Three Former Cal Stars Among Pro Football Network's Top 100

Two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers is just third among quarterbacks on the list.

A couple things jump out related to the three former Cal players included among the Pro Football Network’s ranking of the NFL’s Top 100 players, which the website unveiled this week, highlighted by 1 through 25 today.

First of all, former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers, despite being the league’s two-time reigning MVP, is just the third quarterback on the list, ranked No. 11 overall and behind No. 2 Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and No. 10 Josh Allen of Buffalo.

Author Dalton Miller of the Pro Football Network references the Green Bay Packers’ relative lack of success, suggesting Rodgers’ ranking is impacted by the fact that he has just one Super Bowl victory.

Of course, one is the total Super Bowl wins of Mahomes (1) and Allen (0), so there must be something else involved in this.

Perhaps it’s age. Rodgers will turn 39 before this season concludes, and therefore he’s much closer to the end than the beginning of his career. Mahomes and Allen are both 26 and just hitting their stride.

Tom Brady, by the way, checks in at No. 16. He will turn 45 next week, and hopes to add to his ridiculous total of seven Super Bowl victories.

Age is involved in our other observation. All three Cal players on the list are getting older: Besides Rodgers, edge rusher Cameron Jordan, who ranks No. 44, is 33 years old and wide receiver Keenan Allen, who checks in at No. 78 on the list, recently made the turn at 30.

They should be celebrated for their longevity in a league that often doesn’t allow that. But it’s also a signal that Cal needs to develop new high-level NFL talent to carry on the tradition because these guys won’t be around forever.

Before going any farther, here’s the criteria Miller used to assemble his list:

Top 100 rankings tend to favor the positions seen as “more valuable” in the NFL. It’s natural to see quarterbacks, pass rushers, receivers, and offensive tackles ranked quite high. But what would it look like if we ignored that and instead tried to base the rankings purely on the dominance a player displays in a vacuum?

Here’s what the Pro Football Network had to say about the three Bears:

Aaron Rodgers / Photo by Samantha Madar, USA Today

11) Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

For better or worse, Aaron Rodgers has come out of his shell over the past two years or so. He’s become much more vocal publicly, and he’s just so happened to win back-to-back MVP awards.

Nobody has ever found a balance between aggression and passivity on the field as a passer the way Rodgers has. There are times when he’s become too conservative, but he found his groove again in 2020 and 2021.

Rodgers is the most naturally gifted passer of this generation. He’ll never be considered for any greatest-ever debates because he lacked team success, but arguably, nobody outside of Dan Marino has an argument for their pure passing ability.

Cameron Jordan / Photo by Dale Zanine, USA Today

44) Cameron Jordan, EDGE, New Orleans Saints

Cameron Jordan’s parents probably loathed seeing the yearbook photos every time they rolled out if he was anything like he is for his yearly photoshoots with the New Orleans Saints. Every year, Jordan seems to have a different facial expression and unique facial hair.

Earlier, we applauded Von Miller’s reliability and durability, but Jordan takes that to another level. From 2012-2020, he played at least 900 snaps in each season and played 831 in 2021, where he missed one game due to Covid-19 protocols.

Now, for the talent portion of the contest. Jordan’s trump card is his natural power mixed with elite hands, which he uses to accomplish some of the most aesthetically pleasing pass rushes among any player in the league.

He’s a bit of a unicorn. Most modern pass rushers finding success do so through elite explosiveness and bend, and only Myles Garrett comes close to matching Jordan’s frame among the league’s best. But the wily vet brings experience and an elite game plan that allows him to dissect the blocks of some of the best blockers in the league immediately, helping him clear a path to opposing quarterbacks.

Keenan Allen

78) Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

There is no wide receiver in the NFL quite like Keenan Allen. He has a release repertoire with greater volume than the number of features Weezy took on during 2010 when he was on everything.

Allen isn’t a 4.7 runner as his 40 time would suggest, but he’s certainly not fast, either. In reality, he’s the less explosive but more consistent version of Amari Cooper. In other words, Allen is one of the most technically savage route runners in the league.

But he’s also well-built at 6’2”, 210 pounds, allowing him to fight through contact and use his frame subtly to create separation. And while he lacks long speed, he’s geared like a 1/8-mile drag car. He’s able to accelerate quickly and hit his chute to break off routes.

Here are the top 10 players on the Pro Football Network’s list: 10. Allen; 9. T.J. Watt, edge, Pittsburgh; 8. Travis Kelce, tight end, Kansas City; 7. Quenton Nelson, guard, Indianapolis; 6. Jalen Ramsey, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams; 5. Zack Martin, guard, Dallas; 4. Myles Garrett, edge, Cleveland; 3. Trent Williams, tackle, San Francisco; 2. Mahomes . . . 

And No. 1?

1) Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams

It was refreshing to see the best player of this generation win a Super Bowl. But it would have been devastating for football fans if his retirement contemplation had been serious enough to act.

Luckily, a newly-minted deal paying him over $30 million a season over the next two years probably puts retirement talk off until then.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to actively argue against Donald being the greatest defensive player ever. If he can remain at the top for another few seasons, make a ridiculous nine straight first-team All-Pros, and maybe add another DPOY Award, it may become a boring argument.

Donald is not human. He’s simply suppressing his powers enough to try and fool us into believing he’s a mere mortal.

Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Samantha Madar, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo