Jessie Bates Named to NFL Top 100 List, but Should He Be Higher?

Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III has been named to the NFL’s top 100 players of the 2025 season list. The star safety comes in ranked No. 92, a fall from No. 74 last season.

The drop off comes as a surprise, knowing the track record he’s been building for himself. 

During the 2024 season, Bates recorded 102 total tackles (62 solo, 40 assisted), one sack, four interceptions (tied 5th) and a league-leading four forced fumbles. Bates was the only player in the NFL last season, at any position, to record four or more forced fumbles and four or more interceptions. Per PFF, he had six pass breakups, tied for the fifth most in the NFL. 

Bates’ 80.2 PFF grade was the 12th highest out of 171 qualifying safeties. His 81.4 coverage grade was the 9th highest. He allowed just a 71.8 passer rating when targeted last season. 

“I think what makes him truly special is his ability obviously, to go get interceptions, but his forced fumbles,” former Falcons safety Justin Simmons on Bates.

Bates is one of the best at the game when it comes to knocking the ball, and players both on the Falcons and around the league know it.

“Just trying to see how he go after the ball so much. Just punch, tackle, wrap, interception,” Commanders' safety Quan Martin said. 

Bates led the NFL in forced fumbles last season with four. Since the 2023 season, he leads all safeties in the NFL with seven and is tied third amongst all defenders, trailing only Fred Warner (8) and TJ Watt (10). Since 2020, he has the 2nd most forced fumbles of all safeties (10), trailing only Antonie Winfield Jr (11). 

Bates is one of the best safeties in the game, and his peers share that sentiment; that’s why he was voted as one of the 100 best players in the NFL. While he just cracked the list this year, another strong campaign would make him underrated quickly.

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