With football season quickly approaching, a fun exercise around NFL social media is to rank the top 100 players in the league. These rankings are a fun way to generate interesting discussions and debates.
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco recently partook in this as he released his top 100 players in the NFL for 2023. Prisco made some good points expressing just how difficult it is to put together a list like this.
“Putting together the list is a real challenge,” wrote Prisco. “There are so many talented players, and after the stars at the top it’s tough to separate the players who land from 20-45 or so. So before you get worked up about my list, which you will, try to put one of your own together. It isn’t easy.”
Prisco ended up including seven former Ohio State players on his top 100 rankings. Here’s who made the list that used to call Columbus home.
No. 78: Justin Fields
The former Ohio State star quarterback has a lot of hype surrounding him coming into this season. Fields showed a lot of promise last season as he displayed his elite abilities as a runner.
This season with an improved supporting cast in Chicago he’ll look to improve his consistency as a passer and cement himself as a star quarterback in the NFL.
No. 72: Chris Olave
After an impressive rookie season, Chris Olave finds himself on this top 100 list. Olave stepped up for the Saints when Michael Thomas went down with an injury and led the team in receiving with 1,042 yards in just 15 games.
Olave will be an integral part of the Saints offense once again this season with Derek Carr now under center.
No. 68: Terry McLaurin
The second of three former Ohio State wide receivers to crack Prisco’s NFL top 100 list is Terry McLaurin. He quickly cemented himself as a high-caliber wide receiver upon entering the league.
He heads into his fifth season in the NFL as the top target for Sam Howell, the likely new starting quarterback of the Commanders.
No. 63: Garrett Wilson
Expectations are very high for Garrett Wilson entering the 2023 season. Last season, Wilson cracked the top 15 in the league and led all rookies with 1,103 receiving yards.
With Aaron Rodgers in town for the Jets now, Wilson has all he needs to cement himself as one of the league’s very best receivers this season.
61: Joey Bosa
After a dominant career at Ohio State, Joey Bosa has churned out elite production year after year for the Chargers. Bosa has earned a Pro Bowl nomination in every season that he’s avoided missing significant time with injury since his Defensive Rookie of the Year award-winning season
Unfortunately, a groin tear limited him to just six games last season. He enters his 8th season in the NFL this season where if he stays healthy he’ll very likely be one of the best edge rushers in the league once again.
39: Cameron Heyward
Cameron Heyward has been one of the best former Buckeyes in the NFL for a while now. In his career, he has been a Pro Bowler six times and a first-team All-Pro three times.
Heyward is 34 years old and is entering his 13th season but has yet to show signs of slowing down as he had the second-highest sack total of his career with 10.5 just last season while playing for Pittsburgh.
4: Nick Bosa
Nick Bosa established himself as one of the best edge rushers in football upon entering the league in 2019. He claims the top spot amongst defensive players in Prisco’s top 100 after a Defensive Player of the Year award-winning season last year.
Bosa will be entering his fifth season in the NFL with the 49ers and he’s still just 25 years old. The former Buckeye is due for a large contact extension soon and has a lot of good football ahead of him still.
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