Five Vikings Make Pete Prisco's Top 100 NFL Players List

Longtime NFL writer and current CBS Sports columnist Pete Prisco released his list of the top 100 NFL players for 2020 on Wednesday. Five Vikings made the cut, but a couple more that could've easily been included were left off the list.

Let's hear what Prisco had to say about the five Vikings, and I'll give my thoughts about each one's ranking afterwards.

No. 25: Danielle Hunter

2019 ranking: No. 95

This 25-year-old had 14.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons to establish himself as one of the best edge players in the league. He can rush with speed or power.

Hunter as the best player on the Vikings makes a lot of sense. There are a few other players who could have an argument for that title, but none of them have an arrow pointing directly upward like Hunter does. He's an absolutely dominant force who is just entering his prime.

In my opinion, No. 25 is too low for Hunter. Prisco has him as the eighth-best edge rusher in the league, behind Chandler Jones, Khalil Mack, Cameron Jordan, Joey Bosa, TJ Watt, Von Miller, and Nick Bosa. Hunter has more sacks than everyone on that list except Jones over the past two years. Bucky Brooks ranked him as the No. 3 edge rusher last week, and I think that's a lot more accurate.

No. 37: Harrison Smith

2019 ranking: No. 44

He should have been on the All-Decade team at safety with his range and his ability to do so many things as a big part of the Vikings defense. His play slipped a little last season, but he's still a top-tier safety.

Smith, who was recently placed in the top 25 players of the decade by Pro Football Focus, was another obvious choice for this list. Prisco has him as the second-best safety in the NFL, trailing only Tyrann Mathieu. The only objection I have here is with Prisco's notion that Smith's "play slipped a little last season." His 88.4 PFF grade was the second-best mark of his career! His consistent greatness has been a treat to watch.

No. 44: Dalvin Cook

2019 ranking: NR

He missed two games and still rushed for 1,135 yards and a 4.5 yards per-rush average. He also had 13 rushing touchdowns. His next hurdle is playing all 16 games.

Dalvin Cook isn't the most valuable player on the Vikings' offense, but I've got no argument with having him as the best player. Cook is phenomenal, but like Prisco mentions, he has yet to play all 16 games in a season. He's the No. 5 running back here, behind Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley, and Alvin Kamara. I think that's fair. His extension talks with the Vikings are ongoing.

No. 61: Eric Kendricks

2019 ranking: NR

He is coming off his best season – by far. He was always good against the pass, but he improved greatly last season as a run player.

Prisco is right that Kendricks is coming off of his best season in the NFL by a wide margin. If this were solely based on 2019 performance, the first team All-Pro should be much, much higher than No. 61. But I can understand keeping him down at this level until he proves it for multiple years.

No. 86: Kirk Cousins

2019 ranking: NR

He had another good season for the Vikings, leading them to the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. He threw 26 touchdown passes and six picks.

Cousins just barely misses the top ten quarterbacks, checking in as Prisco's 11th-best player at that position. That could be considered disrespectful for someone who had the sixth-best PFF grade and fourth-best passer rating in the NFL last year, but like with Kendricks, he needs to prove it again in 2020 before moving up.

Just missed: Anthony Harris

This is an almost inexcusable snub. Harris was the best player on the entire Vikings roster and the best safety in the NFL last season, according to PFF, as he led the league in interceptions and was incredible both in coverage and as a tackler. I get that it was a breakout season, but he was just as good (in 300 fewer snaps) in 2018! Harris deserved to be in the top 50, so I don't understand how he could be left out entirely.

When they say you just missed the cut for yet another list. #Top100 🤔 hahah #JustSmile
— Anthony “AntMan” Harris (@HOOSDatDude) May 20, 2020

Not even mentioned: Adam Thielen

Harris at least cracked the "Just Missed" section. There was no mention of Thielen anywhere. And I get that he missed half of last season with an injury, but that doesn't change how incredibly talented he is. If Prisco's list focuses on more than just 2019 performance, as would be suggested by having Khalil Mack at No. 9, then Thielen should be on there. Across 2017 and 2018, he ranked fourth in receptions and sixth in receiving yards. But Thielen was just 92nd and 84th on the list the last two years, so it's not surprising that he dropped out after getting hurt.

Note: former Vikings WR Stefon Diggs made the list at No. 91.

Other potential candidates

The only other players who come to mind as having slight arguments for this list are Brian O'Neill, Kyle Rudolph, and Michael Pierce. However, all three probably would've been stretches. Hopefully, O'Neill will continue to improve and will earn a spot on the 2021 edition. Anthony Barr made the top 100 four years ago, but he hasn't played up to his 2015 level since then.

#Vikings players on Pete Prisco's Top 100 over the past five years:

* 2016: 4 (Peterson, Smith, Joseph, Barr)
* 2017: 2 (Smith, Griffen)
* 2018: 4 (Smith, Rhodes, Thielen, Griffen)
* 2019: 3: (Smith, Thielen, Hunter)
* 2020: 5 (Hunter, Smith, Cook, Kendricks, Cousins)
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) May 20, 2020

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