We already knew Marshawn Lynch's name would be called when NFL Network revealed players ranked Nos. 10-1 on its countdown of the Top 100 Players of 2015.
Now we know where Lynch has landed.
Seattle's 'Beast Mode' running back was unveiled at No. 9 on Wednesday night, becoming the eighth Seahawks player to appear on this year's list determined solely by the votes of current NFL players. Lynch, who jumps five spots from the No. 14 Top 100-standing he held a year ago, joins cornerback Richard Sherman (No. 11), free safety Earl Thomas (No. 21), quarterback Russell Wilson (No. 22), tight end Jimmy Graham (No. 31), strong safety Kam Chancellor (No. 41), linebacker Bobby Wagner (No. 69), and defensive end Michael Bennett (No. 90). The team's eight players in the Top 100 are an NFL-high.
https://twitter.com/nflnetwork/status/618935598955429888
In 2014, Lynch led the NFL with 17 touchdowns, a total that included a career-high 13 scores rushing and four scores receiving. He was voted to his fifth Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro after his 1,306 yards on the ground helped lead the Seahawks to an NFL-high and franchise-record 2,762 yards rushing, the League's third-highest rushing total since 1985.
Lynch, 29, has been the focal point of Seattle's run-first offense since joining the club in a 2010 trade with the Buffalo Bills and in that time his on-field production at the position has been unrivaled. Since 2011 - Lynch's first full year with the Seahawks, he leads the League in total touchdowns (56), rushing yards (5,357), and 100-yard games (24). In that same span, he's been the only player in the NFL to run for more than 1,000 yards and score 10 rushing touchdowns each season. His runs have also been known to register on the Richter scale and if he adds 1,305 more yards to his resume he'll become the 30th player in NFL history to rack up 10,000 career rushing yards.
NFL Network's Top 10 ranking is just the latest headline to add to what has already been a busy offseason for the Skittles-munching Oakland naive.
Over the past few months, Lynch has traveled to Turkey to teach women about football, inspired Ludacris to write a rap song, become the first athlete to appear in a 'Call of Duty' video game, joined the Golden State Warriors on their NBA Championship parade, appeared on an episode of Animal Planet's 'Tanked', dove into an end zone full for Skittles with late-night host Conan O'Brien, and readied for his ninth annual free youth football camp set to take place this weekend in the Bay Area.
But perhaps the most significant note about No. 24 as we anxiously await the new season? He signed a two-year extension that will keep him in Seattle through 2017. As far as Lynch's offseason anecdotes go, that one has to please 12s the most.
Here's how players ranked from No. 100-1:
100. Randall Cobb – Green Bay Packers, WR
99. Calais Campbell – Arizona Cardinals, DE
98. Adam Vinatieri – Indianapolis Colts, K
97. Joe Flacco – Baltimore Ravens, QB
96. Jurrell Casey – Tennessee Titans, DE
95. Emmanuel Sanders – Denver Broncos, WR
94. CJ Mosley – Baltimore Ravens, LB
93. Jason Witten – Dallas Cowboys, TE
92. Aaron Donald – St. Louis Rams, DT
91. Julian Edelman – New England Patriots, WR/PR
90. Michael Bennett – Seattle Seahawks, DE
89. Greg Olsen – Carolina Panthers, TE
88. Glover Quin – Detroit Lions, S
87. DeMarcus Ware – Denver Broncos, OLB
86. Eric Weddle – San Diego Chargers, S
85. Golden Tate – Detroit Lions, WR
84. Terrell Suggs – Baltimore Ravens, LB
83. Maurkice Pouncey – Pittsburgh Steelers, C
82. Haloti Ngata – Detroit Lions, DT
81. Darren Sproles – Philadelphia Eagles, RB/RS
80. Arian Foster – Houston Texans, RB
79. Marshal Yanda – Baltimore Ravens, OL
78. Ryan Kerrigan – Washington Redskins, LB
77. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons, QB
76. Sen'Derrick Marks – Jacksonville Jaguars, DT
75. Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, WR
74. Muhammad Wilkerson – New York Jets, DE
73. Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers, QB
72. Kyle Williams – Buffalo Bills, DT
71. Julius Peppers – Green Bay Packers, LB
70. Tamba Hali – Kansas City Chiefs, LB
69. Bobby Wagner – Seattle Seahawks, LB
68. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals, WR
67. Tashaun Gipson – Cleveland Browns, S
66. DeAndre Levy – Detroit Lions, LB
65. Justin Forsett – Baltimore Ravens, RB
64. Charles Woodson – Oakland Raiders, S
63. Jerry Hughes – Buffalo Bills, DE
62. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings, RB
61. Jeremy Maclin – Kansas City Chiefs, WR
60. Eddie Lacy – Green Bay Packers, RB
59. Vontae Davis – Indianapolis Colts, CB
58. Connor Barwin – Philadelphia Eagles, LB
57. Brandon Marshall – New York Jets, WR
56. Lavonte David – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, LB
55. Sheldon Richardson – New York Jets, DE
54. Steve Smith – Baltimore Ravens, WR
53. Marcell Dareus – Buffalo Bills, DT
52. Antonio Gates – San Diego Chargers, TE
51. Clay Matthews – Green Bay Packers, LB
50. DeSean Jackson – Washington Redskins, WR
49. Khalil Mack – Oakland Raiders, LB
48. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears, RB
47. Trent Williams – Washington Redskins, OT
46. Elvis Dumervil – Baltimore Ravens, LB
45. Julius Thomas – Jacksonville Jaguars, TE
44. Robert Quinn – St. Louis Rams, DE
43. Philip Rivers – San Diego Chargers, QB
42. Mario Williams – Buffalo Bills, DE
41. Kam Chancellor – Seattle Seahawks, S
40. Jason Peters – Philadelphia Eagles, OT
39. Cameron Wake – Miami Dolphins, DE
38. Brent Grimes – Miami Dolphins, CB
37. A.J. Green – Cincinnati Bengals, WR
36. Tyron Smith – Dallas Cowboys, OT
35. T.Y. Hilton – Indianapolis Colts, WR
34. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys, QB
33. Von Miller – Denver Broncos, LB
32. Odell Beckham Jr. – New York Giants, WR
31. Jimmy Graham – Seattle Seahawks, TE
30. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints, QB
29. LeSean McCoy – Buffalo Bills, RB
28. Gerald McCoy – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, DT
27. Justin Houston – Kansas City Chiefs, LB
26. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers, QB
25. Joe Thomas – Cleveland Browns, OT
24. Ndamukong Suh – Miami Dolphins, DT
23. Joe Haden – Cleveland Browns, CB
22. Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks, QB
21. Earl Thomas – Seattle Seahawks, S
20. Demaryius Thomas – Denver Broncos, WR
19. Patrick Peterson – Arizona Cardinals, CB/PR
18. Jordy Nelson – Green Bay Packers, WR
17. Darrelle Revis – New York Jets, CB
16. Le'Veon Bell – Pittsburgh Steelers, RB
15. Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys, WR
14. Luke Kuechly – Carolina Panthers, LB
13. Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons, WR
12. Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs, RB
11. Richard Sherman – Seattle Seahawks, CB
- Rob Gronkowski - New England Patriots, TE
- Marshawn Lynch - Seattle Seahawks, RB
- Antonio Brown - Pittsburgh Steelers, WR
- Andrew Luck - Indianapolis Colts, QB
- Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions, WR
- Peyton Manning - Denver Broncos, QB
- DeMarco Murray - Philadelphia Eagles, RB
- Tom Brady - New England Patriots, QB
- Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers, QB
- J.J. Watt - Houston Texans, DE
As a reminder, this list is determined solely by the votes of current NFL players.
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