NFL Top 100: Players' List Reveals NFL Is Entering New QB Era

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers tops the 2012 NFL Top 100 list, and last year's top player, Tom Brady, slid down into the No. 4 overall spot. Rodgers isn't the only young gun who made a big move up the board this year, though.

This shift signals a changing of the guard. Sure, the usual suspects like Peyton Manning, Tony Romo and Michael Vick are still on this list. But besides Drew Brees, who came in at No. 2, many of the mainstays at quarterback fell significantly from where they were in 2011.

Whether you agree or disagree with these results, you must remember that this list has been made by the players themselves. Obviously, they see the shift, and in time, even the staunchest Brady fan will start to see the truth.

Brady is not the best quarterback in the NFL anymore.

Not only that, but there were three young guns added to this year's list who weren't even on last year's list: Cam Newton, Matthew Stafford and Tim Tebow. Newton and Stafford are clearly on their way up, and they will be even higher next year.

The Tebow selection brings with it a fair amount of criticism, but nobody can deny his ability to win games. Players respect what he brings to the table, and they rewarded him for it by including him on their list.

Let's take a quick look at the way last year's list—courtesy of NFL.com—matches up to this year's list.

First, the veteran quarterbacks that took a tumble:

Name	Age	2011 Ranking	2012 Ranking
Tom Brady	34	1	4
Peyton Manning	36	2	50
Michael Vick	32	20	70
Philip Rivers	30	26	61
Tony Romo	32	72	91
Donovan McNabb	35	100	Not on List

Now, let's take a look at the quarterbacks who made big moves up the board in 2012:

Name	Age	2011 Ranking	2012 Ranking
Aaron Rodgers	28	11	1
Ben Roethlisberger	30	41	30
Eli Manning	31	Not on List	31
Joe Flacco	27	90	74
Cam Newton	23	Not on List	40
Matthew Stafford	24	Not on List	41
Tim Tebow	24	Not on List	95

It's clear the older players are on their way down, while the younger players are rising up the ranks. 

Two quarterbacks with a lot left in the tank, Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman, also took a tumble and didn't make this year's list. They have plenty of years left in their careers to get back on top, though, and I expect both of them to play well in 2012.

The game is ever-evolving, and the stars of yesterday are slowly fading away. There will always be new stars to take their place, though, and that is exactly what we're starting to see.

Which players were overrated? Which players were underrated? Let us know in the comments section below, and stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all your NFL news, opinion and analysis.

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