CBS Names The NFL’s No. 1 Player For 2025 originally appeared on The Spun.
With Week 1 of the 2025 season less than three months away, CBS Sports columnist Pete Prisco has ranked the top 100 players in the NFL.
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Prisco’s top 10 begins with a pair of defensive studs in Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons and Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II. The following two spots were occupied by the Cincinnati Bengals’ dynamic duo of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. They were ranked seventh and eighth, respectively. The No. 6 spot, meanwhile, was handed out to Lamar Jackson. He had yet another MVP-caliber season for the Baltimore Ravens.
The top five kicks off with Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson. That’s not a huge surprise considering he’s the best at his position.
Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list is that Josh Allen, the reigning MVP of the league, was ranked fourth. A pair of non-quarterbacks in Saquon Barkley and Myles Garrett were placed ahead of him.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 17: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills greets Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 30-21 at Highmark Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
Despite not having the best season in 2024, Prisco ranked Patrick Mahomes as the top player in the NFL.
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“If you had an open draft of the National Football League players, Patrick Mahomes would go No. 1,” Prisco said. “So he’s the best player.”
Fans made it clear they didn’t agree with Prisco ranking Mahomes as the No. 1 player in the NFL.
“When you put a QB who wasn’t even top 5 last year at #1 it’s clearly an invalid list,” one fan said.
“Pete Prisco really showing a lack of knowledge in the NFL,” another fan wrote.
Mahomes had 3,928 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions during the 2024 season. Although his production has declined over the past two years, the Kansas City Chiefs remain a perennial Super Bowl contender.
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While an argument can be made that Mahomes has lost his crown as the top quarterback in the league, we understand why Prisco ranked him first.
Do you agree with the latest player rankings from CBS Sports?
Related: Browns Could Reportedly Make Surprising Quarterback Decision
CBS Names The NFL’s No. 1 Player For 2025 first appeared on The Spun on Jun 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.