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. It is no coincidence that with Peko disrupting the line of scrimmage, youngsters Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunalp have been able to blossom into dangerous pass rushers. They just don't. Ted Washington was another great nose tackle, dude was massive! he was a good player, but didn't play enough to really fit in. Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. Unlike a nose tackle, a defensive ends main responsibility is to control the outside of the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. By its nature, nose tackle is one of the most unheralded and selfless positions in the NFL. He is comfortable using his speed to shoot gaps or lining up directly over guards and centers and overpowering them. He has been an all-pro or pro bowler more than any other nose tackle. Sione Pouha has quietly emerged as one of the most effective run defenders in the game. It frequently took 2 or 3 linemen to block him, freeing up teammates to double-cover or blitz. But he did the dirty work of a shade tackle in a 4-3 under defense. 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. However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . 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. 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. 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. 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. However, the proliferation of 3-4 fronts in recent seasons has made the position more important. 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. This is about where we'd put Klecko if we had put him on this list, having been a guy who truly played three positions about equally in terms of years, we chose to put him with the 4-3 tackles even though his best two single seasons were as a 4-3 end and a 3-4 nose. In 1985 Pickel took over the nose tackle spot in the Raiders defense and he'd play the usual shade spot in passing downs. 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 3-technique, the defensive player is asked to line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. 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 Also, played some DE. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Smears was a very durable nose tackle and had played 149 consecutive matches. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. A Complete Overview, What Is a Sack in Football? Said legendary writer/talent evaluator Joel Buchsbaum about Carter, "has awesome ability, strength, quickness, and explosion but is not very durable". 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 (. Raji possesses a more diverse and dynamic skill set than Pouha. Now we are getting into the run-stopping specialists, though very good at that specialty. It seems unfair to rank him above more versatile players like Ratliff and Wilfork, but from a purist point of view, Casey Hampton is the finest nose tackle in the game. This list includes some nose tackles who operate in versions of a 4-3 frontthatrely on a powerful presence over the center. 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 . The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. Would have put Maas and Gilbert Brown much higher, but really enjoyed this list. 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. Take a look at how they. This is because the 4-3 defensive scheme has two inside linebackers that can fill those two gaps if needed. He spent his last six seasons as a backup/rotational nose for the Raiders, then the Jets. 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. Excellent article, John T! Take a look at how they stack up. Upon arriving in Houston, the Oilers fortunes changed, going from the bottom of the AFC to among the better teams from 1975 through 1980. Ted Washington always amazed me. Joel Steed will come . You have to keep in mind that offensive linemen are big players and that the nose tackle is almost always double-teamed. The Dolphins defensive anchor is steadily building a reputation as one of the most difficult to handle nose tackles in the game. But he is not experienced enough at the position to warrant a place on the list. 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. 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. 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. profootballjournal@gmail.com. Vea had four sacks last season playing out of the nose. 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. Moving former defensive end Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle has made an already stout 49ers run defense even more formidable. While a 3-technique refers to the outside shoulder of the offensive guard, theres also something called the 2i-technique. 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. He ended his career with just 20.5 sacks but the main reason he was on the field was to stop the run and that he did, evidenced by his 90 run stuffs in his career (five times he had 9.0 or more). Soliai excels at drawing and occupying double teams. His penetration causes havoc in the running game and makes hima credible danger to the quarterback. Here are the top 25 offensive tackles for the 2021 NFL season. He is one of few nose tackles that play on all three downs. 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. For many defenses the nose tackle's performance is the most critical element of the scheme. 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. Dan Saleaumua was like a rolling ball of butcher knives, moving around all the time, always seemingly around the ball. There have been many legendary nose tackles in the NFL and NCAA, and you'll find all of them on this list below. 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. Cofield has not spent enough time anchoring a 3-4 and is plagued by inconsistency. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Here is a ranking ofthe 10 best nose tackles in the game today. Sopoaga is such a powerful and active presence, that he demands a double team on almost every play. Ratliff is one of the most dominant players in the league and is the key to the Cowboys multiple 3-4 scheme. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In the 1980 season, almost 3/4ths of teams were running one. He had great strength, along with skills and techniques. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. Williams became a three times pro bowler in three consecutive seasons, from 2006 to 2008. 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. 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. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans. 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. 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 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. Taylor Lewan gets a lot of attention for his off-field attention-seeking antics. 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). Sometimes a nose tackle or defensive tackle will line up in a 1-technique. Curly Clip is, undoubtedly, the flag bearer for the best nose tackles of all time. 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 ended his career with 510 tackles and 35.5 sacks and 57.5 run stuffs. He did not focus on personal achievements, which is one of the reasons that his stats are not filled with rich numbers. 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. Jerry Ball was shaped like his name. Nose tackles are found in the middle of the defensive line when running a 3-4 defensive scheme. A 5-2 defensive scheme is extremely effective against the run, especially the inside run. Pro Bowl: 4 times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001). He is one of the "Jewel" of The News Titan. Ive played and watched sports all my life and have coached them as well for the last few years. 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. Casey Hampton is criminally low on this list. NFL, one of the most exciting sports leagues in the world, is the gathering place of all American football legends. 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. Obviously, times have changed since 1963, but Buck's legacy lives on as one of the greatest defensive tackles ever. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. I realize he was mostly a part-time player but I thought Pete Kugler for the 49ers played alot of quality snaps. Bill Wills is one such example, he was undrafted in the 1946 draft! James P. Burt (born June 7, 1959 in Orchard Park, New York) is a former American football player who played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). Hell, I bet JJ Watt would be the best nose in the league if they lined him up there. The crown as the best non-Donald interior defender is a tough one to claim definitively, but in 2019 it belonged to Heyward. The last time Donald recorded a PFF run-defense or pass-rush grade lower than 85.0 was during his rookie season in 2014. As it turned out, Carter found his position and Alzado went on to be an excellent 3-4 end. Occupying multiple blockers and creating lanes of pursuit for fellow defenders is the weekly requirement of a nose tackle, regardless of system. I think he was part of at least three of their championships, though undersized. Press J to jump to the feed. The 3-4 had been around for years but no one committed to it on an every-down basis like the Patriots in 1974. With that in mind, he shared some final thoughts on his playing career. Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His role into 2021 as a top defensive tackle will be to keep rookie linebacker Jamin Davis free to attack downhill. Rogers started his career hot, playing shade most often in a 40 defense, and was playing lots of plays (36.5 run stuffs in his first four seasons) and then went to his "All-Pro-type" years from 2004-08 when he was a Second-team All-Pro once and a three-time Pro Bowler. This would make them more responsible for the B-gap (in-between the tackle and guard). 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. Gary Dunn/NT - 1976-1987. Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. He possessed a freakish combo of power and speed for someone of his size. I'll have to their cortez Kennedy into the mix for this one. Yep, he arrived when those guys were on their way out of town. One name that might get overlooked among some of the best defensive tackles all-time is the former Baltimore Ravens great Haloti Ngata. Pouha is blessed with tremendous strengthand possesses deceptive speed when working down the line. Like Bill Wills, Pat Williams was also undrafted in 1997. The nose tackle is largely used in the 3-4 defensive scheme as well as a 5-2 defensive scheme. He was a three-time First-team All-Pro and three-time All-NFC/Pro Bowler and was part of those very good Eagles defenses from 1979-81. Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. 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. A nose tackle has to occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. Some NFL players are just physical freaks in terms of taking a pounding and lasting and lasting. But he got the opportunity to join the newly formed Cleveland Browns, and there he proved how good he was. I'm assuming that we're talking about a true NT as in 2 gap players. Wilfork is widely considered one of the best nose tackles to play the game of football. He would also play left end on occasion, usually when Lyle Alzado was taking a series off or if he missed a game or two. Sugar Bear Hamilton began his career as a defensive end in 1973 but when the Patriots moved to a 3-4 defensive full-time in 1974 he was the middle guard. Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots. If theres a tight end on the play, a 6-technique lines up head-to-head with the tight end. Fat Pat Williams is top 10 material bias aside. 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. Ngata played more than the shade (1-tech) for the Ravens, playing mostly over guards and even inside shoulder of a tackle (4i) technique. The number one requirement of a nose tackle is to take on and occupy blockers. The most common requirement of a nose tackle is to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the rest of the defense. A couple of years ago, Jay Ratliff would have comfortably toppeda list of this kind. Take a look at how they stack. But Ratliff is a very underrated force against the run. Team (s): Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions & Philadelphia Eagles. New England is one of the greatest sports franchises of the last 20 years. When on form, Antonio Garay is capable of regularly collapsing the pocket. However, his contribution to the teams victories earned him four all-pro awards. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Career stats of Henry Thomas: 6. In fact, he ended his career with 53 sacks with highs in 9 in 1977, 8 in 1980 and 6 in 1976. One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. Wilfork has seamlessly transitioned to a 4-3 front and has been by far the Patriots best defensive player this season. Theyre some of the hardest-working players that are almost always double-teamed, if not triple-teamed, when on the field. In his rookie year, he had to share his position with Keith Traylor. Randle signed with the Vikings and went on to become one of the best defensive tackles of the 1990s and definitely the mouthiest. Maas was "Big, mean, strong, and nasty" according to Buchsbaum who also though Maas would have been an excellent 4-3 tackle. 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. Nose tackle is an underappreciated and selfless position in American football. During his stay in Kansas, Culp shined as a defensive nose tackle. Likely 1988, too, but it was a crowded field in the 1980s for nose tackles. A long injury layoff is the only reason that Buffalo Bills defensive linchpin Kyle Williams didn't make the list. Team (s): Seattle Seahawks. His 47.5 sacks and 779 tackles put him easily among the best who have ever played. This is a subreddit for the NFL community. Akiem Hicks is one of the best run defenders in the NFL today. He was a Second-team All-Pro in 1977 and that was the only season he received post-season honors. Till 1949, The Browns were playing in the AAFC, and then the team joined the NFL. 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. What does that make the 5-technique? Domato Peko is the fulcrum of the Cincinnati Bengals aggressive 4-3 defense. In recent seasons the position has taken on greater significance thanks to the proliferation of 3-4 fronts. This list of the top nose tackles in American football includes all the greats from both the NFL and college football. His professional football career began in 1977 when he was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles 1977. He had a high of 85 tackles in 1978, 68 in 1979, and 67 in 1980. He was a Dr. Z favorite as well. 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. 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. Its where the defender lines up head-to-head with the offensive center. Danny Jaillet. With Hampton occluding the middle of an opposing blocking scheme, ball carriers are consistentlyforced sideways. Wilfork frequently drew. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! Jump Around This Article Click to show. From 1980 through the first six games of 1990 he played in (and started) 149 consecutive games, remarkable given the duties of his position. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! Smears was an exceptional talent. 4-3 duo Terrence Knighton and Brandon Mebane do not appear on the list due to the same inconsistency. 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. When done correctly, the nose tackle acts as a space-eater. 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. He also covers media and entertainment news on various online platforms. Gilbert Brown was a big piece in that loaded Packer defense. Tier 2: Elite 2. Wilfork has served as the centerpiece of BillBelichick's hybrid defenses for years. This article features the ten best nose tackles of all time in the NFL who set examples of how to contribute from the back. 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. As mentioned above, the best feature of a nose tackle is that he sacrifices himself for the greater good of the team. Wills played a key role in the defense and was all-pro once and a pro bowler. Had he not been denied the opportunity to follow up his stellar 2010 season, Williams would certainly have merited inclusion. 6'5" and around 375 pounds, he was literally an immovable object in the trenches. 13. The 6"1' 325 pound Hamptonis an immovable force in the middle of Pittsburgh's front seven. He ended his career with 1017 tackles, more than any other nose we can find and 34.5 sacks. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. May 18, 2022 9:45 am ET. But was a Pro Bowler in 1986, but was certainly worthy of selection in 1984 and 1985 as well. He has played a total of 200 games and recorded 29 sacks and two interceptions. Being five times first-pro and the five-times pro bowler is a rare achievement in the NFL for a nose tackle. He's likely best known for a gruesome broken leg in the Super Bowl versus the 49ers but he came back from that in 1989 and had a couple solid seasons after that. Nose tackles dont receive a lot of glamour in modern football. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. He won the super bowl once and was named all-pro once in 2001. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. Dedicated to reporting mainstream and esoteric aspects of professional football.
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