Cameron Jordan Ranked Among Top 10 Edge Rushers in NFL

Former Cal standout Cameron Jordan turns 33 this weekend (July 10 specifically), but he shows no signs of slowing down and remains one of the top defensive ends in the NFL, according to a survey posted this week by CBS Sports.

A few more good seasons will put him in line to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as indicated by a CBS Sports report that named Jordan as the most likely current New Orleans Saints player to get into the Hall. If Jordan is voted into the Hall of Fame he would be just the third Cal alumnus to achieve that hallowed status, joining Tony Gonzalez and Les Richter. Of course, by the time Jordan is eligible, another former Cal star, Aaron Rodgers, may also be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

But Jordan still has some good years left in him. He is currently third among active players in career sacks with 107.5, just a half-sack behind Chandler Jones and 8.5 sacks behind leader Von Miller. Jordan is about the same age as both of them (Miller turned 33 in March and Jones will turn 33 in February), but both of them rank ahead of Jordan in CBS Sports’ top-10 rankings of edge rushers.

CBS Sports polled 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to come up with its top-10 ranking of edge rushers, and Jordan barely made the list at No. 10, which is down one spot from last season’s ranking. It’s difficult to see why he should have dropped since he was named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth straight season in 2021 and for the seventh time overall. He’s been in the NFL for 11 seasons, and his three best sack seasons were achieved in the past five years, so productive years would seem to be ahead.

Here is what CBS Sports said about Jordan:

10. Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints

Highest ranking:

5 |

Lowest ranking:

Out of top 10

Age:

32 |

Last year's ranking:

9

Jordan won a tight race with former teammate Trey Hendrickson for the last spot in our top 10. Some coaches and scouts are partial to Jordan's all-around game. He ranked No. 2 among defensive ends in disrupted dropbacks (22.5), he has produced double-digit sacks in four of the past five years and he's great against the run. In fact, Jordan's 33.5% run stop win rate is the highest among players on this list.

"Until he shows tangible drop-off -- like some of these younger guys who haven't had nearly the production despite getting all the attention from protections like he does -- I'd say he hasn't fallen off," an NFC scout said. "Still one of the best in the game."

Jordan's 9.7% pass rush win rate (No. 81 in the NFL) is unimpressive, but as one AFC defensive coach pointed out, the Saints move Jordan all over the defensive line, and he faced plenty of double-teams last season as New Orleans was depleted up front.

Jordan’s durability is one of his best traits, and a key reason he might make it to the Hall of Fame. His streak of 172 straight games played and 157 consecutive starts – both of which were active NFL records at the time -- ended late last season, not because of injury but because of COVID-19 protocols.

CBS Sports picked each team’s most likely player to reach the Hall of Fame. Rodgers was the obviously pick for the Packers. And CBS Sports said this about Rodgers:

Green Bay Packer: Aaron Rodgers, QB

Current Hall of Fame "lock"?

Yes

Rogers is only adding to his Hall of Fame resume at this point

A Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP and four-time league MVP, Rodgers will one day join his predecessor, Brett Favre, as a first-ballot inductee. At 38, Rodgers is showing no signs of slowing down. He won his second of consecutive MVP awards last season while throwing 37 touchdowns against just four picks.

And for the Saints, the selection was Jordan, and it includes this comment:

New Orleans Saints: Cam Jordan, DE

Current Hall of Fame "lock"?

No

Jordan can help his cause with continued success into his mid-30s

Alvin Kamara was certainly considered. But given his position (running backs tend to have shorter careers) and where he is in his career, Kamara was passed over in favor of Jordan, a seven-time Pro Bowler who enters the '22 season with 107 career sacks. The 33-year-old Jordan continues to play at a high level, as he had 12.5 sacks in 2021.

Jordan’s numbers in recent seasons and his durability provide reasons to believe he might be Hall-worthy in a few years.

Hall of Fame voters will have absolutely no character reasons not to vote for Jordan. He was the Saints nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2021, and he is outstanding with the media, always providing excellent interviews. He’s also a fixture on twitter, churning out several tweets a day.

And the guy loves practice!

Click here for a Jordan postgame interview from late last season. But any video of a Jordan interview is worth listening to, much like any Aaron Rodgers video. (Jordan's father is Steve Jordan, a six-time Pro Bowl selection at tight end for the Vikings.)

Jordan played at Cal from 2007 through 2010 and recorded 16.5 career sacks.

Cover photo of Cameron Jordan by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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