The NFL Top 100 has never been an objective ranking system. Given the variance between the way players view their opponents as opposed to the fans or media, the ranking can greatly differ year to year.
However, the Lamar Jackson ranking in 2026 has left everyone utterly confused. Going far lower than most would expect, it sparked immediate outrage on social media. According to one former linebacker, though, the placement is appropriate and justified.
The Lamar Jackson Conundrum
The NFL Top 100 is one of the major things for the football fan base to look forward to during the offseason. While not a definitive ranking by any metric, it marks the ramp-up portion of the summer as a new season stands right around the corner.
The rankings spark immediate conversation and debate, as fans vehemently oppose or support their positions. But placing Jackson at 69 has led to nearly unanimous disapproval from the audience at large.
A two-time MVP and three-time first-team All-Pro, he is one of the most dynamic athletes to step foot onto the gridiron. His unique blend of pinpoint accuracy and elite running ability has made him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in league history.
However, his shortcomings haven’t gone unnoticed. From a checkered playoff history to the injury concerns that continue to pile on, there still remain question marks about the Baltimore Ravens superstar.
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For Emmanuel Acho, those question marks more than justify Jackson’s placement on the Top 100 list. On the latest episode of “Speakeasy”, the former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker turned sports media analyst explained his position.
“From a football perspective, it’s just the ultimate tease. Name a quarterback who has more physical gifts. I don’t know if you can. Yet seemingly without fail, he falls short every time. Had a number two defense, had a number one defense, didn’t get it done.”
Continuing on that trajectory, Acho reiterated how Jackson had gone through a variety of roster builds with obvious strengths. However, his underlying theme remained the same.
“Had a really good offense, didn’t get it done. Had an elite defense, didn’t get it done. Had a defensive coordinator who was great, had another defensive coordinator. Had an offensive coordinator. Had another offensive coordinator. Had a Hall of Fame running back.”
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As a result, he wasn’t completely opposed to the ranking, despite finishing at number 2 on the rankings in each of the last two seasons. “So, I understand why people are done drinking the Lamar Kool-Aid. I get it. I’m not even mad at it. I get it.”
From a purely numbers standpoint, though, it is easy to see why Jackson had such a drastic fall from his previous years. Playing 13 games, he totaled just 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, while adding 349 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground.
As a result, he fell from the number 6 (2023) and number 1 (2024) spot on PFSN’s QB Impact Metrics to number 13. But it went beyond just the overall numbers.
Despite a subpar performance from him throughout the year and the games missed due to injury, Jackson still had a chance to take the Ravens into the playoffs in the final week of the season.
However, the team came up short, with the dual-threat quarterback unable to utilize his strength on the ground, recording just 9 rushing yards on 4 carries. That is where the coming-up short from Acho directly played into the 2025 season.
It remains to be seen if the dip in performance was an outlier or the reality for Jackson moving forward. For someone as athletically gifted as him, age is going to bring serious question marks about his production level.
But it will be interesting to see if he can establish himself as a force in the league once again in 2026 and prove the 69-ranking wrong.
