Myles Garrett is now the NFL's top player in the Top 100 Players of 2026, and that honor comes with a rare distinction: he became the first No. 1 player to change teams in the offseason. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year already had a reputation as one of the league's most dominant pass rushers, but this ranking adds another layer to an already notable career move.
The Top 100 has been around since 2011, and Garrett's rise to No. 1 puts him in a small club. He is only the second pass rusher ever voted No. 1, joining J.J. Watt, who reached that spot in 2015. That context helps explain why Garrett's placement stood out, especially in a ranking that also featured quarterbacks much lower than expected.
What the move means for the Rams
The Rams now have the league's top-ranked player, and the fit only adds to the intrigue. The article notes that the Rams will pair Garrett with Aaron Donald on the same defensive line, a combination that immediately gives them a front few teams can match. For a team that already had seven players in the ranking in 2025, including three in the top 10, this is another sign that the roster has real top-end talent.
Garrett's place atop the list also comes as the ranking continues to shift around him. Lamar Jackson and other quarterbacks landed lower than many would have expected, while Garrett's standing reflects how strongly peers view his impact. In that sense, the Myles Garrett trade is about more than a new team. It has also placed him in a historical lane that no No. 1 player had reached before.
A historic ranking with a future payoff
For the Rams, the larger takeaway is simple: they added a player who is already being recognized as the best in the league. That makes the Myles Garrett trade one of the most significant offseason developments, not just because of the move itself, but because of what it has already produced. If Garrett and Aaron Donald are able to line up together the way the Rams envision, the rest of the NFL will have to deal with a defense built around two of the most disruptive players of their era.
