This year's NFL Rank sparked plenty of debate -- especially inside the league.
On Monday, our panel of NFL experts dropped a ranking of the league's Top 100 players based on performance expectations for the 2024 season in comparison to their peers.
The project arrives about a month after we put a bow on our annual Top 10s project, featuring NFL executives, coaches and scouts ranking the top players at each position entering 2024.
It's only right to circle back with some of those same personnel evaluators to see how this Top 100 was perceived.
A review of the two rankings showed plenty of similarities in the order of each position -- and a whole bunch of differences.
We took some of the most significant points of debate and the league's hot-button questions about the 2024 campaign to our network of NFL insiders. Among the finer points: The overall strength of several impressive teams and the overcooked importance of the quarterback position, which occupies five of the top 15 spots.
(All ranks reflect 2024 NFL Rank placement.)
Would you rather have the Eagles' (five ranked offensive players) or 49ers' (six) offensive personnel?
The 49ers' A-list talent makes this close. It doesn't get any better than Trent Williams at left tackle and Christian McCaffrey at running back. George Kittle annually jockeys for position with Travis Kelce atop the tight end pantheon. Deebo Samuel Sr. and Brandon Aiyuk comprise one of the most versatile receiver duos in the league.
But Philly gets the slight edge with evaluators who spoke with us.
"Better offensive line, better core of receivers," an AFC executive said. "Saquon [Barkley] will be a big piece. I'm taking the O-line. Very close. Some of what San Francisco does well is because Kyle [Shanahan] is making it work."
The Eagles have three elite linemen in Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson. San Francisco can't boast that. And the duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith matches well with San Francisco's receiver lineup.
Brock Purdy vs. Jalen Hurts? That might be a pretty even fight. The quarterbacks ranked 11th and 13th in our Top 10 series as voted on by league execs, coaches and scouts.
Battle for the better roster: Would you rather have the Lions' or Texans' lineup?
Lions general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have carefully crafted one of the league's best rosters from top to bottom.
While the Texans might have the edge in the passing game and at edge rusher, Detroit is considered more balanced.
"[The Lions] are better up front on the offensive line, and I think their defensive line will be better now, too, because of [DJ] Reader," an NFL personnel director said. "They probably need another edge rusher. With rookie corners you never know, but those guys [Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.] are talented. They are better in the middle of the field. And if Jameson Williams stays healthy, he will be a huge difference-maker for them."
Houston's young core -- including quarterback C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Nico Collins, pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. and corner Derek Stingley Jr. -- makes the Texans a more intriguing long-term play for some.
"If you're talking pieces to build around over the next three to five years, I'd probably give the nod to Houston," a veteran AFC scout said. "A few more good drafts and they will be a juggernaut."
Are you buying C.J. Stroud as a top-15 player regardless of position this early in his career?
While the Stroud hype is warranted after a historic rookie year, most evaluators are pumping the brakes on top-15 billing.
At No. 15, Stroud sits between Trent Williams and Nick Bosa, two players who have been the very best at their respective positions. Stroud isn't there yet at his position.
"A little too early for me," an NFL executive said. "He's got great skill around him, an offense to air it out, and Stroud's ball placement was exceptional last year. But I need to see a little more. There are a few more proven options in the league, and the Texans did a really good job supporting him last year and building skill guys around him."
But even those that disagree with the ranking admit they probably won't a year from now.
"He's got the poise and confidence that the greats need," the exec said. "Huge for him that the coordinator [Bobby Slowik] stayed. I think [Slowik is] really good and will be a head coach next year. Those two seem to work really well together."
Is Aaron Rodgers really still going to be a top-50 player this season?
If healthy, yes. That's the feeling among several people who were asked. With 10 quarterbacks inside the top 50 of these rankings, he's still undoubtedly inside the top 10 at his position.
"Assuming he's anything close to where he was pre-injury, then yes, because he was still a top-five quarterback before the injury," an NFL executive said. "He's one of the best pure passers the league has ever seen, and he's maintained his arm strength. Has probably lost his peak performance as far as overall athleticism, but he's still plenty good there."
An NFL personnel evaluator who disagreed countered with this: "He doesn't move like he used to, doesn't create concern from defenses with his mobility. Still one of the best pure passers, no question. But throwing with high velocity on the move with accuracy -- can he still do that? I have my questions about that."
Rodgers' standing hinges on whether he can elevate the Jets, who have missed the playoffs in 13 straight seasons.
"The Jets should be better. If not now, then when?" an NFL personnel director said. "You know they will be tough and fast on defense. If they get [Haason] Reddick back, that would be nice. The defensive line is legit good. Curious what Mike Williams does. But they can score a lot of points."
Which player is going to break out in 2024?
Atlanta's Drake London is a name that received multiple mentions when asking league evaluators this question. The third-year wide receiver failed to reach 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, which makes it difficult to crack the upper tier. But the talent is obvious, and so is the fit with new quarterback Kirk Cousins, a major upgrade at the position for Atlanta.
"Kirk will throw it to him a lot," an AFC executive said. "He'll get a lot of 50-50 balls. Hasn't had a capable quarterback. Atlanta will get a lot more out of the offense in general."
Another receiver who is poised for stardom, if he's not already there: Houston's Nico Collins. "I think he's awesome," an NFL personnel director said. "They have Diggs, but he's not the No. 1 there. Nico is."
How challenging will it be for Josh Allen to match his top-five status without Stefon Diggs?
Allen is getting the benefit of the doubt in league circles. Take Patrick Mahomes out of the equation and many evaluators would start a team with Allen, who was efficient late last season despite Diggs' drop-off in production (four receptions or fewer in six of his final 10 games in Buffalo).
"[Allen is] so talented, and you know he'll still produce as a runner," an NFL scouting director said. "They still have good players like [Dalton] Kincaid, James Cook and [Khalil] Shakir. Keon Coleman will make plays. I liked him a lot [in the draft]. You'll probably lean on the run game slightly more, but he'll still be a top-five quarterback."
One AFC exec made a good point: Late last year, the Bills finally realized they can thrive without Diggs as the focal point. Doesn't mean Diggs is not still great, but from a confidence standpoint, they believe they can finally do it. It was time.
"They will be more balanced on offense now," the exec said. "Diggs wasn't the focus of the offense over the final eight weeks, and [Allen] still played at a really high level."
Were you surprised there were nine cornerbacks but just five safeties ranked in the top 100?
This was not a major surprise, largely because of the nature of the position. Safeties have fewer splash-play opportunities than, say, edge rusher. Certain schemes ask safeties to limit explosive plays in split safety coverage, which results in a lot of tackles but less ball production. So few safeties can do it all, playing the deep part of the field, in the box and effectively blitzing. Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield's banner 2023 performance was a perfect storm of ability meeting an aggressive scheme.
"That's why I'm not all that surprised, but [Miami's] Jevon Holland should be in there," an AFC executive said. "He doesn't have the big numbers, but he's really, really good. And Budda Baker is still a really good player."
Nine or 10 cornerbacks is about right -- there's good depth at the position, but not many surefire Hall of Famers on the list.
"At corner, teams seem to be going younger, and it's sort of becoming like the wideout, where the volume is so high that the quality is down a little bit," the exec said. "You have players who can do a lot of different things but not necessarily a lot of shutdown corners."
Are you more surprised that George Kittle was ahead of Travis Kelce, or that Sauce Gardner was ahead of Pat Surtain II?
For years, the league has been torn on Kittle vs. Kelce. If you ask 100 people, some variation of a 52-48 result is inevitable.
So, it really depends on whom you ask.
"Kelce is so damn good at separating and finding space and locked in with the quarterback so much that it's almost crazy," an AFC executive said.
Countered a NFL personnel director: "Kittle is more of a total package. Better run after the catch. If you're watching San Francisco's offense and you have to limit one guy, it would be Kittle, in my opinion."
Gardner over Surtain was a little more surprising. Gardner ranked No. 3 in our Top 10 positional rankings based on votes from executives, coaches and scouts; Surtain was No. 1.
"Sauce was better as a rookie than he was in Year 2, but this is still close, and probably pretty even," an AFC exec said.
"Nobody's better than Surtain. Sauce might not even be top-five," a high-ranking NFL personnel man said.
Pick a player from a team with no one ranked (Commanders, Cardinals, Panthers and Saints) who could make a leap into the top 100 next year.
Let's slant younger here. This one's relatively easy: The best young player out of these four teams is Carolina's Derrick Brown, who is widely considered a top-seven defensive tackle in the NFL.
"He's a damn good player," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "He's 320 pounds but moves much lighter. He's probably the best run defender in the NFL from his spot. And he has some pass-rush upside."
Other notable names: Saints wide receiver Chris Olave, Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, Cardinals safety Budda Baker and Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
And for the 30-plus crowd, Saints linebacker Demario Davis always has love in league circles and has maintained his high level of play.
Who's the rookie you most expect to make the top 100 in 2025?
With the top overall pick comes high expectations, which is why Caleb Williams is a natural pick. Imagine the fan hyperventilation if Williams becomes the Bears' first-ever 4,000-yard passer in Year 1 -- a feat Stroud and Justin Herbert hit in recent years.
"He just has uncoachable traits that make him unique, and you saw glimpses of that in the preseason," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "He's a natural creator. All of it will be a process for him early on, but the hype is already so high and he's surrounded by legitimate playmakers. He will have to learn to play on time from the pocket and use the creative stuff when he needs to get out of trouble."
A viable option on defense is Minnesota pass rusher Dallas Turner, who has the type of upside that could garner a double-digit sack season.
And here's a sleeper running back who came up: third-rounder Trey Benson of the Cardinals. "Really good three-down back," a veteran AFC scout said. "Can hit the big play really fast and is tough to bring down."
Which second-year running back would you rather have: Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs?
This was a heated debate inside team headquarters leading up to the 2023 draft, and it has continued after both running backs produced in Year 1.
Robinson gets the slight edge overall, but it's close.
"I'd say Gibbs overall, but now paired with [Kirk] Cousins, I'd say Bijan," a veteran AFC scout said. "Kirk will help balance the running game out with a legitimate passing game. Bijan is effective as a runner, but more optionality in the passing game and a legit QB to get him the ball will elevate him. Gibbs will be in a timeshare [with David Montgomery]. He's got just as much or more pass-game value, just not as rugged as a runner as Bijan. But so explosive."
Both are considered top-eight overall rushers leaguewide and should only improve that standing in Year 2.
"Bijan's a little bigger, Gibbs is faster," an NFL scouting director said. "Bijan has plenty of speed and gives you enough in every phase. So, if I'm picking one guy, it's Bijan."
Which quarterback slide was the most shocking?
Three quarterbacks in particular took a sizable year-over-year dive: Joe Burrow from 4 to 13, Justin Herbert from 11 to 26, and Jalen Hurts from 3 to 32.
Hurts' drop turned the most heads.
"That's dramatic," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "He was on a playoff team and he still dropped nearly 30 spots. There are several reasons for that: the offense was disjointed, Hurts reverted back into negative habits, dropping his eyes vs. pressure and not going through his reads. And he had that knee injury. So, overall, the tape was not great. It wasn't all his fault that he fell that far, though."
To be sure, many believe a No. 3 overall ranking last year was too high for him, despite his brilliant 2022 campaign. Still, he probably didn't deserve to drop 29 spots.
The others aren't quite as surprising.
"Herbert still hasn't won, and the Chargers had a bad year -- Josh Allen catches all the heat for not winning, but Herbert hasn't won a playoff game yet," an AFC executive said. "With Burrow, durability is now an issue."