theScore's Top 100 NFL Players of 2015: 4 Super Bowl-winning QBs miss top 10

The Top 100 NFL Players of 2015 were selected by a panel of theScore's NFL editors including Arun Srinivasan, Dan Wilkins, David P. Woods, and Justin Boone based on the individual players' performance this past regular season.

theScore's Top 100 NFL Players of 2015

• 100-71
• 70-51
• 50-31
• 30-11
• 10-1

Earl Thomas, S, Seahawks
64 tackles, 5 INTs, 1 FF

Thomas played all 16 games this year, despite coming off surgery for a torn labrum. The Seahawks center fielder still performed at an elite level, but wasn’t named a first-team All-Pro, an honor he had received in three straight years. The snub left Thomas angry, and he'll likely take it out on opponents next season. - Boone

Andrew Whitworth, LT, Bengals
3.5 sacks allowed

Whitworth once again proved to be the NFL's premier pass-blocking left tackle, allowing a mere 3.5 sacks over the course of the season. Whitworth usually squared off against his opposition's top edge-rusher, and would almost certainly win the battle at the line of scrimmage. Criminally underrated for the majority of his career, Whitworth was finally named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2015. - Srinivasan

Geno Atkins, DT, Bengals
42 tackles, 11 sacks, 1 FF

After a slow 2014 season that followed ACL surgery, Atkins stormed back in 2015 and reminded everybody why he was widely considered to be the best defensive tackle in football before his injury. Atkins' 11 sacks were tied for most by an interior D-lineman. - Woods

Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars
80 catches, 1,400 yards receiving, 14 TDs

Robinson burst onto the scene in just his second year with the Jaguars, ranking among the NFL’s leading receivers in all major stat categories. Though the numbers may have been somewhat inflated as part of a Jaguars offense that constantly found itself playing from behind, it’s become clear that there aren’t many cornerbacks capable of sticking with Robinson one-on-one. - Wilkins

Drew Brees, QB, Saints
4,870 yards passing, 32 TDs, 11 INTs

What will Brees do without Jimmy Graham? The answer turned out to be the same thing he always does: lead the league in passing yards. The demise of Brees turned out to be very much overblown, as he kept the Saints' offense humming. If it wasn't for a historicaly bad defense, Brees might have even catapulted New Orleans into the postseason. - Boone

Tyron Smith, LT, Cowboys
8 sacks allowed

Smith's leverage, lateral quickness, and speed are nearly unmatched by any left tackle in the NFL, and he kept the Cowboys' offense alive with prolonged absences from Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. Smith emerged as the league's best run-blocking left tackle, and was integral to Darren McFadden nearly cracking the 1,100-yard mark. - Srinivasan

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers
3,938 yards passing, 21 TDs, 16 INTs

Twice in 2015, Roethlisberger suffered injuries that appeared to be season-ending, and twice he returned to the field ahead of schedule. Extrapolate his NFL-leading 328 passing yards per game over 16 games and Roethlisberger would have become just the sixth quarterback to top 5,000 yards passing in a season. - Woods

Chris Harris Jr., CB, Broncos
58 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 FF

For as much credit as Von Miller and the rest of the Broncos' pass rush will get, the defense wouldn’t have been the same without Harris’ shutdown ability on the back end. Whether it’s on the outside or in the slot, his skill set allows him to match up with and consistently take away the opposing team's top wideout. - Wilkins

Von Miller, LB, Broncos
35 tackles, 11 sacks, 4 FF

After an excellent regular season, Miller took his game to an even higher level with a series of outstanding playoff performances that culminated in him being named Super Bowl MVP. Teammate Chris Harris said Miller deserves to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league, and he's right. - Boone

Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets
109 catches, 1,502 yards receiving, 14 TDs

Marshall was traded to the Jets last March in a move the Bears surely regret. Marshall recorded the best season of his career in his first year in New York, establishing a surprisingly strong rapport with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. The star wide receiver beat defenders in a multitude of ways, excelling both as a downfield threat and boxing out smaller cornerbacks in the red zone. - Srinivasan

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
3,821 yards passing, 31 TDs, 8 INTs

Can we really call nearly 4,000 yards passing and a 31:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio (all without top receiver Jordy Nelson) a down season? We can when a player has an established track record like Rodgers. The two-time MVP hit career lows in completion percentage and yards per attempt, but he's still so good that he cracks our top 20. - Woods

Richard Sherman, CB, Seahawks
50 tackles, 2 INTs, 14 PD

Sherman only finished the year with two interceptions, but that stat does little to demonstrate the impact he has in locking down one side of the field. Opposing quarterbacks remain hesitant to test him in coverage, effectively shrinking the field for the rest of the defense and putting others in better position to make plays. - Wilkins

Joe Thomas, LT, Browns
1 sack allowed

If you were building the perfect left tackle, the ultra-durable Thomas would be the blueprint. Playing on a perennially disappointing Browns team, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound blocker allowed the lowest sack total of his career in 2015, en route to his sixth first-team All-Pro nod. - Boone

Patrick Peterson, CB, Cardinals
35 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 FF

Peterson rebounded from the worst season of his career with a tour-de-force performance in 2015, holding QBs to an abysmal 61.5 opponent passer rating. Peterson allowed 0.58 yards per snap in coverage, the best total in the NFL and proved to be impossible to throw against, while capturing another first-team All-Pro selection. - Srinivasan

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants
96 catches, 1,450 yards receiving, 13 TDs

No player in NFL history has more yards through his first two seasons than Beckham - and he did it despite missing four games as a rookie and one as a sophomore. Nearly all of Beckham's stats are ridiculous, but here's one that really stands out: he scored touchdowns of 50 yards or more in five games this year. - Woods

Tyrann Mathieu, S, Cardinals
89 tackles, 1 sack, 5 INTs, 1 FF, 17 PD

Losing Mathieu toward the end of the regular season was a crushing blow for the Cardinals’ defense. Making game-changing plays no matter where he lined up, the 23-year-old emerged as arguably the NFL’s most versatile defender. His value was made even more clear in the team’s defensive shortcomings during the playoffs. - Wilkins

Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks
4,024 yards passing, 34 TDs, 8 INTs, 553 yards rushing, TD

With Marshawn Lynch sidelined most of the year, Wilson was forced to power the offense. After an average start, he was an inextinguishable force down the stretch, accounting for 25 touchdowns over the last seven weeks of the season. Wilson also became the first player in league history with 4,000 passing yards, 500 rushing yards, and 30 touchdowns in a single campaign. - Boone

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
111 catches, 1,521 yards receiving, 11 TDs

Hopkins made a strong push to be considered one of the NFL's premier wide receivers, despite playing with a relatively anonymous quartet at quarterback. Hopkins was targeted 192 times, a testament to his value on an otherwise anemic Texans offense. Possessing elite speed and body control, Hopkins is slated to be atop this list for the next decade. - Srinivasan

Khalil Mack, DE, Raiders
77 tackles, 15 sacks, 2 FF

After proving himself to be a force against the run as a rookie, Mack’s early career development as a pass-rusher put his game over the top. His dominance was on full display in Week 14, when an incredible five sacks led the way to an upset road victory over the eventual Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos. - Wilkins

Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings
1,485 yards rushing, 11 TDs, 222 yards receiving

Returning to the field after a lost 2014 season, Peterson wasted no time recapturing his status as the NFL’s top running back. His yardage total was the third highest of his career, leading the way for an otherwise underwhelming Vikings offense. As was the case in 2012, Minnesota wouldn’t have been in the playoffs were it not for Peterson. - Wilkins