best nose tackles of all time

They need to have a big body, but they also need to have some speed and strength to make them quicker and stronger than a center and offensive guard. Defensive nose tackles do not have flashy statistics or bouquets of trophies on their accolades; rather, they silently distribute for the teams wins. And for a nose, he was very durable. One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. This is different from the 0-technique, which is responsible for the two gaps in between the center and both offensive guards. If you can do that, then your coach will always have a spot for you on the defense. It reached peak popularity with the Bill Parcells style in the mid 80's. Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. This list includes the tackle's accomplishments, honors, awards, records, & statistics. Dominant against the run, Wilfork commands attention from multiple blockers. He used his size to his advantage and made the lives of the blockers impossible. In those situations, Howie Long would play the right end. And in that role, he recorded 24 sacks in 1985-86. 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. 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. With a little more experience at the position, Sopoaga could beexpected to top a similar list in the near future. Lets see why these players are considered the best nose tackles of all time. After getting drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, Michael Carter remained unmoved throughout his pro football career. Thomas played in 213 games, started 199 of them, totaled 864 tackles including 93.5 sacks and 95.0 run stuffs, totals that rival players like Warren Sapp and Bryant Young, two of the 1990s All-Decade selections. Would have put Maas and Gilbert Brown much higher, but really enjoyed this list. all the guys ahead of him were better than he was. You can guess from his career highlights how much we could write about him. 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. He toiled in obscurity in Seattle at a time when the league wanted to forget Seattle existed & still was a 1st team AP & Pro Bowler in 1984, and could easily have been a Pro Bowl player in 2 other seasons. He had the ability, strength, and quickness to be one of the top defensive backs in the tournament. This player is only used in a 3-4 defensive scheme, opposed to a 4-3 defensive scheme. I like Davis' chances of having a productive rookie season behind Payne and the rest of this defensive line. 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. A tall nose, like Bob Baumhower, at 6-5 and began his career as an inside designated pass rusher. 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. He made an unusually high number of tackles for players in his position and at times could get some rush. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. Former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was announced as this year's inductee into the team's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Ive played and watched sports all my life and have coached them as well for the last few years. Defensive tackles rarely line up head-to-head with the center. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. That fact that Bob Dee, who has No. 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. His tremendous upper body strength and relentless motor help Sopoaga to constantly move the pocket. Carter was a dominant nose when motivated. Ranking of the NFL's top ten greatest offensive tackles of all time. An excellent run defender, Soliai needs to refine his technique in order to make more plays behind the line of scrimmage. We've been a complete joke at NT since he left. 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. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! He was All-Pro in 1990 then made a Pro Bowl in 1995. Many defenses are also choosing to play more nickel on first and second down. Well.it's more that it goes through cycles. This is because four linebackers can either drop back and guard the middle of the field or play at the line of scrimmage against the run. It used to take three blockers to stop him. Cofield has not spent enough time anchoring a 3-4 and is plagued by inconsistency. 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. He was drafted into the NFL in 1987 and remained active till 2000. He ended his career with 32.5 sacks and 75.5 run stuffs. You have to keep in mind that offensive linemen are big players and that the nose tackle is almost always double-teamed. Balls retired from the game in 1999, leaving behind a dominant legacy. They have a similar role, but the defensive schemes are very different. While Ngata fell to the shadows behind the likes of Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis, the former Oregon Ducks star was a force to be reckoned . He was a First-team All-Pro four times and voted to five Pro Bowls and was an alternate to a couple of others. Throughout history, there have been several players that have revolutionized what it means to be a nose tackle. This is due mainly to the fact that most of the standout nose tackles in the league play for 3-4 teams. With Hampton occluding the middle of an opposing blocking scheme, ball carriers are consistentlyforced sideways. The Dolphins defensive anchor is steadily building a reputation as one of the most difficult to handle nose tackles in the game. Super Bowl champion: 3 times (XIX, XXIII, XXIV), First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1986, 1987, 1988). To be fair, Williams was a Second-team All-Pro in 2004 and then First-team in 2005 and 2006. And in 1980 he got his hands up enough to pick off three passes from his nose position. Then he was signed by the Buffalo Bills, but it was with Minnesota Vikings where he shined and reached his full potential. With that in mind, he shared some final thoughts on his playing career. In some situations, they might line up in-between the guards and center if they want to directly fill the gaps during a run play. There are players that play close to the ball and others that play further away. Enjoy! Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. The Broncos used some 3-4 for years prior to 1976 when they finally committed to it full time. 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." 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. Well, a player needs to have the mentality to sacrifice himself for the teams achievement. He got the do the grunt work for the guys that replaced John Randle and Warren Sapp. Dan Saleaumua was like a rolling ball of butcher knives, moving around all the time, always seemingly around the ball. New England is one of the greatest sports franchises of the last 20 years. A coach usually elects to have two defensive tackles on the field, although one of those defensive tackles might be a versatile nose tackle. Still, their role changes as a defensive tackle. That. 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. Likely 1988, too, but it was a crowded field in the 1980s for nose tackles. Willis was a dynamic6-2, 213-pound middle guard for the Cleveland Browns from 1946-53. Said Buchsbaum, "As good as Ball is, he'd be better if he controlled his weight. However, his contribution to the teams victories earned him four all-pro awards. Here is a ranking of the 10 best nose tackles in the game today. Therefore, he does not have a lot of individual achievements to boast about. Obviously, times have changed since 1963, but Buck's legacy lives on as one of the greatest defensive tackles ever. Rowe helped the Raiders to their first Super Bowl trophy (IMO) - I was at that Super Bowl. Washington has four first-round picks on its defensive line, and Jonathan Allen might have been the best in 2020. Now we are getting into the run-stopping specialists, though very good at that specialty. He was a 'move' guy, not a power guy and he could rush the passer very well in addition to playing his two-gap responsibilities. The 3-4 had been around for years but no one committed to it on an every-down basis like the Patriots in 1974. 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. Along the way, Ill also answer general sports related questions. He was a true 2 gap run stuffer. He was part of the good, innovative defenses of Bill Arnsbarger with the Dolphins, the 'Killer Bs' if you will. The next year, Taylor was released, and this became the season Wilfork made his name known by recording 54 tackles in only 16 games. Most of Ratliff's reputation is built on his pass rushing ability. Pro Bowl: 4 times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001). See leaders through past seasons He was drafted into the NFL in 2004 by the New England Patriots. Joel Steed will come . Taylor Lewan gets a lot of attention for his off-field attention-seeking antics. Thomas was great at tackling and arguably the best among all nose tackles. From 1980 through the first six games of 1990 he played in (and started) 149 consecutive games, remarkable given the duties of his position. Wills played a key role in the defense and was all-pro once and a pro bowler. He was an eight-time First-team All-League selection and was a Second-team selection one additional time and was part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame team All-1940s Team and the owner of five championship rings. The two-time pro bowler Hank Thomas is often underappreciated and is one of the most underrated players of recent times. What does it need to be a good nose tackle? Casey Hampton is criminally low on this list. He received a Hall of Fame induction from the New England Patriots soon after his retirement in 2017. An odd-numbered technique must line up over the shoulder of the offensive line. 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. 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. 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. Wilfork is widely considered one of the best nose tackles to play the game of football. Sione Pouha has quietly emerged as one of the most effective run defenders in the game. Sopoaga is a disruptive force over the center. 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. Vince Wilfork is one of the smartest and most versatile defensive players in the game. His penetration causes havoc in the running game and makes hima credible danger to the quarterback. 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). The last time Donald recorded a PFF run-defense or pass-rush grade lower than 85.0 was during his rookie season in 2014. Press J to jump to the feed. Players must meet the minimum requirements to show up on this leaderboard. In 1985 Pickel took over the nose tackle spot in the Raiders defense and he'd play the usual shade spot in passing downs. Really, on a game-to-game basis, Hamilton was the NFL's first modern nose tackle. 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. He did that while ascending as one of the greatest nose tackles of all time. He had a high of 85 tackles in 1978, 68 in 1979, and 67 in 1980. Bills, in his career, became a total of a three-time pro bowler and a four times all-pro. The 34 was very popular in the 70's and 80's. Other than Polamalu there wasnt a better player on those defenses. NFL players are large in size. Yep, he arrived when those guys were on their way out of town. He loves to watch web series, and movies and write on celebrity gossip or trendy movie news. All-Time Tackles Leaders. A Complete Overview. When done correctly, the nose tackle acts as a space-eater. The 0-technique is largely specific to the nose tackle but can be played by defensive tackles as well. You simply cant run a 3-4 defensive scheme without one. 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. 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. He played a total of 179 and recorded 68.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. 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. 11. 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. Pat Williams was a top nose for a long time, playing 14 seasons and was a starter in his last 10. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Dedicated to reporting mainstream and esoteric aspects of professional football. Nose tackles dont receive a lot of glamour in modern football. Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. Soliai excels at drawing and occupying double teams. And love seeing Smerlas getting recognized so high. While most nose tackles dont receive a lot of praise from the fans (largely due to their lack of stats), some nose tackles throughout history were so good that you had to recognize them no matter what. 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. He was a Dr. Z favorite as well. one bid wonders has more information on college football bowl game. 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. The players Hey there! edit* Hampton was a beast don't know how I didn't think of him! In recent seasons the position has taken on greater significance thanks to the proliferation of 3-4 fronts. May 4, 2021 8:47 AM EDT. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. Theyre responsible for taking up space and making it hard for the center and guards to make room for the running back. Pouha is the basis for the Jets swarming rush defense and his stout performances in the middle of the line ensures the schematic flexibilitycharacteristicof Rex Ryan's multiple system. Nose tackle is an underappreciated and selfless position in American football. But on a serious note I would say wilfork or Hampton, with big Ted slightly behind those guys. Johnsons primary duty was to stop the run, and he did it so well. Defensive tackles are mostly the silent killer of a team. Thomas was a solid defensive nose and could have been a terrific 3-technique. Tim Krumrie was a very active-type nose tackle, all hustle all the time. Since the 5-technique features an odd number, that means the defensive lineman lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. Super Bowl LVII: All You Need To Know About Its Results, Winner, Highlights and Half-Time Show !! Matt Toeainais the most unheralded member of the Chicago Bears tough defense. NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best offensive tackles in NFL history. Still, only a few of them are as large as Ted Washington. Carter played nine seasons, 121 games with 97 starts. This list below has a variety of items in it, from Casey Hampton to Jim Burt. The 6"1' 325 pound Hamptonis an immovable force in the middle of Pittsburgh's front seven. Despite being a 5-time pro bowler, he is still not in the hall of fame.

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