5 best you've ever seen (DL, LB, DB)

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Was kind of hoping you'd have Jim Thorpe on there, Longtimefan

I knew you'd be watching SS..JT was just a little before my time.

[MTK]

Yeah Long's off the field stuff may have made him more recognizable, but his football resume is impressive regardless:

Drafted in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, Long would play 13 seasons for the club wearing the number 75. His very rare combination of size, strength and quickness made him a fearsome force on the Raiders defensive line, earning eight Pro Bowl selections. Long had high aspirations early in his career. He told Football Digest in 1986 that he wanted "Financial security, and I want to be in the Hall of Fame...That's my goal...and I'd like to win a few more Super Bowls." [3] Along the way, he was also named First-team All-Pro three times (in 1983, '84, and '85) and Second-team All-Pro twice (in 1986 and 1989). The fact that he was often, if not usually, double-teamed by opponents makes these honors that much more remarkable. He was selected by John Madden to the All-Madden teams in 1984 and 1985 and was named to the 10th Anniversary All-Madden team in 1994.

Long was voted both the NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year and the NFLPA AFC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1985. He capped off a stellar 1985 season earning the George S. Halas Trophy for having been voted the NEA's co-NFL Defensive Player of the Year (along with Andre Tippett). Additionally he was named the Seagrams' Seven Crown NFL Defensive Player of the year. The following year, 1986, Long was voted the Miller Lite NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year. (Both those awards were taken by polls of NFL players). In 1986 Long was voted to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl and was key in helping the Raiders record 63 sacks and being the number one defense in the AFC.[4] From 1983-86 the Raiders defense recorded 249 sacks, which tied with the Chicago Bears for tops in the NFL over that span.

Long collected 91½ sacks during his career (7½ are not official, as sacks were not an official statistic during his rookie year).[5] His career high was in 1983 with 13 sacks, including a career-high 5 against the Washington Redskins on October 2, 1983. He also intercepted 2 passes and recovered 10 fumbles during his 13-year career. At the time of his retirement, he was the last player still with the team who had been a Raider before the franchise moved to Los Angeles. He won a Super Bowl title with the Raiders in 1984 (following the 1983 season). Long's signature defensive move was the "rip," which employed a quick, uppercut-like motion designed to break an opposing blocker's grip.

Pro Football Weekly (PFW) named Long as one of the ends on its All-time 3-4 defensive front, along with Lee Roy Selmon, Curley Culp, Lawrence Taylor, Andre Tippett, Randy Gradishar, and Harry Carson. PFW based its "Ultimate 3-4" team on the vote of over 40 former NFL players, coaches, and scouts.[6]

[Beemnseven]

Hard to argue with any of these, but there are some runner ups who might get overlooked -- Bryant Young of the 49ers for example. During the mid-90's when San Fran got sick of getting trampled by Emmitt Smith in the playoffs, they hit the lotto with Stubblefield and Young back to back in the '93 and '94 drafts. (They knew just when to get rid of Stubblefield too -- the bastards.)

There was a stretch when Young was considered the best DT in the league.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Was kind of hoping you'd have Jim Thorpe on there, Longtimefan

Being limited to just fve players at each position, it hardly puts a dent in all the many great players I've had the pleasure of watching through the years. There are a host of other names I could add to the list at each position and wish they didn't have to be slighted.

[Defensewins]

5 at each position...sorry.

DT
Mean Joe Greene
Reggie White
Randy White
Jerome Brown
Alan Page

DE
Reggie White
Bruce Smith
Ed Too Tall Jones
Carl Eller
Charles Haley & *Deacon Jones (invented term sack)

MLB
*Dick Butkus (only on film) too great not make list
Jack Lambert
Ray Lewis
Mike Singletary
Junior Seau

OLB
Lawrence Taylor
DeMarcus Ware
Derrick Brooks
Jack Ham
Shawn Merriman (before knee injury)


Safety
Ronnie Lott
Ken Houston
Paul Krause
Ed Reed
Troy Polamalu & Jack Tatum

CB's

Darrell Green
Mike Haynes
Rod Woodson
Mel Blount
Donnie Shell

[sandtrapjack]

Originally Posted by Longtimefan

D-Line
Carl Eller
Deacon Jones
Bob Lilly
Doug Atkins
Rosevelt Grier

Now your talking! That, folks, is the "Who's Who" of the front 4 in NFL history.

(Cant believe I had to page down that far just to see Deacon's name on a list).

Somehow have to make room for Joe Greene though. Are ties allowed???

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

Now your talking! That, folks, is the "Who's Who" of the front 4 in NFL history.

(Cant believe I had to page down that far just to see Deacon's name on a list).

Somehow have to make room for Joe Greene though. Are ties allowed???

I wanted to find room in there for Joe Green, Jethro Pugh, Alan Page, Lamar Lundy and Merlin Olson.

[sportscurmudgeon]

D-Line:

"Mean Joe" Greene
Deacon Jones
Bob Lilly
Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb
Reggie White


LB:

Chuck Bednarik
Dick Butkus
Mike Singletary
Lawrence Taylor
Derrick Thomas


DB:

Herb Adderley
Lem Barney
Mike Haynes
Dick "Night Train" Lane
Ronnie Lott


(DB was the toughest list to cut down to 5; I had 11 on the list and did not want to take any of them off - - and Darrell Green wasn't one of the 11 because he was a Redskin!)

[12thMan]

I think Mike Haynes should be on a lot of lists. He was truly underrated and one of the best ever at the corner position.

[Dirtbag59]

Lol, I love threads like these because you can see how old some of the members are.

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Lol, I love threads like these because you can see how old some of the members are.

I represent that remark.

Your comment reminds when I was making my list how the rule changes that were made in the late 80's leading up to today to create more offense and how that has changed the game. How the younger fans might not realize the extent and its effects.
All of the recent Qb's and recievers who have hall of fame stats thanks to all of the rule changes like no touching recievers after five yards, liberalized holding by o-lineman and no breathing on Qb's. You can't judge on stats alone.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

All right I will play along.

LB:
Mike Singletary
Ray Lewis
Lawrence Taylor
Derrick Thomas
Demarcus Ware

DL:
Reggie White
Richard Dent
John Randle
Micheal Strayhan
Bruce Smith of the 90s.


CB:
Deion Sanders
Ronnie Lott
Sean Taylor ( I have to add him, I know the rules, but this is one of the best and most exciting players I have EVER seen)
Ed Reed
Troy Polomalu.... or whatever.

Man I cannot think of some of the greats from the 80s and 90s, I guess the offensive players do get all the glory!!

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

Now your talking! That, folks, is the "Who's Who" of the front 4 in NFL history.

(Cant believe I had to page down that far just to see Deacon's name on a list).

Somehow have to make room for Joe Greene though. Are ties allowed???

One of the prerequisists is that you had to see them play. Those guys were before my time, and most of the young bucks on this board! I have been watching since about 83-84.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Lol, I love threads like these because you can see how old some of the members are.

Dirtbag:

I saw my first college football game in 1948 - - I was 5 years old.

I saw my first NFL game in 1951.

The last dinosaur died in 1953...

[jamf]

LB:
LT
Singletary
Derrick Thomas
Patrick Willis
Matt Millen ( underrated IMO )

DL
Reggie White
Bruce Smith
Javon Kearse ( Man that was one monster year...)
Charles Haley
Jared Allen

DB
Lott
Haynes
Rod Woodson
Aeneas Williams
Ed Reed