Honorable Mention:
Tom Brady
The golden boy has been on the list before and his performances in the two-minute drill at the end of games is unmatched. Despite a weak supporting cast, he has still been able to pull off some spectacular finishes already this year.
Metta World Peace
During his prime he would have been at the top of this list. However he still manages to strike fear into opponents; just ask Tyler Hansbrough.
Richard Sherman
At 6 foot 3 inches and almost 200 pounds, Richard Sherman is a tough matchup for opposing wide receivers. With his above average speed and great ball skills, throwing towards Sherman is the wrong choice more times than not. The self proclaimed "best cornerback in the NFL" is not one to stay quiet and is one of the biggest trash talkers in sports, especially on social media.
Yasiel Puig
The young Cuban burst onto the scene this year and helped lead the Dodgers to the playoffs. With an absolute cannon for an arm and Bo Jackson like speed, Puig will surely make the top ten in the future.
Jadeveon Clowney
Since the list is all professionals, Clowney will have to wait a year before he can crack the list. There is little doubt that Clowney will quickly become one of the most feared defenders once he joins the National Football League.
10. Ndamakung Suh and Brandon Meriweather
Usually this list focuses on players that scare opposing teams because of their pure talent and big play ability. For these two players, opponents are just scared for their safety. Both have been involved in cheap shots that have resulted in heavy fines and suspensions. Meriweather's hits have caused injuries to opponents as well as to himself. After a game against the Bears, Chicago receiver Brandon Marshall questioned whether the Redskins safety should be "taken out of the NFL" for his actions.
9. Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin
Last year during the playoffs there was no greater duo than Flacco and Boldin, posting 22 catches for 380 yards and 4 touchdowns, none bigger than the 13 yard strike in the Super Bowl. Flacco's struggles early in the 2013 season only prove how important the two are for each other. Flacco's incredible arm strength teamed with Boldin's ability to adjust to the ball proved unstoppable for the Colts, Broncos, Patriots and 49ers during the playoffs, and the two led Baltimore to their second Super Bowl.
8. Floyd Mayweather
Floyd "Money" Mayweather has been feared since he began his career. With an unblemished 45-0 record as a professional, Mayweather will go down as one of the greatest all-time. Like many great fighters before him, Mayweather has no lack of confidence in himself. Though he and Manny Pacquiao never were able to agree on terms for a fight, he must be mentioned when talking about scariest athletes, even if he does have J Biebs as a sidekick. He also likes money...
7. Kyrie Irving
In just his third year in the league, Kyrie is becoming one of the most exciting players in the league. Famous for his "Uncle Drew" commercials off the court, it is his on the court actions that have the league fearing the Cav's number 2. Irving wants the ball at the end of the game and more times than not comes through for his team. With the young talent Cleveland is teaming around Kyrie, this could only be the beginning for his rise in the NBA.
6. Alex Ovechkin
There is no denying that "The Great 8" is one of the best in the game at the moment. After a down year in 2012, Ovechkin dominated the NHL's shortened season en route to his 3rd Hart Trophy, representing the league's most valuable player. The Capitals star is as pure as scorer as there is in the league today and already has 10 goals just twelve games into the season.
5. Steph Curry
Made famous for his spectacular one man show at Davidson in college, Curry hasn't stopped once being drafted by the Warriors. As pure a shooter as the NBA has seen in years, Curry has become a dominating scorer in the league. What has made him even more unstoppable is his improved ball handling ability.When Curry heats up, watch out, because he can hit from anywhere over mid-court given even the smallest of windows to shoot. Curry and shooting guard Klay Thompson have formed a one-two punch as dominant as almost any in the league. After leading the Warriors to the playoffs last season, the young Steph Curry has fans in the Bay Area thinking Championship.
4. Patrick Peterson
Since his days in Baton Rouge, Peterson has been terrorizing opponents. Quarterbacks won't throw the ball his direction and punters don't want to kick towards him. Peterson burst onto the scene in 2011 taking four punts to the house in his first season. Peterson has the size of a safety (6' 1", 220 lbs), the speed of a sprinter (4.3 forty yard dash), ball skills good enough to have the Cardinals give him wide receiver repetitions, and the ability to come up and tackle some of the biggest backs in the league. This once in a generation talent truly is one of the leagues scariest players.... Just ask the Rams.
3. Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson is currently the most dominating force in the NFL. Each week his highlights seem to top the previous week's. Since he entered the league, Johnson has used freakish athleticism to make defenders look helpless. After setting a record with 1964 receiving yards last year, Johnson made a run at the yards in a single game record versus the Dallas Cowboys, finishing with 329 yards, the second most all-time. Megatron is hands down the best receiver in football and a nightmare matchup for any corner. He even scares the forth ranked player on this list, Patrick Peterson, as he ended up two touchdowns and 116 receiving yards against the Arizona corner.
2. Lebron James
Lebron is as unstoppable a player as there has been in the NBA. Not much needs to be said after winning his second championship. Each year he seems to keep getting better and better, rounding out his game, and becoming the league's hardest matchup. Size, speed, vision, power, and an improving post game is leaving opponents wondering what they can do to stop him. The answer? Nothing.
1b. Carlos Beltran
One of the top five greatest postseason players of all-time? This year's Cardinals postseason run has many more agreeing with that statement. This year he was 6 for 8 with runners in scoring position. He is hitting .333 in his career in the postseason and in 51 at bats has 16 home runs and 41 runs batted in. Whether with his bat or his arm, Carlos Beltran is clutch.
1a. David Ortiz
Ortiz's latest championship run may be his most impressive. Big Papi once again carried his team to a World Series with big hit after big hit. Ortiz hit an unheard of .688 in the World Series and in the final game of the series was walked four times, 3 of them intentional. His career batting average in the World Series is .455 with three homeruns and 14 RBI's in 14 games played. He has established himself as the best World Series performer of all-time and is the scariest player in all of sports.
Top 5 Scariest Places to Play
5. Beaver Stadium, Penn State
Invented the White-Out. Just ask Michigan about playing here.
4. Cameron Indoor Arena, Duke University
Say what you want about Duke, this is hard Arena to come out of with a win.
3. Super Dome, New Orleans
Second hardest NFL stadium to play at. Nearly impossible to win versus the Saints in the Dome.
2. Quest Field, Seattle
With their "12th Man" behind them, the stadium may have never been louder than after this run.
1. Estadio Azteca, Mexican National Team
Hands down the hardest place to play in sports.
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