Well, first we need to understand the 4-technique. His power and quick takeoff enables him to drive blockers backwards and his speed and range allow him to disengage and envelope a ball carrier. The Broncos used some 3-4 for years prior to 1976 when they finally committed to it full time. They rank up there with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Red Sox, and all the other teams to win several championships since the turn of the century. This comment has been removed by the author. Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Alexander Boris Johnsons Net Worth vs Jeremy Bernard Corbyns Net Worth: Who is richer? Since nose tackles are largely responsible for clogging up the middle of the line of scrimmage, its almost required that they have a big body thats difficult to block. . A Complete Overview, What Is a Sack in Football? The Ultimate Guide, What Is the Neutral Zone in Football? Joe Nash is a glaring omission. Fronts are more complex now than there were "back in the day". Thomas was great at tackling and arguably the best among all nose tackles. But the majority of the players on the list operate as the focal point ina base 3-4 defense. 13. Sometimes even experts fail to recognize talent. Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Balls retired from the game in 1999, leaving behind a dominant legacy. 16. What does it need to be a good nose tackle? One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. When on form, Antonio Garay is capable of regularly collapsing the pocket. He'd done yeoman's work, playing the run, coming out of the game on likely passing downs, but never getting a sniff of Hawaii and the Pro Bowl. started his career with the Detroit Lions in 1987 and later played in three more teams, including Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings. He. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. His role into 2021 as a top defensive tackle will be to keep rookie linebacker Jamin Davis free to attack downhill. The number one requirement of a nose tackle is to take on and occupy blockers. And with Carter, he'd have his moments getting to the passer. Wilfork has seamlessly transitioned to a 4-3 front and has been by far the Patriots best defensive player this season. First-team All-Pro: 5 times (1980, 1981, 82, 83, 88). He made an unusually high number of tackles for players in his position and at times could get some rush. The Dolphins defensive anchor is steadily building a reputation as one of the most difficult to handle nose tackles in the game. The defensive tackle is largely used in the 4-3 defensive scheme as well as the 5-2 defensive scheme. Ted Washington always amazed me. The creative direction of Super Bowl LVII was inspired by the beauty of Arizona's natural landscapes - from its grand rock formations to its vast rainbow skies. Super Bowl LVII: All You Need To Know About Its Results, Winner, Highlights and Half-Time Show !! Vea had four sacks last season playing out of the nose. If youre a football player, you must understand what a defensive technique is. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Corey Williams of the Detroit Lions performs an important function for Gunther Cunningham's defense. Everything You Need to Know, What Is a Pick 6 in Football? He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. Casey Hampton is criminally low on this list. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. One name that is well worth mentioning among the Top 10 Strong Safety All-Time list is the former Seattle Seahawks and Pro Football Hall of Famer strong safety Kenny Easley. Regular five-on-five basketball is a fun game on its own, but its always nice to have some variety in the types of games that can be played, especially with kids. 18 in NFL Network's Top 100 Players list in 2017 Has started all 105 career games played, Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers, 1960-1969; Oakland Raiders 1971 Voted to eight AFL all-star games, First Team All-AFL eight times Appeared in five AFL title games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, 1986-1992; Denver Broncos, 1993-1997 Voted to nine Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times One-time Super Bowl champion Made 169 consecutive starts Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jacksonville Jaguars, 1995-2001 Voted to five Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times Drafted with the Jaguars' first-ever pick, New Orleans Saints, 1993-2001; Kansas City Chiefs 2002-2005 Voted to 11 Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times One of 13 players to be named to multiple all-decades team (90s and 2000s) Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Giants, 1953-1965 Voted to nine Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro six times One-time NFL champion Named NFL's Lineman of Year, 1956 Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Philadelphia Eagles, 1964-1968; Los Angeles Rams, 1969-1970; Oakland Raiders, 1971-1973 Voted to six Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro five times Selected to All-Decade Team of the 1960s Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Los Angeles/St. View Current Leaderboard. However, until that time, he is without question the best nose tackle in the league. In the 1980 season, almost 3/4ths of teams were running one. Chicago Bears, 1985-1993; Philadelphia Eagles, 1993-1994 One-time Super Bowl champion Recorded 29.5 sacks in 138 NFL games, Oakland Raiders, 1996; New Orleans Saints, 1997-2001; Dallas Cowboys, 2002-2005; St. Louis Rams 2006-2008 Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time NFL 2000s All-Decade Team 2000 NFC Defensive Player of the Year 2000 NFL sacks leader (17.5) Finished career with 433 tackles, 83.5 sacks and 16 forced fumbles, San Francisco 49ers, 1994-2007 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Had 89.5 sacks and 618 tackles in 208 career games, Cleveland Browns, 1946-1953 One-time NFL champion Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times NFL 1940s All-Decade Team Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Ravens, 2006-2014; Detroit Lions, 2015-Present One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times Started 160 of 162 NFL games Has 29.5 sacks, 491 tackles, 6 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions in 11 NFL seasons, Baltimore Ravens, 2013-Present One of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in NFL today Became highest-paid nose tackle in the NFl by signing a five-year, $54 million deal with Ravens in March Has 4.5 sacks and 101 tackles in 55 career games, Cincinnati Bengals, 1983-1994 Voted to two Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time Recorded 34.5 sacks and 1,017 career tackles Missed only four games (out of 192) in 12-year career, Detroit Lions, 1958-1970 Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times NFL 1960s All-Decade Team Missed only one game in 12-year career, New England Patriots, 2001-2008; Oakland Raiders, 2009-2012 Three-time Super Bowl champion Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Logged 57.5 sacks and recorded 496 career tackles, Minnesota Vikings, 1985-1990; Green Bay Packers, 1992; Seattle Seahawks, 1992; Philadelphia Eagles, 1993 Voted to two Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times 1989 NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL 1980s All-Decade Team Holds NFL record for most sacks by DT in single season (18) Three double-digit sack seasons Recorded 58 career sacks, Houston Oilers, 1985-1995; Dallas Cowboys, 1996 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time NFL-record three fumble recoveries in single game Recorded 76.5 sacks, 861 tackles, and 19 forced fumbles in 12-year NFL career, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1950-1963 Two-time Super Bowl champion Voted to nine Pro Bowls (1957 Pro Bowl MVP), First Team All-Pro once NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team Recorded 23 fumble recoveries and at time of retirement was the all-time career safeties leader with three Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, San Francisco 49ers, 1950-1963 Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times NFL 1950s All-Decade Team 49ers' first-ever draft pick Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Colts, 1950; New York Yanks, 1951; Dallas Texans, 1952; Baltimore Colts, 1953-1961 Two-time NFLchampion Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times NFL 1950s All-Decade Team Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns, 1957-1958; Green Bay Packers, 1959-1969 Two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time NFL champion Voted to four Pro Bowls (1961 Pro Bowl MVP), First Team All-Pro five times 21 career fumble recoveries Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears 1979-1990 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times NFL 1980s All-Decade Team Made All-Pro as both defensive end and defensive tackle Officially credited with 57 career sacks Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Jets, 1977-1987; Indianapolis Colts, 1989 Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times 1981 AFC Player of the Year Started 145 of 155 NFL games 24 career sacks, 9 fumble recoveries in 10 NFL seasons Anthony Munoz called Klecko "the strongest guy I ever faced. NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best offensive tackles in NFL history. He was a true 2 gap run stuffer. Said legendary writer/talent evaluator Joel Buchsbaum about Carter, "has awesome ability, strength, quickness, and explosion but is not very durable". He had unusually large legs and Dolphin locker room lore includes the fact that even the large socks would not fully cover Baumhower's calves when stretched all the way to the top. Sopoaga is a disruptive force over the center. He was part of the good, innovative defenses of Bill Arnsbarger with the Dolphins, the 'Killer Bs' if you will. I swear every time there is a discussion about nose tackles Ngata is mentioned, and Ravens fans go berserk because he doesn't play nose tackle. And as was normal, Long would play the three-technique in passing situations. Probably the most technically sound nose tackle on this list, Wilfork's leverage and footwork are outstanding. Bullshitter. Tim Goad is a very good player from start. Another big man, around 330-350 (390?) Defensive techniques serve two major purposes they tell the defenders where they need to line up for that specific play and they tell the defenders what their role is when on the field. Ngata, from 2008-14 received post-season honors every season, three of those years he was a First-team All-Pro and the others Second-team or Pro Bowl or All-AFC, showing remarkable consistency. The type of reliable-backup career you just don't see much anymore. He did play some 3-4 end in his career and was always effective as a defensive tackle in the Chiefs 4-man lines when they went to nickel, he would routinely turn in 5, 6, or 7-sack seasons. An excellent athlete for the position, Sharrif Floyd (6'3", 305 lbs, one season) has lateral quickness and moves well both along the line of scrimmage and heading upfield to make tackles. NFL, one of the most exciting sports leagues in the world, is the gathering place of all American football legends. They silently contribute and help their team to win. The crown as the best non-Donald interior defender is a tough one to claim definitively, but in 2019 it belonged to Heyward. From his 121 games, he recorded 121 sacks. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! He also covers media and entertainment news on various online platforms. He was All-Pro in 1990 then made a Pro Bowl in 1995. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! Soliai excels at drawing and occupying double teams. WithToeaina in the lineup, there is often more space for destructive duo Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs to exploit. For the 3-technique, the defensive player is asked to line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. Defensive tackles are mostly the silent killer of a team. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. This can either give them an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the play being called by the offense. Being five times first-pro and the five-times pro bowler is a rare achievement in the NFL for a nose tackle. With Sopoaga over the center, Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis are always kept clean and remain free to chase plays down. He played college football for the University. Like we mentioned above, the 0-technique (and any other even-numbered technique) is asked to line up head-to-head with the offensive line. Concerns about his every down durability have persisted in recent seasons, but Ratliff is still the best pure athlete to play nose tackle in the NFL. Art Shell, 1968-1982. We think he would have been a fine left 3-4 defensive end and inside rusher in nickel but the Raiders already had that guyHowie Long. Louis Rams, 1976-1995 Voted to seven Pro Bowls First player to play 20 seasons for one team Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, St. Louis Rams, 1997-2008; Chicago Bears, 2009 Voted to seven Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times One-time Super Bowl champion Started 154 consecutive games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, 1967-1979 Voted to six Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times Two-time Super Bowl champion Started in six NFC Championship Games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 1936-1946 Three-time NFL champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First-Team All-Pro four times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Yanks, 1951; Cleveland Browns, 1954-1962 Voted to six Pro Bowls Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns, 2007-2016 Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Has started all 160 games he has played in the NFL, Green Bay Packers, 1956-1970; Dallas Cowboys, 1971 Started on eight NFL championship teams Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, 1968-1981; Los Angeles Rams, 1982 Voted to seven Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro six times First O-lineman to be selected No. In recent seasons the position has taken on greater significance thanks to the proliferation of 3-4 fronts. Peko plays with intensity, but his technique is smart and precise. When you think of the Steelers' 3-4, you think of a couple names: it starts with Casey Hampton, the best true nose tackle the team has ever had. he was a good player, but didn't play enough to really fit in. To be fair, Williams was a Second-team All-Pro in 2004 and then First-team in 2005 and 2006. But on a serious note I would say wilfork or Hampton, with big Ted slightly behind those guys. Although used in very specific situations in the NFL, the 5-2 defensive scheme was largely phased out of pro football in the 1950s and eventually college football in the 1980s. For the first half of his career, he played all downs, playing left tackle in the Bills sub defensive packages, something not all nose tackles could do. He has played a total of 200 games and recorded 29 sacks and two interceptions. John Randle Awards: 7 Pro Bowler, 6 All-Pro, 1997 NFL sacks leader, Pro Football Hall of Famer, and NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Championships: None The ball was so dominant that the opposition had to make a change in their alignment to bring their best player in the middle to face the pressure Ball created. As mentioned above, the best feature of a nose tackle is that he sacrifices himself for the greater good of the team. In the Bears under front,Toeaina is required to take on the center and occupy the interior, creating one on one matchups for pass rushing defensive ends and the 3-technique tackle. Vita Vea Tampa Bay Buccaneers Highlights " The Freak" Fletcher Cox Team: Philadelphia Eagles He would go on to be selected first overall by the Jimmy Johnson-led Cowboys in 1991, just the. In the game of football, every player is given a specific position both on offense and defense that determines their role when on the field. Highest single-season PFF grades since 2017 Donald's peers are the NFL's all-time greats on defense the Reggie Whites and Lawrence Taylors of the world rather than anyone else currently playing. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. You can guess from his career highlights how much we could write about him. So it's harder to peg players. Thomas was a solid defensive nose and could have been a terrific 3-technique. So I discount guys like Ngata who may have played in the middle of a 3 man line on occasions but were never 2 gap players. Career stats of Henry Thomas: 6. Then in 1986-87 he was still the starter but played less in passing situations and recorded just one sack in 1987 and five in 1988. 10. They try to take up as much space as possible down the middle of the line of scrimmage, which often means taking on the center and one or both of the offensive guards. Vincent Lamar Wilfork (born November 4, 1981) is a former American football nose tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. I like Davis' chances of having a productive rookie season behind Payne and the rest of this defensive line. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Akiem Hicks is one of the best run defenders in the NFL today. Bob Baumhower Baumhower was a unique player, tall (6-5) for a nose tackle and may have been better suited as a 4-3 tackle or 3-4 end. But Ball did it. Kendall Wright looked like the perfect slot receiver for a lot of the year. Still, their role changes as a defensive tackle. 11. And in 1980 he got his hands up enough to pick off three passes from his nose position. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Washington has four first-round picks on its defensive line, and Jonathan Allen might have been the best in 2020. Probably not over the full course of his career since he was injured so much, but I'll throw peak Kris Jenkins in the mix for top 10 best NT peaks. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Patriots, a time during which he was one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL -- especially against the run. NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the greatest defensive tackles in NFL history. This is different from defensive ends, which are usually taller (around 65) and slimmer (285 pounds) so they can keep up with offensive tackles. Jump Around This Article Click to show. He got the do the grunt work for the guys that replaced John Randle and Warren Sapp. And he deserved it due to what he meant to those Charger defenses. As Easley is often looked past due to his short career in the NFL, his play on the field was at a top level and one that had in the elite group . I also thought Jamal Williams was excellent for a few years at his peak. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The Steelers have had some of the best nose tackles of all time and when that position is thought of, often the Steelers come to mind. Some NFL players are just physical freaks in terms of taking a pounding and lasting and lasting. Charlie Johnson had a short career in the NFL, but he still managed to cement his preposition among the best nose tackles of all time in NFL history. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The best I have personally seen is Casey Hampton. He was First-team All-Pro once and a Second-team All-Pro twice and was a Pro Bowler all three of those seasons. This site is owned and operated by Coaching Kidz. They line up in front of the offensive center and are responsible for clogging up the two gaps on both sides of the center in-between the center and two offensive guards. The best decision that Rob Ryan made when he took over stewardship of the Cowboys defense, was to leave Ratliff over the center, and defy the calls to move him to end. This type of scheme consists of five players on the defensive line a nose guard, two defensive tackles, and two defensive ends. At 6-1 330 (350?) The players Hey there! He had great strength, along with skills and techniques. Career stats: 106 games started, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 150 tackles, four-time Pro Bowler. Former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was announced as this year's inductee into the team's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. 6'5" and around 375 pounds, he was literally an immovable object in the trenches. Again, these are two completely different positions in the game of football and have entirely different roles in defensive schemes. When you line up in a 3-technique, youre only responsible for the gap between the offensive guard and offensive tackle also known as the B-gap. Instead, they line up head-to-head with the offensive guards. Who is the best New York Jets defensive tackle ever? He was active, fast, and really stood out on film. Carter knew what his job was as a nose tackle, and he did it perfectly. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. The one season he filled in for an injured 3-tech (Keith Millard) he did will, recording 8.5 sacks and 7.5 stuffs and 82 tackles. He loves to watch web series, and movies and write on celebrity gossip or trendy movie news. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 1 overall Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Seattle Seahawks, 1997-2009 Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cincinnati Bengals, 1980-1992 Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro nine times Started 184 of 185 NFL games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Ravens, 1996-2007 One-time NFL champion Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times Started 176 of 177 NFL games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Colts, 1958, 1959 Two-time NFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times (five times at OT, three times at OG) Called by Woody Hayes "the best offensive lineman I've ever coached." Wills was exceptionally quick for his size, and so he was nicknamed The Cat.. Other than Polamalu there wasnt a better player on those defenses. Best Nose Tackles in NFL History Throughout history, there have been several players that have revolutionized what it means to be a nose tackle. The 0-technique is largely specific to the nose tackle but can be played by defensive tackles as well. He weighs 375 pounds and still ran so fast. Here are the top 25 offensive tackles for the 2021 NFL season. Would have put Maas and Gilbert Brown much higher, but really enjoyed this list. He played both ways early in his career but his primary position was right over the center in 5-man lines. 25. Ratliff is one of the most dominant players in the league and is the key to the Cowboys multiple 3-4 scheme. However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . Vita is one of the best nose tackles in the NFL because he has the ability at 345-pounds to rush the passer. The Best New York Jets of All Time Fred Smerlas Tackle and Nose tackle from Waltham, Massachusetts Age: 65 Frederic Charles Smerlas (born April 8, 1957) is a former American football defensive lineman who was a 5-time NFL Pro Bowl selection during 14-year career as a nose tackle with the Buffalo Bills, .more 280 Alameda Ta'amu My name is Steven and I have a passion for sports and staying physically active. 1 Joe Greene 3,939 votes Charles Edward Greene (born September 5, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football .more #1208 of 1,316 The Best Athletes Of All Time #11 of 25 Old Athletes You Didn't Realize Are Still Alive #1 of 146 3-4 Defences have only become really popular around the nfl in the last 15 years so there hasn't been that many Nose Tackles in the last 40-50 years in comparison to other positions. Like Bill Wills, Pat Williams was also undrafted in 1997. The change of league did not have much impact on the team as the team continued to dominate, and in 19450, they became the NFL champion. The goal of this website is to provide you with content that will help you get a leg up on the competition, whether thats in the realm of coaching or on the field itself. Isaiah Wynn is an interesting player. This is due mainly to the fact that most of the standout nose tackles in the league play for 3-4 teams. Obviously, times have changed since 1963, but Buck's legacy lives on as one of the greatest defensive tackles ever. An extremely aggressive player, Garay is one of the few 3-4 nose tackles who is at his best when threatening the quarterback. But was a Pro Bowler in 1986, but was certainly worthy of selection in 1984 and 1985 as well.
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