In the midst of the elections and voting this week, I have decided to get into the democratic spirit. The biggest “race” as far as awards go in the NFL is the MVP award. To me, there is one candidate that not many people are discussing that should be in contention – New Orleans Saints defensive back Darren Sharper.

Now I know what you are thinking – he’s a defensive back among countless other players having great years. Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and even Brett Favre are being considered for the award after playing superbly over the first half of the 2009-10 season.

While their stats are astounding, the Most Valuable Player award isn’t just about stats. It’s about what that player means to the team and how they would fare without him. Sharper is the veteran leader of the Saints’ defense, which is seen as possibly the only slight weakness of the team’s undefeated status. He comes up big when he’s needed, like the rally-ending interception on Atlanta Falcon quarterback Matt Ryan on Monday night to secure the Saints’ seventh-consecutive victory of the year.

That’s not to say Sharper doesn’t have the stats to back a bid to be the MVP. He’s on pace to tie the legendary Dick “Night Train” Lane for the NFL record for interceptions in a season with 14, which Sharper has seven so far. Not to mention the fact that he has taken three of those back for touchdowns this year. Those three touchdowns give him more points scored than big offensive weapons such as Terrell Owens, Brian Westbrook, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and many more.

The Saints’ Sharper-led defense has an astronomical 16 interceptions and a total of six touchdowns. That’s one more touchdown than what the Cleveland Browns have scored all season.

The selection of the 13-year veteran Sharper as the NFL MVP would be historic. He would be just the third defensive player ever to win the award, and the first since Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986. In a league ruled by the fantasy football fanatics, who drool over statistics and nothing more, it would be refreshing for a player who is a leader on the field, puts up the stats, comes up big for his team week in and week out and does it under the radar of the national sport media to win this award.

There is still a lot of time left in the NFL season in which players can and will step up and have great games. But when the season is over, and Peyton Manning has set a few more passing records by accumulating achievements to no end, think about the unsung defensive back who put up the stats, leads his team and is a winner.

Think about Darren Sharper.