To preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.
Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and follow-up calls. Each section is packed with quotes and nuggets from the voters on every guy -- even the honorable mentions.
The objective is to identify the best players right now for 2020. This is not a five-year projection or an achievement award. Who's the best today? Pretty simple.
We'll roll out a position per day over the next 11 days. Here's the schedule:
Week 1: tight ends (July 7); quarterbacks (July 8); running backs (July 9); wide receivers (July 10); offensive tackles (July 11)
Week 2: interior offensive linemen (July 12); edge defenders (July 13); interior defensive linemen (July 14); off-ball linebackers (July 15); cornerbacks (July 16); safeties (July 17)
The interior defensive line -- which was basically a race for second, thanks to Aaron Donald -- was complicated by age. Several players older than 30 are still performing at a high level, leaving little room for newcomers.
We tried to separate which players are living off rep (not many) and which are properly fending off the rest of the competition (many).
The No. 2 spot required a tiebreaker. The No. 10 spot required one, too. And somewhere in the middle is one of the game's biggest superstars who desperately wants to shake durability issues. This ranking includes all defensive tackles, along with defensive ends in a 3-4 alignment.
1. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
Age: 29 | Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 1
Not much needs to be said. We could have removed Donald from the voting process, because nobody thought twice about taking anyone else at No. 1.
He's the only player, regardless of position, to earn a clean sweep of first-place votes.
"Best player in football," said one NFC scout.
Donald absorbed double-teams on a league-high 295 snaps last year and still produced 12.5 sacks, highest among defensive tackles. His 302 total pressures since 2017 are 58 more than any other player during that span, according to Pro Football Focus.
2. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 26 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 6
Jones and Fletcher Cox were closely linked after the first round of voting. Jones won out -- barely -- thanks to his ability to smash a game plan with strength and length.
"For about 10 plays a game, he's one of the best players in football," said an NFC exec. "You don't always know what you're going to get with the rest."
The Chiefs believe he has become more consistent, especially against the run. That belief is evident in the four-year deal to which they signed him Tuesday, which has a maximum value of $85 million. Jones' 24.5 sacks since 2018 is second to Donald among defensive tackles.
"As a pure pass rusher, he's right below Aaron Donald," a veteran NFL defensive coach said. "If you leave him one-on-one, he's going to win. The next step in his evolution is dominating games against the constant double-team."
3. Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 29 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 5
Cox had a similar composite ranking to Jones but garnered fewer top-three votes.
"If you're talking quickness, Cox gets the edge," an NFC exec said.
Cox is still No. 1 on opposing offenses' game plans each week. But production slipped last year. Cox's 3.5 sacks were his lowest total since 2013.
"Fastball wasn't what it was two years ago, but still premier," said a veteran NFL defensive coach.
Ask veteran offensive linemen about that fastball -- as we did -- and they'll debunk that in a hurry.
"There's no one else I hate facing more, maybe other than Aaron Donald," said one veteran NFL guard. "He can beat you with speed or overpower you."
4. DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis Colts
Age: 26 | Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 7
Buckner had a top-seven vote on every ballot, punctuating the Colts' decision to trade a first-round pick to the 49ers to acquire him, then give him $105 million on a new deal.
The word on Buckner is he's not necessarily dominant on one area, but he's a true anchor -- good at just about everything.
"He's capable of changing their defense," said an NFL coordinator. "Put him at three technique and let him go. He's not a John Randle, dominant type, but he's a really good player and uses his size and leverage well."
A 6-foot-7 frame with 34-3/8-inch arms and 11-3/4-inch hands will do the job. Plus, Buckner was a leader for a Super Bowl team as the 49ers finished top-five in passing defense, scoring defense and team sacks.
5. J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Age: 31 | Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 9
Durability is the only thing holding back Watt, who's still performing at a high level despite missing a combined 32 games since 2016.
Watt, who has the ability to play inside and off the edge, led all 3-4 defensive ends or defensive tackles with a 23.8 pass rush win rate.
This is not a rep thing for the three-time defensive player of the year. He still brings heat in 2020.
"Still a dynamic football player, run or pass," an NFL defensive coach said. "No drop-off when healthy. I think the injuries are more bad luck than debilitating for his future. He can still be really good."
6. Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 31 | Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 9
Five summers ago, Heyward signed a $60 million extension with Pittsburgh. Now, Heyward is playing well enough to re-up for another payout.
In 2019, Heyward's nine sacks, six pass deflections and 71 tackles netted a stellar 91.5 Pro Football Focus grade and triggered a third straight Pro Bowl.
Some voters placed Heyward on the back end of the top 10, preferring the athleticism of others. But as far as complete players with savvy and strength, there aren't many better.
"So technically sound that he can handle anything," said one NFL defensive coach. "When he's on his technique, he can't be stopped. It's not always athlete versus athlete with him because he's so smart. He has athletic arrogance that he probably shouldn't have because he's not an elite athlete."
That good arrogance comes out inside the Steelers' building, where Heyward will forecast he's going to beat up on a decorated offensive guard -- and then does just that on Sunday.
7. Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers
Age: 26 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 11
The money says Buckner ($21 million per year) is better than Armstead ($17.5 million), and some scouting reports do, too.
For now.
The 49ers knew what they were doing when they moved Buckner and kept Armstead.
"Buckner is better down in, down out, but Armstead -- now that he's healthy and in a good situation -- put it all together (in 2019)," an NFL personnel man said. "He might have more in front of him than Buckner."
After an 11-sack season, Armstead earned an 89.8 Pro Football Focus grade, one of the highest at his position. And with Nick Bosa and Dee Ford rushing off the edge in San Francisco, Armstead brings balance to the 49ers' interior attack.
8. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears
Age: 30 | Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Off the ballot
Hicks is a curious case because he didn't appear on several ballots, but nearly everyone who voted for him had him very high.
"Explosive, dominant, first step, smart -- you have to deal with him," said one NFL head coach.
Coming off 2017-18, when Hicks produced 16 sacks, he might have been top-five. Injuries slowed him to 10 tackles and one sack in five games. He's not the best technician on this list. But that doesn't matter all that much, especially to those in the NFC North who hate facing him.
"When healthy and willing, he's incredibly hard to block," said an NFC exec.
9. Grady Jarrett, Atlanta Falcons
Age: 27 | Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: 10
Jarrett landed a $68 million extension last offseason, then followed up with arguably the best year of his career.
Jarrett is becoming an advanced-metrics standout, leading all defensive linemen in run-stuffs with 20, via Next Gen Stats. He also ranked second among defensive tackles with a 21.3 pass rush win rate.
Add 50 tackles and 7.5 sacks and Jarrett broke away from back-half cluster in this voting.
"He was seen as one-dimensional for a while, as mostly a pass rusher, but I think he's evolved," said one NFL coordinator. "Still not as strong as some of these others and a bit undersized, but the quickness jumps out at you. And he can get more sacks. He has the ability to be a double-digit guy."
10. Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers
Age: 24 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Off the ballot
Clark and 33-year-old Calais Campbell were tied at the 10 spot, so we isolated the matchup to break the tie, and Clark earned slightly higher marks in the re-vote.
Campbell is still a top-10 player at the position, but Clark had more top-five votes.
Clark's pass-rush upside is obvious. He produced 62 pressures, second-most for an interior defensive lineman, according to Pro Football Focus data. And that's with offenses throwing bodies at him. He faced a double-team on 289 defensive plays last year, second to Donald. His 221 pass rushes vs. a double-team led the league.
Many evaluators believe he'll be a double-digit sack guy in 2020.
"Liked him coming out, but he's been way better than I thought," said an NFC exec. "More active than I thought he was in college, shows more athleticism."
Honorable mention
Calais Campbell, Baltimore Ravens: "I am scared of him. In that (Baltimore) system, he'll be put in spots to make plays with isolation. Another good year." -- NFL defensive coach
Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals: "He's still a load, but at this stage, you can put a double-team on him and phase him out pretty quickly." -- NFL defensive coach
David Onyemata, New Orleans Saints: "A Canadian-football guy at the college level, Nigerian kid that just started really playing in college -- completely raw but phenomenal athlete. What you're seeing as far as progress is phenomenal. He's not instinctive yet, but he's just scratching the surface." -- NFL coordinator
Michael Pierce, Minnesota Vikings: "A true nose, which probably hurts him here, but so tough against the run." -- NFC scout
Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers: "He's coming off a down year with injuries, but it wasn't long ago he was a premier guy, and I think he has something left." -- NFL defensive coach