It seems every team has its share of underrated players; there's a hidden gem or two on most rosters around the league. But there are several good players who simply don't get the credit their play merits. This came to our attention at Pro Football Focus again recently when we began to roll out our annual Top 101 Players list, in which we rank those we believe to be the best players in the league.
The process for determining the PFF 101 involves hours upon hours of discussion between the analysts before the final list is agreed upon, and it's solely based on how each player played during the 2013 season. While a player may have had an impressive 15-year career, if they weren't among the best in 2013, they won't be on the list. The list also takes the view that all positions are equal, so quarterbacks aren't ranked higher just because of the position's importance.
That list then led us to come up with three of the most underrated and overrated players in the league, taking into consideration where we had them in our Top 101 series and the attention they get, or don't get, elsewhere.
On Monday, we outlined the league's three most overrated players. And here's a look at the three most underrated players in the NFL.
Devin McCourty | New England Patriots | Top 101 rank: No. 22