Houston Texans

Watt voted No. 1 by peers on Top 100 Players of 2015 list

Published Jul. 9, 2015 12:24 a.m. ET

foxsports

Houston Texans star J.J. Watt and Tennessee quarterback Zach Mettenberger may have their issues, but Watt proved Wednesday night he's still plenty popular with the rest of the NFL.

The defensive end was named the top player in the NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2015 list in a vote determined by fellow players around the league.

THE NUMBER 1 PLAYER OF 2015 The 1st defensive player to be voted No. 1 on the #NFLTop100 @HoustonTexans DE @JJWatt pic.twitter.com/1Qzm3rE7gQ
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 9, 2015

Watt, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, registered 20.5 sacks last season to become not only the first defensive player to top the countdown in its five-year history, but also the first to crack the Top 3. Watt finished No. 5 on the list a year ago.

The 26-year-old showed his versatility in 2014, contributing on both sides of the ball. He became the first player in more than 50 years to catch a touchdown, return an interception for a score and a recover a fumble for a touchdown in the same season. Watt's 20.5 sacks made him the first player in NFL history to have 20-plus sacks in multiple seasons. He also recorded 20.5 sacks in 2012.

The three-time All-Pro took to Twitter to express his appreciation for the honor.