ProFootballTalk.com's Top 25 In 25

No. 22:  Cris Carter.

Though many of readers have lobbied for the inclusion of former Vikings receiver Randy Moss in the list of the best 25 NFL players over the past 25 years, we can accommodate only one former Minnesota wideout.

And Moss isn't the most deserving.  He has had some great performances, but his inconsistent motivation and chronic moodiness keeps him out of the club.

Instead, the nod goes to Cris Carter, who twisted and squeezed every last drip of God-given talent from his less-than-speedy frame en route to one of the best careers of any receiver in NFL history.  He is second in all-time receiving touchdowns, and second in career receptions.

Though critics often point to his past struggles with drugs and a reputation for running his mouth, Carter knew how to run the route, create the separation, make the catch, and get to the orange stick (or, as the case may be, the end zone).

When Moss came to Minnesota in 1998 as a third wheel in an already potent passing game, Carter was unselfish.  He continued to put up strong numbers and shared his secrets with Moss.  Though former coach Dennis Green probably alienated the rest of the team by giving Carter and Moss too much leeway, Carter's entire body of work with the Eagles and Vikings (and one final season in Miami) makes him one of the best 25 players in the past 25 years, and one of the best receivers to ever put on a pair of cleats.  

Click here for No. 21.