Between his uniform change and his ongoing contract talks, Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Brian Burns has had a lot of numbers thrown at him this offseason. And on Friday, he got another.
Burns made the cut for the latest installment of the “NFL Top 100” list. As voted on by his fellow football-playing peers, the 25-year-old came in at No. 54 on the annual rankings—a healthy jump from his No. 76 standing a year ago.
The 2019 first-round pick is hot off the best campaign of his pro career. He notched bests in sacks (12.5), tackles (63), tackles for a loss (17), quarterback hits (22) and pressures (68)—all of which helped him earn his second straight nod as a Pro Bowl starter for the NFC.
With 50 spots remaining, this may also be the second straight year in which Burns is the only Panther to be named to the list. Some other notable players who were featured in Friday’s group alongside Burns include New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (No. 51), Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (No. 53) and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 56).
