The New York Giants have a largely unproven roster, but defensive lineman Leonard Williams is one of few fully established stars.
On Sunday night, NFL Network began its countdown of The Top 100 Players of 2022. Williams was unveiled on the list at No. 97.
An anchor on the @Giants D-Line 💪
@LeonardWilliams is back on the #NFLTop100 at 97!
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Among the players ranked 100-51 on the list, Williams was the only Giant. It’s unlikely we see any other Giants crack the Top 50, as Williams is the highest-paid player on the team (average yearly salary of $21 million, per Spotrac) and is actually coming off a decent season.
The Giants did not have any players featured on the Top 100 list at CBS Sports earlier this offseason, although Williams was an honorable mention. ESPN broke down their player rankings by position, but Williams just missed the Top 10 defensive tackles list (once again receiving only an honorable mention).
Since joining the Giants via trade with the New York Jets in 2019, Williams has been an integral part of the defensive front. He recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks in his first full season with the Giants (2020) and notched 6.5 more while starting all 17 games last season.
Williams has consistently been one of the toughest players to block at training camp this summer.
Leonard Williams has quietly been the best player of camp this week but there’s really no need to point it out since he’s the best player on the Giants. This is expected.
Williams deserves to be recognized as one of the best players in the league, but the fact that he fell 13 spots from last year and barely made the list is an alarming sign for the state of the Giants’ roster.
Giants Who Could Crack the Top 100 After the 2022 NFL Season
Obviously, a team with a new head coach coming off a 4-13 finish is not going to produce a lot of Top 100 players. If Brian Daboll can turn the team around and win some more games in 2022, however, we’ll likely see more Giants on this list next summer.
Here are 10 players with the best chances to make the Top 100 next offseason:
- Andrew Thomas, Offensive Tackle
- Xavier McKinney, Safety
- Azeez Ojulari, Outside Linebacker
- Kayvon Thibodeaux, Outside Linebacker
- Evan Neal, Offensive Tackle
- Saquon Barkley, Running Back
- Kadarius Toney, Wide Receiver
- Dexter Lawrence, Defensive Lineman
- Blake Martinez, Inside Linebacker
- Daniel Jones, Quarterback
It’s unlikely that even half of these players make the list next year, but these are the guys with the best shot. Thomas and McKinney are both ascending third-year pros; Ojulari is trying to build on a solid rookie season; and Thibodeaux and Neal were both top-10 picks in this year’s draft.
Barkley, who peaked at No. 16 on NFL Network’s Top 100 Players list after his rookie season, has the potential to explode in a make-or-break season. Jones is under similar pressure to perform this season, as he and Barkley are both entering a contract year.
If Toney can stay healthy, he certainly has the talent to crack the Top 100. Lawrence and Martinez are both solid contributors, but New York’s defense would have to make a massive leap in order for either one to gain the notoriety needed to make this list next year.
Odell Beckham Jr. Comes in at No. 90 on Top 100 List
Former Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was unveiled at No. 90 on NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2022, after winning a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams last season. He was left off the list entirely last year, but peaked at No. 8 back in 2017 with the Giants.
Beckham remains an unrestricted free agent, fueling the hopes of some Giants fans that the talented wideout could return to New York in 2022.
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Giants Defender Featured in NFL Network’s Top 100 Players List