Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive end J.J. Watt are the first two Houston Texans to be represented on the prestigious annual ranking.
In Hollywood, there are a number of different awards shows that occur each year representing filmmakers, actors, editors, etc. Some of the best-known editions of these include the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Golden Globes.
However, it’s the Screen Actors Guild Awards — or SAG Awards — that often mean the most to many performers. Why? Because only these awards are voted on and then awarded amongst peers — meaning it’s the actors who are voting for their fellow actors, directors for their fellow directors, etc.
In sports, the ESPYs have come to represent the main circuit of athlete awards shows. And specifically within the NFL, most people consider the Pro Bowl nominations and AP All-Pro lists to be the highest individual awards football players can attain, other than league-based awards like MVP or Super Bowl MVP, of course.
But if there’s an equivalent to the SAG Awards for professional football players, it’s undoubtedly the annual Top 100 Players list released every year on NFL.com.
Just like the SAG Awards, this list is organized entirely by the players themselves — meaning they vote for who they believe had the best season the prior year, as well as where they rank one another entering the upcoming year, too.
So far, the Houston Texans have two players who have cracked the 2020 edition: offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive end J.J. Watt, who were ranked No. 66 and No. 45 by their peers, respectively.
Here’s the blurb about Tunsil from the article, via NFL.com’s Quang M. Lam:
"After four seasons in the league, Tunsil makes his debut in the Top 100. The former Dolphins first-round pick earned a Pro Bowl nod in his first season in Houston. Tunsil has been an anchor on the Texans’ offensive line and should only improve as he gets more comfortable with Deshaun Watson and the offense."
And here’s the blurb about Watt, courtesy of NFL.com’s Adam Maya:
"It was somewhat of another lost season for the three-time DPOY, as he missed eight games with a torn pectoral. When healthy, Watt wasn’t as dynamic as he’s been. Just two years ago, he returned from injury and produced an All-Pro season. Can he do it again?"
It’s worth noting that Watt was ranked No. 12 this time last year. Clearly, the half-season he missed because of his torn pec dropped him significantly in these rankings.
Will more Texans players end up on the list? There are still 40 spots remaining that need to be revealed.
Our guess is that Houston will have just two more players crack the top-40: quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (though Hopkins now plays for the Arizona Cardinals, of course).
Where do you think Watson and Hopkins will fall in the rankings? Is there anyone else from the Texans roster who got snubbed overall? Let us know your thoughts!