theScore's 2019 midseason NFL All-Pro team

The 2019 NFL season is already halfway through, and while a few of the usual suspects are well on their way to earning end-of-year honors, there are several new faces who appear destined to enter NFL's elite.

Here are theScore's midseason All-Pro selections for 2019:

Quarterback

Russell Wilson, Seahawks

Wilson leads the NFL with 17 touchdown passes and is tied with Patrick Mahomes for the fewest interceptions with one. Despite losing Doug Baldwin to retirement in the offseason and working with a group of unheralded receivers, Wilson is enjoying the best year of his career. The NFL's top-rated passer has carried the Seahawks to a 6-2 record, taking his game to new heights after becoming the highest-paid player in the league over the spring.

Running backIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Dalvin Cook, Vikings

Cook is not only the league's leading rusher through eight weeks, he's also forced 42 missed tackles, which ranks him second among running backs. The third-year tailback may not be the most athletic offensive weapon in the NFL, but he possesses incredible vision, contact balance, and breakaway speed. It's helped him to the tune of 5.3 yards per carry and nine touchdowns while pacing the No.1-ranked rushing offense.

Flex

Christian McCaffrey, Panthers

The onus has been on McCaffrey to carry the Panthers' offense all season and he has done just that; the third-year pro already has 180 touches. With all the opportunities, "Run-CMC" has put himself on pace for 23 trips to paydirt and a whopping 2,464 yards from scrimmage, which would be just 45 yards shy of Chris Johnson's all-time single-season mark. The 23-year-old bell cow has proven he is the premier dual-threat back in the league.

Wide receiverIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Michael Thomas, Saints
Cooper Kupp, Rams

This year, Thomas has certainly lived up to his "cantguardmike" Instagram handle. Opposing defenses have allowed the 6-foot-3, 212-pound receiver to snag 73 balls over the season's first half, putting him on pace to top Marvin Harrison's incredible single-season mark of 143. The Ohio State product has also caught an impressive 83% of the balls thrown his way and has a league-leading 45 first-down catches.

Kupp has been the most prolific slot receiver by far this year, pacing the league in slot receptions (45), yards (600), and touchdowns (4). The third-year pro has also shown he's got sticky hands (1.7 drop rate, ranked sixth) and game-breaking speed (413 yards after the catch, ranked first). The Yakima, Wash., native has shown consistency with a league-leading five 100-yard games as well.

Tight end

Austin Hooper, Falcons

It hasn't been a banner year for the Falcons, but the same cannot be said for their 24-year-old tight end. Hooper sits first among tight ends in touchdowns with five and second in receiving with 591 yards, surpassing Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu (before he was traded) as the No. 2 receiving option in Atlanta. His breakout campaign couldn't have come at a better time, as Hooper is set to hit free agency in March.

Left tackle

Anthony Castonzo, Colts

Castonzo is unsurprisingly thriving as a run-blocker in 2019. However, the veteran has also taken significant strides in pass protection. The Colts left tackle has surrendered just one sack and 11 total pressures across seven starts. He's a big reason why Indianapolis leads the AFC South even without Andrew Luck.

Left guardIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Quenton Nelson, Colts

It's not often a guard sets the tone for an entire team, but that's precisely what Nelson has done for the Colts. Perhaps the nastiest blocker in the NFL, Nelson had his own quarterback donning a "RUN THE DAMN BALL" cap earlier in the season. The former Notre Dame star isn't just physical, he can pull with the best of 'em.

Center

Rodney Hudson, Raiders

Hudson appears set to miss a few weeks with an ankle injury, but that doesn't change the fact he's played like the NFL's premier center. The veteran is a power presence in the middle of Jon Gruden's offense, opening up holes for rookie running back Josh Jacobs and offering elite pass protection.

Right guard

Brandon Brooks, Eagles

It's been a pretty surreal calendar year for Brooks. The Eagles lineman tore his Achilles in January during a playoff loss to the Saints but remarkably made his way back to the field in time for Week 1. Not only is Brooks back, but he's playing stellar football. His recovery is one of the best feel-good stories of the young season and it's provided a massive boost to the Eagles' offense.

Right tackle

Ryan Ramczyk, Saints

Ramczyk has been playing as the second-ranked overall tackle in the game through the season's first half. The Wisconsin native has proven he has no weaknesses and has yet to give up a sack. Meanwhile, Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray have been averaging a hefty 4.5 yards per tote running behind PFF's second-ranked run-blocking tackle.

Edge rusherJim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Myles Garrett, Browns
Joey Bosa, Chargers

Garrett has shaken off some uncharacteristic early season penalties to take his place as the NFL's premier pass-rusher, eclipsing Khalil Mack. Garrett leads the league with 10 sacks and is anchoring a line that kept the Browns' defense afloat through a heap of injuries in the secondary. The Defensive Player of the Year award is his to lose.

With Melvin Ingram banged up, Bosa has had to pick up more slack than ever for the Chargers. Unsurprisingly, the added pressure hasn't been a problem. Younger brother Nick is getting all the headlines with the surging 49ers, but with seven sacks of his own and 28 solo tackles, Joey is proving he's still the big bear of the family and of the NFL.

Interior linemen

Aaron Donald, Rams
Cameron Heyward, Steelers

Even when he wasn't registering sacks early in the season, Donald was still breaking into backfields to blow up runs or forcing quarterbacks to throw the ball away. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has a league-high 11 tackles for loss despite attracting frequent double-teams and an occasional triple-team.

Heyward has been getting after the quarterback as well, though his greatest value might be in the run game. He's one of the few interior linemen who affects the pass and run game equally.

Linebacker

Eric Kendricks, Vikings
Luke Kuechly, Panthers
Jamie Collins, Patriots

There are a lot of reasons why the Vikings' defense is in the top five for yards and points allowed, but the main reason is Eric Kendricks. Playing in the middle, Kendricks is truly the heart of Minnesota's defensive unit. The fifth-year veteran has consistently made big plays whether rushing the passer, stopping the run, or dropping back in coverage.

Like Kendricks, Kuechly is the heart of his unit, but he's also the brain. A first-team All-Pro in each of his past five full seasons, Carolina's field general combines a ravenous appetite for film with an eerie instinct for the game to drive opposing quarterbacks and coordinators to collectively rip their hair out.

Collins is seemingly always in the backfield, amassing seven tackles for loss and six sacks in eight games for the Patriots' dominant defense. Collins has also been lights out in coverage, allowing a linebacker league-low 49.9 passer rating.

CornerbackMark Brown / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Stephon Gilmore, Patriots
Richard Sherman, 49ers

Despite playing arguably the game's toughest position, Gilmore and Sherman have made life increasingly difficult for the opposition. An All-Pro in 2018, Gilmore is as sticky as they come in coverage, rarely gets fooled by receivers, and has a knack for breaking up passes.

Sherman's play, meanwhile, is reminiscent of his days with the Legion of Boom. The 49ers' defense is a unit to fear for the first time in years thanks in large part to the corner. Sherman is as physical as ever in coverage, and opposing quarterbacks have earned a measly 37.9 passer rating when targeting him as a result.

Safety

Devin McCourty, Patriots
Jamal Adams, Jets

McCourty wasted no time making his presence felt this season, nabbing an interception in each of the first four games of the campaign. The safety has led the way for a devastating defensive backfield that has put the clamps on every passing attack the Patriots have faced.

Although it was a bit of a stretch for Adams to compare himself to the likes of Aaron Donald and Tom Brady (if not downright delusional), there's no doubt he's one the Jets' most impactful players. The 24-year-old defensive conductor is having a stellar season that has culminated in him scoring his first NFL touchdown on a 61-yard pick-6.

Defensive back

Jaire Alexander, Packers

Alexander has taken a major step in his sophomore campaign and is a key piece of Green Bay's revitalized defense. The former first-round pick thrives in the slot and out wide, making up for his physical shortcomings (5-foot-10, 196 lbs) with quick feet, tenacity, ball skills, and advanced technique. Alexander only has one interception, but he's defended 11 passes and is adept at breaking up contested targets.

KickerSean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Justin Tucker, Ravens

Tucker is the only kicker who has yet to miss any field-goal attempts or extra points. It's time to start seriously considering the longtime Raven as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history.

Punter

Brett Kern, Titans

The Titans are not exceptional on either offense or defense so they are lucky to have an elite specialist in Kern. The 33-year-old has perfected the coffin corner punt, leading the NFL with 14 boots out of bounds while pinning teams inside the 20 a league-leading 29 times.

Return specialist

Cordarrelle Patterson, Bears

Only four players have scored a touchdown on a kickoff return in 2019, and Patterson is one of them. He's averaging a whopping 32.1 yards per return on kickoffs.

Special teams

J.T. Gray, Saints

Gray is a consistent force on special teams for the Saints, accumulating six tackles on both kick and punt coverage.

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