The NFL has released part of the Top 100 Players of 2022 — the league’s annual poll is voted on solely by current NFL players.
Only one member of the Green Bay Packers has been named to the list as of Sunday.
The poll is conducted by the NFL in the off-season, and players rank their peers based on how they performed in the most recent season.
Coming in at No. 49 is linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, named to the list for the first time in his career. A fourth-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2016 out of the University of Minnesota, Campbell played four seasons with Atlanta and one with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Packers in 2021.
“Many guys of that size, that build, not real good in coverage. But, I feel like he’s a real good cover guy and I feel like that’s what he thrives at the most,” said Super Bowl champion and Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David in a video announcing Campbell to the list.
Campbell accumulated two interceptions and five passes defended in 2021. He also led the team with 145 total tackles, which ranked seventh in the NFL, and added two sacks, six tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
“Have a guy like that in the middle of the field, controlling everything. Somebody … making sure everybody is right where they need to be. … He got a big payday,” David said. Campbell signed a 5-year, $50 million contract in March.
Campbell earned first-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press last season. He is the first Green Bay inside linebacker since Ray Nitschke in 1966 to be named to the first-team, although linebacker Nick Barnett was a second-team selection in 2007.
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A couple of other players with Wisconsin connections were named to the Top 100 list. Former Wisconsin Badgers’ quarterback Russell Wilson, a member of the Denver Broncos, was voted to the No. 61 spots.
Although a member of the Los Angeles Chargers last season, former Green Bay Packers center Corey Linsley was voted No. 60. He was also voted No. 60 last season, the year for which his play was recognized as a member of the Packers.
Last year, six Green Bay Packers made the list: Za’Darius Smith, Jaire Alexander, David Bakhtiari, Aaron Jones, Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers. Injuries and departures will result in probably only two Packers making the list this year.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be vying for the No. 1 spot after being voted MVP again.
Last year, Rodgers placed third. Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes was voted No. 1 and Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald was voted No. 2.
The NFL was to reveal Nos. 21-30 later Sunday on the NFL Network. The top 20 will be revealed at 7 pm Sunday, August 28.
Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.
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This article originally appeared on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Packers represented on NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2022