacks in the 2019 season along with 33 solo tackles. His elite pass rushing skills have earned him 106 sacks and 380 solo tackles in his career. In 2019, he became the Broncos all-time sack leader.
There is no denying he is getting older, but has still produced solid numbers in recent years. Miller should return in the 2021 season, but it’s not guaranteed that he will be in Denver in 2021. The Broncos can decide to opt out of his contract, which will make him a sought-after free agent. -Matthew Brown
95. Stephon Tuitt
Stephon Tuitt is not only one of the most underrated players on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, but the entire league. This past season Tuitt got people’s attention setting a career high in sacks. His 11 sacks was good for eighth-most in the league among all defensive players and third among interior defensive lineman. Tuitt has established that he is not only a great run defender but that he should be viewed as a pass-rushing threat from the interior of the Steelers front seven. -Christopher Thomas
94. JC Tretter
As one may read many times over the course of these articles, the Browns offensive line was fantastic last season and shows no signs of slowing down. Tretter is not one to be glossed over when mentioning this bright spot.
Since arriving in Cleveland in 2017, Tretter has not missed a single snap. Over four seasons as a Brown, he has lined up 100 percent of the time, which amounts to 5,120 snaps. That kind of durability as an offensive lineman is so incredibly valuable to a team for reasons too numerous to list here.
Tretter has still not been granted even one Pro Bowl nomination, but with the rise of this great line, he may get more attention moving forward. -Ben Hendricks
93. Joel Bitonio
For the fourth straight season, Joel Bitonio never missed an offensive snap. He was part of a Browns offensive line that was arguably the best in football and has three members in the Top 100. With only one sack allowed and three penalties, Bitonio was one of the best offensive linemen of 2020. The dynamic Cleveland offense may take a big step forward if their line plays as well in 2021. -Jack Kochman
92. Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill, an eight-year veteran, became a force to reckon with when he was traded to the Titans in 2019.
He led the Titans to a 7-3 record when starting in 2019 and made a run in the playoffs, culminating in an AFC Championship Game berth. In 2019, Tannehill passed for 2,742 yards and 22 touchdowns, but played even better in 2020.
His stat line consisted of 3,819 yards and 33 touchdowns while passing. The newest addition to his game is his rushing, collecting 266 yards along with seven rushing touchdowns. Tannehill has found a new NFL life with Derrick Henry by his side. -Matthew Brown
91. Brian Burns
In just two years, Brian Burns has already made his mark on the Panthers’ defense.
One of the most under-appreciated young players in the league, Burns put up nine sacks, four passes defended and three forced fumbles in 2020. Not to mention, he put up those numbers while missing one game and not starting another.
His 58 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss and 21 quarterback hits also paint a picture of a linebacker that will most definitely stick around during Carolina’s rebuild. If Burns can put up these numbers on a so-so defense, his position on this list will trend upwards as the Panthers get better and better. -Ben Hendricks
Featured Image courtesy of James Schaeffer/Las Vegas Review-Journal
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