August 25, 2026
Kyle Ross/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jalen Carter is one of the NFL's 30 best players overall, according to the most recent "NFL Top 100" list.
Each year the NFL releases its Top 100 list, "voted on by the players themselves." Six Philadelphia Eagles players made the cut. A year ago, 10 Eagles players made it following their Super Bowl winning season.
As a disclaimer, in my former life in sales, I once worked for a company that kept a database of more than 5,000 investment research firms. Hedge funds, mutual funds, and big banks would come to us asking where they could find very specific bits of information, and we would make recommendations from our research firm database on where they could find the information they were looking for. Many of the firms in our database were experts in performing surveys. I've seen how the NFL conducts their surveys, and, well, let's just say that they are not survey experts. In other words, the "Top 100" list should always be viewed with a grain of salt.
Somehow, neither Lane Johnson nor Jordan Mailata are on this list. Many of the names appearing on it instead are flat-out laughable. But, whatever. This is nothing new, particularly for Johnson, who remains one of the most underrated players in sports history. Johnson was candid about his disdain for many of the rankings out there:
Rankings aside, what the NFL does do a good job of is producing videos where teammates and opponents around the league talk about each of the players who make the list.
With all that said, here are the six Eagles who made the cut.
Hurts fell 37 spots from last year, when he was 19th after winning Super Bowl MVP honors. During the 2025 season, however, the Eagles' offense was bad, boring, and predictable, and Hurts did not have his best season.
Despite compiling a career 57-25 regular season record, two Super Bowl appearances, and one Super Bowl MVP trophy, national media has been highly critical of his game, and team executives around the league don't seem to be sold on him either. However, Hurts does seem to get more respect from other players.
Mitchell was 49th a year ago, but he only rose two spots after his outstanding All-Pro season in 2025. Mitchell is already one of the best players in the NFL, and once he starts making regular season interceptions he'll start being viewed that way nationally.
Baun was 26th a year ago after he finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He had another very good Pro Bowl season in 2025, but dropped 19 spots.
DeJean was 60th a year ago. He rose 22 spots and Mitchell only rose two, which is weird, but whatever. 🤷♂️
A year ago, Barkley finished No. 1 on this list after he had one of the best running back seasons in NFL history. He came back down to earth in 2025, after a heavy workload in 2024.
Carter is one of the most talented players in the NFL, and worthy of this spot on the list. However, it was also a surprise to me that he finished this high, rising 14 spots after a down year.
Also notable: A.J. Brown made the list at No. 80 after coming in at 29th a year ago.
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