When a quarterback makes the jump to claim a spot among the top five players at that position, the move is usually accompanied by a high-profile achievement like winning a Super Bowl or breaking a statistical record.

That hasn't been the case for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. He has only one career playoff win to his credit, hasn't topped the 40-touchdown or 4,500-passing-yard marks and has never been named to an All-Pro team.

The lack of these achievements has held back the general perception of where Romo rates in the NFL passing hierarchy, but the truth of the matter is the evidence shows that he is now one of the top five quarterbacks in the league.

Superior route-depth metrics

It starts with his 2011 route-depth metrics: