The Biggest Snubs From ESPN's Top-10 Positional Rankings
One of the highlights of the dead period of the NFL offseason between the end of minicamp and start of training camp from mid-June to mid-July is when ESPN polls coaches, general managers, and other executives to rank the top 10 players at each position.
It provides good fodder for sports talk shows to debate, and it also gives football fans some insight into how their favorite players are perceived in league circles.
But as is customary with any set of rankings, there's going to be some pushback.
So, who were the biggest snubs from ESPN's top-10 positional rankings this summer? We have a list of some of the top players who were left out.
Jared Verse, DE, Cleveland Browns
Welcome to life as a Brown, Jared.
I understand there are lots of talented edge-rushers in the NFL, but in no world should Nik Bonitto and Danielle Hunter be in the top 10 and Verse is not. The 25-year-old posted 189 pressures, 130 hurries, 42 QB hits, 12.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries over his first two seasons.
The only player who had more pressures last season than Verse (100) was Houston's Will Anderson (102). Verse also ranked third in hurries (64), behind only Anderson (74) and Jacksonville's Josh Hines-Allen (68).
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Narrowing down the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL is getting much more difficult given the caliber of QB play in the league. However, it just feels wrong leaving Daniels out of the top 10 given what he did as a rookie, leading the Commanders to a 12-5 record and appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
Yes, he was injured for most of last year, but few would argue that when healthy, Daniels is among the 10 best at his position.
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
The same goes for Purdy, who has a 30-15 record as a starter with a 104 passer rating and a 67.9 completion percentage. Purdy made his first Pro Bowl and led the NFL in passer rating in his first full season as a starter, and he helped lead the 49ers to back-to-back NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl.
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
I know Nabers was injured last season, and we still don't know when exactly he'll be back in 2026. But you have a tough time convincing me you can name 10 wide receivers better than he is when healthy.
Ja'Marr Chase? Of course. Justin Jefferson? Sure. Puka Nacua? No argument here. Amon-Ra St. Brown? OK.
But the rest of ESPN's top 10 - Jaxson Smith-Njigba, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Nico Collins, A.J. Brown, Davante Adams - I would take Nabers over all of them in a heartbeat.
Trey Hendrickson, DE, Baltimore Ravens
Hendrickson was likely another player who was dinged because of injury. He played just seven games last year, and his pass-rush production as nowhere near what fans had become accustomed to over the years
But when Hendrickson isn't sidelined, he's arguably a top-five edge-rusher. He posted back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, and he hit double-digit sacks in four of five seasons from 2020 to 2024. Playing in Baltimore next season, Hendrickson should return to being a 15-sack-or-better defensive end.
Bobby Wagner, LB, free agent
I know this may be controversial given Wagner doesn't even have a team, but it's hard to deny he's still among the best linebackers in the league. He finished fifth in tackles (162), and he logged eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, and four passes defended.
Wagner was voted No. 81 on the NFL Top 100 Players recently, and he's recorded 104 or more tackles in every one of his 14 seasons. His resume is also second-to-none - he has 11 All-Pro selections and 10 Pro Bowls, he was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team selection, he led the NFL in tackles three times, and he's won a Super Bowl.
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This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 10:53 PM.