Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is widely regarded as one of the NFL's absolute best players, and now ESPN is all in on the hype.
↵Megatron is listed as the fourth-best player in the entire NFL on ESPN's Top-200 list for the 2012 season, a strong statement on just how positively the pass-catcher is perceived throughout the industry.
↵As ESPN's blurb notes, Johnson is, "an outstanding combination of size, strength and athleticism for the position. His length and strength create mismatches in most NFL secondaries."
↵With a good quarterback like Matthew Stafford to take advantage of those characteristics, Johnson has put up absolutely huge numbers with Detroit. In 2011, he caught 96 passes for a league-leading 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns.
↵The Lions clearly like Johnson as much as ESPN does: this spring, they signed him to a seven-year, $132 million contract with $60 million in guaranteed money, the biggest contract ever given to a wide receiver.
↵For more on the Lions, be sure to visit Pride Of Detroit. Additional pro football coverage can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub.