Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been voted the NFL’s second-best player by his peers, finishing behind only Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill on the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players of 2024.”
Jackson, who earned nearly unanimous league Most Valuable Player honors last season, would have been just the third player in the 14-year history of the countdown to earn multiple best-player honors. Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady was voted No. 1 three times, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has finished first twice, including last year.
Jackson finished just ahead of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who ranked No. 3 overall. Mahomes, who outplayed Jackson in the AFC championship game and led Kansas City to a second straight Super Bowl title, was voted fourth.
In 2019, after his first MVP season, the 23-year-old Jackson was by far the youngest player to receive top honors in the then-10-year history of the “Top 100.” Jackson also surpassed linebacker Ray Lewis, who ranked No. 4 in 2011, for the highest finish by a Raven.
In recent years, Jackson hadn’t even cracked the top 20. He finished No. 24 in 2021, No. 36 in 2022 and No. 72 in 2023. Voting typically happens late in the regular season, with NFL Films producers visiting locker rooms at team facilities with paper ballots, asking players to rank the NFL’s 20 best in the game.
The Ravens had five players make this year’s “Top 100.” Inside linebacker Roquan Smith (No. 19), safety Kyle Hamilton (No. 43), running back Derrick Henry (No. 49) and defensive lineman Justin Madubuike (No. 62) were also honored. Former Ravens inside linebacker Patrick Queen, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, was voted No. 64.
