Every season, when the conversation of best defensive player in the NFL comes up, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt is in the mix. Steelers fans believe Watt never gets the respect he deserves from the media and fans of other teams. However, when it comes to fellow NFL players, they understand just how good Watt is.

Watt checked in at No. 8 on the NFL Network's Top 100 players. This is voted on by NFL players and it the highest Watt has been ranked. Last season, Watt was at No. 27 which was down from No. 21 in 2002. Seeing Watt in the Top 10 feels right for maybe the best all-around defender in the NFL.

In 2023, Watt led the NFL with 19 sacks. That's the third time in four seasons Watt has led the league in sacks. No other player in NFL history has done that. Watt is also tied with Lawrence Taylor for the single-season sack record. He did that in 2021 when he won Defensive Player of the Year.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers LB T.J. Watt cracks Top 10 of NFL Network Top 100 players