Heading into the 2020 NFL season the AFC east will be looking a little different than they did this time of the year last year and so will the top five players list. Tom Brady is gone. This is good news for defensive coordinators in both the AFC East and the AFC as a whole. The AFC east may have a new champion this year, that is yet to be seen, the top five players, however, look very different heading into the 2020 season.
AFC East Top Five Players
AFC East Top Five Players: Honorable Mentions
Tremaine Edmunds – MLB, Buffalo Bills Stefon Diggs – WR, Buffalo Bills Byron Jones – CB, Miami Dolphins C.J. Mosely – MLB, New York Jets
5.) DeVante Parker – Wide Receiver, Miami Dolphins
Yes, this one is definitely going to grab some attention. Looking around the AFC east this is definitely not the most talented division heading into the 2020 season. DeVante Parker is coming off his best season as a pro and stands out as the best player on a young and talented Miami Dolphins roster. Parker finally put it all together last year. He combined his innate talent and incredible athleticism and turned it into a productive season, finishing with 72 receptions, 1202 yards, and 9 touchdowns, all career highs.
4.) Julian Edelman – Wide Receiver, New England Patriots
Julian Edelman has been one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL over the past five years. His success was always attributed to the greatness of Tom Brady and his consistency was labeled as part of the Patriots system. All the while Edelman has been the most consistent and dangerous threat on a team that was a perennial Super Bowl contender. Edelman is also one of the most prolific postseason receivers of all-time trailing only Jerry Rice in total receptions. Edelman gets his first true chance to show how good he really is this year as his success can longer be attributed to Tom Brady.
3.) Joe Thuney – Offensive Guard, New England Patriots
Thuney was a second-team all-pro selection this past year establishing himself as one of the best guards in the league. This was supported when the Patriots used the franchise tag on him, the first time they have used the tag since 2015. Thuney is one of the best and most consistent linemen in the league playing 1,497 blocking snaps over the last two seasons and allowing only one sack according to Pro Football Focus.
2.) Tre’Davious White – Cornerback, Buffalo Bills
Tre’Davious White. If you don’t already know the name, get to know it. The top two players on this list truly stand apart from the others and that starts with White. He was a first-team all-pro last season for the first time in his three year career. He tied for the league lead with six interceptions and played lockdown defense on the overall number three defense in the league last year. White is following a long list of talented LSU cornerbacks who came into the NFL and had a significant impact early in their career. He is positioned to have long-term success in the NFL and has a very bright future.
1.) Stephon Gilmore – Cornerback, New England Patriots
Stephon Gilmore was the best defensive player in the league last season. That is not an opinion but rather a fact. The Associated Press voted him as a first-team all-pro and the NFL Defensive Player of the year. Gilmore being ranked as the number one player in the AFC East is easy. He has been excellent, and the top of his position for a couple of years now. Gilmore is as good as it gets and this ranking supports that.
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