The 2021 NFL season is right around the corner, which means a lot of preseason lists and rankings are going to come out over the next two weeks.
ESPN unveiled Monday its ranking of the league's top 100 players.
Unsurprisingly, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the No. 1 player on the list. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who beat Mahomes in Super Bowl LV last season, comes in at No. 20. It's a pretty low ranking for the best QB of all time.
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Only one New England Patriots player made ESPN's list. Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore is No. 26, just behind Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and just ahead of Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson.
Gilmore had a disappointing 2020 season that was hindered by injuries. His status for the upcoming campaign is unknown. He's been on the PUP list throughout training camp and the preseason. He reportedly is unhappy about his contract, too.
The 30-year-old cornerback should still be an elite player if healthy, and his presence in the secondary would be a huge boost to a Patriots defense that projects to be a top 10 unit in 2021.
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Other Patriots stars who could've been considered as top 100 players are safety Devin McCourty and Dont'a Hightower. However, Hightower didn't play last season after opting out.