Ole Miss’ DK Metcalf named by peers No. 84 overall player in the NFL
NFL.com is slowly unveiling its ‘Top 100 Players of 2024’ in the weeks leading up to the upcoming season. DK Metcalf, the beloved former Ole Miss wide receiver and Oxford native, came in at No. 84 on Monday.
He’s the first Rebel to make the list. He was left off last year.
The NFL Top 100 is selected each preseason by the players themselves. The Top 10 will be announced on Friday, August 2 at 7 p.m. CT on NFL Network. A full rundown of Nos. 100-11 airs Wednesday, July 31 at 7 p.m. CT.
Metcalf is just the third receiver in Seattle franchise history with multiple Pro Bowl selections. The others are Steve Largent (seven) and Doug Baldwin (two). Metcalf led the Seahawks with 66 catches for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He averaged a career-best 16.9 yards per reception.
Metcalf has three 1,000-yard seasons in his five-year NFL career, all with Seahawks.
Seattle drafted him with the last pick in the second round in 2019. Metcalf is one of just three receivers in NFL history to record at least 50 catches, 900 yards and six touchdowns in each of his first five seasons.
The others are Randy Moss and A.J. Green.
“DK is only getting better,” Seattle QB Geno Smith previously said of Metcalf, in an interview with the Seahawks’ official site. Metcalf has the most receptions (372), yards (5,332) and receiving touchdowns (43) through five seasons in team history.
Smith continued, “He’s only getting better. He’s only scratching the surface of who he’s going to be as a player. To say that is really scary, because he’s already one of the best.”
Other Rebels expected to at least make the list include Laremy Tunsil (OT, Houston Texans), AJ Brown (WR, Philadelphia Eagles) and Evan Engram (TE, Jacksonville Jaguars).
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84. DK Metcalf #NFLTop100 pic.twitter.com/w5sGWK6n1Z
— NFL (@NFL) July 23, 2024
The release of nos. 80-71 is Tuesday.
One of Tunsil or Brown is an easy pick for the ultimate, highest-ranked, one-time Rebel.
Brown back in April became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, coming to terms with the Eagles on a new, three-year, $96 million-dollar extension.Brown’s now locked in through 2029 on his third contract.
His total guarantees of $84 million are also the highest ever.
“This is home,” Brown said of Ole Miss, in an exclusive interview with the Ole Miss Spirit in April. He was announcing his foundation.
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowler and former second-round draft selection of the Tennessee Titans in 2019. He’s about to be in his his sixth NFL season, as well as third with the Eagles after a trade.
Brown was an All-American and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist at Ole Miss, where he had the most-ever 100-yard receiving games by a Rebel (12). He finished third in career receptions (189) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (19).
He’s the only Ole Miss receiver on record with 60 or more receptions in back-to-back seasons.
“This will forever be home,” Brown continued. “I’m proud to say this is my home.”
Ole Miss has the 19th most-active former players (35) in the NFL. Alabama (77) is the national leader. LSU (65) is No. 3, while Georgia (62) is No. 5. Tennessee (40) and Auburn (38) are the only other SEC teams ahead of the Rebels.
