Earl Thomas III continues to be considered among the NFL’s most elite players.

In an hour-long special on Wednesday night, the NFL Network revealed No.’s 30-21 on their list of the Top 100 Players for 2015, and they ended the hour with Earl, who was named No. 21 on the list.

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The ranking of the players on the list is determined by a poll of active NFL players.

The 2015 list marked Earl’s fourth consecutive year in the Top 100. He was ranked 66th on both the 2012 and 2013 versions of the list, but rose all the way to 17th last year after Seattle’s championship victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. No. 29 went on to have another stellar season for the Seahawks in 2014, was named All-Pro for the fourth consecutive year and selected to his fourth Pro Bowl while guiding the Seattle’s top-ranked defense back to Super Bowl XLIX. Despite his performance this past season and those continued accolades, he slid down the list slightly, falling four spots in 2015 to 21st.

Still, Earl remains the top-ranked safety in the league according to his peers and has nothing but respect from those who play with and against him in the National Football League.

“He’s so good it’s boring,” Rams defensive lineman Chris Long said. “In my opinion he’s the best safety the game. It’s Earl Thomas. He’s about as good as anybody on the defensive side of the ball. If you watch film—the phrase “jumps out at you”—that’s the guy it really applies to.”

[Watch NFL.com’s Top 100 video on Earl Thomas here.]

Earl’s highlight reel shown during the program featured quotes from several other star players across the league, including many who also play the safety position, all of whom had high praise for Earl.

“You see a player, he comes in flying from out of nowhere and just makes a bone-crushing tackle,” said Browns safety Tashaun Gipson, who ranked 67th on the list. “He’s a guy who isn’t one of the biggest safeties, but you’re definitely going to feel his presence.”

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Seahawks safety Dion Bailey pointed out one play from Earl’s 2014-15 campaign, his infamous chop against the St. Louis Rams, as a play that defines No. 29.

“The running back was reaching out to the goal line, and Earl comes out of nowhere, nothing but a blade of grass to spare, and knocks the ball out,” Bailey recalled. “I really feel like that’s the play that describes Earl.”

Earl has plenty of gas left in his tank and plans to be playing the game he loves for a very long time, but he’s already inspiring the next generation of defensive backs.

“Earl is probably the best safety in football right now,” third-year Arizona Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu said. “One guy I aspire to be like one day.”

RELATED LINKS

  • Five takeaways from ‘Top 100′ reveal of 30-21 (NFL.com, June 24, 2015)
  • Top 100 Players of 2015: No. 21 Earl Thomas (NFL.com, June 24, 2015)
  • Earl Thomas and Russell Wilson Unveiled on NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2015 (Seahawks.com, June 24, 2015)
  • Earl Thomas ranked No. 21 on NFL’s Top 100 Players for 2015 (247 Sports, June 24, 2015)