In the final article of a five-part roundtable series, the WCG staff ranks the top 50 players in the NFC North heading into 2025.
The 2025 NFL season is a few months away, and the anticipation for the start of the season is at an extremely high level.
As the NFL Network has done their player consensus Top 100 ranking each year, Windy City Gridiron’s staff has put together a roundtable over the last few seasons of the best players in the NFC North. With seven contributors pitching in for this year’s roundtable, there was a strong diversity of opinions that provided for some entertaining rankings.
Before we get started, let’s set up the ground rules. Each WCG participant was asked to send their top 32 players in the NFC North. A player’s ranking determined how many points they would receive (32 points for first, 31 points for second, etc.), and the total points were added up to create the rankings.
Note: Tiebreakers will be broken by whichever player appeared on more ballots. If that total is the same, then the tiebreaker will go to whichever player received the highest ranking on an individual ballot. If that scenario also does not result in a clear winner, ballot organizer Jacob Infante will break the tie.
No. 10: Former Lions C Frank Ragnow
Best: No. 3 (Orenchuk)
Low: NR (Leming)
Last year: No. 7
Five of the seven ballots were filled out before Ragnow’s retirement, with Leming and Zimmerman being the only exceptions. The latter still included Ragnow in his ballot. Needless to say, he was one of the best centers in the game, and his loss in Detroit’s offense will be sorely missed.
No. 9: Packers S Xavier McKinney
Best: No. 5 (Salo)
Low: No. 16 (Wiltfong)
Last year: No. 23
A prized possession of the Packers’ free agent class last offseason, McKinney absolutely lived up to the hype in 2024. He finished second in the league with eight interceptions and fifth among safeties with 11 pass deflections. He was a first-team All-Pro and proved himself as one of the best defensive backs in the game.
No. 8: Lions S Kerby Joseph
Best: No. 8 (Salo)
Low: No. 15 (Zimmerman)
Last year: NR
Joseph already had a reputation as a ball hawk, intercepting a combined eight passes in his first two seasons. He surpassed that total in just his 2024 season alone, leading the NFL with nine interceptions, returning one back for a touchdown. He was a first-team All-Pro and finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
No. 7: Bears OG Joe Thuney
Best: No. 4 (Wiltfong, Orenchuk)
Low: No. 17 (Salo)
Last year: NR
It remains to be seen how Thuney will fare in Year 10 of his career with a new team. However, considering that he’s been a first-team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons, one can assume he’ll maintain an elite level of play and jump from the Chiefs to the Bears without a hitch.
No. 6: Bears CB Jaylon Johnson
Best: No. 5 (Mongo)
Low: No. 8 (Infante, Wiltfong, Zimmerman)
Last year: No. 6
Johnson has been a Pro Bowler in each of his last two seasons, reflecting that the league views him among the best at his position. In 17 games in 2024, he intercepted two passes and broke up eight. He was also disruptive as a tackler, finishing fourth among all cornerbacks with seven tackles for a loss.
No. 5: Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Best: No. 3 (Mongo)
Low: No. 9 (Salo)
Last year: No. 20
After a stellar sophomore season in the NFL, it’s fair to say Gibbs is one of the league’s best running backs. He led all players with 20 touchdowns from scrimmage, rushing for an NFL-best 16 and adding four touchdowns as a pass-catcher. His 1,412 rushing yards ranked fifth in the league, averaging an impressive 5.6 yards per carry.
No. 4: Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
Best: No. 4 (Infante, Mongo, Salo, Leming)
Low: No. 6 (Wiltfong, Zimmerman)
Last year: No. 4
An injury shut Hutchinson down just five games into the 2024 season, but he was on pace for a DPOY-caliber year before that. In those five games, he had 7.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits and a forced fumble. Assuming he comes back at full strength in 2025, he should remain near the top of this list again next offseason.
No. 3: Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Best: No. 3 (Infante, Wiltfong, Salo, Leming)
Low: No. 7 (Orenchuk)
Last year: No. 3
With back-to-back years as a first-team All-Pro, St. Brown has cemented himself as one of the best receivers in the league. He has surpassed 100 receptions in each of his last three seasons, and he finished with a career-high 12 receiving touchdowns in 2024.
No. 2: Lions OT Penei Sewell
Best: No. 1 (Wiltfong)
Low: No. 2 (Everyone else)
Last year: No. 2
Sewell hasn’t missed a game in his entire NFL career, and he’s been a first-team All-Pro for each of the last two seasons. He’s the best right tackle in the game today, and a good argument can be made that he’s the best overall offensive tackle in all of football.
No. 1: Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
Best: No. 1 (Everyone else)
Low: No. 2 (Wiltfong)
Last year: No. 1
For the third year in a row, Jefferson ends up atop the NFC North rankings. After an injury-shortened 2023, he bounced back in a major way with 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. He became an All-Pro for the fourth time in five seasons and finished seventh in the OPOY voting. He’s the best wide receiver in the league and is well on pace for a Hall of Fame career.
The final rankings
1. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
2. Lions OT Penei Sewell
3. Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
4. Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
5. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
6. Bears CB Jaylon Johnson
7. Bears OG Joe Thuney
8. Lions S Kerby Joseph
9. Packers S Xavier McKinney
10. Former Lions C Frank Ragnow
11. Vikings OT Christian Darrisaw
12. Vikings EDGE Jonathan Greenard
13. Lions TE Sam LaPorta
14. Lions S Brian Branch
15. Packers RB Josh Jacobs
16. Lions QB Jared Goff
17. Vikings EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel
18. Bears WR DJ Moore
19. Packers OT Zach Tom
20. Bears OT Darnell Wright
21. Lions OT Taylor Decker
22. Packers QB Jordan Love
23. Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson
24. Vikings WR Jordan Addison
25. Bears C Drew Dalman
26. Packers EDGE Rashan Gary
27. Vikings CB Byron Murphy
28. Vikings OT Brian O’Neill
29. Bears CB Kyler Gordon
30. Lions WR Jameson Williams
31. Vikings RB Aaron Jones
32. Packers CB Jaire Alexander (has since been released)
33. Lions DT Alim McNeill
34. Bears EDGE Montez Sweat
35. Packers C Elgton Jenkins
36. Lions CB DJ Reed
37. Vikings OG Will Fries
38. Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper
39. Bears CB Caleb Williams
40. Packers WR Jayden Reed
41. Lions RB David Montgomery
42. Packers DT Kenny Clark
43. Vikings DT Jonathan Allen
44. Lions WR/PR Kalif Raymond
45. Bears WR Rome Odunze
46. Vikings LS Andrew DePaola
47. Lions LB Jack Campbell
48. Packers TE Tucker Kraft
49. Vikings DT Javon Hargrave
50. Bears OT Braxton Jones
Everyone’s ballot