This week, I've been examining the guys behind the guys - Nomar Mazara Jersey - spotlighting the finest coordinators acro s the NFL landscape. After talking to folks around the league and reviewing a whole bunch of , I revealed on Monday and on Tuesday. But how do these guys stack up against each other when they're all to sed into the same pool?Here is my countdown of the top 20 coordinators in the NFL, with a little bonus ranking of the top three head-coaching candidates for the next hiring cycle:20) Kris Richard, defensive coordinator, : The superb play of the "Legion of Boom" will help this novice play caller ease into his new role as the leader of the NFL's stingiest defense. Yes, he's in Year 1 as a coordinator, but as you can glean from this ranking, I highly respect what the former secondary coach did in developing the "LOB" and anticipate major succe s from him in directing the entire D.19) Tom Clements, a sociate head coach/offense, : The "silent" contributor to the ' offensive dominance finally gets an opportunity to showcase his play-calling skills this season, with . Given Clements' exceptional work with and Brett Favre in his previous role with Green Bay, the ' offense shouldn't skip a beat.18) Kyle Shanahan, offensive coordinator, : The creative play caller is one of the best teachers of the stretch-bootleg combination (outside-zone run complemented by the bootleg pa sing game), but it is his ability to meld collegiate concepts with traditional NFL schemes that has made him a hot commodity in league circles.17) Pep Hamilton, offensive coordinator, : Critics have taken Hamilton to task for failing to fully turn over the offense to his talented young quarterback, , but the savvy play caller is intent on building a championship-caliber unit that blends a power running game and explosive, vertical aerial attack. With and coming over in free agency and joining the party via the draft, Hamilton will have an opportunity to fully put his vision into practice on the field.16) Dirk Koetter, offensive coordinator, : One of the best quarterback developers in the game is also a crafty run-game specialist capable of building a two-pronged attack that befuddles defensive coordinators. With Koetter inheriting a talented cast of playmakers and a rookie quarterback with moxie in Tampa, we could see his offensive wizardry go to a new level in 2015.15) Greg Roman, offensive coordinator, : Despite a disappointing end to his tenure with the , Roman remains one of the top offensive tacticians in the game. He has the rare ability to blend creative personnel packages and odd formations into a smash-mouth attack that punishes opponents between the tackles. Considering his ability to also manage and develop young quarterbacks, it is hard to dispute his inclusion on this list.14) Gregg Williams, defensive coordinator, : The ultra-aggre sive defensive master earns high marks for his ability to craft unique blitzes at the point of attack. Despite living on the edge with his reckle s Cover 0 (all-out pre sure) tactics, Williams' creative brilliance makes him one of the most difficult defensive coordinators to face on game day.13) Dennis Thurman, defensive coordinator, : Rex Ryan's right-hand man doesn't garner the headlines, but he is a key contributor to his bo s' defensive succe s as the pa s-coverage specialist. Thurman masterfully builds coverage concepts to match Ryan's exotic pre sures, which is why the defensive scheme flusters even the most experienced NFL quarterbacks.12) Dean Pees, defensive coordinator, : Pees has kept the ' D playing at a high level despite significant roster turnover at key spots. His ability to work around the team's personnel deficiencies in 2014 earned him rave reviews from coaches around the league.11) Scott Linehan, offensive coordinator, : Whenever a play caller is willing to make a philosophical shift to better match the talents of the team, it speaks volumes about his adaptability, versatility and ego-le s character. Linehan's reshaping of the ' offense into a run-first unit last season not only made the team a heavyweight contender, but it showed his growth and maturity since his last head-coaching gig.10) Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator, : There isn't a better coach at building a defensive scheme around his personnel than Phillips. The wily defensive architect will tweak his system to put his top dogs in prime position to make plays. Yet, he keeps the scheme simple enough to allow his players to play free and loose on the field.9) Sean McDermott, defensive coordinator, : McDermott's superb game planning and play design has given rise to Carolina's recent defensive dominance. McDermott believes in bringing pre sure from all angles -- something he learned in his time under the late Jim Johnson -- but he has a keen understanding of when to ratchet up or scale back the heat, based on different game situations.8) Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator, : Credit Austin for transforming the ' underachieving defense into a powerhouse in his first season. The and in 2014. Coaches laud Austin's adaptability and schematic versatility, but his communication skills and trustworthine s are what make him a hit with players.7) Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator, : It's a shame Jackson's swagger leads some observers to overlook his offensive ingenuity, but defensive coordinators around the NFL certainly respect the schemes and concepts he brings to the table each week. Jackson persistently challenges the discipline of defenders while putting his top players in position to make plays. Sounds simple, but few can rival Jackson's che s skills.6) Romeo Crennel, defensive coordinator, : It didn't take long for Crennel to put his imprint on the ' defense with cutting-edge schemes and meticulous attention to detail. The savvy defensive play caller quickly transformed Houston's D into a takeaway machine (the led the NFL with 34 forced turnovers) by demanding a signment discipline and situational awarene s at all times.5) Todd Haley, offensive coordinator, : The volatile a sistant can rub some players wrong with his demanding ways, but there is no disputing his effectivene s as a play caller, scheme designer and talent developer. He has a knack for getting prime production out of young players while also crafting schemes that drive defensive coordinators nuts.4) Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator, : The shrewd coaching veteran is one of the best in the busine s at putting his guys in the right position to make plays. He routinely outfoxes the most creative offensive minds by throwing in unanticipated tactics that allow his top players to wreak havoc all over the field.3) Norv Turner, offensive coordinator, : The veteran offensive guru is known as one of the top quarterback developers in the busine s, but coaches within the NFL community also rave about his clever utilization of top running backs and his uncanny ability to get big-time production from the tight end position. Turner fully maximizes the talent at his disposal to create an offense that is balanced, diverse and explosive in every aspect.2) Rod Marinelli, defensive coordinator, : The gruff ex-Marine won't wow observers with spectacular schemes, but his ability to get a unit to play hard-nosed football with relentle s pa sion sets him above his peers. Marinelli's demanding style and commitment to his core principles (toughne s, effort, tackling and turnovers) helped transform a cast of misfits into a stout defense in his first season as the DC in Dallas.1) Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, : There isn't a play caller who gets more production from a unit devoid of exceptional talent than McDaniels. The offensive wizard turned a unit with only two blue-chip players ( and ) into a juggernaut through exceptional scheming and play calling each week.Top three head-coaching candidatesWho will garner attention in next offseason's hiring cycle? Well, obviously, that'll depend on how things play out in the 2015 campaign. But as of right now, these three guys stand out among current coordinators:1) Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator, 2) Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, 3) Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator, Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter . Danny Santana Jersey