Robert Quinn Ranks No.13 On The Top 100 Players Of 2014

NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2014 countdown has been gradually rolling out names for the past nine weeks. Finally, in their second-to-last episode, a member of the St. Louis Rams has made their way onto to list. Late in the show last night, Robert Quinn clocked in at No.13, sandwiched between the ’13 and ’14 AP Defensive Player of the Year award winners; J.J. Watt (12) and Luke Kuechly (14). For a man that did not even rank on the Top 100 list last season, that is an impressive jump… However, one shouldn’t mistake “impressive” for meaning “undeserved.” Quinn was unarguably the top pass rusher in the NFL last season, recording more quarterback disruptions (19 sacks, 21 hits, 51 hurries) than any player in the last half decade. In fact, Robert Quinn, according to Pro Football Focus, graded out as the second-best overall player in the league last season, trailing only J.J. Watt. However, Quinn was not just a master of the quarterback pressure, he was truly a “game wrecker.” In 2012, many criticized the former-Tar Heels’ lack of effectiveness against the run. In 2013, he quickly silenced those detractors, finishing the year with 45 defensive stops (4th overall) and the 8th-highest run stop percentage (i.e. the percentage of the player’s run defense snap that resulted in a run stop) among all 4-3 defensive ends.  Quinn also finished the season with seven forced fumbles (2nd in the NFL), including two recoveries and one defensive touchdown off of his own strip. Those accomplishments earned Quinn his first Pro Bowl invitation, where he was named as one of the four captains in the first ever Pro Bowl Draft. He also was awarded a spot on the AP 1st-Team All-Pro roster and was voted the Professional Football Writers of America’s Defensive Player of the Year. Needless to say, Quinn has a stellar season… In the “highlight” clip thrown together by the NFL Network Top 100 crew, you can re-live some of Robert Quinn’s top moments of the 2013 season, including the sack-strip-recovery-touchdown against the Bears and the infamous crawling sack-strip versus Drew Brees. It also reveals some “instant classic” sound bites from players and coaches on Quinn during actual gameplay, including some gems from Indianapolis Colts head coach, Chuck Pagano.

Congratulations and thank you, Robert Quinn, for ending the St. Louis Rams drought of “superstar” players going unnoticed by the general masses.