He made an unusually high number of tackles for players in his position and at times could get some rush. Bills, in his career, became a total of a three-time pro bowler and a four times all-pro. Is The NBA Star Tyrese Maxey & Lavender Briggs In A Christian Bale Lost Five Roles to Leonardo DiCaprio in the 90s, The Legend of Maula Jatt: A Pakistani Movie Breaking Records. Nose tackles are found in the middle of the defensive line when running a 3-4 defensive scheme. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Maybe if he hadn't gone to USFL but really, except for 1983, he was a backup---someone who got to play when Carter was hurt, would play some 40 tackle in nickel/dimeHe was considered by the 36 starts was kind of a problem. 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. Who is the best New York Jets defensive tackle ever? But Ball did it. However, his contribution to the teams victories earned him four all-pro awards. Here is a ranking ofthe 10 best nose tackles in the game today. He used his size to his advantage and made the lives of the blockers impossible. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. 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. He played college football for the University. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Enter Wade Phillips who installed a 3-4 and Williams as the nose andvoila, he's in the Pro Bowl for the next three years. With that in mind, he shared some final thoughts on his playing career. 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." He played a total of 200 games and recorded 20.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. He can sometimes be a little inconsistent against the run and doesn't always bring the same fiery determination to disrupting the ground game. 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. The Pittsburgh run defense has been at or near the top of the league standings throughout Hamton's decade long tenure over the center. Gilbert Brown was a big piece in that loaded Packer defense. And in that role, he recorded 24 sacks in 1985-86. When done correctly, the nose tackle acts as a space-eater. He is one of few nose tackles that play on all three downs. He won the super bowl once and was named all-pro once in 2001. Excellent article, John T! Another excellent piece of work by you Mr. Turney. Well, first we need to understand the 4-technique. 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. Wilfork is widely considered one of the best nose tackles to play the game of football. Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time | NFL Highlights NFL 11M subscribers Subscribe 269K views 5 years ago Former VP of Player Personnel Gil Brandt's Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time! 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. Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. Like Bill Wills, Pat Williams was also undrafted in 1997. as a nose tackle, mostly a backup or part-time player. The 6"1' 325 pound Hamptonis an immovable force in the middle of Pittsburgh's front seven. Taylor Lewan gets a lot of attention for his off-field attention-seeking antics. Dominant against the run, Wilfork commands attention from multiple blockers. Kendall Wright looked like the perfect slot receiver for a lot of the year. Career stats: 106 games started, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 150 tackles, four-time Pro Bowler. He was drafted into the NFL in 1987 and remained active till 2000. As you learn more about football, you start to hear the term defensive technique. Its not something a normal fan has to be concerned about, but its something that gets mentioned by the announcers and commentators regularly. 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 His professional football career began in 1977 when he was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles 1977. From his 121 games, he recorded 121 sacks. Wilfork has served as the centerpiece of BillBelichick's hybrid defenses for years. One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. Nobody is better at absorbing double teams than Hampton. He did not focus on personal achievements, which is one of the reasons that his stats are not filled with rich numbers. An extremely aggressive player, Garay is one of the few 3-4 nose tackles who is at his best when threatening the quarterback. He was a true 2 gap run stuffer. In recent seasons the position has taken on greater significance thanks to the proliferation of 3-4 fronts. Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. all the guys ahead of him were better than he was. He spent his last six seasons as a backup/rotational nose for the Raiders, then the Jets. The 0-technique is largely specific to the nose tackle but can be played by defensive tackles as well. A Financial Overview, What Is a Cycle in Baseball? After getting drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, Michael Carter remained unmoved throughout his pro football career. This allows the defensive ends to cover the outside of the offensive line and frees up the middle linebackers to find the quarterback or running back. Whether youre playing in a 3-4 defensive scheme or 4-3 defensive scheme, two defensive ends line up by the offensive tackle. It frequently took 2 or 3 linemen to block him, freeing up teammates to double-cover or blitz. He could also expand his pass rush repertoire and become more of a rush threat for a Miami defensive line which struggles to support the efforts of Cameron Wake. He was a First-team All-Pro four times and voted to five Pro Bowls and was an alternate to a couple of others. He ended his career with 1017 tackles, more than any other nose we can find and 34.5 sacks. Wilfork played more than 100 games for the Patriots and is considered the best player in the nose tackle position for the Patriots. He was First-team All-Pro twice and a Second-teamer three other seasons and went to five Pro Bowls as a nose tackle (tied with Fred Smerlas for the most-ever by a 3-4 nose). Nose Tackles typically don't stuff the stat sheet so it can be hard to measure their greatness unless you're watching tape but I would say that any 3-4 team with a great NT had good numbers v the run, I find your lack of Casey Hampton disturbing. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. 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. But his place went to a division rival who doesn't benefit from quite as strong a supporting cast around him. 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. He was a Second-team All-Pro once and a three-time Pro Bowler (all when playing as 1/2 of the "Williams Wall" in Minnesota. 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. This site is owned and operated by Coaching Kidz. Consistently an excellent player, he had a career year for Pittsburgh when they needed to lean on him more than usual with his running mate Stephon Tuitt going down hurt. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans. At 6'4" and287 pounds, Ratliff is taller and significantly lighter than the prototypical NFL nose tackle. 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. The quintessential 2-gap artist, Hampton is the cornerstone of the Steelers ferocious run defense. You can guess from his career highlights how much we could write about him. Ted Washington is another. 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. A nose tackle has to occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. The next year, Taylor was released, and this became the season Wilfork made his name known by recording 54 tackles in only 16 games. Pat Williams was a top nose for a long time, playing 14 seasons and was a starter in his last 10. Vita is one of the best nose tackles in the NFL because he has the ability at 345-pounds to rush the passer. Being five times first-pro and the five-times pro bowler is a rare achievement in the NFL for a nose tackle. Here are the top 25 offensive tackles for the 2021 NFL season. 17. His tremendous upper body strength and relentless motor help Sopoaga to constantly move the pocket. WithToeaina in the lineup, there is often more space for destructive duo Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs to exploit. Last year (1989) he was 20 points overweight and he was double-teamed on almost every play had nine sacks and 73 tackles". started his career with the Detroit Lions in 1987 and later played in three more teams, including Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings. Take a look at how they stack up. Jake Matthews, Atlanta Falcons. When on form, Antonio Garay is capable of regularly collapsing the pocket. Peko plays with intensity, but his technique is smart and precise. However, we are going to keep it short. NFL players are large in size. Super Bowl champion: 2 times (XXXIX, XLIX). 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. He has played a total of 200 games and recorded 29 sacks and two interceptions. This is because the 4-3 defensive scheme has two inside linebackers that can fill those two gaps if needed. Coming out of Georgia, Wynn was clearly a great athlete and an accomplished player, but he was far from the prototype in terms of height and length for offensive tackles in the NFL. 13. This makes it hard for the running back to find a hole through either of the two B-gaps (in-between the guard and tackle). You have to keep in mind that offensive linemen are big players and that the nose tackle is almost always double-teamed. He had the ability, strength, and quickness to be one of the top defensive backs in the tournament. It's tough to find true nose tackles. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. 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. Upon arriving in Houston, the Oilers fortunes changed, going from the bottom of the AFC to among the better teams from 1975 through 1980. 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. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! He was drafted into the NFL in 2004 by the New England Patriots. Everything You Need to Know, What Is a Pick 6 in Football? Maryland totaled 279 tackles, with 25 for loss, and 20.5 sacks in his four dominant years for Miami. 17+ Basketball Games for Kids The Ultimate List. Curly Clip is, undoubtedly, the flag bearer for the best nose tackles of all time. 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. So he ended up playing for three-techniques likeJovan Haye and Tony Williams, though he got to play some three-technique himself for a few years in the early 2000s when Fred Robbins manned the nose. But was a Pro Bowler in 1986, but was certainly worthy of selection in 1984 and 1985 as well. Enjoy! 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. As one of the few proponents of the traditional, 2-gap style 3-4 leftin the game, the Steelers are absolutely reliant on a dominant nose tackle. Smears was an exceptional talent. The type of reliable-backup career you just don't see much anymore. He received a Hall of Fame induction from the New England Patriots soon after his retirement in 2017. 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 players Hey there! The nose tackle is largely used in the 3-4 defensive scheme as well as a 5-2 defensive scheme. Theyre usually the largest player and go head-to-head with the opposing center. He's pure run-stopper, he's one of the few players to actually go to a Pro Bowl in a season when he had zero sacks. Tom LaMarre. Not only that, but theyre offensive linemans specifically the center and guards worst nightmare. Great list -- Curley is indeed #1. Tier 2: Elite 2. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. He also forced 19 fumbles and recorded three defensive touchdowns. Its popularity declined throughout the 90's, bottoming out in 2001 when only the Steelers were running a 34. Therefore, he does not have a lot of individual achievements to boast about. This type of scheme consists of five players on the defensive line a nose guard, two defensive tackles, and two defensive ends. Theyre responsible for taking up space and making it hard for the center and guards to make room for the running back. pounds, Wilfork was the anchor of the Patriots defensive line for more than a decade making First-team All-Pro once and second-team All-Pro four times and five Pro Bowls in his 13 seasons and earned himself two rings. This is different from the 0-technique, which is responsible for the two gaps in between the center and both offensive guards. 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. Take a look at the photographs that served as the artistic blueprint for Super Bowl LVII, and see how they were incorporated into the numerous event spaces throughout the state. Another big man, around 330-350 (390?) These players are often the most recognized players in the locker room especially among the defensive coordinators for helping clear up space for the rest of the team. The best I have personally seen is Casey Hampton. He did that while ascending as one of the greatest nose tackles of all time. Hopefully, Whitworth and the rest of Los Angeles can have a bounce-back year as they will look to contend in a very competitive NFC West. New England is one of the greatest sports franchises of the last 20 years. Vita Vea Tampa Bay Buccaneers Highlights " The Freak" Fletcher Cox Team: Philadelphia Eagles Probably the most technically sound nose tackle on this list, Wilfork's leverage and footwork are outstanding. As mentioned above, the best feature of a nose tackle is that he sacrifices himself for the greater good of the team. Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1968-1982 Voted to eight Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro two times Two-time Super Bowl champion Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns, 1946-1967 Voted to nine Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro four times Four-time NFL champion Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Buffalo Bills 2004-2008; Philadelphia Eagles 2009-present One-time Super Bowl champion (LII) Voted to Pro Bowl nine times, First Team All-Pro twice Has started 166 of 176 career games Has two career receiving touchdowns, Dallas Cowboys 2011-present Voted to Pro Bowl five times, First Team All-Pro twice Voted No. He was usually the shade tackle in the Raiders 40 nickel (Bandit) defense and herecorded 6 sacks in 1983 and 12.5 in 1984. Pro Football Hall of Fame/Associated Press, Al Messerschmidt Archive/Associated Press. Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots. We may reconsider in the future, but for now, we put him with the tackles. 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. Smears was a very durable nose tackle and had played 149 consecutive matches. Still, their role changes as a defensive tackle. Donald is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time First-Team All-Pro, Made the 2010 NFL All . These savvy veterans and youngsters such as Knighton, Cleveland Browns rookie Phillip Taylor and Arizona Cardinals youth Dan Williams, are collectively ensuring the nose tackle remains very relevant. 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. 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 . Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Pro Bowl: 6 times (1969, 1971, 19751978), Defensive Player of the Year: 1 time (1975). 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. His 61 tackles for loss or no gain against the run over that span rank third among defensive linemen, behind only Brandon Graham and Jadeveon Clowney. No nose tackle has been First-team All-Pro more or gone to more Pro Bowls than Smerlas. 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 two-time pro bowler Hank Thomas is often underappreciated and is one of the most underrated players of recent times. Being a team player is their primary characteristic. Wills was exceptionally quick for his size, and so he was nicknamed The Cat.. Early on it was mostly the more experimental AFC teams, including the perfect Dolphins, and was part of why the AFC dominated the NFC in the 70's. In the 1980 season, almost 3/4ths of teams were running one. The number one requirement of a nose tackle is to take on and occupy blockers. Sione Pouha has quietly emerged as one of the most effective run defenders in the game. The third-year pro has the power, leverage and quickness to threaten the pocket on every play. he was a good player, but didn't play enough to really fit in. Bullshitter. 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. So far, weve mentioned how the 0-technique lines up head-to-head with the center, and the 2-technique lines up head-to-head with the offensive guard.
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