It’s become trendy to say Patrick Mahomes isn’t the same guy he was a few years ago.

That’s absurd.

His numbers the past two seasons might not have been as gaudy as they were in some other seasons, but Mahomes is still the best player in the NFL, which is why he is No. 1 in my annual ranking of the league’s top 100 players. Quibble with his numbers all you want, he would still be the first player picked in any open draft.

Mahomes isn’t the only quarterback in my top 10. There are four. The others are Josh Allen (4), Lamar Jackson (6) and Joe Burrow (7). They are the elite of the NFL passers and clearly a group ahead of the rest.

The rest of the top 10 is made up of two edge rushers, one back and two receivers. For the first time in a long time, there isn’t an offensive lineman, but a few were close.

In putting together this list, which started as a top 50 list way back when I first started at CBS in the early 2000s, one thing is clear: There isn’t a lot of star power in the league right now. What we have is big group of really good players ranked from 20-60. That was the toughest part in doing these rankings. A lot of those players are grouped together, so slotting them was tough.

Dive in and take a look and get as angry and nasty as you want. I know it’s coming. Any list like this does that — and I’ve been doing this for a long time.

So fire away in the comments section.

1 Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs QB His numbers have not been as gaudy the past few seasons, but he is still the best in the league. With an improved offensive line, and better receivers, his numbers will go up this year. (Last season: No. 1) 2 Myles Garrett Cleveland Browns DE Garrett had 14 sacks to finish second in the league, but his impact was much more obvious than that number. He is an elite game-wrecker as he turns 30 this year. (Last season: No. 2) 3 Saquon Barkley Philadelphia Eagles RB Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory. He can do so many things for the Eagles offense, which is why he is a real MVP candidate heading into this season. (Last season: NR) 4 Josh Allen Buffalo Bills QB Allen won his first MVP last season for a reason. He carried the Bills to the AFC title game again, growing as a passer and a player. Next step: Win a Super Bowl. (Last season: No. 6) 5 Justin Jefferson Minnesota Vikings WR Jefferson continues to make a strong case as the best receiver in the league. He had 103 catches with 10 touchdowns last season, but had 28 catches of 20 yards or more to lead the league. (Last season: No. 7) 6 Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens QB Jackson continues to put up big numbers and he has improved in all facets of his game. He just has to be able to do more in the playoffs when it is time to do so. He is the best dual-threat quarterback in the game. (Last season: No. 16) 7 Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals QB Burrow stayed healthy last year and put up MVP-type numbers with 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdown passes. But a bad defense kept the Bengals out of the playoffs. With the receivers both paid and back, look for another big year from Burrow. (Last season: No. 15) 8 Ja’Marr Chase Cincinnati Bengals WR Chase won the triple crown last year by leading the league in catches, yards and touchdowns. It is between him and his former college teammate Justin Jefferson as to who is the top receiver in the league. (Last season: No. 13) 9 Patrick Surtain II Denver Broncos CB PS2 has emerged as the top cover corner in the league. His ability to lock down receivers impacts the Denver defense in a big way. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. (Last season: No. 25) 10 Micah Parsons Dallas Cowboys LB In 13 games last season, Parsons had 12 sacks and now has 52 1/2 in four seasons. He is one of the elite rushers in the game, a player who can move up and down the line to generate the pressures. (Last season: No. 9)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

11 T.J. Watt Pittsburgh Steelers OLB He had 11.5 sacks, but didn’t have one in the final three games or in the postseason loss to the Ravens. Watt played a lot of plays and seemed to wear down some late in the season. He also saw a ton of attention from opposing offenses. At 31, he’s still an elite player. (Last season: No. 5) 12 Lane Johnson Philadelphia Eagles OT Johnson is still the best right tackle in the game and is on his way to the Hall of Fame. Johnson hasn’t slowed a bit as he readies for his 13th season. The Eagles are a different offense when he misses time. (Last season: No. 52) 13 Jordan Mailata Philadelphia Eagles OT This former rugby player from Australia has become one of the best left tackles in the league. He is a massive man who excels in both the run game and in pass protection. (Last season: NR) 14 Derrick Henry Baltimore Ravens RB All King Henry did was rush for 1,921 yards in his first season with the Ravens to show he’s far from slowing down. At 31, he is beating back Father Time — for now. (Last season: No. 91) 15 Aidan Hutchinson Detroit Lions DE Hutchinson was on his way to possibly being the Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 before suffering fractured tibia and fibula injuries in Week 6 against Dallas. Hutchinson was a menace before the injury, already totaling 7.5 sacks before the injury. (Last season: No. 47) 16 Creed Humphrey Kansas City Chiefs C Humphrey remains the game’s best center, a big part of what the Chiefs do on offense. The interior of that line is the strength of their unit, with Humphrey being a dominant center. (Last season: No. 48) 17 Jalen Carter Philadelphia Eagles DT In his second season in 2024, Carter emerged as a force inside on the Eagles defense. He played really well down the stretch and in the run to win the Super Bowl. Look for him to be even better this year. (Last season: No. 93) 18 Chris Jones Kansas City Chiefs DE Entering his 10th season, Jones is still a big-time factor on the Chiefs line. He had a career-low five sacks last season, but he still impacted the game in a big way and saw a ton of double teams. He has to be accounted for on every play. (Last season: No. 14) 19 Fred Warner San Francisco 49ers MLB Warner is the game’s best run-and-chase linebacker, a key part of the 49ers defense. His ability to cover a lot of ground and play well in pass coverage is vital to the team’s defensive success (Last season: No. 22) 20 Tristan Wirfs Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Wirfs is one of the two best left tackles in the game, and some would say the best. He excels as a blind-side pass protector for Baker Mayfield and his run blocking is a big part of why the Bucs ran the ball better in 2024. (Last season: No. 24)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

21 Penei Sewell Detroit Lions OT Sewell is in the conversation for best right tackle in the league. He is good in both the run game and protecting for Jared Goff. He said he’s getting stronger this year to improve. That’s scary. (Last season: No. 17) 22 Brock Bowers Las Vegas Raiders TE Bowers led all tight ends in catches last season as a rookie with 112, showing off the ability to dominate his matchups. He might not catch as many passes this year, but I think he’s now the best tight end in the league. (Last season: NR) 23 Derek Stingley Jr. Houston Texans CB Stingley Jr. has emerged as one of the best cover players in the league after a so-so rookie season in 2022, which is why the Texans rewarded him with a big extension. He had five interceptions in 2024. (Last season: No. 80) 24 Sauce Gardner New York Jets CB Gardner’s play fell off some in 2024, much like a lot of Jets, but it didn’t fall that much. He needs to tackle better at times, but there is no doubt he is an outstanding cover corner. (Last season: No. 12) 25 George Kittle San Francisco 49ers TE Kittle remains the best dual-threat tight end in the game. He can catch it and he’s a great blocker. Those types of tight ends are hard to find. He had 78 catches with eight touchdowns last season. (Last season: No. 37) 26 Trey Hendrickson Cincinnati Bengals DE He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, giving him 35 over the past two seasons. At 30, he is still one of the elite edge players in the game … even if the Bengals haven’t paid him like it. (Last season: No. 33) 27 CeeDee Lamb Dallas Cowboys WR Lamb has now had 100-plus receptions in three straight seasons and has emerged as one of the best receivers in the league. He caught 101 passes with six touchdowns last season, despite mostly poor quarterback play and little help from the other receivers. (Last season: No. 21) 28 Maxx Crosby Las Vegas Raiders DE Crosby missed five games because of injury and had only 7.5 sacks last season after getting 14.5 the year before, but he remains a force on the edge when he’s on the field. A healthy Crosby is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. (Last season: No. 11) 29 Dexter Lawrence New York Giants DT Big Dex missed time with injury last year, but he was a force before being sent to the sidelines. He can play the run as well as anybody, but he can also push the pocket. He’s a massive force inside. (Last season: No. 19) 30 Tyreek Hill Miami Dolphins WR After two dominant seasons with the Dolphins, Hill’s numbers were down in 2024. There were a lot of reasons, but he wasn’t the same player. He had just 81 catches with six touchdowns. This is a big year for him. (Last season: No. 4)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

31 A.J. Brown Philadelphia Eagles WR In 13 games, Brown had 67 catches for 1,069 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 16.1 yards per catch, which was up by 2.4 yards per catch from the year before. His catches were down, but his big plays were not. (Last season: No. 27 32 Jahmyr Gibbs Detroit Lions RB Gibbs rushed for 1,412 yards with 52 catches and 20 touchdowns in 2024, emerging as a big-play threat in the Lions offense. He is the prototypical “air” back who excels in space. (Last season: NR) 33 Jayden Daniels Washington Commanders QB Daniels showed as a rookie that he has star potential and should be a top-level quarterback for a long time. It’s scary to think how good he can be once he learns how to really play the position. (Last season: NR) 34 Trent Williams San Francisco 49ers OT Injuries limited him to 10 games last season and he wasn’t the same dominant player when he was on the field. He was still good, just not great. At 37, that has to be a concern. (Last season: No. 3) 35 Nick Bosa San Francisco 49ers DE Bosa had nine sacks in 14 games, but still showed off his ability to win off the edge by totaling a lot of pressures. He didn’t get a lot of help from the rest of the line, which is why they had a major overhaul of that unit this offseason. He’s still just 27 and in the prime of his career. (Last season: No. 10) 36 Kyle Hamilton Baltimore Ravens SAF Hamilton can do so many things and when he moved to free safety full time last season it changed the Ravens defense. He is also capable of being a menace near the line of scrimmage if asked to do so. (Last season: No. 36) 37 Cameron Heyward Pittsburgh Steelers DT After a down injury-plagued season in 2023, Heyward had one of his best seasons in 2024. He had eight sacks and was a force for the Steelers defense. Age is starting to be an issue at 35. (Last season: NR) 38 Rashawn Slater Los Angeles Chargers OT The former top 10 pick is a rock on the left side of the Chargers line. He excels in pass protection for Justin Herbert, but he’s also powerful in the run game. (Last season: No. 69) 39 Bijan Robinson Atlanta Falcons RB In his second season in the league, Robinson was third in the league with 1,486 yards rushing. He averaged an impressive 4.8 per rush, while also catching 61 passes. (Last season: NR) 40 Zack Baun Philadelphia Eagles LB The Eagles moved Baun from outside linebacker to inside linebacker and he became a star on their defense in his first season with the team. He plays both the run and the pass well and he can rush the passer. (Last season: NR)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

41 Christian McCaffrey San Francisco 49ers RB McCaffrey missed the first eight games of the 2024 season with Achilles issues, then had a knee injury that ended his season, limiting him to four games. He’s healthy again, which is the most important thing heading into the 2025 season. (Last season: No. 8) 42 Trey McBride Arizona Cardinals TE McBride finished fourth in the league with 111 catches in his breakout season. He had just two touchdown catches, which is a number that will go up this season … count on it. (Last season: No. 83) 43 Chris Lindstrom Atlanta Falcons OG Lindstrom is one of the best interior players in the league, a dominant run blocker who has improved in pass protection. At 28, he still has a lot of good football in front of him. (Last season: NR) 44 Brian Thomas Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars WR With all the Travis Hunter talk, people forget how dominant Thomas Jr. was as a rookie for a bad offense in 2024. With Hunter on the opposite side and Trevor Lawrence healthy, he can be even better. (Last season: NR) 45 Malik Nabers New York Giants WR As a rookie, Nabers had 109 catches playing in an offense with major quarterback issues. As that position gets better, so will his numbers. He averaged 11 yards per catch, but he has more big-play ability than that number would indicate. (Last season: NR) 46 Trent McDuffie Kansas City Chiefs CB The Chiefs needed him to play outside more last season, which is not his best position. He is more of a nickel corner, but he did a nice job when asked to do so. He is the best inside player in the league when he does play the nickel. (Last season: No. 30) 47 Danielle Hunter Houston Texans DE Hunter had 12 sacks in his first season with the Texans, giving him three straight double-digit sack seasons and five straight in seasons where he’s played at least 16 games. He is a force off the edge, teaming with Will Anderson Jr. to give the Texans a nice combo. (Last season: No. 35) 48 Quinnen Williams New York Jets DT Like a lot of Jets, Williams wasn’t as good in 2024 as he was the year before. However, he remains a power player who can push the pocket in the middle of the Jets line. Look for a bounce-back year from him in 2025. (Last season: No. 29) 49 Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB In his first season under Jim Harbaugh, Herbert threw for 3,870 yards with 28 touchdown passes and just three picks. Over the final four games, he threw nine touchdown passes. He’s another who needs to win in the playoffs. (Last season: No. 41) 50 Jonathan Taylor Indianapolis Colts RB In just 13 starts, Taylor finished fourth in the league in rushing with 1,431 yards. He averaged 4.7 yards per rush, his best since 2021. Injuries have kept him out of 10 games the past two seasons. (Last season: NR)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

51 Quinn Meinerz Denver Broncos C Meinerz was named an All-Pro after a dominant 2024 season. He is adept as both a run blocker and in pass protection and is a big part of why the Denver offensive line improved last season. (Last season: NR) 52 Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles QB In five seasons as a starter, Hurts has played in two Super Bowls, winning one. He fits perfectly into the Eagles’ scheme. His improvement in the postseason catapulted the Eagles to their Super Bowl title. (Last season: No. 53) 53 Tyler Linderbaum Baltimore Ravens C Linderbaum has developed into one of the better centers in the league. He is good in the run game, which helped key Derrick Henry’s big season in 2024. Expect the Ravens to give him a hefty contract extension in the near future. (Last season: No. 100) 54 Jared Verse Los Angeles Rams LB Verse had 4.5 sacks as a rookie, but the pressure numbers show how dominant he can be as an edger player. He did rack up a lot of them on his way to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He’s also good in the run game. This could be his breakout sack season. (Last season: NR) 55 Joe Thuney Chicago Bears OG The Bears traded for Thuney and then signed him to an extension for a reason. He’s a reliable guard who was forced to play left tackle for the Chiefs last year and still held his own. (Last season: No. 86) 56 Will Anderson Jr. Houston Texans DE In his second season, Anderson Jr. had 13.5 sacks for the Texans. He pairs with Danielle Hunter to give Houston one of the best edge-rushing duos in the league. (Last season: No. 99) 57 Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Mayfield had his best season in 2024 with 41 touchdown passes and 4,500 yards. He might be the most underrated quarterback in the league after the slow start to his career. (Last season: NR) 58 Amon-Ra St. Brown Detroit Lions WR St. Brown finished second in the league with 115 catches in 2024 with 12 touchdowns. He is a chain mover with 61.3% of his catches going for first downs. (Last season: No. 39) 59 Christian Darrisaw Minnesota Vikings OT Darrisaw was limited to seven starts last season because of a torn ACL. When he was on the field, he was playing at a dominating level. He’s one of the best pass blockers in the league. (Last season: No. 54) 60 Kerby Joseph Detroit Lions SAF Joseph led the league in picks last season with nine as he had his breakout season. That earned him All-Pro honors, and he’s still just 24 years old. (Last season: NR)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

61 Xavier McKinney Green Bay Packers SAF McKinney had eight picks in his first season with the Packers, showing off outstanding cover skills. He proved to be a nice pickup in free agency for the Packers, another Giants mistake in letting him go. (Last season: NR) 62 Christian Gonzalez New England Patriots CB In his second season with the Patriots, Gonzalez emerged as an elite cover player. He should only get better and his pairing with Carlton Davis will give the Pats a nice 1-2 corner combo. (Last season: NR) 63 Puka Nacua Los Angeles Rams WR He was limited to 12 games because of injury, yet Nacua still managed to catch 79 passes with three touchdowns. That number was down from the 105 he had as a rookie, but he did average more catches per game. (Last season: No. 66) 64 Leonard Williams Seattle Seahawks DE In his first full season with Seattle, Williams had 11 sacks, the most he’s had since 2020. He was a force for the Seattle defense as he turns 31 this year. (Last season: NR) 65 Brian Branch Detroit Lions CB Branch settled in at safety last season. He is a good run player who also has the skills to cover. He teams with Kerby Joseph to give the Lions the best safety combo in the league. (Last season: NR) 66 Josh Jacobs Green Bay Packers RB In his first season with the Packers, Jacobs rushed for a career-high 1,329 yards with 16 total touchdowns. His toughness running the ball helped key the Packers offense. (Last season: NR) 67 Nico Collins Houston Texans WR Bothered by injuries, Collins played in just 12 games last season as the Texans offense took a step back. When he was on the field, he was still a big-play threat with 68 catches and seven touchdowns. He averaged 14.8 per catch, which was down from the year before. (Last season: No. 77) 68 Marlon Humphrey Baltimore Ravens CB After a disappointing 2023 season, Humphrey played well in 2024, tying for the league lead for corners with six picks. He excels in the slot for the Ravens. (Last season: NR) 69 Quinyon Mitchell Philadelphia Eagles CB As a rookie, Mitchell quickly showed off the skills to be a lock-down corner. His matchups with some of the league’s best receivers were fun to watch. With a year of experience, he could push to be league’s best corner in 2025. (Last season: NR) 70 Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals WR The Bengals rewarded Higgins with a new contract this year because he’s such a big part of their offense. It’s different when he’s on the field with Ja’Marr Chase. He had 72 catches in 12 games with 10 touchdowns last season. (Last season: NR)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

71 Jaylon Johnson Chicago Bears CB Johnson didn’t play as well in 2024 as he did in 2023, but he remains a top cover player. He was showing elite skills two years ago, so the talent is certainly there. (Last season: No. 34) 72 Landon Dickerson Philadelphia Eagles OG Dickerson doesn’t always get the due he deserves on the talented Eagles line, but he is a good player. He excels in pass protection and is also good in the run game. (Last season: NR) 73 Jessie Bates III Atlanta Falcons FS Bates’ play slipped a little last season in his second with the Falcons, but he remains a top-tier safety. He just turned 28, so he still has a lot of good football left. (Last season: No. 44) 74 Garett Bolles Denver Broncos OT Bolles excels in pass protection playing on the left side of the Denver line. He isn’t a power player in the run game, but he gets by with his smarts. He’s more known for his pass blocking. (Last season: NR) 75 Trey Smith Kansas City Chiefs OG Smith is a brutish mauler in the run game. He blows people off the line of scrimmage. He’s also improved in pass protection. The Chiefs know his value, which is why he got a new contract extension. (Last season: No. 90) 76 Josh Hines-Allen Jacksonville Jaguars DE His sack number went from 17.5 in 2023 to eight last season, but there were reasons for it. He was asked to gain weight, and it slowed him some. Now with a new staff, he is back down in weight and should be more explosive again. (Last season: No. 23) 77 Jared Goff Detroit Lions QB Goff is coming off his best season, one that saw him throw for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdown passes. It will be interesting to see how he plays now that Ben Johnson is gone to Chicago as the coach, but I don’t expect much of a drop-off for Goff. (Last season: No. 76) 78 Jeffery Simmons Tennessee Titans DT On a bad team in 2024, Simmons was one of the few bright spots. He remains one of the stronger inside players in the league, a guy who can wreck a game. He had five sacks last season, but he was second on the team in tackles. (Last season: No. 95) 79 Jaire Alexander Green Bay Packers CB Injuries have slowed him during his career, but when he’s on the field he remains a top cover player. For him, it’s just a matter of staying healthy to be considered a top corner, but that’s in large part why the Packers released him last week. (Last season: No. 64) 80 Quenton Nelson Indianapolis Colts OG After a couple of down years, Nelson was back to his old ways last season for the Colts, dominating in the run game and excelling in pass protection. He is key to Jonathan Taylor and the run game in Indianapolis. (Last season: NR)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design

81 Terry McLaurin Washington Commanders WR In 2024, when he finally had a top-level quarterback, McLaurin was even better than he had been in the past. He had 82 catches with a career-high 13 touchdown receptions as he and Jayden Daniels developed a nice rapport. (Last season: NR) 82 Mike Evans Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Playing in 14 games, Evans once again went over 1,000 yards, the 11th straight season doing so. He had 74 catches with 11 touchdowns and continued to show off his big-play ability. (Last season: No. 88) 83 Zach Tom Green Bay Packers OG Tom is one of the most underrated players in the league — a dominant part of Green Bay’s offensive line. He doesn’t look the part, but he plays the game at a high level. (Last season: NR) 84 Devon Witherspoon Seattle Seahawks CB Witherspoon is a feisty corner who loves to throw his body around in the run game. He doesn’t back down. He’s also a good cover player who is the tone-setter for the Seattle secondary. (Last season: No. 74) 85 Cooper DeJean Philadelphia Eagles CB As a rookie, DeJean displayed outstanding cover skills as a slot corner. He will be asked to play outside more this season, but he has the skill set to handle it. (Last season: NR) 86 Sam LaPorta Detroit Lions TE His second-year numbers went down from his rookie season, but that’s because of the emergence of Jameson Williams in the passing game. LaPorta still had 60 catches, with seven for touchdowns, and remains a tough matchup for opposing defenses. (Last season: No. 58) 87 Roquan Smith Baltimore Ravens ILB After an impressive 2023 season, Smith’s play tailed off early last year — like much of the Ravens defense. But he rebounded in the second half to show off his all-around abilities. He can do so many things for the Baltimore defense. (Last season: No. 40) 88 Bobby Wagner Washington Commanders MLB At the age of 34, Wagner continues to be a good player who impacts the game. His run defense is outstanding, but he can also rush and still can play the pass, even if he doesn’t cover as much ground as he did in the past. (Last season: NR) 89 Antoine Winfield Jr. Tampa Bay Buccaneers SAF Injuries forced Winfield Jr. to miss eight games last season and he wasn’t the same player he had been in his first four seasons. But when healthy, he remains a player who can do a lot of things and a big part of the Tampa Bay defense. (Last season: No. 31) 90 Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys QB A year after leading the league with 36 touchdown passes, Prescott was limited to eight games because of injury. Even before the injury, he wasn’t as sharp as the year before with just 11 touchdown passes and eight picks. But I think he’s closer to the 2023 Prescott again. (Last season: No. 49)

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports design