NFL's Most Underrated Player?

          

Casual fans don’t know who he is. Most football followers can’t even pronounce his name properly. Only football purists know his true value. Who exactly, am I talking about? I’m talk about none other then the BEST cornerback in the league, Nnamdi Asomugha.

            Darrelle Revis. Asante Samuel. Charles Woodson. These are the most common names mentioned when people are asked who the best CB in the NFL is. You will even hear some say Champ Bailey, or even Antonio Cromartie. (Excuse me while I puke) The fact of the matter is, while all of these CB’s are most certainly top ten, (Except Cromartie) not one of them compares Asomugha.

            How can that be you ask? How is it possible that the NFL’s most underrated player is also the best at his position? Surely if he was that good you would hear his name more often. Surely we would see him on the highlight packages coming up with a big interception or forced fumble. Surely if he was that good he would be a Fantasy Football stud.  Well, the answer to that is very simple. Asomugha is so good that the play never happens near him. Asomugha is so good at covering opposing Wide Receivers that Quarter Backs simply stopped throwing the ball in his direction. That’s why you never hear Asomugha’s name. That’s why you never see him in the SportsCentre highlight packages.

            I’m not trying to take anything away from CB’s like Revis and Woodson. Far from it. In my opinion, they are both top 5 at their position. All I’m saying is that neither is on the same level that Asomugha is. Ever hear that football expression “The CB is being left on an island”? That’s the case when it comes to the level of play between Asomugha and the rest of the CB’s in the NFL.

            Just to show you how dominant Asomugha is, take a look at some hidden stats that for some reason do not garner media attention, yet are a great indicator of how well a corner is playing.

In 2009, Nnamdi Asomugha was:

Thrown at 29 times. (1.8 per game)

Allowed 9 Receptions (0.56 per game)

Allowed 144 yards (9 yards per game)

Allowed 0 Touchdowns

            If those numbers don’t impress the hell out of you, then I don’t know what will. He did not allow a single touchdown to be scored on him the entire season!

The hidden stats continue. In 2008, only 2 players caught more then 1 pass against him. Those 2 players? Future Hall of Famer’s Randy Moss and Tony Gonzalez.

            Coaches  Mike Shanahan, Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, Gary Kubiak and even Defensive Co-ordinator Rob Ryan have all gone on record saying that Asomugha is the best corner back in the league.

            So many times I hear football pundits say that the “shut down corner” is a thing of the past; that in this new pass happy league there can never be a shut down corner. Well I respectfully, yet strongly disagree. There is 1. Only 1. And that player is Nnamdi Asomugha.

So this is my personal shout out to Asomugha, the most underrated player, as well as best cornerback in the league. It’s about time people started giving him the credit he deserves. Will you?