10 Under-the-Radar Sports Jerseys You Need Right Now
Everyone knows a thing or two about the classics. Those cobbled-together pieces of thread represent jerseys that fans have to own in order to pay homage to the top superstars around.
But what about all of those underrated jerseys dancing around—those garments that have been transformed into shelf-dwelling pieces of art. The following list represents 10 under-the-radar sports jerseys everyone should own.
Using sales as a measuring stick, we touched on a good chunk of professional sports uniforms out there people need to get their hands on.
Now's the time to get your debit cards out, because each jersey listed here falls into that coveted underrated category.
Vladimir Tarasenko: St. Louis Blues
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NHL sweaters make for great casual wear. What's an underrated jersey that hockey fans should own? St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko's comes to mind.
At age 24, Tarasenko has proved he has a lasting dose of star quality. Last season he took to the ice for 80 games, netting 40 goals and 34 assists.
He could well be the NHL's next MVP if the Blues continue to soar. Why not support his climb to the top and rock a Tarasenko jersey?
Desmond Trufant: Atlanta Falcons
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Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant got really good really fast. If they haven't already, NFL fans need to take notice of his elite playmaking abilities.
Eric Single of Sports Illustrated detailed what makes Trufant such a special player: "He has started every game since the Falcons made him the No. 22 pick in the 2013 draft and has held his opponents’ completion percentage below 60 percent in each season."
Trufant is a worker who can post up on the outside and slow down the game's top wide receivers. Though he may not have the name recognition of a Richard Sherman or even Joe Haden—who are both featured in the top 100 jerseys sold for 2016, according to NFLPA.com—Trufant's shirt is worth tossing into your closet.
Daniel Murphy: Washington Nationals
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Let's be clear: The Washington Nationals have a great-looking jersey. Whether you like the red iteration or the white version or stick with a more traditional gray garment, the Nationals have served the nation's capital well with a sophisticated yet youthful cut.
Of all the National players not named Bryce Harper, second baseman Daniel Murphy deserves a solid dose of jersey sales. He has help spearhead the Nationals' first-place run atop the National League East.
His .348 batting average, 17 home runs and 66 RBI make him one of the favorites to win the NL Most Valuable Player award.
Adding to his mystique, Murphy also happens to be a class act. During the 2016 MLB All-Star Game, he honored New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson for his ongoing bout with cancer, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News.
It's time to get Murphy's jersey selling like a pound of Sriracha-soaked hot cakes.
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Paul Pogba: Juventus
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First off, Paul Pogba has successfully removed the tag of being deemed underrated. The Juventus midfielder has become a must-grab commodity, and Manchester United is looking more and more like the place he's going to end up, per Sky Sports.
According to World Soccer Shop (h/t Roger Gonzalez of CBS Sports), Pogba hasn't cracked the top 10 in jersey sales despite his talent. Perhaps some of that blame has to go to the club he plays for.
Before he winds up at Old Trafford, adding a Juventus cut featuring Pogba's name would be a stellar haul. The black-and-white trim creates a beautiful, timeless appeal.
Plus, if he does transfer, you'll be able to have a wearable reminder of how brilliant he was prior to his ultra-famous days.
Anthony Davis: New Orleans Pelicans
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Anthony Davis is an excellent player who happens to play on a team full of tomato cans.
Perhaps that's the main reason why he didn't wind up in the NBA's top 15 for jersey sales, per Des Bieler of the Washington Post, despite averaging 24.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game last season.
Davis is a gleaming example of big-man excellence. He's a diverse two-way player who can change the course of a game.
To go along with his skill set, the jersey set he rocks is dope. The Pelicans have embraced a modern style, using white, gold, red and blue as their base colors.
Both the home and away jerseys are sweet choices, and Davis' are the only ones worth copping—except for rookie Buddy Hield if you're feeling ambitious.
Mookie Betts: Boston Red Sox
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Mookie Betts is exceptionally fun to watch play baseball. The Boston Red Sox have always had a timeless set of jerseys, which means the Betts and Red Sox combination is one you should totally get down with—unless of course, you love the New York Yankees.
Baseball has a lot of great talent to work with these days. Betts is one of those pieces. Leading up to the All-Star break, he was sitting with a .304 average, 18 home runs and 59 RBI. At 23 years of age, Betts should continue to improve.
Already popular with Red Sox Nation, Betts' on-field charisma and youthful exuberance could soon translate into big-time jersey sales. Last season, he didn't even clip the top 40, per Mark Newman of MLB.com.
Allen Robinson: Jacksonville Jaguars
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We need to start showing members of the Jacksonville Jaguars more respect, especially Allen Robinson.
Robinson has already developed into a superstar-caliber wide receiver and is only entering the third season of his career. Last year he hauled in 80 passes for 1,400 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. He burst out of the gate and never slowed down.
Considering the Jaguars' color-blasted uniforms are visually worth it, Robinson's jersey remains an underrated gem worth nabbing. Respect for pass-catching talents such as Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham Jr.—both in the top 10 for NFL jersey sales, per NFLPA.com—is apparent.
Seeing how Robinson operates should throw him into that mix. As he continues to challenge opposing defenses, his stock should only rise.
D'Angelo Russell: Los Angeles Lakers
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The Los Angeles Lakers need a star. More importantly, Lakers fans need a star. Can D'Angelo Russell be that guy?
It's a "jury still out" line of questioning, but it's important in a post-Kobe Bryant world. Matt Borcas of The Ringer talked about how Russell rose to new heights during the summer league: "Russell’s ceiling remains unclear — he resembles a Rajon Rondo–Dion Waiters hybrid, which is the scariest thing I’ve ever typed — but his sheer watchability is through the roof."
This is the point of getting your hands on a Russell Lakers jersey. No one knows what the future holds. However, we're all going to sit back and enjoy the ride.
If you lean toward the Lakers side of the aisle, this is a must-own, underrated jersey. If you don't tilt that way, it's still cool to represent a young guard on the come-up.
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid
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Gareth Bale has been on quite the hot streak as of late. First, Real Madrid captured UEFA Champions League gold. Following up that performance, Bale helped guide Wales to the semifinals of the 2016 Euro.
Bale might not get the same level of notoriety as fellow Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, but that doesn't take away from his brilliance. With Ronaldo placed No. 2 on the soccer jersey list, per World Soccer Shop (h/t Roger Gonzalez of CBS Sports) and Bale nowhere to be found, his kit is most definitely underrated.
Nolan Arenado: Colorado Rockies
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Colorado Rockies fans have many reasons to rejoice from a player-personnel standpoint. Not only do they have Carlos Gonzalez, but they also have potentially baseball's foremost underrated player in Nolan Arenado.
Don't take my word for it. Ted Berg of For the Win wrote the Rockies' third baseman "stands as Major League Baseball’s most underrated player."
His production compared to jersey sales warrants those proclamations. Last year, Arenado bashed 42 home runs, drove in 130 RBI and batted .287. At the time of this writing, he has belted 20 long balls and a league-leading 70 RBI and is back at it with a .287 average.
When you look at the top MLB jerseys sold for 2015, Arenado doesn't even break the top 20, per Mark Newman of MLB.com. That's a total shame, but in a weird sense it feels like the Rockies' uniforms are just as slept on as he is.
Put those factors together and you have another must-own, highly underappreciated jersey.
All stats, box scores and information via Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.
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