best nose tackles of all time best nose tackles of all time

CoachingKidz.comis a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking toAmazon.com. Not only is Art Shell at the top of this list, but he was also among the best tackles in NFL history, and there those who believe . An excellent run defender, Soliai needs to refine his technique in order to make more plays behind the line of scrimmage. Curly Clip is, undoubtedly, the flag bearer for the best nose tackles of all time. In his first four years he was a top backup for Ted Washington forming an amazing 1-2 punch. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. See leaders through past seasons He did not focus on personal achievements, which is one of the reasons that his stats are not filled with rich numbers. 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. Plenty of other factors were there, but the move to the 3-4 defense and Culp's play in it were certainly right up there in the reasons why there was a turnaround (they were 3-31 in the previous 34 games prior to Culp's arrival.). New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The players Hey there! The best I have personally seen is Casey Hampton. Said legendary writer/talent evaluator Joel Buchsbaum about Carter, "has awesome ability, strength, quickness, and explosion but is not very durable". But Garay's brute force makes him formidable at the point of attack. They just don't. He can sometimes be a little inconsistent against the run and doesn't always bring the same fiery determination to disrupting the ground game. A 4-technique lines up head-to-head with the tackle. Last year (1989) he was 20 points overweight and he was double-teamed on almost every play had nine sacks and 73 tackles". Here is a ranking of the 10 best nose tackles in the game today. Pouha has gone from a deputy to the oft-injured Kris Jenkins, to becoming a significant force at the heart of the Jets opportunistic defense. If youre a football player, you must understand what a defensive technique is. His pro career started as remaining undrafted and ended as one of the best nose tackles of all time! Jump Around This Article Click to show. Jamal Williams career seemed to be heading into obscurity as a very good shade (nose) tackle in a 4-3 defense for the Chargers from 1998 to 2004. 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. NFL, one of the most exciting sports leagues in the world, is the gathering place of all American football legends. Carter was a dominant nose when motivated. 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 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. He was part of the good, innovative defenses of Bill Arnsbarger with the Dolphins, the 'Killer Bs' if you will. Follow us on Twitter: @NFL_Journal - 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. More teams havemoved back toa 4-3 this season and many 4-3 teams are choosing to do without a nose tackle and attack an offense with double 3-techniques. He received a Hall of Fame induction from the New England Patriots soon after his retirement in 2017. I miss Jamal Williams so damn much. He was a First-team All-Pro four times and voted to five Pro Bowls and was an alternate to a couple of others. With a player like Raji over the center, Dom Capers can utilise every page of his zone blitz playbook. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Its okay for a nose tackle to be smaller or bigger than the average nose tackle, so long as that player is good at taking up space and freeing up room for the rest of the defense to do what they do best. Another excellent piece of work by you Mr. Turney. 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. 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. 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 drafted into the NFL in 2004 by the New England Patriots. He spent his last six seasons as a backup/rotational nose for the Raiders, then the Jets. He debuted in 1968 with the Kansas City Chiefs. It reached peak popularity with the Bill Parcells style in the mid 80's. He's a shade tackle that played all three downs and never needed to be replaced by a designated pass rusher like so many nose tackles, which accounts for his high sack total, in fact, no nose/shade tackle is even close and from film review, he was as good versus the run as any of them. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL defensive tackles of all time NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the greatest defensive tackles in NFL history. That fact that Bob Dee, who has No. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. 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. He is one of few nose tackles that play on all three downs. He was also part of the Dolphins pass rush packages for the first 2/3 of his career, totaling 9 sacks in 1981, 8 in 1978 and 1983 and 6 in 1979. 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. 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. . 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. While many people often confuse a nose guard with a nose tackle, many fans also use the terms nose tackle and defensive tackle interchangeably. However, we are going to keep it short. he was a good player, but didn't play enough to really fit in. From Culp to Jerry Ball, everyone featured in this article has played major roles in their teams success, which established them as the best defensive nose tackles of all time in the NFL. 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Any coach that wants to find success with a 3-4 defensive scheme needs a dominant nose tackle. 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. Great list -- Curley is indeed #1. I also thought Jamal Williams was excellent for a few years at his peak. If its a 2-technique, the player must line up head-to-head with the guard. Take a look at how they stack up. Career stats of Henry Thomas: 6. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. The two-time pro bowler Hank Thomas is often underappreciated and is one of the most underrated players of recent times. As we learned above, the nose tackle lines up in the middle of the defensive line in a 3-4 defense which consists of one nose tackle and two defensive ends. 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 55 Best Movies and Series on HBO Max (Where You 1968 (Denver Broncos, Round: 2 / Pick: 31), Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions, 1979 (Buffalo Bills, Round: 2 / Pick: 32), Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers, 1991 (San Francisco 49ers, Round: 1 / Pick: 25), San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, 1987 (Minnesota Vikings, Round: 3 / Pick: 72), Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots andDetroit Lions, 1984 (San Francisco 49ers, Round: 5 / Pick: 121), 1977 (Philadelphia Eagles, Round: 7 / Pick: 175), Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, 2004 (New England Patriots, Round: 1 / Pick: 21), 1987 (Detroit Lions, Round: 3 / Pick: 63), Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings. Probably the most technically sound nose tackle on this list, Wilfork's leverage and footwork are outstanding. 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. one bid wonders has more information on college football bowl game. 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. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. As they continue to learn the What Is a Secondary in Football? The 34 was very popular in the 70's and 80's. Nose tackles dont receive a lot of glamour in modern football. Washington had played for several teams in his 17-year-long career. He played both ways early in his career but his primary position was right over the center in 5-man lines. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! There are players that play close to the ball and others that play further away. However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . Now we are getting into the run-stopping specialists, though very good at that specialty. He is comfortable using his speed to shoot gaps or lining up directly over guards and centers and overpowering them. The 3-4 had been around for years but no one committed to it on an every-down basis like the Patriots in 1974. Such is life. The Pittsburgh run defense has been at or near the top of the league standings throughout Hamton's decade long tenure over the center. Theyre largely responsible for the C-gap, which is the space on the outside of the tackle, but they might try and confuse the tackle by starting outside and making a move inside. Thomas was great at tackling and arguably the best among all nose tackles. All-Time Tackles Leaders. Jake Matthews, Atlanta Falcons. 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. Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. Some of these men are considered to be the best nose tackles to ever play the game, and if you're looking for a specific football player you can look for them by using the "search" function on this list. He used his size to his advantage and made the lives of the blockers impossible. While a 3-technique refers to the outside shoulder of the offensive guard, theres also something called the 2i-technique. You simply cant run a 3-4 defensive scheme without one. Not only that, but theyre offensive linemans specifically the center and guards worst nightmare. Whether youre playing in a 3-4 defensive scheme or 4-3 defensive scheme, two defensive ends line up by the offensive tackle. 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 was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. He has been an all-pro or pro bowler more than any other nose tackle. 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. The defensive tackle is largely used in the 4-3 defensive scheme as well as the 5-2 defensive scheme. Till 1949, The Browns were playing in the AAFC, and then the team joined the NFL. Then he was signed by the Buffalo Bills, but it was with Minnesota Vikings where he shined and reached his full potential. However, until that time, he is without question the best nose tackle in the league. Donald is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time First-Team All-Pro, Made the 2010 NFL All . At 6-1 330 (350?) Other than Polamalu there wasnt a better player on those defenses. Akiem Hicks is one of the best run defenders in the NFL today. 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. 2022 The News Titan - All Rights Reserved, The 10 Best Nose Tackles of All Time in the NFL, The 10 Best Defensive Ends of All Time in the NFL. With that said, Im happy to have you on the site and hope I can help you out in achieving your goals! 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. Vea had four sacks last season playing out of the nose. Houston Texans starter Shaun Cody has adapted well to the rigours of Wade Phillips' 1-gap 3-4. Lorenzo Neal as a fullback is one. WithToeaina in the lineup, there is often more space for destructive duo Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs to exploit. Gary Dunn/NT - 1976-1987. He was a bit of a vagabond playing for seven different teams in his 17 years, with six for the Bills, the most of any of his stops. Pat Williams was a top nose for a long time, playing 14 seasons and was a starter in his last 10. To be the best in the league, one needs to be fast, athletic, dedicated, hard-working, and have exceptional talent. Best Nose Tackles in NFL History Throughout history, there have been several players that have revolutionized what it means to be a nose tackle. 16. There are always 22 football players on the field at once and they all have their own specialized roles. Sopoaga is such a powerful and active presence, that he demands a double team on almost every play. Raji possesses a more diverse and dynamic skill set than Pouha. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. Maas was "Big, mean, strong, and nasty" according to Buchsbaum who also though Maas would have been an excellent 4-3 tackle. Smears was a very durable nose tackle and had played 149 consecutive matches.