Giants' Dexter Lawrence, Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. Named Nos. 17, 18 on NFL Top 100

The NFL Top 100 for the 2025 season has added New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 17 and 18, respectively.

Stingley made his first-ever appearance on the Top 100 coming off an impressive third season in 2024.

Lawrence made his third consecutive appearance on the Top 100. He climbed up seven spots from No. 24 last year.

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, S, Atlanta Falcons

91. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

90. Zach Allen, DL, Denver Broncos

89. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills

88. Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB, Minnesota Vikings

87. Quinnen Williams, DT, New York Jets

86. Laremy Tunsil, OT, Washington Commanders

85. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

84. Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots

83. Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers

82. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

81. Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs

80. Rashan Gary, DE, Green Bay Packers

79. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

78. Khalil Mack, DE, Los Angeles Chargers

77. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

76. Vita Vea, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

75. Patrick Queen, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

74. Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders

73. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

72. Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks

71. Kerby Joseph, S, Detroit Lions

70. Frankie Luvu, LB, Washington Commanders

69. Jordan Mailata, OL, Philadelphia Eagles

68. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers

67. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

66. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

65. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

64. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos

63. Josh Hines-Allen, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

62. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

61. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

60. Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

59. Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams

58. Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans

57. Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers

56. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

55. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions

54. Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers

53. Jared Verse, LB, Los Angeles Rams

52. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

51. Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens

50. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

49. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

48. Jonathan Greenard, LB, Minnesota Vikings

47. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

46. Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans

45. Trent Williams, OT, San Francisco 49ers

44. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

43. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

42. Dion Dawkins, OT, Buffalo Bills

41. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

40. Roquan Smith, LB, Baltimore Ravens

39. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans

38. Nik Bonitto, LB, Denver Broncos

37. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

36. Micah Parsons, DE, Dallas Cowboys

35. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

34. Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals

33. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

32. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

31. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

30. Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers

29. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

28. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

27. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

26. Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

25. Danielle Hunter, DE, Houston Texans

24. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

23. Lane Johnson, OT, Philadelphia Eagles

22. Maxx Crosby, DE, Las Vegas Raiders

21. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

20. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

19. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

18. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Houston Texans

17. Dexter Lawrence, DT, New York Giants

With Aaron Donald retiring after the 2023 season, Lawrence has taken up the mantle as the NFL's best defensive tackle. He recorded a career-high nine sacks in 2024, despite missing the final five games of the season due to a dislocated elbow.

Creating pressure up the middle has been a specialty for Lawrence since he entered the NFL in 2019. As a true nose tackle, he has 76 more pressures than any other player over the past three seasons.

If the Giants are going to improve on their 3-14 record from 2024, the biggest reason for optimism is their defensive line. Lawrence is the leader of the group that also features Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Originally drafted No. 3 overall in 2022, Stingley's first two seasons were interrupted by injuries that limited him to a total of 20 games. He did show tremendous promise in 2023 with 13 pass breakups and five interceptions in 11 starts.

A healthy 2024 showcased the full extent of Stingley's impact for a stellar Houston defense. He tied his career-high with five picks and ranked second among all cornerbacks with 18 passes defensed.

Stingley was named to the All-Pro first team in 2024. He joined JJ Watt as the only defensive players in Texans history to earn a spot on the All-Pro first team.

That performance didn't go unnoticed by scouts, coaches and executives across the NFL who voted Stingley as the second-best cornerback in the league entering this season in a survey conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"Best ball skills in the league, in my opinion," one NFC personnel evaluator said of Stingley to Fowler.

The Texans also took note of Stingley's performance, rewarding him with a three-year, $90 million contract extension in the offseason. He was the highest-paid cornerback at the time before Sauce Gardner, who was selected one pick after him the 2022 draft, signed a four-year, $120.4 million deal with the New York Jets.

Houston has built an excellent defensive foundation since DeMeco Ryans took over as head coach. Stingley is one of the main driving forces for that unit and more than deserving of his spot as one of the top 20 players in the NFL entering 2025.