In the continuing countdown of the top 12 players for the Seahawks entering the 2014 season, this man might be the most-feared hitter in the NFL.

No. 6: Strong safety Kam Chancellor -- The intimidator of the Seattle defense, Chancellor will make receivers pay with bone-jarring hits that often find their way to the highlight reels.

In an era where big hits on receivers can bring big penalties, Chancellor has found the proper technique to keep his physical style of play, usually without causing his team to take a 15-yard penalty. In the process, it has made him one of the best strong safeties in league, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound brute force in the middle of the secondary.

Chancellor set the tone for the night early in the Super Bowl when he clocked Denver receiver Demaryius Thomas on a short crossing route, a bread-and-butter play for the Broncos. It sent a message about what that play would entail against Chancellor.

He finished the 43-8 victory with nine tackles and an interception, giving him 34 tackles and two picks in the three playoff games. Chancellor had 93 tackles in the regular season, many of which left receivers wondering what just happened while lying flat on their back.

Interesting note: Chancellor was a high school quarterback in Virginia who passed for more than 2,000 his senior year.

Contract status: Chancellor is on the second year of a five-year deal that will count $5.8 million against the salary cap in 2014 and pay him a base salary of $4.7 million. His contract came with a $5 million signing bonus and $17 million in guaranteed money.