:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/15164393/20130113_ajw_al3_012.0.jpg)
After going unmentioned last year, Matt Ryan ascended to No. 17 on NFL Network's The Top 100 Players of 2013 list. The list, which is voted on by NFL players, is a bit controversial (as is every ranking system), but it appears Ryan's NFC Championship run made the league reconsider its evaluation of the Atlanta Falcons star.
Ryan is the fourth Atlanta player to make the list the year. Tony Gonzalez (No. 47), Roddy White (No. 39) and Julio Jones (No. 26) have all previously been named. The Falcons only saw three players make the cut in 2012.
Players around the NFL know Ryan is a force to be reckoned with, finally. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC noted a few comments about No. 2.
"You can see him winning a Super Bowl eventually," Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark said of Ryan. "If you look at his regular season numbers, he has been phenomenal.
Ryan continues to lead the Falcons throughout their most successful period in franchise history. He's thrown for 18,957 yards, 127 and 60 interceptions in five seasons.
Returning to the controversial point, Joe Flacco is ranked No. 19 on this year's list, while Robert Griffin III comes in at No. 15. Does this make sense? The guy who just won Super Bowl MVP is ranked behind someone who wasn't on last year's list and a second-year player with one solid season under his belt?
As I've voiced before, I think Ryan is a better quarterback than Flacco. A lot of you agree. Apparently players around the league do as well. However, how does RG3 make it to No. 15? One impressive rookie year warrants a spot among the premiere players in the NFL? He's a great quarterback with huge potential, but I don't believe he deserves to be ranked this high.
Another note, Steven Jackson has yet to appear. He was ranked No. 37 on 2012's list. There are only 10 players left to be revealed for 2013. I feel like he isn't a member of that group. Why is he suddenly excluded altogether?
Congrats to Matt Ryan for receiving some well-deserved praise. Sound off with your thoughts.