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 20-11 in our list of the 2021 NFL Top 100.
[Check out the other entries in the 2021 NFL Top 100 here: #100-91, #90-81, #80-71, #70-61, #60-51, #50-41, #40-31, #30-21, #10-1]
20. Myles Garrett
Despite missing two games, Garrett made his second Pro Bowl appearance and earned First Team All-Pro honors at the defensive end position. He had 12 sacks, two pass deflections, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 48 total tackles. This marked his third-straight season with double-digit sacks, despite his suspension last year. Garrett is clearly one of the premiere pass-rushers in the league and is on a bolstered Browns defense last year, which could increase his numbers. -Ben Hendricks
19. Stefon Diggs
Stefon Diggs has played five seasons in the NFL and has earned a reputation as one of the more dangerous receivers in the NFL. Diggs just finished his third consecutive season posting more than 1,000 receiving yards. He was also given his first Pro Bowl bid in his first season with the Buffalo Bills. In 2020, he had a career high 1,535 receiving yards along with eight touchdowns. He will be searching for another big season in 2021 and a possible Super Bowl bid with Josh Allen and company as he comes in at 19th on this list. –Matthew Brown
18. Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey is the definition of a lockdown corner and may be the closest today’s NFL has to a “Revis Island.” In his first full season with the Rams, Ramsey played in all but one game, picking off one ball, defending nine passes and grabbing 44 tackles.
The stats do not tell the whole story, though. Ramsey is constantly matched up against the opposition’s toughest pass-catcher and still manages to stand out. His is a game that fans have to watch to fully appreciate. Los Angeles will try and return to the Super Bowl on the backs of that terrific defense, with Ramsey quarterbacking the back-end. -Ben Hendricks
17. Deshaun Watson
In 2020, Deshaun Watson led the league in passing yards (4,823), yards per attempt (8.9) and yards per completion (12.6). Add on to that 33 touchdowns and a 70.2 percent completion rate. He managed to do all of this on a 4-12 team with a pretty low level of offensive talent. He is clearly one of the best quarterbacks in the league when upright and the bidding war that was probably transpiring for him before his litany of inappropriate conduct allegations, was justified. The lawsuits will likely have to play out before he will play again, so he may or may not appear on this list next season. -Ben Hendricks
16. Tom Brady
Tom Brady is one of the most respected quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League. Brady is a 14-Time Pro Bowler, winning six Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame career with the Patriots. He was also awarded four Super Bowl MVP awards during his time in New England.
Last year, Brady left the only team he had ever played for, signing a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2020, Brady made even more history by winning his seventh Super Bowl and his fifth Super Bowl MVP award. During his first season in Tampa Bay, Brady had 4,633 passing yards along with 40 touchdowns at the age of 43. Brady will play next year with the Buccaneers as he will be searching for another Super Bowl number eight. -Matthew Brown
15. Russell Wilson
Wilson has done a lot with a little over the last few years with the Seahawks. Sure, he’s had DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but besides that, there isn’t much for him to work with. He’s also one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the league just about every year. He’s proven that he can consistently get his roster to the playoffs.- Joe DiTullio
14. DeAndre Hopkins
In his first year as an Arizona Cardinal, Hopkins did not disappoint despite having a new, younger quarterback throwing him the ball. It was his fourth-straight season posting over 1,000 yards and third-straight with over 100 receptions. In fact, Hopkins has failed to put up 1,000 yards only twice in his eight year career, missing the mark by only 198 yards in his rookie season and 45 yards in 2016.
Hopkins also made one of the plays of the year, as he pulled down a last-second Hail Mary ball from Kyler Murray over two Bills defenders, giving them the touchdown and the win. He is a special receiver and his place on this list will likely only rise as he and Murray grow chemistry together. -Ben Hendricks
13. Alvin Kamara
Kamara is an absolute game-changer at running back. He can run in between the tackles, on the outside and can catch passes. Teams can’t let him get into the open field or he will absolutely make them pay. Look for his role to increase with Drew Brees retiring.-Joe DiTullio
12. Jaire Alexander
Alexander is still a young cornerback in the NFL as he has just played his third season in the NFL. He earned his first Pro Bowl bid in 2020 and has already proven he is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Alexander was targeted 80 times in 2020. Only 40 of those passes were completed. This is especially impressive as Alexander is tasked with covering some of the NFL’s most dangerous receivers.
The young Packer has only allowed 375 receiving yards after the catch when opposing receivers actually managed to catch the ball, which is insane. He also had 51 total tackles during the season. Alexanderwill look to do more of the same next season in Green Bay. -Matthew Brown
11. Xavien Howard
Howard is a true unicorn at cornerback. For the second time in three years, he led the entire NFL in interceptions in 2020. He had 10 last season, along with another league-leading 20 pass defenses, earning him a Pro Bowl appearance and First Team All-Pro selection. In 2018, playing in only 12 games, he led the NFL in interceptions with seven and his total sits at 22 over his five-year career. If he continues to stay healthy, which has been an issue for Howard, he could be one of the most prolific turnover men in the history of the league. -Ben Hendricks