The NFL Network revealed the final ten spots on its list of the "Top 100 Players of 2012" yesterday. As expected, Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware made the top ten and is ranked No. 6, making him the second best defensive player in the league, one spot behind cornerback Darelle Revis.
In the same poll last year, DeMarcus Ware ranked 12th. The NFL only started to record sacks for individual defenders in 1982. Since then, there have been only nine players who recorded more than 19 sacks in a single season. DeMarcus Ware is the only player to have done it twice, recording 20 sacks in 2008 and 19.5 sacks in 2011. After last year's 19.5-sack effort, it's no surprise to see Ware move up the ranks.
Cowboys players joining Ware on this year's list are Jason Witten (75th) and Tony Romo (91st). The results of this ranking are ostensibly based on a poll of NFL players, but to avoid any controversy, the NFL Network has decided not to provide any details on how they arrived at the rankings this year. So be it.
Here are the final Top 10 according to the NFL Network:
- QB Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay
- QB Drew Brees - New Orleans
- WR Calvin Johnson - Detroit
- QB Tom Brady - New England
- CB Darrelle Revis - New York Jets
- LB DeMarcus Ware - Dallas
- WR Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona
- RB Adrian Peterson - Minnesota
- DT Haloti Ngata - Baltimore
- LB Patrick Willis - San Francisco