No Skins in the CBS Top 100? Three who might in 2021

When CBS released Pete Prisco’s Top 100 players in the NFL article there could be little surprise from Washington fans that there was not a single burgundy & gold football player who made the list.

Is this an issue? To a major extent, not really, especially when the Redskins are so clearly at the start of a new, and hopefully successful, chapter in their history.

Of course, to be in any Top 100 of anything, it is a fundamental that you will be a high calibre NFL star who makes an impactful and telling contribution pretty much week in and week out.

That lack of an impact guy on the offense for the Redskins was evidenced when Washington went in extremely hard in their pursuit of Amari Cooper as an obvious WR1.

Unsurprisingly Amari stayed in Dallas, but the Redskins showed their hand with that aggressive approach, which makes me still harbour some thoughts that they might yet roll the dice with a veteran (yes, I do mean a former Pittsburgh Steeler who has seemed rather lost lately).

Here at UKHTTR, we highlight three players who might just be able to break into that Top 100:

Most Likely Top 100 2021 Candidate

Brandon Scherff

There are two main reasons why Brandon might well be into the Top 100 next time around.

The first is that he was listed in the Just Missed category, where former team mate Trent Williams now resides. The second is that he is near enough the best Guard in professional football.

In 2020, Scherff will be playing on the franchise tag in D.C.

You do not get franchise tagged unless you are particularly good and, in his position, Scherff plays incredibly nasty and is a clear stud.

On the negative side, injuries have curtailed Brandon in both 2018 (torn pectoral) and 2019 (elbow and shoulder injuries) and sent him to IR.

Staying with the upbeat tone of UKHTTR, let us predict a healthy 2020 for Scherff and the most likely to head into the CBS Top 100.

Second Most Likely to break into the Top 100

Chase Young

I doubt there has been an easier decision to make that when Washington turned in their draft card for DE Chase Young.

Viewed by nearly all analysts as the best player in the 2020 Draft, Young possesses all the tangible and intangible qualities required to make a sure-fire impact in the National Football League.

Chase is the bookmaker’s favourite to be Defensive Rookie of the Year, which is a huge testament to the freakish abilities displayed in College.

The current DROTY is, of course, another former Ohio State DE Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49rs.

Bosa crashed into the 24th spot in the Top 100 list, albeit it on a roster that reached the Superbowl and is clearly in better shape than the Redskins. Nick registered 9 sacks in 2020 and was a standout in the play off run.

By all accounts, Chase Young is even better than the Bosa brothers. Be excited about his immediate impact and legitimate alpha ability to generate double digit sacks even as a rookie.

Wild card entry?

Derrius Guice

A lot must fall in place here; and it is all about being healthy for Derrius for 2020.

There are two extremely gifted RBs in the NFC East and both are listed high in the CBS Top 100.

Perhaps surprisingly, Zeke Elliot at 17 came in higher than Saquon Barkley who was "only" in the 31-40 range. It might seem an extreme reach, therefore, to make any kind of quality comparison between those seasoned two guys and Derrius.

Critics can rightly point to his limited game time and Red Alert injury concerns.

However, we have seen just how great an RB skill set Guice has in the small sample of NFL tape where he is healthy. He slayed the Panthers in Week 13 in 2019 – in fact, it was that 120 yard and 2 TD performance led to the firing of Rivera in Carolina.

Remember how devastated we felt when Guice when down in preseason and we lost him to IR for his whole rookie year? Then remember the reason for that devastation: we know just how good this kid can be.