For the first time in his career, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes appeared on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2017 list in the #66 position.
Early in his NFL career, the future of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes looked like it could go either way. He showed flashes of talent but still struggled to limit his physical style of play, forcing the team to go to extremes like having him practice wearing boxing gloves.
Combining the work the Vikings have done in developing Rhodes along with his physical talents, the young Minnesota cornerback has turned into one of the most fearsome defensive backs in the National Football League.
In fact, for the first time ever, Rhodes has earned enough respect from his peers to land on the Top 100 Players of 2017 list as shared by NFL.com. Here is the announcement of Rhode’s selection from the Vikings official Twitter account:
We see you @XavierRhodes29_!#NFLTop100 pic.twitter.com/dkpf54p39q
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 16, 2017
There is some debate as to whether or not Rhodes deserves to have a better ranking on the list, but the fact that this is his first time appearing on the list and he’s not at the bottom says a lot about how much respect he earned in the 2016 season.
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Rhodes had an excellent 2016 season, defending 11 passes and intercepting 5 while accumulating 52 combined tackles in 14 games played. He even returned one of those interceptions the entire length of the field for a touchdown.
The highlight of the 2016 season for Rhodes may be his matchup against New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in week 4. The Vikings cornerback was able to get deep inside the head of the physically talented wide receiver and cause a meltdown both on and off the field.
Xavier Rhodes enjoyed another first this year, when he was named to his first Pro Bowl. The future looks very bright for the Vikings defensive back, and these accolades could just be the beginning of even greater things to come.
Next: Rhodes called Vikings best draft pick in 5 years
Congratulation to Xavier Rhodes on earning a spot on the Top 100 Players of 2017 list. If he continues to play at a high level, the Minnesota Vikings cornerback could break the top 50 in future lists.