Throughout the offseason, the NFL has been counting down the top players in the league, and a former Badger has cracked the list for the first time. After a career year, one that included winning a Super Bowl and landing a huge, new contract extension, linebacker Zack Baun has now also been listed as the 26th-best player in all of football.
The Bald Eagle's first time hitting the Top 100 pic.twitter.com/7FmMblgBK3
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 20, 2025
Zack Baun adds to long list of former Badgers excelling in the NFL
Related: Undrafted Joe Huber again among the NFL’s top-ranked rookies
The former Badger racked up 12.5 sacks during his final year in Madison before getting drafted in the second round by the New Orleans Saints. After a few uneventful seasons with the Saints, Baun left for Philadelphia, where he absolutely exploded in his first year in green. Baun logged 151 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception on his way to finishing fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. His 90.1 Pro Football Focus grade was also the highest in the league among linebackers.
Former Badger linebackers have continued to find great success in the NFL, with other players like TJ Watt, Leo Chenal, Andrew Van Ginkel, and TJ Edwards still among some of the league's best. Zack Baun now establishes himself as one of the great Badger defenders in the NFL with his first-ever appearance in the Top 100 list.
So far, Baun and Andrew Van Ginkel (No. 88) are the two former Badgers to be named to the Top 100, which continues its countdown all the way up to the start of the season. There will be at least one or two more Badgers.
It's an amazing accomplishment for Zack Baun after a huge year for the Philadelphia Eagles. He goes form unranked and unheard of to one of the top NFL players and a Super Bowl Champion.