JKFOOTBALL Top 100 Players for 2021: 79-70

The JKFOOTBALL top 100 continues on here with players no. 79-70 on the list. Check back to the last 2 articles to find out who the first 20 players on the list have been.

79. Justin Simmons, Safety, Denver Broncos

2020 stats: 96 total tackles, 5 INTs, 9 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery

Back to back Denver Broncos grace the list as it was stud tackle Garrett Bolles at 80 and now Simmons at 79. As far as underrated players go in the NFL, Simmons is definitely up there. He has been an elite safety for the past 2-3 seasons and is finally being paid like one for Denver. The stats are really good but nothing out of this world, but safety is one of those positions where stats don't tell the entire story. Quandre Diggs who hit the list at no. 92 earlier on had pretty good stats too but they didn't tell the overall impact he had on the Seahawks defense. Simmons has a massive impact on the Denver secondary. He seems to always be in the right place at the right time. He's still young and hitting his prime. Denver has a star in their secondary to lead them in 2021 along with the new additions of Kyle Fuller and Patrick Surtain II. 

78. Aaron Jones, Running Back, Green Bay Packers

2020 stats: 1104 yards, 9 TDs rushing, 47 receptions, 355 yards, 2 TDs receiving, 2 fumbles

With the promising second round pick from last year AJ Dillon on the roster at RB, many thought Aaron Jones would be departing Green Bay in free agency this off-season after a stellar set of seasons. That was not the case. Aaron Jones signed a mega-deal for an RB to return to Green Bay and be one of the focal points of the Packers' dangerous offense. Jones is a threat with his legs and with his hands. He rushed for over 1000 yards again with almost 9 TDs and then caught another 47 balls for 350 yards and 2 more scores. He only fumbled twice the entire year as well. Jones is the definition of consistency. The burst he brings out of the backfield is matched by few other in the league. Jones returns to Green Bay in 2021 and he will still be the unquestioned RB1. If Aaron Rodgers is out, Jones could be in for an even bigger workload than he already has. One of the best backs in the league checks in here at 78.

77. Derwin James, Safety, Los Angeles Chargers

2020 stats: N/A (INJURY)

Derwin James is one of the biggest question marks in football. When on the field, he is arguably the best safety in football. He is so versatile and can do everything on the field for the Chargers. He is an elite young talent at the defensive back spot. The issue is we haven't seen him play in 2 years. He's coming off of back to back season ending injuries that are hard for anyone to recover from let alone to then come off of them and expect to be among the best at your position. Still, what we've seen from James when healthy is enough for me to rank him this high on the list for 2021. If he plays, he's going to be a top 5 safety in the league with a ceiling of even higher than that. We know the talent is there with James, we just do not know if he will be able to show up for the games.

76. Danielle Hunter, Edge Rusher, Minnesota Vikings

2020 stats: N/A (INJURY)

And now we have back to back stud talents who missed 2020 with injury. Danielle Hunter is probably also a top 5 edge rusher in the league when healthy. In 2019 and 2018 he produced 14.5 sacks both times and proved he was one of the most feared ends in the league. At just 26 years old, Hunter is just entering his prime and should have many many more of those seasons on the horizon. His relationship with Minnesota is still a bit rocky and I could see a trade eventually coming but for now, it looks like he will be lacing up his cleats for the Vikings in 2021. Hunter has major potential to take home the Comeback Player of the Year award this coming season as he will look to return to form as one of the most menacing edge rushers in football. This ranking all the way down at 76 is most likely going to turn out way too low for a player of his caliber.

75. Eric Kendricks, Linebacker, Minnesota Vikings

2020 stats: 107 total tackles, 3 INTs, 6 pass deflections

We have officially reached the top 75 and it kicks off with the second straight Viking player in a row in Eric Kendricks. Kendricks was considered by many a top 2-3 LB in the league heading into this past season and it's not even that he had a down year or anything but for whatever reason, it seems the perception of Kendricks has changed by many. Kendricks is still that same damn good LB we all know and love. This year he eclipsed 100 tackles again along with having 3 picks and 6 pass deflections. He is an anchor for a ferocious when healthy Minnesota defense and makes it near impossible to throw over the middle while he's lurking. Kendricks could even be higher on this list if not for the great talent in the league right now. Somehow even with his skill and stats to show for it, Kendricks is still a pretty underrated football player. 

74. Terry McLaurin, Wide Receiver, Washington Football Team

2020 stats: 87 receptions, 1118 yards, 4 TDs receiving

What a third round pick McLaurin has turned out to be. Entering his third NFL season, Terry McLaurin has quickly proved he is a no. 1 WR in the NFL and that those who doubted him coming into the league were very wrong. After a rookie season where he came in out of nowhere seemingly and had almost 1000 yards he one upped in with his sophomore season in which he eclipsed 1000 yards along with 4 TDs. McLaurin is finally getting his recognition heading into his 3rd season. He is considered an elite WR by many on a team that was in the playoffs this past year. With Ryan Fitzpatrick coming in to throw for the WFT, McLaurin could be in line for his best year yet. I felt a little bad ranking him at 74 because he is such a great player but he could very easily prove this ranking wrong during the season because I project a monster year for Scary Terry. 

73. Tyler Lockett, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks

2020 stats: 100 receptions, 1054 yards, 10 TDs receiving

Speaking of underrated former 3rd round pick WRs, here is Tyler Lockett! This kid is the definition of underrated. He is seemingly talked about very little but the numbers he puts up and the impact he has on games cannot go unnoticed. Lockett turned in possibly the best year of his career. He had a whopping 100 catches which was a franchise record. He also hit the 1000 yard mark again AND had 10 receiving TDs. For a undersized receiver, some of the contested catches he comes down with is literally insane. The stats do not show the impact he has on the game. Just watch his highlights, the way he racks up stats is not what you would expect for a 5'10, 180 pound receiver. I think back to his 15 catch, 200 yard, 3 TD receiving game against Arizona this year...this kid can go off on any given Sunday. He rightfully got paid a major extension with over $17 million a year this off-season to remain in Seattle for likely his entire career.

72. JC Jackson, Cornerback, New England Patriots

2020 stats: 40 total tackles, 9 INTs, 14 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries 

When we talk about New England's feared secondary, Stephon Gillmore is usually the first name to be mentioned. JC Jackson just put out a season that I would argue was better than Gillmore's Defensive Player of the Year winning 2019 campaign. Look at these stats for a cornerback. 9 INTERCEPTIONS! NINE! That is absolutely unheard of. Usually the NFL leader in INTs is around 6 or maybe 7 but Jackson had NINE. 14 pass deflections is also insanely good. Jackson was consistently locking down team's best WRs or their slot threats. Him and Gillmore proved to be one of the league's top CB tandems. While Aaron Donald narrowly snagged DPOY honors over TJ Watt and Xavien Howard, I believe the next man of the candidates list should have been Jackson. The reason I'm not ranking him higher yet is because I'm waiting to see if he can do it again. If Jackson has another DPOY vote worthy season, I will officially have him as one of the best corners in the game. If not, this crazy good year was a bit of a fluke. I expect good things from him again this year.

71. Wyatt Teller, Offensive Guard, Cleveland Browns

2020 stats: 694 snaps played, 5 penalties, 3 sacks allowed, 92.9 PFF grade, NFL First Team All-Pro

It's a shock to say that potentially the biggest breakout player of last season was an offensive lineman. A little known guard named Wyatt Teller was a backup on the Bills for a few seasons before being involved in a swap to Cleveland where he was not even really supposed to make their final 53 man roster. Teller exceeded expectations...by a lot. Not only did he make the team, but he became a top 3 guard in the NFL last season. His impact was very much felt in Cleveland. His blocking skills were a major help for one of the league's best rushing attacks. He was recognized by many on his incredible breakout season by making NFL's First Team All-Pro at the end of the season. As O-lineman don't usually win any of the awards, making FTAP is the best you can get in that position. That is exactly what Teller did. Teller will return to Cleveland this season to block for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt once again for a team that has such high aspirations for 2021. Teller is going to be a key piece in if Cleveland can succeed and make a potential Super Bowl run.

70. Chris Godwin, Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2020 stats: 65 receptions, 840 yards, 7 TDs receiving (only played 12 games due to injury)

Checking in at no. 70 is a player whose ranking isn't based off of the last season as much as it is a projection for the coming one. Just like guys like Derwin James who didn't play last season, I expect Godwin to be very good this coming year. Godwin did play this year. Just not fully. He was limited to 12/16 regular season games and even played through some painful injuries in some of those 12 games. Despite this, he still managed to rack up almost 850 yards and 7 TDs and likely would have gone over 1000 and 10 if he played all 16. Godwin was also INSTRUMENTAL to the Bucs Super Bowl run. In the first round he had 5 catches for 79 yards and a TD and in the NFC title game he had 9 catches for 110 yards. Godwin is half of one of the best WR duos in the NFL with Mike Evans. Tom Brady became very fond of Godwin this past year and really showed him that trust in some of the deep throws that went his way. Godwin is an elite receiver and injuries slowed him throughout the year but he ended out with a Super Bowl ring and is just entering his prime at age 25. I'm so excited to see what year 2 with Brady in Tampa looks like for Godwin. If he can stay healthy, Godwin will have the elite production that we are used to from him.