Perennial underrated Vikings star Danielle Hunter finally gets some respect in NFL 100 ranking

Danielle Hunter is one of the unquestioned unsung stars in the NFL.

The NFL players have put some respect on Danielle Hunter‘s name in this year’s NFL 100 ranking.

Hunter may be a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings, but he rarely gets the recognition his undeniable talent rightfully deserves. In five years with the Vikings, Hunter has amassed 54.5 sacks in 78 games. He’s one of the best players on Mike Zimmer’s defense, yet people still don’t know how to pronounce his given name. It’s duh-NEAL, not DAN-yell, guys.

Even if the rest of America outside of the Twin Cities fails to realize how special of a football player Hunter is, he is getting a ton of love from his peers in the league. Hunter made the NFL 100 last year at No. 57, but climbs 17 spots higher this year all the way up to No. 40. Though he may not give off the impression he’s the 40th best player in the NFL, he’s certainly a productive playmaker.

Despite the No. 40 designation in this ranking, it’s still not going to be high enough to satisfy Vikings fans who know and believe Hunter is a top 15-20 talent.

Danielle Hunter is a big reason the Minnesota Vikings can win a Super Bowl.

With Zimmer extended, it’s full steam ahead in getting Minnesota back to the Super Bowl for the first time since Fran Tarkenton was their star quarterback in the 1970s. Though the Vikings lost offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski to the Cleveland Browns head coaching gig, the team is in great position to win the NFC North and contend for the George Halas Trophy.

While the Vikings will need to get a career-year out of running back Dalvin Cook and quarterback Kirk Cousins on the offensive side of the ball, Zimmer can trust playmakers like Hunter to do their thing and dominate defensively for him. At its core, Minnesota will be a defense-first football team as long as Zimmer remains the Vikings head coach.

When you see Hunter show up at No. 40 on the NFL 100, you pause and think for a second. No way. But then you look at his stats and remember what team he plays for and then you understand why the rest of the league thinks so highly of him. To average over 10 sacks a season through your first five years in the league is an impressive feat that should never go unnoticed.

Hunter can climb even higher in 2021 if he gets the Vikings back to the NFC Championship game.