Two Detroit Lions make CBS Sports top 100 players list for 2023

With team success comes broader acknowledgement and respect. So it wasn't a huge surprise when no Detroit Lions players made last year's top-100 players list from the NFL's own media entity or CBS Sports.

That is certainly in line to change on the NFL's top 100 players list this year, and it has already changed on the 2023 top 100 players list from Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.

So which Lions made the cut? It's probably pretty easy to predict.

First up, at No. 66, Prisco has Lions right tackle Penei Sewell.

"He has developed into a top-tier right tackle, a brute who can dominate in the run game. He's improving in pass protection as well."

- Pete Prisco

Sewell is garnering some nice accolades elsewhere too, coming off his first career Pro Bowl selection last year. NFL Media's Bucky Brooks recently labeled him as the "gold standard" at right tackle, and listed the young Lions' star among his top-10 non-quarterback franchise building blocks in the entire league.

Detroit Lions get two players on CBS Sports' top 100 players list for 2023

The second Lion on Prisco's list, at No. 83 (too low?), is a proverbial no-brainer--wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

"He showed in 2022 that he was among the league's best move-the-chain receivers with 64.2 percent of his catches going for first downs. He caught 106 passes with six touchdowns."

- Pete Prisco

Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson's leads Prisco's lengthy list of "honorable mentions" for this year's top-100 list, like Sewell did last year before landing in the top-70 this year.

There's certainly a case for St. Brown to be higher than No. 83 on this list, and perhaps also for Sewell to be higher than 66. Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow was snubbed from even being an honorable mention by Prisco this year, again. But it's nice to have anyone on a list like this, and if the Lions meet expectations this season more than two players will make 2024's list.