Steelers' Cam Heyward, Patriots' Christian Gonzalez Named Nos. 83, 84 on NFL Top 100

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez cracked the NFL Top 100 for the first time in his young career.

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, meanwhile, made his return to the list and moved up 15 spots to 83rd.

Gonzalez came in at No. 84 ahead of the upcoming season after making an impressive return from a shoulder injury that limited him to two games as a rookie.

Here's the full Top 100 so far:

NFL Top 100 Players for 2025

100. Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

99. Leonard Williams, DL, Seattle Seahawks

98. Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings

97. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

96. Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

95. Josh Sweat, OLB, Arizona Cardinals

94. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions

93. Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs

92. Jessie Bates III, FS, Atlanta Falcons

91. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

90. Zach Allen, DE, Denver Broncos

89. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills

88. Andrew Van Ginkel, LB, Minnesota Vikings

87. Quinnen Williams, DT, New York Jets

86. Laremy Tunsil, LT, Washington Commanders

85. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

84. Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots

83. Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers

Gonzalez finished with 59 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 16 starts for New England. According to Pro Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks had a paltry 71.7 passer rating when throwing his way.

"He was great against No. 1 wide receivers," The Athletic's Chad Graff wrote. "He was great no matter which side he lined up on and great in man or zone coverage. How could a guy with that track record not keep improving as he gets older and more experienced?

"Maybe this is overstating things for a player with 20 career NFL games, but Gonzalez is everything you want in a cornerback."

Gonzalez was one of the few bright spots for the Patriots in 2024. They ranked 10th in passing defense, allowing 211.5 yards per game, and that was thanks to the contributions of their standout corner.

In Drake Maye, New England may have a true heir to Tom Brady after years of underwhelming quarterback play. Just as Maye can be the long-term cornerstone of the offense, Gonzalez is poised to set the tone for the Pats defense for years to come.

Heyward is a familiar face in the Top 100 rankings and enjoyed a return to form in 2024. He had 71 tackles, eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The 36-year-old also hassled passers to tune of 11 pass deflections and 20 QB hits.

The Steelers star was rewarded with his seventh Pro Bowl appearance and a fourth All-Pro nod.

NFL.com's Bobby Kownack noted Pittsburgh's run defense noticeably suffered when Heyward was on the sideline, demonstrating his value to the unit.

"The Steelers faced 303 carries with Cameron Heyward on the field this past season and allowed an average of 3.7 yards per carry (which would rank second in the NFL overall), compared to 5.1 yards per carry (which would rank 31st) on 109 carries without Heyward," Kownack wrote.

The Steelers have seen a litany of legendary defensive players come through the Steel City and it's not a stretch to say Heyward belongs in that group. Pro Football Reference ranks him sixth in franchise history in approximate value.

So much of Pittsburgh's fortunes will hinge on how Aaron Rodgers performs under center. Finishing with a top-10 defense is almost as important toward the team's playoff hopes, and Heyward will be expected to be an anchor once again.