With so many big-name players dominating the headlines from week to week in the NFL, some exceptional players don’t get the recognition they deserve.
Here is a look at 10 players in the NFL who are underrated in their respective positions:
10. Rahim Moore – Denver Broncos (FS)
Moore will forever be linked to the 2012 AFC Championship game where he misjudged a Joe Flacco 70-yard bomb to tie the game. Fortunately for Moore, his body of work previous to that and since sets him apart from most safeties in the league.
In his three seasons with the Broncos he has tallied 15 passes defended, four interceptions and one sack. While they are not gaudy numbers, he anchors the backside of the Broncos defence.
Moore is an athletic and instinctive player who plays the deep middle like a centre fielder. With great range and tackling ability, Moore deserves more credit than he gets.
9. Rashad Jennings – New York Giants (RB)
Jennings finally saw more action last year for the Oakland Raiders as injuries paved the way for him to start. He made the most of his carries as he rumbled for 733 yards on 163 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per carry and notched six touchdowns.
He also showcased his versatility by taking 36 catches out of the backfield for 292 yards. With over 1000 all-purpose yards in eight games as the starter, Jennings proved he is not a back-up, but a more than capable starter in the NFL.
8. Mychal Kendricks – Philadelphia Eagles (ILB)
Kendricks has come on quickly in the NFL and has been the point man on the Eagles defence. At 6’0 and 240 pounds, Kendricks is a sideline to sideline defender who packs a punch.
While stout against the run, Kendricks is at his best in pass coverage, where he excels at picking up crossing routes and defending the seam against tight ends. A three-down inside linebacker, Kendricks is a player on the rise.
7. Doug Baldwin – Seattle Seahawks (WR)
Baldwin was a role player for the Seahawks last season but was a potent weapon when Russell Wilson threw the ball in his direction. Baldwin finished the season with 50 receptions for 778 yards and five touchdowns.
Baldwin made a name for himself in the playoffs as an integral part of the Seahawks Superbowl run.
6. Ryan Kerrigan – Washington Redskins (OLB)
Kerrigan has been quietly carving out a solid career as an NFL pro and his 8.5 sacks last season went unnoticed to many. Since entering the league in 2011, Kerrigan has 24.5 sacks, 15 passes defended with two interceptions and two touchdowns.
Entering the league in the same year as J.J. Watt, he has been somewhat overshadowed by the Houston Texan. Kerrigan has the length to be a dominant pass rusher and the ability to disrupt the passing lane. A disruptive force coming off the edge, Kerrigan is one of the better young pass rushers in the NFL.
5. T.Y.Hilton – Indianapolis Colts (WR)
Hilton is a speed receiver who has a highlight reel of big plays where he gets behind the defence and into the open field. With two seasons under his belt Hilton has 132 receptions and 1944 yards with 12 touchdowns.
A big play receiver, he averages 14.7 yards per catch but is more than just deep threat. What is underrated about Hilton’s game is his elusiveness in the open field with the ball in hand.
Often he is used on underneath routes where he manoeuvres and gets free and takes it for a big gain.
4. Lavonte David – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (OLB)
With 284 tackles in two season in the NFL, David is a pure tacking machine for the Buccaneers. A little known quantity in the NFL, David notched up 145 tackles last season and seven sacks.
He also nabbed five interceptions and two forced fumbles in his best season yet as a pro. What separates David from other outside linebackers is that he is proficient at both rushing the passer and coving in the passing game.
Many NFL outside linebackers are designated rush linebackers will little other responsibility than to collect sacks. David is a multi-purpose outside linebacker for the Buccaneers and an up and coming superstar in the NFL.
3. Jordan Cameron – Cleveland Browns (TE)
Cameron broke out last season with 80 receptions for 917 yards and seven touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns. After two seasons as a role player and a back-up in 2013, Cameron was given the starting responsibilities and was the only other viable passing threat from Josh Gordon.
In a league with elite tight ends such as Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski, Cameron has subtly emerged as one of the better tight ends in the NFL.
2. Ryan Tannehill – Miami Dolphins (QB)
Tannehill is a young signal caller whose progression from rookie season has been exceptional. In 2013, he doubled his touchdown total from his rookie season with 24 and finished the season with 3913 yards and a QBR of 81.7. Tannehill is an accurate passer who has shown an ability to correctly read defences and is becoming more comfortable with calling an audible at the line of scrimmage.
With enough athletic ability to escape the rush, Tannehill while a pass first quarterback can make the first down with his feet if necessary. Playing in the AFC East, which features Tom Brady, it is hard for Tannehill to gain notoriety without defeating one of the best in the history of the game in Brady.
1. Kyle Williams – Buffalo Bills (DT)
Kyle Williams is an unsung hero on the defensive line for the Buffalo Bills where he spends his playing time taking on double teams and eating up blockers. Williams has been doing the dirty work in Buffalo since 2006 and is the tip of the spear on the Bills defence.
In 2013 he exploded by racking up 10.5 sacks from the interior as well as posting a career high 68 tackles. Williams is a player whose efforts often go unnoticed but as he goes, so does the team, such is the value of his play.
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