Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick Nearly Misses Top 20 of Top 25 Players Under 25
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is a two-time All-Pro and set to lock up a record-breaking contract this offseason. But despite what the team thinks of him, not everyone believes he's one of the best young stars in the NFL.
CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin released his Top 25 Players under the age of 25, which included Fitzpatrick. The issue, is that he sits just within the top 20.
Fitzpatrick ranks 19th on Benjamin's list, who's only other defensive backs in the top 20 is Jaire Alexander at No. 9 and Jesse Bates at 20.
"If Bates deserves to reset the safety market, then so does he," Benjamin wrote. "The former Dolphins first-rounder set such a high standard as a ballhawk immediately after coming over from Miami that his 2021 numbers (124 tackles, seven pass deflections, two INTs) registered as just OK. He is the perfect modern safety in the way he leverages his athleticism in coverage."
Fitzpatrick didn't make a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2021 for the first time since being traded to the Steelers. This was partially due to the fact that they moved him across the field for a majority of the season before adjusting him back to free safety.
Benjamin says "both past performance and projection, as well as, to a lesser degree, positional value" goes into the rankings. "So it helps if a player has already been really good for three years, but it also helps if his future outlook is really bright."
Seems like Fitzpatrick meets all the criteria for a higher ranking.
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