Getty New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley did not make the CBS Sports Top 100 NFL Players.
The New York Giants don’t have any players on their current roster worthy of a Top 100 ranking, according to CBS Sports NFL analyst Pete Prisco.
Prisco, who ranks the top 100 NFL Players every offseason, did not include a single Giants player in his ranking this year. He did, however, cite defensive lineman Leonard Williams as an honorable mention.
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The Giants were one of six teams with zero players on Prisco’s list. The other teams snubbed from the ranking entirely were the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions.
Prisco’s list was highlighted by Los Angeles Rams players, including All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald at the No. 1 spot, but it also featured several of the Giants’ biggest rivals. Below is a list of all the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders who made the Top 100 ranking at CBS Sports.
- No. 14: Micah Parsons, LB, Cowboys
- No. 16: Zack Martin, G, Cowboys
- No. 46: Tyron Smith, OT, Cowboys
- No. 50: Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys
- No. 57: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys
- No. 61: Jonathan Allen, DE, Commanders
- No. 67: Chase Young, DE, Commanders
- No. 75: Jordan Mailata, OT, Eagles
- No. 84: Trevon Diggs, CB, Cowboys
- No. 85: Darius Slay, CB, Eagles
- No. 90: Lane Johnson, OT, Eagles
- No. 94: A.J. Brown, WR, Eagles
After a 4-13 finish last year, it’s not shocking to see the Giants underrepresented on this list. With the team heading in a new direction under first-year general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, let’s take a look at a few players who could crack this ranking next year.
Saquon Barkley, Running Back
A total of seven running backs made Prisco’s Top 100 players: Derrick Henry (No. 22), Jonathan Taylor (No. 24), Dalvin Cook (No. 41), Alvin Kamara (No. 45), Nick Chubb (No. 47), Austin Ekeler (No. 79) and Joe Mixon (No. 89).
When healthy, Barkley has the potential to crack this list. After his rookie season, he was in the conversation for best running back in the NFL. Injuries have damaged his reputation, but now Barkley has something to prove in a contract year.
The Giants will use Barkley creatively this season, giving him every opportunity to reestablish himself as one of the league’s most dangerous playmakers with the ball in his hands.
Daniel Jones, Quarterback
Prisco’s list is littered with 12 quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers (No. 2), Patrick Mahomes (No. 3), Josh Allen (No. 4), Tom Brady (No. 6), Justin Herbert (No. 20), Joe Burrow (No. 21), Lamar Jackson (No. 34), Russell Wilson (No. 42), Matthew Stafford (No. 48), Dak Prescott (No. 50), Deshaun Watson (No. 83) and Kyler Murray (No. 88).
It would be quite a leap for Daniel Jones to crack this list, but it’s not impossible. Like Barkley, Jones is also in a contract year and has a ton to prove (including an ability to stay healthy). He has shown flashes of greatness in his first three seasons, but now he needs to put it all together and solidify himself as a legitimate franchise quarterback.
Being paired with Daboll, who oversaw the evolution of Allen in Buffalo, is a good thing for Jones. The Giants will usher in a fresh offensive scheme this year and will afford Jones every opportunity to use his athleticism and flourish within the system.
Rookies Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal
Of course Prisco’s not going to have any rookies in his Top 100; they haven’t even taken the field yet. That said, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal have a ton of potential to crack this list next offseason.
Thibodeaux was the fifth-overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and the Giants plan to build their defense around him. They’re counting on him to be a force on the edge. If he approaches or eclipses double-digit sacks in 2022, he will be a frontrunner for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a shoe-in for the Top 100 in 2023.
Neal was selected just a couple picks after Thibodeaux and will be tasked with holding down the edge on the opposite side of the ball. Neal will start on the right side as a rookie, with third-year pro Andrew Thomas (another potential Top 100 candidate) locking down the left side. If the Giants improve significantly on offense this season, Neal will get a lot of credit for the transformation.