Patriots get exactly one player named on Top 10 lists from NFL execs, coaches, scouts and players
BOSTON -- Earlier this month, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler began rolling out lists compiled by the votes of 50 anonymous executives, coaches, scouts and players from around the NFL, after they had been asked to list the top 10 players at each position on the field. In the first three editions, the fact that no Patriots had even received a single vote stood out rather significantly.
Now, every position has been laid out, and in the 11 positions named, just two Patriots earned even one single vote at their position. Only one actually made it into a top 10. And of the 213 players who came to mind among those polled, just two were Patriots.
Those players were Hunter Henry, who came in as the 10th-best tight end in the NFL (via tiebreaker), and Jonnu Smith, who earned at least a vote but fell short of the top 10 and the honorable mentions.
"Henry won a tiebreaker with Miami's Mike Gesicki to land the final spot in the top 10, with voters preferring Henry's traditional tight end presence over Gesicki's vertical-threat ability," Fowler explained.
Outside of Henry and Smith, though, not a single Patriots player came to mind when the executives, coaches, scouts and players from the league were asked to name the best players at every position.
That's not to say that no players ended up landing in the top 10 at each spot. It's actually worse. Outside of the tight end position, no Patriots players ended up ranking in the top 10, no Patriots players earned an honorable mention, and no Patriots ended up even receiving a single vote.
Among edge rushers, in addition to the top 10, there were five honorable mentions and three players who also received votes. None of the 18 players were Patriots. (Matthew Judon probably was overlooked by voters in this category.)
Among defensive tackles, in addition to the top 10, there were four honorable mentions and six players who also received votes. None of the 20 players were Patriots.
Among off-ball linebackers, in addition to the top 10, there were eight honorable mentions and six players who also received votes. None of the 24 players were Patriots.
Among cornerbacks, in addition to the top 10, there were three honorable mentions plus four more players who also received votes. None of the 17 players were Patriots -- though former Patriots J.C. Jackson (No. 5) and Stephon Gilmore (received votes) did appear on the list.
Among safeties, in addition to the top 10, eight players were honorable mentions, and five other players also received votes. None of the 23 players were Patriots.
Taken together, that means that the 50 people polled came up with 102 players around the league who constitute the very best defensive players in the sport. None of them thought enough about any Patriots defenders to even cast a single top 10 vote at any position.
Switching over to offense, the Patriots were just as forgotten.
Among centers and guards, in addition to the top 10, six players were honorable mentions, and two more received votes. None of the 18 players were Patriots, though former Patriots guard Joe Thuney was at No. 4.
At quarterback, Mac Jones didn't crack anyone's top 10 list. There were three honorable mentions (Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr, Kyler Murray) who finished just behind Dak Prescott (No. 10), Deshaun Watson (No. 9) and Russell Wilson (No. 8). Kirk Cousins also received at least one vote. None of the 14 QBs listed were Patriots, though a rather well-known former Patriots QB named Tom Brady cracked the list at No. 4.
At running back, in addition to the top 10, three players were honorable mentions, and three more players received votes. None of the 16 players were Patriots.
At wide receiver, in addition to the top 10, seven players were honorable mentions, and five more players received votes. None of the 22 players were Patriots.
The Patriots finally made an appearance at tight end, with Henry at No. 10 and Smith being listed as a player who at least received a vote. The Patriots accounted for two of the 19 tight ends to receive votes. (2 out of 19)
But in the final grouping at offensive tackle, neither Trent Brown nor Isaiah Wynn made anyone's list. Of the 22 offensive tackles to receive votes, none were Patriots.
On offense, the Patriots accounted for two of the 111 players to receive votes.
On defense, the Patriots accounted for zero of the 102 players to receive votes.
That's not great.
(For what it's worth, last year the Patriots had six players receiving votes and four landing on top 10 lists. Two were the tight ends -- Henry was No. 7, Smith was No. 9. Two were the cornerbacks who have since left, with Gilmore at No. 4 and Jackson at No. 10. Judon and Dont'a Hightower also each received votes at their respective positions.)
While the Patriots might have had some more representation if those polled had weighed in on punters and kickers, the overwhelming point is that around the league ... nobody thinks all that much of the New England Patriots.
In the olden Patriots days, that would have likely been used as a point of pride and inspiration for the players inside the locker room in New England. Now? Now it kind of feels like an accurate representation of a team that went 7-9 two years ago, improved to 10-7 last year, but didn't really make any significant additions that would lend people to believe they'll be a force to be reckoned with this fall.
Of course, it remains possible that the 50 people who were polled made grievous errors in overlooking the likes of Matt Judon, Devin McCourty, Damien Harris, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, Trent Brown, Kendrick Bourne, Mac Jones, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, and Kyle Dugger. But for now, the opinions of team-builders and players around the league has certainly been noted.