best nose tackles of all time

This is where the defensive player lines up on the inside shoulder of the offensive guard. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. Bullshitter. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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 . Tier 2: Elite 2. 13. 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. And he deserved it due to what he meant to those Charger defenses. The type of reliable-backup career you just don't see much anymore. I'll have to their cortez Kennedy into the mix for this one. We may reconsider in the future, but for now, we put him with the tackles. Top 5 Canes: DTs - State of The U Peko plays with intensity, but his technique is smart and precise. Nose tackle is an underappreciated and selfless position in American football. If its a 2-technique, the player must line up head-to-head with the guard. Who is the best New York Jets defensive tackle ever? Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! He is one of the "Jewel" of The News Titan. Pouha is blessed with tremendous strengthand possesses deceptive speed when working down the line. It is not easy for the nose tackles to be the best defender, but Culp did it in 1975 after joining the Houston Oilers. link to 17+ Basketball Games for Kids The Ultimate List, link to What Is a Secondary in Football? Jamal Williams was the monster in the middle. He is comfortable using his speed to shoot gaps or lining up directly over guards and centers and overpowering them. Ted Washington's the best I've seen play. Carter knew what his job was as a nose tackle, and he did it perfectly. But he got the opportunity to join the newly formed Cleveland Browns, and there he proved how good he was. 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. This type of scheme consists of five players on the defensive line a nose guard, two defensive tackles, and two defensive ends. For many defenses the nose tackle's performance is the most critical element of the scheme. This can either give them an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the play being called by the offense. With that said, most nose tackles in the league are anywhere from 60 to 63 and weigh anywhere from 300-350 pounds. B/R NFL 1000: Top 50 Defensive Tackles - Bleacher Report Vita Vea Tampa Bay Buccaneers Highlights " The Freak" Fletcher Cox Team: Philadelphia Eagles 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. Here is a ranking of the 10 best nose tackles in the game today. Instead of going head-to-head with the center, theyll line up on the outside shoulder of the center, either on the left or right. The 10 Best Nose Tackles of All Time in the NFL Said Buchsbaum, "As good as Ball is, he'd be better if he controlled his weight. In terms of pure 3-4 nose tackles, to this day no nose has played in and started more games at the position than Fred Smerlas. A 3-4 scheme has one nose tackle in the middle, while a 4-3 defense has two defensive tackles in-between the defensive ends. Wills played a key role in the defense and was all-pro once and a pro bowler. Bills, in his career, became a total of a three-time pro bowler and a four times all-pro. May 14, 2020. Team (s): Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions & Philadelphia Eagles. 89 retired in New England, is forming a one-two punch with Wilfork is simply lethal. He was part of the good, innovative defenses of Bill Arnsbarger with the Dolphins, the 'Killer Bs' if you will. Best Defensive Tackles of All Time in the NFL - Ranker 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. They are often referred to as the anchor of the defense because their sole responsibility is to limit the amount of space an offense has down the middle of the line of scrimmage. 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. The Oilers were next who committed to it after getting Curley Culp at mid-season, though they used it some in previous games and years. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. An extremely aggressive player, Garay is one of the few 3-4 nose tackles who is at his best when threatening the quarterback. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football. + Indicates Hall of Famer. 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. 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. This list of the top nose tackles in American football includes all the greats from both the NFL and college football. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL defensive tackles of all time I think Wilfork has to be up there too but Wilfork has been used in more than 1 tech for a lot of his time on the Pats but that just shows what a good skill set he had. They line up with a defensive end on both sides of them, but theres a pretty large gap between them since the offensive line is made up of five players. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. 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. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. 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. The Ultimate Guide, What Is the Neutral Zone in Football? Here is a ranking ofthe 10 best nose tackles in the game today. 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. Many defenses are also choosing to play more nickel on first and second down. Akiem Hicks is one of the best run defenders in the NFL today. Houston Texans starter Shaun Cody has adapted well to the rigours of Wade Phillips' 1-gap 3-4. Sometimes a nose tackle or defensive tackle will line up in a 1-technique. 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 way he singlehandedly collapsed the pocket and allows fellow Tampa pass rushers to torture Patrick Mahomes all day night long. 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. He had great strength, along with skills and techniques. WATCH: Vince Wilfork just dropped the best retirement video ever started his career with the Detroit Lions in 1987 and later played in three more teams, including Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings. The Top Five: Best 3-4 Nose Tackles in the NFL - Bleacher Report Much like you have the 2i-technique, which lines up on the inside of the offensive guard, you also have the 4i-technique, which lines up on the inside of the offensive tackle opposed to the outside of the 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. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. The next time you see a nose tackle playing well, make sure you tip your hat to them! Some of these positions are universal to whatever scheme youre playing, while others are only specific to one scheme such as a nose tackle. 1. Randle signed with the Vikings and went on to become one of the best defensive tackles of the 1990s and definitely the mouthiest. This is because the nose tackle position is one of the most physically demanding positions in all of football. Vince Wilfork was born in 1981 in Florida. WhenToeaina is over the center, the Bears run defense is more stout. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tackling the Defense - City of Champions Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! 10. Nobody is better at absorbing double teams than Hampton. 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. At 6-1 330 (350?) 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 Top Five New York Jets Defensive Tackles of All-Time - The Jet Press During his stay in Kansas, Culp shined as a defensive nose tackle. 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 . However, the proliferation of 3-4 fronts in recent seasons has made the position more important. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Casey Hampton Jr. (born September 3, 1977), nicknamed "Big Snack," is a former American football nose tackle who played twelve seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, The Best Miami Football Players of All Time, The Greatest Out of Shape Athletes in Sports. The nose guard, however, lines up in the middle of the defensive line in a 5-2 defense. 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. 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. We've been a complete joke at NT since he left. It frequently took 2 or 3 linemen to block him, freeing up teammates to double-cover or blitz. Most defensive tackles that line up in a 4-3 defensive scheme are lining up in a 3-technique. This player is only used in a 3-4 defensive scheme, opposed to a 4-3 defensive scheme. Smears was a very durable nose tackle and had played 149 consecutive matches. Balls retired from the game in 1999, leaving behind a dominant legacy. 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. Of course, it leaves some space right up the middle. Enjoy! Plus he played the position until 39 years old; amazing longevity for a position where you're fighting off double teams from other 300 lb men your whole career. 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. Vince Wilfork is one of the smartest and most versatile defensive players in the game. After getting drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, Michael Carter remained unmoved throughout his pro football career. Instead, they line up head-to-head with the offensive guards. Ostensibly a 2-gapper, Raji manages to make a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Interior Defender Rankings: The 32 best DIs entering the 2021 NFL - PFF 6'5" and around 375 pounds, he was literally an immovable object in the trenches. Other than Polamalu there wasnt a better player on those defenses. As it turned out, Carter found his position and Alzado went on to be an excellent 3-4 end. Donald is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time First-Team All-Pro, Made the 2010 NFL All . He also forced 19 fumbles and recorded three defensive touchdowns. 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. Matt Toeainais the most unheralded member of the Chicago Bears tough defense. Super Bowl champion: 2 times (XXXIX, XLIX). 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. 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.). 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. Relying on awesome strength and excellent leverage, Garay is able to create a powerful forward push, few centers can deal with. Whitworth has been one of the top NFL offensive tackles for the majority of his career and is a true model of consistency. A couple of years ago, Jay Ratliff would have comfortably toppeda list of this kind. In 1985 Pickel took over the nose tackle spot in the Raiders defense and he'd play the usual shade spot in passing downs. The San Francisco 49ers signed him in the 1991 NFL draft, where he was overall 25th. We also mentioned how the 1-technique lines up on the outside shoulder of the center and the 3-technique lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. But Ratliff is a very underrated force against the run. 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. But was a Pro Bowler in 1986, but was certainly worthy of selection in 1984 and 1985 as well. The third-year pro has the power, leverage and quickness to threaten the pocket on every play. 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. 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. This player is mostly responsible for filling the two gaps on either side of the center in-between each guard also known as the A-gaps. Well, first we need to understand the 4-technique. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans. 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. Art Shell, 1968-1982. An excellent run defender, Soliai needs to refine his technique in order to make more plays behind the line of scrimmage. A Financial Overview, What Is a Cycle in Baseball? List of the most famous (American) football nose tackles in the history of the sport, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. But he did the dirty work of a shade tackle in a 4-3 under defense. He was a First-team All-Pro in 1986-88 and was Second-team in 1985 when he had 7 sacks (he had 6.5 in 1988) and was a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion. He was First-team All-Pro once and a Second-team All-Pro twice and was a Pro Bowler all three of those seasons. A Complete Overview, What Is a Sack in Football? And love seeing Smerlas getting recognized so high. With 91 games played during his career, made . Top 10 NFL Defensive Tackles of All Time Rankings 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. With Hampton occluding the middle of an opposing blocking scheme, ball carriers are consistentlyforced sideways. Super Bowl champion: 3 times (XIX, XXIII, XXIV), First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1986, 1987, 1988). He can sometimes be a little inconsistent against the run and doesn't always bring the same fiery determination to disrupting the ground game. The top 25 NFL offensive tackles heading into the 2020 season While many people often confuse a nose guard with a nose tackle, many fans also use the terms nose tackle and defensive tackle interchangeably. A 5-2 defensive scheme is extremely effective against the run, especially the inside run. The dynamic 6ft 2 inches tall and 210 pounder middle and noseguard was the key player in the defensive back for the browns. 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 . 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. Ngata played more than the shade (1-tech) for the Ravens, playing mostly over guards and even inside shoulder of a tackle (4i) technique. Its where the defender lines up head-to-head with the offensive center. In those situations, Howie Long would play the right end. Paul Soliai is one of the finest 2-gappers in the league. If youre a football player, you must understand what a defensive technique is. He was a Second-team All-Pro in 1987 and a consensus First-team All-Pro in 1988 and was picked to Paul Zimmerman's (. Just because a NT doesn't 2 gap doesn't mean he's not a true NT, that's all down to preference of scheme by the coach. Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. See leaders through past seasons 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. Not only that, but theyre offensive linemans specifically the center and guards worst nightmare. He was usually the shade tackle in the Raiders 40 nickel (Bandit) defense and herecorded 6 sacks in 1983 and 12.5 in 1984. Carter played nine seasons, 121 games with 97 starts. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. Players must meet the minimum requirements to show up on this leaderboard. Pittsburgh Steelers All-Undrafted Team: Nose Tackle

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