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We've reached the point in the offseason when it's all about reviewing 2012. All over the internet, there are reviews of players, looks at position groups, and top player lists. Several years ago, Pete Prisco from CBS was among the first to publish a top players list. A couple of days ago, he posted his most recent version of the Top 100 NFL Players.
Prisco agrees with most Miami Dolphins fans in thinking that the NFL's Top 100 list vastly undervalued defensive Cameron Wake. While on the NFL list, Wake was 89th, Prison has him 13th. Of the position, Prisco explained:
Moving to a down end spot from a 3-4 rush guy, he responded with 15 sacks and was as dominant as he was standing up. He doesn't get the due he deserves.
Really can't argue with that. Wake deserves much more recognition than he gets.
Wake was not the only Dolphins player to make the list. He was joined by center Mike Pouncey (44th) and safety Reshad Jones (74th). Neither Pouncey nor Jones were voted to the Pro Bowl or were selected to an All Pro team this year, but both were playing at those levels.
Pouncey is one of just two centers to make Prisco's list, with his twin brother Maurkice taking the 96th position. About the Dolphins' Pouncey, Prisco wrote:
His brother got more attention last season, but this Pouncey was the best center in the league.
Yep. Sounds about right.
Meanwhile, for Jones, he was one of just four safeties to make the list, coming in behind the San Diego Chargers' Eric Weddle (25th), the Seattle Seahawks' Earl Thomas(51), and the Buffalo Bills' Jarius Byrd (69th). Jones' blurb seems about as accurate as the first two Dolphins' comments:
His name isn't known by a lot of fans, but it should be. He is an emerging safety in a league where there aren't enough of them.
Wake being on the list is no surprise. Pouncey and Jones deserve to be on the list, but are often overlooked. The fact that Prisco, at least, is recognizing two of the Dolphins' young players says good things about where the team is headed. Now, it's just a matter of getting some more players on the list next year.