Detroit Lions: Is Ndamukong Suh the Most Overrated Player in the NFL?

The Detroit Lions' star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was recently named the most overrated player in the NFL, but is that a fair title?

The honors of being labeled the most overrated player come courtesy of Pete Prisco over at CBSsports.com. 

Prisco's argument has some validity. As most Lions and NFL fans have now realized, Suh was a massive disappointment last season in what was only his second year in the league. But that does not necessarily mean he is the most overrated player.

After being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2010 thanks to his 66 tackles and 10 sacks, Suh followed that performance up last season with a measly 36 tackles and four sacks. 

The reason for Suh's fall from dominance is simple—and Prisco aptly points it out—defenses figured out Suh after having a full season of tape on him and were able to negate, and even take advantage of, his presence on the field. 

Suh is the most relentless player in football, and at times his over-aggressiveness hurts his team. He is typically in the backfield very quickly after every snap, which is great unless the opposing offense is expecting him to do so.

Still, Suh's aggressiveness is admirable in a league that is notorious for players taking plays off. Suh is not the most popular player in the league after his now infamous Thanksgiving day stomp, but there are 31 teams and fan bases that would kill to have a player with Suh's tenacity on their team. 

Despite Suh's public perception taking a hit, it is clear to most that the Lions' success next season largely hinges on Suh's ability to duplicate or exceed the success of his rookie campaign. Like him or not, he is an integral piece to what is slowly becoming one of the best teams in the NFL. 

So, was Prisco correct in calling Suh the most overrated player in the NFL? The short answer is no. 

The more politically correct term would be "disappointing," but only in regards to his performance last season. It is hard to coin a player the overrated after just two seasons. 

It is even harder to classify someone as overrated when the mistakes of a disappointing year are so easily correctable. Suh simply needs to refine his technique and timing and the issues of last year should evaporate. 

Suh experienced the classic "sophomore slump" that many NFL rookies encounter early in their careers, but is likely the only one that was quickly labeled the most overrated player in the NFL. 

Seems a bit unfair, no? Suh is easily not the most overrated player in the NFL, and almost certainly is not even the most disappointing. 

Suh's sophomore season should be considered only a minor speed-bump in what will otherwise be a lengthy and productive NFL career. Suh simply needs to fine-tune his game and he will quickly go from "overrated" to "underrated" in the blink of an eye.