NFL Top 100 players of 2018 Darius Slay named No. 49

NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2018 countdown has been going on for several weeks now and the Detroit Lions had been shut out for the first 51 players named as the list counted off from the bottom up. However, on Monday night that streak finally ended. Darius Slay was named the 49th best player in the NFL.

The list is based on player surveys from around the league. This is the first time since the list’s inception (2012) that Slay has made the list.

49 may not sound all that impressive, but Slay landed above several well-respected cornerbacks in the league. Here are the other cornerback named to the list thus far and their respective ranking:

• Chris Harris Jr. - 86
• Marshon Lattimore - 82
• Marcus Peters - 79
• Richard Sherman - 64
• Casey Hayward - 59
• Xavier Rhodes - 55
• Aqib Talib - 53

Slay’s ranking comes off the heels of a Pro Bowl year in which he led the NFL in interceptions (8) and passes defended (26).

With the top 50 players remaining on the list, there is only likely on Lions player left to be named. Matthew Stafford has made the list four times. His highest ranking was 31st after last season. Do you think Stafford will be higher or lower this year?