The number of Pro Bowl selections a player had on their resume used to be a good indicator of success in the NFL. But over the last decade or so, they have lost their value some as it has turned into a popularity contest rather than who were the best players for a given season.
However, the All-Pro voting is still the best way to see who was at the top of their position for a specific year. Only the elite of the elites make the list and only one or two players from each position make the list.
Darren Waller earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season, but he has yet to receive even one All-Pro vote. But could this be the year that changes?
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they named a few players who could make their first All-Pro appearance of their careers. Of course, Waller appeared on the list after back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons. Here is a snippet of what the site had to say about the star tight end:
“Waller missed out on making last year’s second-team All-Pro list on a technicality, with the second tight end spot being left vacant behind a unanimous first-team All-Pro season from Travis Kelce.
He earned a career-high 90.9 receiving grade for Las Vegas in 2020. The combination of his ability to win as a receiver when lined up out wide (position-high 2.3 yards per route run as outside wide receiver in 2020) and come down with 50-50 balls (position-high 19 contested catches in 2020) makes him one of the biggest matchup weapons in the NFL.”
Over the last eight games of the 2020 season, Waller was on a nearly 1,600-yard pace as he really started to find his rhythm. He had multiple 100+ yard receiving games and a 200-yard game against the Jets late in the season. If that player shows up for the entire 2021 season, he will be a lock to make the All-Pro team this year.
Even though Travis Kelce is in a better offense with a better quarterback in Kansas City, the time is coming soon where Waller replaces him on the All-Pro team. Whether that is in 2021 or later remains to be seen, but Waller’s is inching closer to becoming the best tight end in the NFL.
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