NFLSU: Six Tigers Make NFL’s Top 100 Players

The 2022 edition of the NFL Network’s Top 100 Players was finalized Sunday night and a total of six former Tigers were deemed some of the NFL’s best.

Justin Jefferson (17) was the highest ranked former Tiger in this year’s list. Joe Burrow (21), Ja’Marr Chase (24), Devin White (64), Tyrann Mathieu (70), and Odell Beckham Jr. (90) also appeared on the list.

Jefferson’s only been in the NFL two seasons and both years he’s landed on the Top 100. As a rookie Jefferson was No. 53, now he’s jumped all the way up to No. 17 and ranked the fifth highest wide receiver. Jefferson caught 108 passes for 1,616 yards and 10 scores last season and his 3,016 yards are the most ever by an NFL receiver through their first two seasons.

The tandem of Burrow and Chase helped lead LSU to a 15-0 national championship in 2019, and in 2021 they almost led the damn Cincinnati Bengals of all teams to a Super Bowl championship. Burrow is the No. 5 quarterback in the NFL per the Top 100. Burrow was the 2021 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and led the league in completion percentage with 70.1

Chase meanwhile was voted the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year after hauling in 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chase’s 1,440 yards was both an NFL rookie receiving record and the single-season record in Bengals’ franchise history. Chase was the second highest ranked rookie behind Dallas’s Micah Parsons.

Devin White made the Top 100 for the second consecutive season and is coming off his first ever Pro Bowl selection. In 2021 White had 128 tackles, 8 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks.

Tyrann Mathieu is coming back home to Louisiana as he prepares to enter his first season as a New Orleans Saint. Mathieu’s made the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons and in his final season with Kansas City forced six turnovers (3 INTs and 3 FRs).

Beckham had a career resurgence after being moving from the Browns to the Rams. Beckham helped Los Angeles win Super Bowl 56 and was well on his way to possibly winning Super Bowl MVP before tearing his ACL. He’s still without a team as he continues to recover from his injury.