theScore's Top 100 NFL Players of 2015: Big-money defenders fall outside top 50

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' performances this past regular season.

theScore's Top 100 NFL Players of 2015

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

Gerald McCoy, DT, Buccaneers
34 tackles, 8.5 sacks

Despite playing through a variety of injuries, including a torn rotator cuff, McCoy posted his third straight season with 8.5 sacks or more. It's an impressive feat for an interior lineman who constantly faces double teams. - Boone

Bobby Wagner, LB, Seahawks
114 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2 FF

Wagner wasn't quite the force he's been in recent seasons, but he still racked up tackles as the leader of one of the NFL's best defenses. Wagner has played four seasons as a pro, but at times it looks like his mind is still catching up to his immense physical talents. - Woods

Reggie Nelson, S, Bengals
77 tackles, 8 INTs, 14 PD

Nelson proved to be the NFL's top ball-hawk, leading the league in interceptions during a career year. He was an impenetrable presence in the second half of the year, recording an interception in five consecutive games from Weeks 10-14. The veteran safety's aggressive style of play was emblematic of the Bengals' defense as a whole. - Srinivasan

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders
3,987​ yards passing, 32 TDs, 13 INTs

Carr made significant strides in his development as a sophomore after showing flashes throughout an up-and-down rookie season. The impressive production was rewarded with his first career Pro Bowl nod. He now appears to be a clear step ahead of the other quarterbacks in the 2014 class. The Raiders may finally have their long-term answer under center. - Wilkins

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Chiefs
87 catches, 1,088 yards receiving, 8 TDs

The Chiefs famously failed to throw a touchdown pass to a wideout in 2014. Free-agent acquisition Maclin quickly developed chemistry with Alex Smith and ensured that feat wouldn't repeat - and likely won't reoccur as long as he's there. - Woods

Sean Lee, LB, Cowboys
128 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT

Health is the only thing that's kept Lee off this list in the past. After appearing in 14 games for the first time since 2011, the Cowboys linebacker is able to get the recognition he deserves. His presence in the lineup is essential to the success of the Dallas defense, thanks to his superb coverage ability, quality run defense and overall leadership. - Boone

Travis Frederick, C, Cowboys
0 sacks allowed

Frederick is a dominant run blocker and has firmly established himself as a premier center. While the Cowboys' running game may not have been as imposing as it was a year ago, the team still finished top 10 in rushing yards per game and top five in yards per attempt with Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle carrying the ball. - Boone

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Steelers
907 yards rushing, 11 TDs, 40 catches, 367 yards receiving

Williams did an admirable job of replacing Le'Veon Bell when the Steelers star running back went down to injury. The offense never missed a beat in Bell's absence as Williams continued to be a bruising running back and an adept receiver out of the flat. Bell will regain his starting role, but Williams certainly earned a shot at increased playing time in 2016. - Srinivasan

Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals
52 catches, 615 yards receiving, 13 TDs

No team had an answer for Eifert in the red zone in 2015. The third-year tight end missed three games due to injury, but still managed to finish only one touchdown shy of the NFL lead. Twenty-five percent of Eifert's receptions went for touchdowns, best in the NFL. Rob Gronkowski was second at a distant 15 percent. - Woods

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Dolphins
61 tackles, 6 sacks

Suh didn't live up to expectations after signing a monster free-agent deal, but that doesn't mean he wasn't still an impact player. He remains one of the NFL's most disruptive interior linemen, capable of taking over a game both as a run defender and as a pass-rusher. - Wilkins

Justin Houston, LB, Chiefs
30 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF

Houston missed the last five games of the regular season, but his impact up until that point certainly warrants recognition as part of this list. He was on pace for yet another double-digit sack season before the Week 11 injury, doing well to build upon the league-best 22 he posted in 2014. - Wilkins

Ryan Kalil, C, Panthers
3.5 sacks allowed

Kalil was outstanding at diagnosing defensive schemes at the line of scrimmage, aiding Cam Newton and the Panthers to the top-scoring offense in the NFL. Kalil operated as the anchor of the Panthers' multi-pronged running game and never wavered as the team presented multiple packages with Newton and Jonathan Stewart at the forefront. - Srinivasan

Darrelle Revis, CB, Jets
39 tackles, 5 INTs

"Revis Island" is no longer a desolate destination for opposing wide receivers. The Jets did their top corner no favors with an often non-existent pass rush, but at 30 years old, Revis found himself playing catchup behind younger star receivers more than ever. It’s certainly not the end, just a reminder that over time, beaches tend to erode. - Boone

NaVorro Bowman, LB, 49ers
154 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF

Making his return from a knee injury that forced him to miss the entire year prior, Bowman immediately regained his elite level of play. He remained a constant force on a defense that otherwise took a considerable step back, recording a career high in tackles. - Wilkins

Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Lions
47 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 4 FF

Ansah finished third in the NFL in sacks and was one of the few bright spots in a disappointing year for the Lions' defense. A case can be made that Ansah is still only scratching the surface of what is possible with his truly rare athletic skill set. - Woods

Aqib Talib, CB, Broncos
45 tackles, 3 INTs, 13 PD

A bruising tackler, Talib helped lead the Broncos' top-rated defense all season as the unit finished first in total defense. Named to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season, Talib's all-around excellence both in run and pass support is undeniable. - Srinivasan

Michael Bennett, DE, Seahawks
52 tackles, 10 sacks, 2 FF

It's funny how a man with a nondescript name like "Michael Bennett" can be such a disruptive force on the football field. Bennett is an excellent all-round player, who makes an impact at every position across the Seahawks' defensive line. The scariest part is that year after year he just seems to be getting better. - Boone

Eric Berry, S, Chiefs
61 tackles, 2 INTs, 10 PD

Earning first-team All-Pro honors is a distant second when ranking Berry's achievements in 2015. It's hard to believe he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma little more than a year ago and declared cancer free in June, only weeks before the start of training camp. It's one of the NFL's all-time great stories. - Woods

Reshad Jones, S, Dolphins
135 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 INTs, 10 PD

Jones is the embodiment of what a modern strong safety ought to be, proving to be more than just one of the league's hardest hitters in 2015. Jones was phenomenal in run support and became the first player in NFL history with over 125 tackles and five interceptions. - Srinivasan

Linval Joseph, DT, Vikings
56 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 FF

Joseph is proving to be worth every penny of the five-year, $31.5-million deal he signed to join the Vikings in 2014. An immovable force on the interior defensive front, his ability to control the line of scrimmage was a critical factor in the unit’s continued ascent. - Wilkins