The NFL has announced the nominations for the Pro Bowl. As every year, there is heated debate about who has been inexplicably left out.

Every year, the NFL holds a vote for the seasonal Pro Bowl, the NFL’s All-Star Game.

The best players in their conference for each position are selected by fans, players, and coaches, with each group accounting for one-third of the vote. As always, this means that some players who actually deserve a nomination are left out.

Derrick Brown (Defensive Tackle, Carolina Panthers)

The Carolina Panthers are not to be trifled with this season. The Panthers are a dangerous opponent this season, especially on defense. This has a lot to do with the strong defensive line around Derrick Brown. The defensive tackle is a reliable pass rusher with five sacks and an even better run stopper. It’s no coincidence that he is one of the most underrated players, not only at his position, but in the entire NFL. That’s probably why he hasn’t been nominated for the Pro Bowl.

Jalen Pitre (safety, Houston Texans)

The Houston Texans’ defense is one of the best, if not the best, in the NFL. The pass rush is incredible and the backfield plays with an imaginary knife between their teeth. This is especially true for Jalen Pitre.

The safety combines exactly what is required in his position: good game understanding, hard hits, a feel for space, and good coverage skills. It’s no coincidence that he has already collected five interceptions.

Chris Olave (Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints)

At first, nothing was working for the New Orleans Saints, and then only a little bit. However, wide receiver Chris Olave delivered throughout the entire season.

No matter who his quarterback was, Olave caught just about everything that sailed his way. He ranked sixth in the league in catches, eighth in receiving yards, and eighth in touchdowns. He has already secured a victory or two for fantasy managers.

Caleb Williams (Quarterback, Chicago Bears)

Yes, Caleb Williams’ statistics are certainly not quite Pro Bowl-worthy, to be honest. His pass accuracy of less than 60 percent is particularly weak.

However, Williams is there when he needs to be. He already has five comebacks in the final quarter to his name, most recently the overtime victory against the Green Bay Packers thanks to a throw that is likely to be shown in highlights more than once. And, to be fair, Sam Darnold, who is in the Pro Bowl, has more than twice as many interceptions as the Bears QB…

Marcus Jones (return specialist, New England Patriots)

There are many reasons not to want to punt in the NFL. When you play against the New England Patriots, there’s another reason, because Marcus Jones, arguably the best returner in the league, is on the other side. Jones averages 17 yards per return, which is a huge advantage for the offense in terms of field position. By comparison, the league average is just under 11 yards per punt return. Not to mention the two punt return touchdowns.

Devin Lloyd (linebacker, Jacksonville Jaguars)

The longer linebacker Devin Lloyd plays in the NFL, the better he gets. 2025 is the most productive year so far for the first overall pick of 2022.

He is one of the best in his position, especially in coverage, with five interceptions already on his stat line, plus a touchdown and a recovered fumble. And that’s with the hottest team in the league right now, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Is that not enough?

Nahshon Wright (cornerback, Chicago Bears)

The Chicago Bears are the team that forces the most turnovers. The driving force behind this is cornerback Nahshon Wright.

Josh Jacobs (Running Back, Green Bay Packers)

Admittedly, Josh Jacobs not being in the Pro Bowl is somewhat justified. Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs are simply too good. But the raw numbers are still Pro Bowl-worthy. 13 touchdowns, 4 yards per carry, and with two games left for the Green Bay Packers, he’s 74 rushing yards shy of 1,000. In other seasons, he would probably have made it.