Minnesota's Harrison Smith is a top-50 player, per Pro Football Focus

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith just barely slipped into the better half Pro Football Focus' ranking of the top-101 players of the 2014 season, coming in at No. 49. Smith, a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, was unranked by PFF the year before.

The PFF analysis team explained why Smith was ranked 49th in this year's installment.

"Smith continued his ascent to being one of the best safeties in the league with an effort that would earn him the second highest grade of all safeties. While he did grade positively in coverage, it was his tremendous work against the run that propelled him so high in this list. He is one safety who certainly lived up to the hype being a former first rounder."

PFF noted that Smith had the second highest run defense grade among safeties and cited his Week 4 performance against the Atlanta Falcons as his finest of the 2014 season. Smith had 93 tackles and picked off five passes last year, returning one for a touchdown. He also added three sacks.

(h/t Pro Football Focus)

Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports