Top 10 most marketable NFL players

theScore's NFL Top 10 is a two-week series in which editors take a look at football's best, worst, and most interesting, highlighting everything from the overpaid to the most versatile and marketable.

The best NFL players need to not only display elite talents on the field but they also need to brand themselves in a particular way to maximize their earning potential during what can be an all-too-brief career.

Landing endorsements off the field and showing an interest in potential post-playing careers can broaden fan interest. Playing in major media markets comes with increased attention that requires model behavior, but it can also boost a player's brand power.

Here are the NFL's 10 most marketable stars.

10. Von Miller, LB, Broncos

Defensive players rarely receive enough attention on broadcasts to become household names, but Miller has easily accomplished that feat. The No. 2 pick of the 2011 draft led the Broncos to a Super Bowl 50 victory less than five years later, winning MVP honors with his dominating performance over Cam Newton (drafted one spot ahead of him) and the Carolina Panthers. He's made it to the Pro Bowl in every full season he's played and added three All-Pro campaigns along the way.

9. Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans

Watson needed just seven games to show he's a superstar in the making. He proved to be one of the most explosive and entertaining players in the league, both with his arm and his legs. The 22-year-old appears to be the second coming of Michael Vick, without all the off-field controversy. He's a cut above on the field and clean cut off it.

8. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Raiders

A man of few words, Lynch is a can't-miss quote. "Beast Mode" has proven he's "just about that action, boss" while making five Pro Bowls and leading the Seattle Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. Typically speaking to the media just so he "won't get fined," Lynch showed a little more affinity for the camera while poking fun of head coach Pete Carroll's game-ending play-call to Super Bowl XLIX in a guest appearance on "The League."

7. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers

He's considered the league's best player and he's proven to be quite the actor as well. Rodgers has been a star for years and has enjoyed mainstream success thanks to his play and his belt celebration which spawned the "discount doublecheck" craze. Even his love life is fodder for the tabloids. He's now dating racecar driver Danica Patrick after his long-term relationship with actress Olivia Munn ended.

6. Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants

Barkley was widely viewed as the most talented player in the 2018 NFL Draft and he ended up being selected to the league's third-largest market, according to Statista, with the No. 2 pick. The dynamic running back has been leading rookie jersey sales since that time, and has even appeared in ESPN's "The Body Issue." Barkley will still need to prove his worth on the field, but he's so far shown every bit of the requirements to be one of the NFL's biggest stars at just 21 years old.

5. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 49ers

Jimmy GQ is the fastest riser on this list. He's always had the model looks to be a crossover star, but backup QBs don't fit the billing. After three-and-a-half seasons in Tom Brady's shadow, Garoppolo now owns the spotlight in San Francisco. He'll enter 2018 riding a five-game winning streak and carrying the 49ers' playoff hopes.

4. J.J. Watt, DE, Texans

Watt has long proven to be one of the NFL's top defenders but his greatest accomplishment came while playing just five games in 2017. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year this past season, largely for his efforts that raised more than $37 million in relief of Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area.

3. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers

On the field, AB is as dominant as ever. He was the only unanimous choice for the 2017 All-Pro team. Off it, business is definitely boomin'. He's flashed his megawatt smile in commercials for Pepsi, Nike, XBox, and Chunky Soup, among others, and he took his dance moves to a new audience on "Dancing With The Stars" in 2016.

2. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots

"Gronk" would be the first name to come to mind for most fringe NFL fans. Though the five-time Pro Bowler reportedly flirted with retirement or a move to the WWE this offseason, he ultimately returned in time for the Patriots' mandatory minicamp. Acting seems to be an inevitable part of his future whenever he calls an end to his prolific playing career. For now, fans will have to settle for his multitude of talk show appearances.

1. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants

The hairstyle. The dance moves. The one-handed catches. Beckham Jr. is one of the most influential figures in the league. He's the most followed player on Instagram (10.7 million) by a whopping margin and he's one of the league's most bankable stars, as evidenced by his wholly popular Super Bowl ad with Eli Manning. The only time Odell isn't dancing is when he's demanding the football or negotiating a contract extension.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)