Russell Wilson Leads 2014-15 Licensed Merchandise Sales Among NFL Players

If apparel sales are the NFL's top mark of popularity, no player can touch Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

The Pro Bowler led all merchandise sales during the tally period of March 1, 2014, to Feb. 28, 2015, according to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell. It's the second straight year that Wilson, who has led Seattle to the Super Bowl each of the last two years, has been the overall leader.     

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning finished second, one spot ahead of longtime rival Tom Brady. The top five players and six of the top 10 on the list are quarterbacks. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, who was sixth, is the top-ranking non-quarterback. Wilson's teammate, Richard Sherman, is the top defensive player in seventh, one spot ahead of Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.

Ranking	Player	Position	Team
1	Russell Wilson	QB	Seattle Seahawks
2	Peyton Manning	QB	Denver Broncos
3	Tom Brady	QB	New England Patriots
4	Colin Kaepernick	QB	San Francisco 49ers
5	Aaron Rodgers	QB	Green Bay Packers
6	Dez Bryant	WR	Dallas Cowboys
7	Richard Sherman	CB	Seattle Seahawks
8	J.J. Watt	DE	Houston Texans
9	Marshawn Lynch	RB	Seattle Seahawks
10	Johnny Manziel	QB	Cleveland Browns

Wilson threw for 3,475 yards and 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions last season, adding a career-high 849 rushing yards. He undoubtedly owes some of his marketing success to the juggernaut team surrounding him in Seattle as well as the Seahawks' raucous fanbase. Seattle is the only team with multiple players in the top 10 in merchandise sales, and it has three players.

What's more, Wilson also benefits from playing the sport's most high-profile position. Couple that with the Seahawks' appearances on national television and deep playoff runs, and it's something of a perfect storm.

On the flip side, high-profile talents like Washington's Robert Griffin III and Chicago's Jay Cutler saw substantial drops in sales amid their on-field struggles. 

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.