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So much happened in such a small amount of time.
The previous statement rings true whether discussing the ongoing global pandemic, professional sports or, more specifically, the NFL draft. What happened a year ago seems so long ago yet serves as a learning experience for what comes next.
Now, think back to a year ago.
LSU s Joe Burrow emerged as the consensus No. 1 overall pick despite not being considered a first-round talent prior to the start of his historic Heisman-winning campaign. No one knew if Alabama s Tua Tagovailoa would be able to play football again, let alone become a top-five selection.
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Brett Duke/Associated Press
Father Time remains undefeated. When it comes to professional sports, athletes can only stay at the pinnacle of their powers for so long. Some players are able to stiff-arm the clock for two, three or even 10 years longer than most, but it eventually comes for everyone.
Sometimes the decline is swift like Peyton Manning s shocking regression in his final year. Sometimes, a player drifts slowly downward, like Manning s brother Eli. Regardless of what it looks like, the decline is going to come.
For some NFL stars, the decline has arrived in 2020, whether it s in the form of a nosedive or not. Those are the players we ll examine here. We ll specifically focus on longtime starters or players with Pro Bowl accolades on their resumes who are becoming NFL afterthoughts because of dwindling production, injuries or a combination of both.