It is always difficult to come up with the best way to attack a list like this. Should it reflect value to the team and impact on the game? Or is it based on who I would pick to build a team around going forward? Do you base it more on tangible statistics or give more weight to that which does not show up in the box score? I decided to do my own little hybrid based upon how I evaluate college players for the draft. I factor overall grade but give extra weight to players that are clearly well advanced from their positional peers, and also more weight to what are generally perceived as the more important positions (QB, CB, DE/OLB, OT). This is a reflection on the present, not worrying about age or growth potential going forward; that list would be decidedly different. Why 103? Because that is my standard college draft format and it keeps the copycats at bay. 1. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots. Better than Manning in the regular season, but his playoff drought is becoming disturbing for his talent level. The TD/INT ratio is unbelievably superlative. 2. Peyton Manning, QB, Colts. Still the master, even though the chinks in the armor are starting to show a little more--in no small part because the OL has regressed. People forget about his amazing downfield accuracy and arm strength. The neck injury concerns me quite a bit. 3. DeMarcus Ware, LB, Cowboys. A consistent terror to QBs that beats blocks will all sorts of moves and styles, and his run defense has continued to improve. 4. James Harrison, LB, Steelers. He might be “dirty”, but no defensive player scares offensive players more, and he uses that to his great advantage. 5. Darelle Revis, CB, NY Jets. The best shutdown corner of this era, and he allows Rex Ryan to get real creative with his defense around Revis Island. 6. Patrick Willis, LB, 49ers. Gets lost by playing on a lousy team in the NFC West wasteland. If he played in the NFC East, he would be beatified for his ability to do just about everything better than just about everyone else. 7. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers. Quite an amazing two seasons he has had, culminated with a Super Bowl win. The next great one. 8. Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore. Dominant force that makes everyone around him better. 9. Troy Polamalu, S, Steelers. Injuries are an issue, but no defensive player has a greater impact on the game than when he is playing at or above 90% health. There are several Steeler defenders on this list, but he is the one irreplaceable guy 10. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota. Freakishly gifted talent that has thrived in all sorts of situations. 11. Joe Thomas, T, Cleveland 12. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego 13. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers 14. Clay Matthews, LB, Green Bay 15. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona 16. Nick Mangold, C, NY Jets. Spotlight: Mangold is the cream of a very impressive young center crop, the most well-rounded and the most difficult to play against. 17. Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee 18. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans 19. Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions 20. Ed Reed, S, Baltimore 21. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans. Spotlight: Since moving to Houston I have come to appreciate more fully his awesomeness, but a double-digit TD season remains an albatross. 22. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Philadelphia 23. Tamba Hali, LB, Kansas City 24. Vince Wilfork, DT, New England 25. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville. Spotlight: Tends to get overlooked when talking about great running backs, but he does more with less than anyone else. 26. Justin Tuck, DL, NY Giants 27. Julius Peppers, DE, Chicago 28. Roddy White, WR, Atlanta 29. Jahri Evans, G, New Orleans 30. Kevin Williams, DT, Minnesota. Spotlight: Very active widebody can crash the pocket and stuff the run. A real handful even for double teams. 31. Lamarr Woodley, LB, Pittsburgh 32. Jake Long, T, Miami 33. Jared Allen, DE, Minnesota 34. Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago. Spotlight: He has been more consistently better than the more heralded Urlacher for years now. 35. Chris Long, DE, St. Louis 36. Charles Woodson, CB, Green Bay 37. Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego 38. Shane Lechler, P, Oakland. Spotlight: A punter?!? Not an obvious choice, but Lechler is the best punter in the history of the NFL and that deserves respect. 39. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit 40. Trent Cole, DE, Philadelphia 41. Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami 42. Desean Jackson, WR/RS, Philadelphia 43. Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 44. Tramon Williams, CB, Green Bay 45. Darnell Dockett, DE, Arizona. Spotlight: Makes big plays in bunches, but those bunches were less frequent in 2010. 46. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas 47. Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta 48. Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay 49. Kyle Williams, DT, Buffalo 50. Santonio Holmes, WR, NY Jets. Spotlight: Not the most physical or fastest, but nobody plays better at crunch time in big games. 51. Terrell Suggs, DE, Baltimore 52. Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis. Spotlight: How great is Clark? The QB rating of Manning fell almost 20 points without him last year. 53. Carl Nicks, G, New Orleans 54. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City 55. BJ Raji, DT, Green Bay 56. Richard Seymour, DT, Oakland 57. Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco. Spotlight: Has matured into a reliable all-around weapon after years of struggling to “get it”. 58. Josh Cribbs, WR/ST, Cleveland 59. Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 60. Dwight Freeney, DE, Indianapolis. Spotlight: Still gets to the QB as well as just about anyone, but is not as dominant as he once was. 61. Arian Foster, RB, Houston 62. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta 63. Ryan Kalil, C, Carolina 64. Jerod Mayo, LB, New England 65. Charles Johnson, DE, Carolina 66. Ryan Clady, T, Denver 67. Antoine Winfield, CB, Minnesota. Spotlight: Arguably the best run support corner of his generation, and no slouch in coverage either. 68. Andrew Whitworth, T, Cincinnati 69. Jay Ratliff, NT, Dallas 70. Mario Williams, DE/OLB, Houston. Spotlight: the move to OLB is either going to vault him up this list or push him way off. 71. Devin McCourty, CB, New England 72. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego 73. London Fletcher, LB, Washington. Spotlight: Still getting it done thanks to amazing instincts and relentless hustle. 74. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City 75. Terrell Thomas, CB, NY Giants 76. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Pittsburgh 77. Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay. Spotlight: Could be 70 spots higher on this list in a couple of years if he continues to progress. 78. DBrickashaw Ferguson, T, NY Jets 79. Hakeem Nicks, WR, NY Giants 80. Brian Orakpo, OLB, Washington 81. Logan Mankins, G, New England. Spotlight: Finally got his mega contract, must continue to earn it. 82. Osi Umenyiora, DE, NY Giants 83. Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore 84. Cameron Wake, OLB, Miami 85. Donte Whitner, S, San Francisco 86. Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh 87. Jordan Gross, T, Carolina. Spotlight: The best tackle you never hear about, does his best work in space. 88. Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago 89. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis 90. Jon Beason, LB, Carolina 91. Alex Mack, C, Cleveland 92. Percy Harvin, WR/KR, Minnesota 93. Elvis Dumervil, DE, Denver 94. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore. Spotlight: Has the best rifle arm in the league, but must play better when the games really mean something. 95. Aubrayo Franklin, DT, New Orleans 96. O.J. Atogwe, S, Washington 97. Curtis Lofton, LB, Atlanta 98. John Abraham, DE, Atlanta 99. Johnathan Joseph, CB, Houston. Spotlight: Golden opportunity to prove himself with the Texans. 100. Eric Berry, S, Kansas City 101. Eric Winston, T, Houston 102. Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville 103. Josh Sitton, G, Green Bay. Spotlight: Really improved with consistency in 2010 and should continue to build on that Click here to view the number of players each team sent to our list.