With 2024 NFL training camps on the horizon, it is again time for the league’s true insiders to make their voices heard. ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help us rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from quarterback to cornerback and all positions in between. This is the fifth edition of these rankings, and as usual, several players have moved up or fallen off last year’s lists.
A reminder of the rankings process: Voters give us their best 10 players at a position, then we compile the results and rank candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, nearly 80 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed help us break any ties.
Each section includes quotes and nuggets from the voters on every ranked player — even the honorable mentions. The objective is to identify the best players right now for 2024. This is not a five-year projection or a career achievement award. Who are the best players today?
We will roll out a position per day over 11 days. The schedule: running backs (7/8), defensive tackles (7/9), edge rushers (7/10), safeties (7/11), tight ends (7/12), interior offensive linemen (7/13), offensive tackles (7/14), quarterbacks (7/15), off-ball linebackers (7/16), wide receivers (7/17), cornerbacks (7/18).
A few themes emerged from this year’s guards and centers rankings.
There’s zero consensus about who’s the best. Seven different players received at least one No. 1 vote, including some from the honorable mention category.
Several stars are aging, and various sophisticated offensive schemes affect player values. In other words, being the best guard or center doesn’t necessarily mean the best player.
Take the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, which run the ball with great efficiency but didn’t have a guard or center that ranked anywhere near the top five.
And while the Philadelphia Eagles have a compelling case for the league’s best offensive line, the Kansas City Chiefs have the best interior, as the voting clearly showed.
Below are the league’s top 10 interior linemen as voted by league executives, scouts and coaches.
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 9
Age: 33 | Last year’s ranking: 1
Martin retained his standing as the top interior player, this time in a very close race with several veteran players. A gold standard among NFL guards, Martin earned his fifth consecutive All-Pro first-team nod after his age-33 season.
Martin ranked third among the field in run block win rate (75.4%).
“He’s slowing down a bit, but he’s still really damn good,” an AFC executive said. “He’s everything you want in a guard, it’s just about age and deterioration at this point.”
Added a team executive: “I think he’s got one more year at the top and then a younger player like Trey Smith or Tyler Smith will overtake him.”
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 27 | Last year’s ranking: 7
Lindstrom was tremendous in 2022, earning a five-year, $102.5 million extension from Atlanta minutes before free agency.
League evaluators wanted to see him do it again. He did, earning Pro Football Focus’ highest guard grade.
“He’s slightly better than the field as a run blocker,” an NFL defensive line coach said. “I’d probably put him up against anyone there. And he’s improved enough as a pass blocker that he’s solid there.”
With other stars aging or declining, Lindstrom capitalized on a weaker field to jump six spots over last year. While he failed to appear on every ballot, his percentage of top-two votes (44%) was impressive.
“We’ve had him No. 1 for a few years now,” an AFC exec said.
Added an NFC executive: “He was paid a lot because team had to take care of him — no real negatives here, just not elite in my opinion.”
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 10
Age: 28 | Last year’s ranking: 3
Teams are torn on Nelson, a former No. 1 who is still among the best. Nelson helped a depleted Colts offense finish 10th in rushing despite injuries to quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor.
“I thought he was stellar — maybe his best season,” an AFC scout said.
Nelson’s 72.4% run block win rate ranked fourth among guards under consideration. Others weren’t sold on him as a top-five guard, with one league exec saying Nelson is playing “top heavy and doesn’t bend as well anymore.”
“I think Nelson has always been a little overrated,” an AFC executive said. “His highs are very high, and he can set a tone and dominate at times. I think he has slipped this past year, though.”
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 31 | Last year’s ranking: 2
Thuney is something of a pass-blocking wizard. He lost four out of 431 pass-block attempts for a 99.1% win rate with one sack attributed. That clip easily led the NFL.
The Chiefs have gotten a great investment out of Thuney’s five-year, $80 million deal in free agency signed three years ago.
“Grip strength — once he’s attached, he stays attached,” said an AFC executive about Thuney’s pass protection. “Incredibly fundamental.”
His drop from No. 2 to No. 4 year-over doesn’t signal declining play. The entire top five was closely ranked.
“I know he’s good, but there are a lot of younger, more explosive players that you could do more with in an offense,” an NFC executive said.
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 7
Age: 32 | Last year’s ranking: 5
Bitonio never has cracked the top three, and he came closest to doing so this year.
The 32-year-old’s body of work makes a compelling case.
Bitonio, one of Cleveland’s best draft picks of the past decade, has missed two games in six years and ranked among the best in pass block win rate (95.7%) and run block win rate (72.2%).
“Still playing at a very high level — age showing a bit in pass protection but one of the most reliable guards of the last decade,” an AFC executive said. “He could be a sneaky Hall of Famer when it’s all said and done.”
Added a high-ranking NFL official: “He just doesn’t get beat very often. His length is a problem.”
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: Honorable mention
The Eagles need a stalwart in the middle of the offense to offset the loss of Jason Kelce. Luckily, they have a two-time Pro Bowler to assume that post.
Dickerson, fresh off a four-year, $84 million contract extension this offseason, is ready to play like the highest-paid — and eventually best — guard.
“I believe he’s the best run-pass combo guard in the league,” an NFL coordinator said. “Some might be slightly better in the run game, but one-on-one in pass pro, Landon is significantly better. Considering most of Philly’s pass pro is dropback, I give more credibility than someone who’s in play-action and bootleg protections more often.”
While Dickerson’s 95.7% pass block win rate is stellar, his 81.2% run block win rate led all guards. Philly’s system helps some with that, as three Eagles linemen rank in the top seven in this category, but it’s impressive nonetheless.
“He will be the premier guard after this year, especially if Philly wins,” an NFL personnel evaluator said.
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 8
Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: 8
Humphrey has made a compelling case for the game’s best overall center now that Jason Kelce is retired.
Humphrey and teammate Trey Smith are both considered elite and gems from the 2021 draft class. But Humphrey tends to get the slight nod over Smith, who’s considered better in the run game.
“Extremely consistent, especially in pass pro, good athlete, very smart and tough and very, very steady,” said an NFL personnel director of Humphrey. “A great communicator and field general. Became better than I gave him credit for coming out.”
Humphrey had one core issue last year.
“He had a snapping issue late last year that was probably a bigger issue than [the team] let on,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “Mahomes didn’t know what to expect back there for a while. That’s something he’ll have to get fixed.”
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 28 | Last year’s ranking: 10
Ragnow has shown a slight decline in the eyes of evaluators, but he’s still considered a blue-chip player.
Ragnow is a premier communicator at the line of scrimmage, helping one of the NFL’s best offenses get organized every down.
“Would take others over him from a physical standpoint at this stage, but he’s still one of our top 5-6 interior players at this stage,” a lead scout with an NFL team said.
And his four-year, $54 million contract looks like a bargain compared to the nearly $450 million Detroit committed to QB Jared Goff, OT Penei Sewell and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on long-term deals this offseason.
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: Honorable mention
Smith sometimes gets overshadowed by Humphrey and Thuney, but he adds a unique dimension to the Chiefs offense.
“Powerful and violent at the point of attack,” one exec said. “Can really dominate in the run game. More of a gap-scheme specialist so it’s pick your flavor with him. But I could see why people who are high on him are really high.”
Added an NFC executive: “He might be No. 1 for me eventually.”
Smith’s 96.6% pass block win rate ranked third among guards under consideration.
A great draft success story, Smith fell to the seventh round in 2021 due to a heart condition detected while at Tennessee. He’s overcome that to become a major contributor.
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 28 | Last year’s ranking: 4
Jenkins’ play didn’t drop off. He just didn’t get as many votes as last year.
After years of playing wherever needed across the Packers’ line — guard, center, tackle — he’s now found a home at left guard, where he played 873 snaps last season.
Jenkins finished the year with a solid 94.4% pass block win rate and a 71.5% run block win rate.
“Versatile, athletic, long, can play every spot on the line. Belongs in the top 10,” an NFC executive said.
Honorable mentions
Wyatt Teller, Cleveland Browns: Teller finished his sixth NFL season with a 92.7% pass block win rate and a 69.5% run block win rate. Teller was No. 1 on a voter’s ballot. “He’s good, powerful, but he’s one of those PFF’s superheroes that’s overevaluated a bit,” an NFC executive said. “Really talented but streaky,” an NFL offensive coach said.
Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys: Smith took steps forward in 2023, improving from an 81.4% pass block win rate as a rookie to a 91% pass block win rate in 2023. “He’s the next one. Incredibly gifted. Just needs more time on task,” an AFC executive said.
Erik McCoy, New Orleans Saints: After five NFL seasons, McCoy owns a 93.7% pass block win rate and a 70.4% run block win rate. “You could make an argument he’s been the best center for a while. He gives us problems. Plays like a guard as far as power and physicality,” a high-ranking NFL personnel man said.
Robert Hunt, Miami Dolphins: After an impressive start to his career in Miami, Hunt scored a five-year, $100 million deal from the Panthers this offseason. “Big, fast, athletic, long. Can do damage in the second level as a big mover,” a high-ranking NFL official said.
Michael Onwenu, New England Patriots: Onwenu played mostly right tackle last season, but voters still associate him as more of a combo guard. “Probably doesn’t get the credit because he plays on a bad offense. A physical player with movement ability,” an NFC executive said.
Lloyd Cushenberry III, Tennessee Titans: Cushenberry comes to the Titans after impressing with a 95.2% pass block win rate in 2023 for the Broncos. “Athletic, versatile, can do a lot with. He’ll give Tennessee flexibility up front,” an NFL coordinator said.
Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos: Meinerz had a 91.7% pass block win rate and a 70.7% run block win rate for the Broncos last season. “Slowly but surely keeps getting better. Good anchor and shows some good power, especially when pulling. He gets ahold of you and can hang on. Doesn’t get the credit he deserves around an offensive line that gave up a ton of pressure,” an AFC offensive coach said.
Also receiving votes: Brandon Scherff (Jacksonville Jaguars), Ryan Kelly (Indianapolis Colts), Peter Skoronski (Tennessee Titans), Tyler Linderbaum (Baltimore Ravens), Kevin Dotson (Los Angeles Rams), Ted Karras (Cincinnati Bengals), Jonah Jackson (Los Angeles Rams), Isaac Seumalo (Pittsburgh Steelers), Steve Avila (Los Angeles Rams), O’Cyrus Torrence (Buffalo Bills), Drew Dalman (Atlanta Falcons)