Before the start of the 2011 season, a trendy topic for writers and analysts to debate was who were the best players in the game today. Top 50 and top 100 lists were in large supply on the Internet.
Well, now that the season is all done except for the Super Bowl (and, of course, the Pro Bowl), who were actually the best players in the game this season? Sure, we've seen the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, but what about a ranking regardless of position?
Pro Football weekly consulted talent evaluators around the NFL and ranked their Super 50 based on the following criteria - production and value to the team. Three Eagles made the list and it's no surprise that it's the trio of Eagles in Honolulu for the Pro Bowl - defensive end Jason Babin, running back LeSean McCoy and offensive tackle Jason Peters.
The surprise might come in the order that the three were ranked among the Eagles and where they stood compared to the rest of the league.
18. Jason Peters
"Lost in the Eagles' disappointing season is the fact that Peters had one of his finer seasons and is maybe the best pure left tackle in the game," Pro Football Weekly senior editor Mike Wilkening wrote. "He shocks opponents with a powerful punch, can pick and slide well and rarely gets beat to the inside. By season's end, the Eagles featured a very good offensive line and Peters led the way. The 30-year-old remains in the prime of his career."
20. LeSean McCoy
"McCoy rose above the level Brian Westbrook did in his prime, becoming an incredible runner in his third season and also remaining a big factor in the pass game," Wilkening wrote. "Many were surprised at how run-dependent Andy Reid and the Eagles became, but given McCoy's shifty running, underrated toughness and fabulous vision and burst, those skills convinced Reid he needed to be more balanced and feature McCoy's tremendous all-around skills. The third-year back also led the league with 20 touchdowns (17 rushing, three receiving)."
26. Jason Babin
"His blazing motor, terrific pursuit and strong hands allowed him to push for the league's sack lead late in the season, and he was better than advertised against the run," Wilkening wrote. "Babin's energy helped keep this defense afloat."
Quarterback Michael Vick was listed as an honorable mention. In what is a quarterback-driven league, it should come as no surprise that the top four players on the list were signal-callers led by Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. Just two defensive players were ranked in the top 10. For the complete analysis of the top 10 players, click here. The entire Super 50 is only available in the magazine version, which is on newsstands now.
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