Top 5 NFL Quarterbacks: Where Does Aaron Rodgers Rank After Winning Super Bowl?

Now that the 2010 NFL season has run to completion, we can begin to look back and determine who the best of the best are at each position.

This year, there have been fewer dominant quarterbacks than in 2009-2010, however, the ones who have played well played out of their skin.

I will take into consideration the quarterbacks stats, the quality of their offense and their ability to win games.

5. Aaron Rodgers: Green Bay Packers

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GREEN BAY, WI - FEBRUARY 08: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers slaps the hands of fans as he leaves the field after the Packers victory ceremony at Lambeau Field on February 8, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Matt Ludtke/Getty Images)

Has any Quarterback seen more success in his first three years of starting. He has the highest ever quarterback rating for players who have played any decent amount of time, he was 78 yards off throwing for 4,000 yards each of his first three seasons and he now has some hardware to go with it.

Rodgers showed great leadership and mental fortitude to take the Packers firstly merely into the playoffs with a nicked up team. They needed to win their final three games on the road just to make the sixth seed. They then won three playoff games on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears.

Finally, in the Super Bowl, with Donald Driver injured and the defense dropping like flies, he pulled his team through. This shows his determination and refusal to lose.

These intangibles are teamed with his rapid release, super high velocity, accurate throw and his scrambling ability to make on of the best young quarterbacks in the league.

I am certain that he will retire with more than one ring.

2010 stats: 3, 922 yards, 8.3 yards per attempt, 65.7 %, 28 TD's, 11 Int's, 101.2 rating, 356 rushing yards, 4 TD's

4. Peyton Manning: Indianapolis Colts

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Peyton Manning, #18 of the Indianapolis Colts, looks for an open reciever during the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. NFC won 55-41 over the AFC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Although the Colts did not have the same level of team success in 2010 as in 2009, Manning once again had a career season, and showed us why he is one of the best ever.

This season Manning showed what he could do even when his favourite receivers started going down with injury. The loss of Dallas Clark and Austin Collie could have been disastrous for a lesser quarterback, but Manning's style of leadership pulled the Colts into the play offs.

He also showed the ability to win games when they were put on his shoulders in the fourth quarter, such as his drive late in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets in the AFC Wild Card round.

Little needs to be said about Peyton's passing ability. He is a very accurate passer with good arm strength, but the strength of his game are his intangibles. He is possibly the best ever at reading and manipulating the defense before the snap, which makes things much easier for him once the play begins

Although his performance in 2010 was not world beating (too many interceptions), his body of work is undeniable.

2010 stats: 4,700 yards, 6.9 yards per attempt, 66.3%, 33 TD's, 17 Int's, 91.9 passer rating

3. Philip Rivers: San Diego Chargers

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DENVER - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers looks to deliver a pass against the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field at Mile High on January 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 33-28. (Photo by Doug

Despite the Chargers having one of their worst seasons in a long time, Rivers had a truly great season. At the half way point, he was on track to break Dan Marino's passing yards record, and although he fell short of that mark, he still lead the league in passing yards and yards per attempt.

Rivers is prospering in the NFL despite his side armed action. Early in his career he was the definition of a passing surgeon, who would throw laser accurate short and medium length passes, making use of his lightning fast release. However in the last two seasons he has reinvented himself as a 'Air Coryell" quarterback who pushes the ball downfield to big tall receivers.

He showed real grit and leadership to band together his band of motley third string wide receivers after losing Vincent Jackson to a salary dispute, Malcolm Floyd to injury and Antonio Gates, his favourite target to injury in week nine.

When his best targets return Rivers will have a chance to push Marino's record in 2011.

2010 stats: 4,710 yards, 8.7 yards per attempt, 66%, 30 TD's. 13 Int's, 101.8 passer rating

2. Michael Vick: Philladelphia Eagles

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 09: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles scrambles against the Green Bay Packers during the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Tro

Was there a bigger surprise than the performance of Michael Vick this season? In a single year he transformed himself from an ex-con to a Philly favourite, who removed any nostalgia of the days of Donovan McNabb, or the starter controversy with Kevin Kolb.

Vick truly was the best offensive weapon in the 2010 season, and deserved to win the Offensive Player of the Year award. We all know the threat that Vick poses when he escapes the pocket and runs, but we finally saw the promise that Atlanta saw when he played under centre for them. He retained his monster arm strength and out of this world ball velocity, and developed unbelievably as a pocket passer.

His accuracy improved to the point where he completed 60 percent of his passes, and he finally started looking off defensive backs and passing to his third and fourth options in the passing game. When he broke the pocket to the left, he kept his eyes down field and made accurate passes on the run.

There were games when Vick looked like the old version, such as his horror performance against the Minnesota Vikings, but he kept Brady honest in the MVP race for most of the season and had games where he was utterly unstoppable. His demolition of the Washington Redskins and his fourth quarter heroics against the Giants were certainly the finest moments of his career.

The scary thing is that without the injury he suffered in his first encounter with the 'Skins, he may well have rivalled Brady statistically for the season. As it was, his average of 251.5 yards per game was ninth best in the country. If he had played a full 16 game season he would have totalled 4,000 passing yards and 900 rushing yards.

2010 stats: 3,018 yards, 8.1 yards per attempt, 62.6%, 21 TD's, 6 Int's, 100.2 passer rating, 676 rushing yards, 9 TD's

1. Tom Brady: New England Patriots

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FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 16: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws a pass during their 2011 AFC divisional playoff game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2011 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty

Who else could it be? After such a good season where he took a team of no name white guys to a 14-2 record, Brady has secured his status as one of the best ever.

In 2010, Brady won both the Offensive Player of the Year and the league MVP award. He broke the record for the most completions without an interception. He was the key cog in the best offense in the league and his leadership was bared for all to see in the inexperienced locker room in New England. People will argue that Bill Belichick is the main man in New England, but in reality it is Tom Brady that makes everything tick there.

Brady's mechanics are certainly not perfect, but he has a quick release and puts impeccable touch on all his throws. His intangibles are off the charts. He can manipulate defenses, and although not a mobile quarterback, he can avoid pressure in the pocket and get the pass off before it reaches him.

Like all these top quarterbacks, Brady had to deal with a sub par supporting cast of receivers this season. There is no better example than the revival that Deion Branch has seen now that it is Brady passing to him rather than Matt Hasselbeck.

For the moment, Brady is certainly the cream of the crop.

2010 stats: 3,900 yards, 7.9 yards per attempt, 65.9%, 36 TD's, 4 Int's, 111 passer rating

Almost There: The Best Of The Rest...

Drew Brees

Last year he would have made this list, but a propensity to chuck interceptions and a less rounded offense pushes him off the list. Is still one of the most accurate passers in the league.

Ben Roethlisberger

He may not be your typical pocket passer, but Big Ben is one of the best winners at the position. Who did not think that he was going to drive the Steelers to victory at the end of the Super Bowl? He is one of the hardest quarterbacks to get down, and his big arm really opens up the field for guys like Wallace and Sanders.

Josh Freeman

He may be young, but Freeman was a late game magician this season, sparking many comeback victories. He possesses a monster arm, and has surprising touch for a young guy. He is already one of the best, and could be one of the greatest ever if the Buccaneers grow with him.