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A complete history of Seahawks players appearing on the NFL’s Top 100 list

Atlanta Falcons v Seattle Seahawks Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

The NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 is filled with Seattle Seahawks stars, with Richard Sherman ranking the highest at 21st. Barring a completely unexpected choice of Jimmy Graham making it into the top-20, I believe Sherman is the last Seahawk on this year’s edition, giving the team a league-high eight players.

Out of pure curiosity, I looked up every Top 100 Players ranking since its creation in 2011, and quickly mapped out the progression of Seahawks players and rankings over the years. For whatever value you see in these offseason lists, going from having none to the most over the duration of Pete Carroll’s tenure is pretty damn cool.

There is one disclaimer: I have not included any Seahawks players who had earned their ranking with their previous team. That means Percy Harvin (2013 offseason) and Jimmy Graham (2015 offseason) do not count.

2011 (0)

No players

2012 (2)

Earl Thomas (66th), Marshawn Lynch (94th)

2013 (5)

Marshawn Lynch (24th), Richard Sherman (50th), Russell Wilson (51st), Earl Thomas (66th), Max Unger (95th)

2014 (5)

Richard Sherman (7th), Marshawn Lynch (14th), Earl Thomas (17th), Russell Wilson (20th), Kam Chancellor (65th)

2015 (7)

Marshawn Lynch (9th), Richard Sherman (11th), Earl Thomas (21st), Russell Wilson (22nd), Kam Chancellor (41st), Bobby Wagner (69th), Michael Bennett (90th)

2016 (6)

Russell Wilson (17th), Richard Sherman (20th), Kam Chancellor (32nd), Michael Bennett (59th), Earl Thomas (66th), Doug Baldwin (72nd)

2017 (8)

Richard Sherman (21st), Russell Wilson (24th), Earl Thomas (30th), Kam Chancellor (34th), Bobby Wagner (39th), Michael Bennett (46th), Cliff Avril (56th), Doug Baldwin (88th)

Final breakdown

Seahawks NFL Top 100 history

Player Debut Years Ranked Highest Ranking Lowest Ranking
Player Debut Years Ranked Highest Ranking Lowest Ranking
Earl Thomas 2012 6 17th 66th
Richard Sherman 2013 5 07th 50th
Russell Wilson 2013 5 17th 51st
Marshawn Lynch 2012 4 09th 94th
Kam Chancellor 2014 4 32nd 65th
Michael Bennett 2015 3 46th 90th
Bobby Wagner 2014 2 39th 69th
Doug Baldwin 2016 2 72nd 88th
Cliff Avril 2017 1 56th N/A
Max Unger 2013 1 95th N/A

A fine group of ten, with everyone except Lynch and Avril originally signed by the Seahawks (either through the draft or as an undrafted free agent). Technically speaking, Seattle cut Bennett in the middle of the 2009 season, but thankfully Pete Carroll and John Schneider lured him back in 2013 free agency and righted that wrong.

Here’s to seeing Frank Clark, Tyler Lockett, C.J. Prosise, Malik McDowell, Shaquill Griffin, and the next generation of Seahawks populate future Top 100 lists for many seasons to come.