Pro Bowl Teams 2015: Full Rosters and Top Stars to Watch in NFL All-Star Game

Give the NFL credit. For all the snickering that goes on about the Pro Bowl in terms of quality, the league has found a way to make it the kind of event that fans love to watch. It's no longer a boring AFC vs. NFC matchup but instead has taken on more of a fantasy element, with teams being built through a draft. 

The rosters for the 2015 Pro Bowl were set on Wednesday, with Hall of Fame wide receivers Cris Carter and Michael Irvin picking the teams that will play in Sunday's All-Star showcase. It's hard to argue that either side got the better end of the deal with so much talent available. 

So instead of trying to break down the game (since the outcome is irrelevant), it would be more fun to look at those players worth watching closely when the action kicks off. Here's a look at the rosters for the Pro Bowl, followed by the stars who will shine on this stage. 

2015 Pro Bowl Rosters

Position	Team Carter	Team Irvin
QB	Andrew Luck, IND	Tony Romo, DAL
	Drew Brees, NO	Matt Ryan, ATL
	Andy Dalton, CIN	Matthew Stafford, DET
RB	Jamaal Charles, KC	DeMarco Murray, DAL
	Justin Forsett, BAL	C.J. Anderson, DEN
	Alfred Morris, WAS	Mark Ingram, NO
FB	John Kuhn, GB	Marcel Reece, OAK
WR	Antonio Brown, PIT	Odell Beckham JR., NYG
	Jordy Nelson, GB	Emmanuel Sanders, DEN
	T.Y. Hilton, IND	Randall Cobb, GB
	A.J. Green, CIN	Golden Tate, DET
TE	Greg Olsen, CAR	Jimmy Graham, NO
	Martellus Bennett, CHI	Jason Witten, DAL
OT	Joe Staley, SF	Joe Thomas, CLE
	Duane Brown, HOU	Tyron Smith, DAL
	Ryan Clady, DEN	Trent Williams, WAS
C	Maurkice Pouncey, PIT	Travis Frederick, DAL
	Jason Kelce, PHI	Nick Mangold, NYJ
OG	Josh Sitton, GB	Zack Martin, DAL
	Evan Mathis, PHI	Marshal Yanda, BAL
	Mike Pouncey, MIA	Kyle Long, CHI
DE	J.J. Watt, HOU	Demarcus Ware, DEN
	Mario Williams, BUF	Cameron Wake, MIA
	Calais Campbell, ARI	Robert Quinn, STL
DT	Marcell Dareus, BUF	Aaron Donald, STL
	Dontari Poe, KC	Geno Atkins, CIN
	Kyle Williams, BUF	Sheldon Richardson, NYJ
OLB	Justin Houston, KC	Von Miller, DEN
	Connor Barwin, PHI	Clay Matthews, GB
	Tamba Hali, KC	Elvis Dumervil, BAL
ILB	C.J. Mosley, BAL	Luke Kuechly, CAR
	Lawrence Timmons, PIT	D'Qwell Jackson, IND
CB	Aqib Talib, DEN	Joe Haden, CB
	Patrick Peterson, ARI	Brent Grimes, MIA
	Sam Shields, GB	Vontae Davis, IND
	Antonio Cromartie, ARI	Chris Harris, DEN
S	Donte Whitner, CLE	T.J. Ward, DEN
	Glover Quin, DET	Eric Weddle, SD
	Antoine Bethea, SF	Mike Adams, IND
K	Cody Parkey, PHI	Adam Vinatieri, IND
P	Pat McAfee, IND	Kevin Huber, CIN
PR	Devin Hester, ATL	Darren Sproles, PHI
ST	Justin Bethel, ARI	Darrell Stuckey, SD
LS	Jon Dorenbos, PHI	L.P. Ladouceur, DAL

NFL.com

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants (Team Irvin)

Al Bello/Getty Images

It's only fitting that the two Pro Bowl rosters were selected by wide receivers, since the player who will draw the most attention lines up at the same position. 

Odell Beckham Jr. became the breakout star of a loaded 2014 draft thanks to his ability to make spectacular catches. It didn't hurt that he finished the year on the hottest of hot streaks with at least six catches and 90 yards in each of the last nine games. 

ESPN's Darren Rovell put Beckham's newfound popularity in perspective with this tweet about jersey sales for the New York Giants' star:

In addition to selling merchandise, Beckham's ridiculous one-handed touchdown catch against Dallas inspired a meme craze that included him grabbing everything from Michael Jordan's final shot in the 1998 NBA Finals to Steve Bartman's botched catch at Wrigley Field during the 2003 NLCS. 

Add the fact that Beckham will have big-play quarterbacks like Tony Romo and Matt Ryan as well as strong-armed Matthew Stafford throwing him passes, and it would be a huge disappointment if the Giants wideout didn't provide at least one spectacular moment that ends up on a GIF and SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays. 

Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis Rams (Team Irvin)

Stop the press: There's discussion of a defensive player in the Pro Bowl.

Even crazier, the defensive player in question isn't J.J. Watt. The reason for this (non)slight of Houston's superstar is that everyone already knows he can be great. 

It seems more appropriate to highlight a defensive player who may not be a household name yet but showed as much promise as anyone in his rookie season.

St. Louis defensive tackle Aaron Donald came into the league as a fairly anonymous face inserted into a defensive line that was already among the NFL's best. Still, he didn't fly completely under the radar because the Rams took him 13th overall in last year's draft. 

It was obvious as the season moved on that Donald should have gone much higher than that. He finished the season with nine sacks, trailing Buffalo's Marcell Dareus among defensive tackles. 

In naming Donald the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Ben Stockwell of ProFootballFocus.com noted how the Rams star got better throughout the season:

"

In fact, his form as a run defender really came well before his late surge as a pass rusher (20 of his 44 pressures came in the last five weeks). That balance sets Donald’s inaugural season aside as a special one not just in this year but in any. He wasn’t just an impact player racking up the big plays but flawed in other areas, right away Donald brought out his A-game and was among the league’s very best defensive tackles based solely on their play in 2014.

"

Even though the Pro Bowl is an exhibition game, fans will hopefully pay close attention to what Donald is doing. He's going to be a superstar for years to come and will belong in the conversation of best defensive players. 

There may be some elements of Donald's game that aren't on display because he doesn't want to injure himself or someone else, but pay close attention to his technique and skill at the snap to see what makes him so unique as a 285-pound defensive tackle. 

Devin Hester, PR, Atlanta Falcons (Team Carter)

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

What better way to conclude a look at the top players to watch in the Pro Bowl than with arguably the league's most electrifying special teams star?

Devin Hester's star has dimmed since his prime with Chicago, but that doesn't mean he's lost a step. The 32-year-old had his most productive season as a wide receiver since 2009 with 38 catches for 504 yards and two touchdowns. 

In the return game, Hester remained one of the best in the league. He was the only player with more than 1,000 yards on kick returns, racking up 1,128 on 45 attempts. His 13.3 yards per punt return was tied for the most among players with at least 15 attempts, per ESPN.com. 

Hester is certainly planning to make an impact in the Pro Bowl, as this answer this question from NFL Network's Chris Rose shows (via Reid Ferrin of Falcons.com):

"

NFL Network's Chris Rose asked Devin Hester how many TDs he's planning to score in Sunday's Pro Bowl; answer "2" pic.twitter.com/HpJolSLnzW

— Reid Ferrin (@FalconsRFerrin) January 22, 2015"

If Hester does end up with two touchdowns on special teams, he's a safe bet to be named the MVP. It's not a crazy prediction: All he will have to do is break the first wave of tacklers, because everyone will be running at a less-than-normal speed. 

The Pro Bowl is all about seeing the spectacular risks that wouldn't be taken during the regular season. A player like Hester, whose talents are best suited to backyard football, will shine on this stage.