All-Pro Trey McBride lands at No. 13 in NFL Top 100
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride ranked No. 13 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026, a peer-voted leap of 52 spots after his record-setting All-Pro season. The ranking underscores how far the former depth-chart understudy has risen among the league's elite.
Key Takeaways
- McBride landed at No. 13 on the player-voted NFL Top 100 for 2026.
- He climbed 52 spots from No. 65 on last year's list.
- His 126 receptions in 2025 set a single-season tight end record and ranked second in the NFL.
- Cardinals teammates Budda Baker (No. 75) and Josh Sweat (No. 78) also made the Top 100.
- Peers praised him as a focal point and "a dog" in the reveal video.
Where did Trey McBride land on the NFL Top 100?
Spots 14 and 13 were revealed Thursday, and McBride checked in at No. 13 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026. The annual list is voted on by fellow NFL players, not media panels.
According to the Arizona Cardinals, McBride once wondered whether his career would take off in Arizona with Zach Ertz ahead of him. Peer voting now has him nearing the top 10 after an All-Pro 2025.
His 111 catches in 2024 had him at No. 65 on the 2025 list. The new ranking is a 52-spot jump heading into the 2026 season. Fans tracking rankings and highlight packages can follow more alerts via our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
How did McBride's 2025 season fuel the jump?
After a four-year contract extension before the 2025 season, McBride delivered: 126 receptions (second in the NFL), 1,239 receiving yards (sixth), and 11 touchdowns (tied for second). Those 126 catches were the most by a tight end in a single NFL season.
He earned his second Pro Bowl nod and was a near-unanimous All-Pro. Cardinals Wire noted Arizona quarterbacks completed 74% of their targets to McBride, though he still sees room to grow.
"There are still a lot of things I can be better at," McBride said earlier in camp. "I'm not as good as I want to be. You are always striving to be a better player."
Which other Cardinals made the NFL Top 100?
McBride is not Arizona's only entry. Safety Budda Baker ranked No. 75, and linebacker Josh Sweat checked in at No. 78. Cards Wire reported the trio as the only Cardinals in this year's Top 100.
With Jeremiyah Love arriving, Michael Wilson breaking out, and Marvin Harrison Jr. healthy, the Cardinals' official site noted McBride could still improve as a player even if raw stats dip in a deeper offense.
What are peers saying about McBride?
In the NFL Films reveal, Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox, New Orleans Saints safety Jonas Sanker, and Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz applauded his 2025 work, calling him "a dog."
Carolina Panthers linebacker Devin Lloyd said McBride is "a focal point in their pass game" and "somebody who can make all the catches." LA Rams safety Quentin Lake called him one of the bigger talkers in the NFL who will "let you hear about it."
McBride did not crack the top 10 this offseason, but the peer vote places him among the league's clearest difference-makers heading into 2026.