NFL shares anonymous ballots of top 100 players in new photos ahead of unveiling in 2024 | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Ahead of the annual release of the NFL Top 100, the league has released some of the players’ anonymous ballots for the top stars of the 2024 season.

Of the four ballots released by NFL Films, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is ranked No. 1 in two of them. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett received the others Votes for first place.

There are many interesting choices on all four ballots shown. One of them has three Chiefs players — Mahomes, Chris Jones and Travis Kelce — in the top five and four members of the San Francisco 49ers ranked 11th through 16th.

This is also one of two ballots in which Aaron Donald, who retired in March, finished in the top 20.

To be fair to the duo who put Donald on the list, the NFL has stated that all 32 teams will receive ballots to give to their players around Thanksgiving. It’s possible they filled out the ballot before Donald announced his decision to leave the NFL.

Of course, another explanation is that players pay little, if any, attention to this process. The NFL told Pro Football Talk in 2013 that 481 players (28.3 percent of the league) cast a ballot.

Other non-Mahomes quarterbacks listed on the ballots include reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson (all four ballots), Josh Allen (three), CJ Stroud (two), Jalen Hurts (two), Jared Goff (one), Jordan Love (one), Joe Burrow (one), Brock Purdy (one) and Baker Mayfield (one).

Hill is the top-ranked non-quarterback in two rounds and the top pick in one. Garrett and Chris Jones are the top-ranked non-quarterbacks in the other two rounds.

The 49ers have the most players of any single team in the four rounds with seven, followed by the Detroit Lions with four. Interestingly, however, Dak Prescott is not on the Cowboys roster.

Dallas’ third player after the obvious choices of Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb was DaRon Bland. The 25-year-old had a great 2023, throwing nine NFL-level interceptions to earn All-Pro First Team honors and finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

The full NFL 100 rankings for the 2024 season will be announced starting Monday with players No. 100-81. The next 10 players will be announced weekdays through July 31 before the Top 10 show on August 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.