The Brightest Stars.....

Let me start off by congratulating the New Orleans Saints for winning Super Bowl XLIV (44) this past Sunday. Everyone had the great Peyton Manning and the Colts already hoisting the Lombardi Trophy before the game started. I guess I was in the minority. Not only did I have the Saints winning, but I predicted the Colts would turn the ball over 5 times. I didn't get the turnovers right, but I did get the winner and the Super Bowl MVP correct. In any even the season is over and now I have the pleasure of posting the great debate.

I love having this debate..... The debate over who are the Top 5 players at each position. Some weigh in, others don't really care. I watch football just so I can have an intelligent discussion. I don't only watch my Redskins or my Steelers (although they do get top priority if the are on television at the time). I watch every and any game that I can. Whether it's the red hot Saints and/or Colts, or the lowly Browns, football to me is football. So in all of the games that I had the pleasure of watching this season, I think I have enough information to put together a Top 5 List. This is not only based off of this season, but off of what I have seen out of a player over a 2 or 3 season stretch. So needless to say, the Rookies are not going to be on any lists. So here we go.

Top 5 Safeties in the NFL
1. Troy Polamalu
2. Ed Reed
3. Adrian Wilson
4. Darren Sharper
5. Bob Sanders


Top 5 Cornerbacks in the NFL
1. Darrelle Revis
2. Asante Samuel
3. Ike Taylor
4. Nnamdi Asomougha
5. Champ Bailey

Honorable Mentions: Antonio Cromartie and Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie.


Top 5 Linebackers in the NFL
1. Patrick Willis
2. Jon Beason
3. Ray Lewis
4. London Fletcher
5. Elvis Dumervil

Honorable Mentions: Brian Urlacher, James Harrison, Joey Porter, Terrell Suggs, Derrick Johnson, Shawn Merriman, Brady James, A.J. Hawk and Lofa Tatupu.


Top 5 Defensive Lineman
1. DeMarcus Ware
2. Julius Peppers
3. Jared Allen
4. Albert Haynesworth
5. Dwight Freeney

Honorable Mentions: Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Justin Tuck, Darnell Dockett, Shaun Rogers, Casey Hampton, Robert Mathis, Aaron Shobel.


Top 5 Offensive Linemen
1. Jeff Saturday
2. Nick Mangold
3. Bryant McKinnie
4. Steve Hutchinson
5. D'Brickashaw Ferguson


Top 5 Running Backs
1. Chris Johnson
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Frank Gore
4. Ryan Grant
5. Matt Forte

Honorable Mention: LaDanian Tomlinson, Ray Rice, Darren Sproles, Mike Turner, Maurice Jones-Drew, Brian Westbrook, and Johnathan Stewart.


Top 5 Wide Receivers
1. Andre Johnson
2. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Brandon Marshall
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Vincent Jackson

Honorable Mention: Chad Ochocinco (Johnson), Santonio Holmes, Steve Smith (CAR), Anquan Boldin, and Marques Colston.


Top 5 Tight Ends
1. Dallas Clark
2. Jason Witten
3. Antonio Gates
4. Chris Cooley
5. Antonio Gonzalez

Honorable Mention: Vernon Davis, Todd Heap and Kellen Winslow II.


AND NOW THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR..........

The Top 5 Quarterbacks
1. Peyton Manning
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Ben Roethlisberger
5. Philip Rivers

Honorable Mention: Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning.


Feel free to give your opinion on anything. These were harder to pick than I initially thought. When you are having discussions, they seem to roll off of your tongue, but when you have to really evaluate each player at each position, it really puts things into perspective. Anyway, I can't wait to do it again next year.