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#15 Overall, Patrick Peterson, Free Agent, Cornerback, #1 Cornerback
2023 Pre-Season Rank #15, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #15, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #18, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #21. Peak Period 2011-15
After going to eight straight Pro Bowls to begin his career, Peterson slipped badly, first suffering a six-game suspension in 2019, and upon his return, he wasn’t the same player. After two years with Minnesota and one in Pittsburgh, Peterson begins the season as a Free Agent, hoping to continue his career. If he doesn’t, his first eight seasons with Arizona will be the resume he will have to go with, and it comes with an All-Decade nod.
This should be enough to get him inducted, though it could take a few years.
Modern Positional Average
Cornerbacks: Champ Bailey (2019), Ty Law (2019), Ed Reed (2019), Charles Woodson (2021), Darrelle Revis (2021) & Ronde Barber (2021)
Note that in 2019, all Defensive Backs were grouped together, and were Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, Ty Law, Ed Reed and Aeneas Williams. Cornerbacks and Safeties were split in 2020, but kept at four in both categories to keep everything modern. Last year, Barber and Revis entered and with Bailey, Law & Reed entering in the same year, we have six comprsing the Modern Positional Average. As we progress forward, Interception numbers will likely decline as elite Corners are rarely thrown to.
Here are the statistics that we are using based on the last group of Cornerbacks to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
- Games Played: 205.3
- Approximate Value: 139
- Approximate Value per Games Played: 0.6771
- Games Started: 199.2
- Approximate Value per Games Started: 0.6979
- Approximate Value per Five-Year Peak: 70.8
- Approximate Value’s Best Five Results: 74
- Top Five Defensive Player of the Year Finishes**: 4
- Pro Bowls: 7.8
- First Team All-Pros*: 3.5
- Interceptions: 51.7
- Interceptions Five-Year Peak: 26.5
- Top Five Interception Finishes**: 10
- Combined Tackles: 898.2
- Combined Tackles Five-Year Peak: 347.3
- Super Bowl Wins: 1.5
- Super Bowl Appearances: 1.2
*This is an aggregate of the Top Five finishes (5th = 1, 4th = 2, 3rd = 3, 2nd = 4th, 1st = 5)
**This is a reminder that the All-Pros we use are from the AP.
#36 Overall, C.J. Mosley: New York Jets Linebacker, #2 Defensive Lineman/Linebacker: Interior Lineman
2023 Pre-Season Rank #32, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #41, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #44, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #45. Peak Period: 2014-18
Mosley’s AV/G is higher than the average MPA for a Linebacker, though his traditional numbers are low for this stage of his career, and he doesn’t have that First Team All-Pro. After five years in Baltimore, Mosley joined the Jets in 2019 but only played two games due to a groin injury and opted out of 2020 due to COVID concerns. 2021 was not the comeback he needed, but 2022 was, where he added Pro Bowl and Second Team All-Pro number five. He is also on a three-year streak of at least 150 Tackles.
As a star of the Jets front-seven, his stock will rocket if the Jets and Mosely have a great 2024.
#12 Overall, Khalil Mack: Los Angeles Chargers, #3 Defensive Lineman/Linebacker: Pass Rusher
2023 Pre-Season Rank #14, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #19, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #26, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #29. Peak Period: 2015-19.
Mack has been a consistent pass rusher since he entered the NFl, and the 2016 AP Defensive Player of the Year has continued to control his edge role. Last season, Mack added his eighth Pro Bowl and boasted a career-best 17 Sacks, which propelled him over 100 for his career.
Mack may no longer be the highest profile player in his position, but he continues to rack up the numbers that should gain him a Hall of Fame spot.