The NFL 100 is now counted down. And the final tally has the Raiders landing three players in those ranks. The highest ranking of them being Maxx Crosby who comes in at 10 overall.
What makes the NFL 100 special, is it’s put together based on player votes. It’s the NFL players grading those who they take the field with and against every week. So, it means a bit more.
Crosby was in the conversation last season for Defensive Player of the Year as one of the best all-around edge defenders in the league. He came in at number ten in the rankings, with EDGE players Myles Garrett (5) and TJ Watt (8) ahead of him in the voting.
One would be hard-pressed to find a more desirable pass rusher than Crosby, whose refusal to give up on plays and willingness to leave it all out on the field was best exemplified in 2023. Despite a knee injury suffered in Week 2, which required offseason surgery, the Raiders defensive end enjoyed a career-best season, notching 14.5 sacks, 50 QB pressures, 31 QB hits, 23 tackles for loss and 90 tackles to earn him a third consecutive Pro Bowl trip. Crosby, who’s strong and aggressive yet nimble and crafty, has yet to miss a game through five seasons and the former third-round pick has embraced the “Raider Way” in virtually every way possible. What’s more amazing is that he’s largely grown to become a star without much help. With that set to change in 2024, the sky’s the limit for the Raiders’ star pass rusher.
Two other Raiders players made the list. Next up was Davante Adams who came in at 40th.
It’s a testament to Adams that in a season widely considered disappointing, he still finished in the top 10 in in receptions (103), top 15 in yards (1,144) and tied for eighth in touchdown catches (eight). As his former quarterback Aaron Rodgers once humbly stated, “Down years for me are career years for most.” The Raiders’ uneven QB play was Adams’ biggest detriment in 2023, but one of the game’s slickest route runners persevered to make the Top 100 for a seventh consecutive season.
Seven receivers were ranked higher than Adams, including Tyreek Hill who took the top overall spot in the Top 100.
The final player to make the top 100 was new addition, Christian Wilkins who came in at 59 overall.
After four solid years, Wilkins broke out in 2023 as a key piece of the Dolphins’ lethal pass rush, which ranked third with 56 sacks. For his part, Wilkins had nine sacks, double his previous career high and also set new highs with 62 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats, and 23 QB hits. Peaking at the perfect time to capitalize on free agency after playing on his fifth-year option, Wilkins signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Raiders to take his talents out west.
There aren’t really any other Raiders players who could lay claim to a NFL 100 spot. Mainly because kickers and punters don’t make this list.
