Super Bowl 49: Seattle Seahawks Top 5 MVP Candidates

January 10, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) intercepts a pass intended for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (13) during the first half in the 2014 NFC Divisional playoff football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

 4. FS Earl Thomas

Last season, Thomas received some “Defensive Player of the Year” love, and there are people who think he is the team’s most valuable player. There’s no doubt that his role on the defense is incredibly key, because he sniffs out big plays and allows the likes of Sherman to be more open with going after big plays.

After picking off five passes last season, Thomas didn’t receive as much praise in 2014 with just one pick, but he was as good as ever in deep coverage. You pretty much don’t beat this guy downfield, and he’s the definition of a ball-hawk at the safety position; it’s just that people don’t test him anymore. I don’t expect Brady to do the same, since the Patriots don’t have a deep threat with the wheels or talent to challenge Thomas downfield. The Pats are one of the best teams in the NFL at coming from behind, so Thomas’s ability to sniff those types of plays will come in handy.

Moreover, he has become a much more disciplined tackler, as he missed less tackles than safety partner Kam Chancellor last season. As we saw against the Packers, Thomas’s speed and instincts also make him a dangerous player in run defense, because he can cover from sideline-to-sideline and is often the first person to the ball-carrier in pursuit on outside runs. That’s especially impressive given the speed and talent the Seahawks have at the linebacker position.

As Malcolm Smith would likely tell you, the Super Bowl is based on big plays and swing plays, and Thomas is the kind of difference-maker who can supply those. He had just one pick during the regular season, but he impacts the game in so many ways and has the ability to light up the stat sheet. As pictured above, he also had a playoff pick, so that’s all the more reason to watch out for him next week.

I could have easily went with Sherman here, but I decided to give some love to Thomas, who didn’t received as much praise in the 2014 regular season as he did in 2013.

Next: Gronk's worst nightmare?