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 . Likely 1988, too, but it was a crowded field in the 1980s for nose tackles. 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. You simply cant run a 3-4 defensive scheme without one. This list includes some nose tackles who operate in versions of a 4-3 frontthatrely on a powerful presence over the center. At the time he was drafted, he was the most athletic defensive tackle of all-time. 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. They just don't. started his career with the Detroit Lions in 1987 and later played in three more teams, including Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings. In the 1980 season, almost 3/4ths of teams were running one. Tier 2: Elite 2. And in that role, he recorded 24 sacks in 1985-86. It frequently took 2 or 3 linemen to block him, freeing up teammates to double-cover or blitz. Patriots' All-Time Team: Defense - Sports Illustrated New England 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. Lorenzo Neal as a fullback is one. His professional football career began in 1977 when he was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles 1977. Vea had four sacks last season playing out of the nose. The over six ft tall was like a mad bull himself. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. 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. Carter was a dominant nose when motivated. You can guess from his career highlights how much we could write about him. Top 10 NFL Defensive Tackles of All Time Rankings Nose tackles dont receive a lot of glamour in modern football. He was drafted into the NFL in 1987 and remained active till 2000. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. But Garay's brute force makes him formidable at the point of attack. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Wills played a key role in the defense and was all-pro once and a pro bowler. 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. The Complete Guide, How Much Do NHL Refs Make? NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Super Bowl champion: 3 times (XIX, XXIII, XXIV), First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1986, 1987, 1988). Such is life. Ngata played more than the shade (1-tech) for the Ravens, playing mostly over guards and even inside shoulder of a tackle (4i) technique. He got the do the grunt work for the guys that replaced John Randle and Warren Sapp. 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. In this technique, the defensive player must line up over the outside shoulder of the offensive line. Ted Washington was another great nose tackle, dude was massive! He weighs 375 pounds and still ran so fast. link to 17+ Basketball Games for Kids The Ultimate List, link to What Is a Secondary in Football? Interior Defender Rankings: The 32 best DIs entering the 2021 NFL - PFF The next time you see a nose tackle playing well, make sure you tip your hat to them! In his first four years he was a top backup for Ted Washington forming an amazing 1-2 punch. A long injury layoff is the only reason that Buffalo Bills defensive linchpin Kyle Williams didn't make the list. Though he played as a run stuffer in the later part of his career, he is mostly known for his role as a nose tackle. Top 10 Defensive Tackles in NFL 2022 Rankings As they continue to learn the What Is a Secondary in Football? Fat Pat Williams is top 10 material bias aside. 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. But on a serious note I would say wilfork or Hampton, with big Ted slightly behind those guys. Defensive tackles rarely line up head-to-head with the center. Its generally reserved for the defensive end and theyre responsible for both the B-gap (in-between the guard and tackle) and C-gap (on the outside of the tackle). The Top Five: Best 3-4 Nose Tackles in the NFL - Bleacher Report Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! Check. 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. Despite being a 5-time pro bowler, he is still not in the hall of fame. May 14, 2020. 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. Clears the gap for the linebacker, works the left tackle, and forces the. 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. Matt Toeainais the most unheralded member of the Chicago Bears tough defense. Williams became a three times pro bowler in three consecutive seasons, from 2006 to 2008. Said Buchsbaum, "As good as Ball is, he'd be better if he controlled his weight. This can either give them an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the play being called by the offense. 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. Lets see why these players are considered the best nose tackles of all time. Smears also played and started the most number of matches as a nose tackle. Bill Wills is one such example, he was undrafted in the 1946 draft! 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 San Francisco 49ers signed him in the 1991 NFL draft, where he was overall 25th. 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. 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. Packers stalwart B.J. If you can do that, then your coach will always have a spot for you on the defense. 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. He benefits from a strong and talented supporting cast, but everything the Steelers are able to do on defense, is determined by the play of Hampton. It all depends on the game situation. 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. He was part of the good, innovative defenses of Bill Arnsbarger with the Dolphins, the 'Killer Bs' if you will. When on form, Antonio Garay is capable of regularly collapsing the pocket. He can sometimes be a little inconsistent against the run and doesn't always bring the same fiery determination to disrupting the ground game. Corey Williams of the Detroit Lions performs an important function for Gunther Cunningham's defense. He frequently drives blockers backwards and is a consistent threat to penetrate the line of scrimmage. 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. Top 25 defensive tackles heading into the 2021 NFL Season 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. Take a look at how they stack up. To be the best in the league, one needs to be fast, athletic, dedicated, hard-working, and have exceptional talent. However, here are ten players who were not just great nose tackles but also great defensive backs of all time. One name that might get overlooked among some of the best defensive tackles all-time is the former Baltimore Ravens great Haloti Ngata. 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. At 6-1 330 (350?) Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots. Jake Matthews, Atlanta Falcons. 25 Best Undrafted NFL Players of All Time - AthlonSports.com 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 played a total of 179 and recorded 68.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. The crown as the best non-Donald interior defender is a tough one to claim definitively, but in 2019 it belonged to Heyward. Its popularity declined throughout the 90's, bottoming out in 2001 when only the Steelers were running a 34. 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. Washington had played for several teams in his 17-year-long career. Unlike a nose tackle, a defensive ends main responsibility is to control the outside of the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. Gary Dunn/NT - 1976-1987. B/R NFL 1000: Top 50 Defensive Tackles - Bleacher Report But he got the opportunity to join the newly formed Cleveland Browns, and there he proved how good he was. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. He was drafted into the NFL in 2004 by the New England Patriots. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! 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. The 0-technique is generally played in the 3-4 defensive scheme, which is why its largely a nose tackle technique. He possessed a freakish combo of power and speed for someone of his size. 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. WithToeaina in the lineup, there is often more space for destructive duo Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs to exploit. He was solid in all aspects and could have been a terrific 3-technique if asked. 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. 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. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. 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. as a nose tackle, mostly a backup or part-time player. 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. . Admittedly, in this period, it was less characterized by the dominating nose tackle and more by the fearsome outside linebacker, such as Lawrence Taylor. My name is Steven and I love everything sports! Theyre usually the largest player and go head-to-head with the opposing center. Smears was an exceptional talent. Whitworth has been one of the top NFL offensive tackles for the majority of his career and is a true model of consistency. 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. 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. Pat Williams was a top nose for a long time, playing 14 seasons and was a starter in his last 10. 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 Pittsburgh run defense has been at or near the top of the league standings throughout Hamton's decade long tenure over the center. Carter knew what his job was as a nose tackle, and he did it perfectly. 16. Press J to jump to the feed. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He was not quite the size of Ted Washington, but he was more than the 315 pounds he was listed at, though. 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. There are always 22 football players on the field at once and they all have their own specialized roles. He. Carter was the classic run-stopper at nose, not much of a rusher. He was First-team All-Pro once and a Second-team All-Pro twice and was a Pro Bowler all three of those seasons. 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. Johnsons primary duty was to stop the run, and he did it so well. Who is the best New York Jets defensive tackle ever? Wilfork has seamlessly transitioned to a 4-3 front and has been by far the Patriots best defensive player this season. John Banaszak: Born in rival city Cleveland, Ohio, John Banaszak played in Pittsburgh's final three Super Bowls of the 1970s starting in Super Bowls XIII and XIV. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! Wilfork is widely considered one of the best nose tackles to play the game of football. The NFL's Top Ten Greatest Offensive Tackles of all Time 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. Another excellent piece of work by you Mr. Turney. There have been many legendary nose tackles in the NFL and NCAA, and you'll find all of them on this list below. Moving former defensive end Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle has made an already stout 49ers run defense even more formidable. 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. They have a similar role, but the defensive schemes are very different. Kendall Wright looked like the perfect slot receiver for a lot of the year. Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played a total of 200 games and recorded 20.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. For the most part, the nose tackle is responsible for filling up these two gaps. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL tackles of all time NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best offensive tackles in NFL history. I miss Jamal Williams so damn much. NFL players are large in size. However, we are going to keep it short. 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. He received a Hall of Fame induction from the New England Patriots soon after his retirement in 2017. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. 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. 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. In fact, he ended his career with 53 sacks with highs in 9 in 1977, 8 in 1980 and 6 in 1976. 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. PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 interior defensive linemen ahead of the Players must meet the minimum requirements to show up on this leaderboard. A nose tackle, also known as the nose guard or middle guard, is a player that aligns themselves in the middle of the defensive line. 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. This site is owned and operated by Coaching Kidz. Hell, I bet JJ Watt would be the best nose in the league if they lined him up there. In those situations, Howie Long would play the right end. 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. At 6'4" and287 pounds, Ratliff is taller and significantly lighter than the prototypical NFL nose tackle. But the majority of the players on the list operate as the focal point ina base 3-4 defense. Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. 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. 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. 18 in NFL Network's Top 100 Players list in 2017 Has started all 105 career games played, Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers, 1960-1969; Oakland Raiders 1971 Voted to eight AFL all-star games, First Team All-AFL eight times Appeared in five AFL title games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, 1986-1992; Denver Broncos, 1993-1997 Voted to nine Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times One-time Super Bowl champion Made 169 consecutive starts Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jacksonville Jaguars, 1995-2001 Voted to five Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times Drafted with the Jaguars' first-ever pick, New Orleans Saints, 1993-2001; Kansas City Chiefs 2002-2005 Voted to 11 Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times One of 13 players to be named to multiple all-decades team (90s and 2000s) Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Giants, 1953-1965 Voted to nine Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro six times One-time NFL champion Named NFL's Lineman of Year, 1956 Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Philadelphia Eagles, 1964-1968; Los Angeles Rams, 1969-1970; Oakland Raiders, 1971-1973 Voted to six Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro five times Selected to All-Decade Team of the 1960s Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Los Angeles/St. Maas was "Big, mean, strong, and nasty" according to Buchsbaum who also though Maas would have been an excellent 4-3 tackle. 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! I'm assuming that we're talking about a true NT as in 2 gap players. 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.