NFL 2010 Preview: Top 10 Defensive Players

With a new NFL season on the horizon, many fans are gearing up to watch their favorite team compete, as another year begins. Whether it be offense, defense, or special teams, there will be many exciting players to watch this year, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

For this feature, I looked at my version of the top 10 defensive players currently playing in the league.

10. Chicago Bears DE Julius Peppers

The former Panthers defensive end has been a major problem for just about any offensive lineman that he has faced throughout his eight-year NFL career.

He has made five Pro-Bowl teams, and racked up 81 sacks during that time. His 10.5 sacks last season were top on his team, and it was his sixth season of racking up 10 or more sacks in a campaign.

Now with the Chicago Bears, he looks to solidify a defensive line that could use another playmaker and defensive presence up front.

9. Denver Broncos CB Champ Bailey

The twelve-year vet is one of the most physical players at his position and has been since he busted onto the NFL scene in 1999.

He is also one of the most consistent cornerbacks, as far as production and statistics go in NFL history. His stats speak for themselves: 550 tackles in 11 seasons, 46 career interceptions (averaging out to over four interceptions per season), and nine Pro-Bowl appearances.

Bailey showed more of his "blanket" ability earlier this month, as he frustrated Bengals receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens in their recent preseason matchup.

8. Oakland Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha

Behind Charles Woodson and Darelle Revis, Nnamdi Asomugha is probably the third best shutdown corner that the league possesses today.

Asomugha is so dominant at his position that he rarely gets thrown at, judging by his low amount of tackles(34) from his cornerback position last year. The man rarely gets beat at his job and is a very instinctive player, as he can read certain offensive formations and make big hits with the best of them.

Asomugha looks to continue his dominance in 2010, as he will be squaring off with every team's best receiver, and he looks to keep shutting them down, much like many Raiders fans are accustomed to seeing him do in recent years.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers S Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu has been the unquestioned center point of the Steelers defense since the team drafted him with their first=round selection in 2003.

He was selected to five Pro-Bowl teams from 2004-08, and would have gone to one in '09 if he didn't miss as many games as he did because of injuries. He, like fellow division rival Ed Reed, has been known for being a complete safety, as there isn't much on the field that he cannot do.

The man with the long hair will be much healthier at the start of this season than he was at the end of last season, and he looks to take control of the Pittsburgh D and bring them to glory again.

6. Baltimore Ravens LB Ray Lewis

Many have proclaimed this man as the best linebacker in NFL history.

Ray Lewis very well could be, as his career on the field shows a player who has injured many other players with his bone-crushing hits and his excellent ability to take charge of a defense. Lewis has been dominating opposing offenses since around the time he came aboard in 1996.

Lewis showed no signs of slowing down last season, as he was selected to his eleventh Pro-Bowl and, with help of Ed Reed and a strong defensive line, there is no reason to think that he couldn't make a twelfth in 2010. 

5. Minnesota Vikings DE Jared Allen

Jared Allen is one of the premier defensive ends in the league, and is easily the best defensive player on a revived Vikings' defense that has been playing well ever since he arrived in Minnesota before the 2008 season.

He led all defensive ends in sacks last year with 14.5, which also put him second in the entire NFL for that category, trailing behind only Broncos LB Elvis Dumervil. He has made the NFC Pro-Bowl team the last three seasons, and is showing no signs of slowing down this year.

The Vikings will need Allen's defense to continue this season if they hope to contend for a Super Bowl again. Don't expect his production to drop off at all, considering he is only 28 and is in the prime of his career.

4. Baltimore Ravens S Ed Reed

Along with Ray Lewis, Ed Reed has helped form one of the best and most dominant defenses in NFL history in Baltimore.

He has been selected to four straight Pro-Bowls and has made a name for himself with his big play ability, whether it comes via big hit or timely interception. Reed has made big plays in big games many times, as he has picked off multiple passes in post-season games (averaging one pick per game) and is always around the ball when he is playing.

Reed missed four games last year due to injury and wasn't able to produce his usually high number of interceptions throughout the season. Look for Reed to get back on track this year and resume his pass coverage dominance.

3. Dallas Cowboys LB Demarcus Ware

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 9: Linebacker DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Dallas Cowboys during the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium on January 9, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Demarcus Ware is easily the best pass-rushing linebacker that the league has seen in the last ten years.

He picked a ridiculous 20 sacks during the 2008 season, and even though he got off to somewhat of a slow start in 2009, he still ended up with 11 sacks to go with five forced fumbles and a fourth straight Pro-Bowl selection.

At only 28, the former Troy product still could have some of his best years ahead of him. Expect him to thrive once again in the Cowboys defense, racking up many more sacks to add to his career totals.

2. New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis

The fourth-year cornerback for the New York Jets has established himself as easily one of the best at his position in the league.

In fact, many football experts have named Darelle Revis the top cornerback in the league after his performance on the field during the last two seasons. He was even named the defensive player of the year in the AFC for his efforts in 2009, which saw him pick off six passes and break up an amazing 31 pass attempts.

Revis even shut down Bengals star receiver Chad Ochocinco in two successive games during last season, as was the case for about every big-name receiver that Revis faced.

The two-time Pro-Bowler is currently holding out, as he is waiting for a new contract from the Jets. Once he gets on the field, no one will want to venture over to Revis island for long.

1. Green Bay CB Charles Woodson

Charles Woodson is going into his 13th NFL season, and has had one of the better careers for a cornerback in this league.

Last season was easily Charles' best season, as he set or tied career-highs in interceptions (9), tackles (74), and forced fumbles (4). As if that wasn't impressive enough, he also took three of those interceptions back to the house for touchdowns, as well. For his accomplishments, he was named the NFC and NFL defensive player of the year.

Even though Woodson is getting older at 33 years old, don't expect him to slow down this year, as he will try to show why his remarkable '09 season was not a fluke at all, but rather a glimpse of how great of a player he has become.