Quarterbacks rule the day. Putting aside the most important position in sports, Rich Eisen tried his hand at ranking the top ten non-QBs in the league. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt made the list, though he lagged behind his closest competitor, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett.
Watt came in seventh on Eisen’s list, and even then, Eisen wrestled with the slotting between Watt and Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons.
“Flip a coin if you want,” Eisen said of the two. “I understand one is younger than the other. I understand T.J. Watt had a bit of a drop-off last year. Micah’s on the rise because he’s younger. I could’ve said T.J. Watt eight and Micah Parsons seven.”
Parsons finished one spot behind at No. 8 on Eisen’s list.
Watt and Parsons are among the NFL’s top pass rushers, expecting to receive big-money deals before the season begins. Both could top Garrett’s average yearly value of $40 million per season, with Parsons likely sitting in the top spot when all the dust settles. Like Watt, Parsons is more than just a pass rusher and is one of the game’s freakiest athletes.
While Eisen gave the narrow nod to Watt, he also placed a handful of pass rushers ahead of him. The Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby ranked one spot ahead at No. 6 while Myles Garrett took the top spot, the No. 1 non-quarterback in Eisen’s mind.
“He’s just large and in charge,” Eisen said, citing rookie DT Mason Graham’s impact in helping unlock Garrett even more.
Watt and Garrett have been and will continue to be compared. Who is better is the subject of endless Internet debates, and frankly, it’s surprising legacy media doesn’t embrace it more. For shows built around debating, the discussion doesn’t often come up. Like Eisen, most of the national media give the edge to Garrett. That’ll upset fans, but Eisen at least called Watt a Hall of Famer in a separate segment during his Wednesday show.
Kansas City Chiefs DL Chris Jones also finished ahead of Watt on the list in fifth place, effectively making Watt the fourth-best rusher in football. Offensive players weren’t left in the lurch either with WRs Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase cracking the top-four, RB Saquon Barkley third, and RB Christian McCaffrey at No. 9. Check out Eisen’s complete list below.
