The "NFL Top 100" countdown for 2026 began on June 22, with the league unveiling its players' votes for the best and most unstoppable players in the NFL heading into the fall.
In the 2025 edition, the Tennessee ****** ans were shut out from the list, with not even star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons cracking the top 100. That's unlikely to be the case in 2026, with Simmons just days removed from signing a contract extension to be the highest-paid interior defensive lineman in league history and following up a year where he led his position group in sacks, quarterback pressures and pressure rate.
But the question remains: Where will Simmons land on the countdown, and will other ****** ans crack the cut? Here's a breakdown of The Tennessean's predictions for where the ****** ans' top contenders will (or won't) land on the NFL Top 100.
Chris Jones has been the top-ranked interior defensive lineman on the countdown each of the last three years, slotting at No. 10 in 2023, No. 6 in 2024 and No. 12 in 2025. Let's be realistic: Simmons probably won't crack the top 10, not because he's any worse than Jones was, but because he's not playing for a team that's in the Super Bowl every year.
Prediction: No. 16
In the 2025 edition, the Tennessee ****** ans were shut out from the list, with not even star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons cracking the top 100. That's unlikely to be the case in 2026, with Simmons just days removed from signing a contract extension to be the highest-paid interior defensive lineman in league history and following up a year where he led his position group in sacks, quarterback pressures and pressure rate.
But the question remains: Where will Simmons land on the countdown, and will other ****** ans crack the cut? Here's a breakdown of The Tennessean's predictions for where the ****** ans' top contenders will (or won't) land on the NFL Top 100.
Chris Jones has been the top-ranked interior defensive lineman on the countdown each of the last three years, slotting at No. 10 in 2023, No. 6 in 2024 and No. 12 in 2025. Let's be realistic: Simmons probably won't crack the top 10, not because he's any worse than Jones was, but because he's not playing for a team that's in the Super Bowl every year.
Prediction: No. 16
2 months ago
