Summer is apparently the perfect time for rankings.
The NFL Network has been unveiling its Top 100 list over the past two months, and analytics site Pro Football Focus recently put out its list of the top 50 players in the NFL.
Now Pete Prisco of CBS Sports has released his list of thetop 100 NFL players, with four Vikings making the cut.
Vikings safety Harrison Smith, who was on the first two lists mentioned above, was the highest-ranked Vikings player for Prisco at No. 16. Smith was a near-unanimous All-Pro selection this past season.
Prisco wrote:
He is a playmaking safety who can do it all, rush, cover and play the run. His versatility is perfect for the modern NFL.
Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes was up next at No. 27. Rhodes earned two different All-Pro honors in 2017.
He is an elite cover corner who plays on one of the best defenses. Rhodes is just now getting to his peak.
Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen was ranked 92nd on Prisco's top 100 list, while defensive end Everson Griffen also made the cut at No. 98.
Both Thielen and Griffen earned Second-Team All-Pro honors at their respective positions in 2017 after helping the Vikings win the NFC North.
Thielen had 91 catches for 1,276 yards and four touchdowns, while Griffen set a career high with 13 sacks.
Diggs among league's best for contested catches
It's a rare sight that a wide receiver streaks down the field by himself while running a route.
Defensive backs around the league are usually in close proximity to pass catchers, and Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs is among the league’s best when going up for contested catches.
Analytics website Pro Football Focus recently tweeted out some impressive numbers for Diggs, who had 64 catches for 849 yards and a career high eight touchdowns in 2017.
PFF noted that Diggs ranked first among all NFL wide receivers with a catch rate of 64 percent and a wide receiver rating of 145.2 this past season.
He also ranked fourth with 301 total receiving yards on contested catches, and was sixth with 18.8 yards per reception.
