John, in your opinion, and others on this site, would you put Smerlas, Krumrie or Henry Thomas in the HOF ? Theyre usually the largest player and go head-to-head with the opposing center. The Best New York Jets of All Time Fred Smerlas Tackle and Nose tackle from Waltham, Massachusetts Age: 65 Frederic Charles Smerlas (born April 8, 1957) is a former American football defensive lineman who was a 5-time NFL Pro Bowl selection during 14-year career as a nose tackle with the Buffalo Bills, .more 280 Alameda Ta'amu Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans. However, here are ten players who were not just great nose tackles but also great defensive backs of all time. By its nature, nose tackle is one of the most unheralded and selfless positions in the NFL. 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. The next time you see a nose tackle playing well, make sure you tip your hat to them! 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. Balls retired from the game in 1999, leaving behind a dominant legacy. And with Carter, he'd have his moments getting to the passer. 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 6"1' 325 pound Hamptonis an immovable force in the middle of Pittsburgh's front seven. 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. Here is a ranking of the 10 best nose tackles in the game today. The Ultimate Guide, Volleyball Scoring 101: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Score. Pouha is blessed with tremendous strengthand possesses deceptive speed when working down the line. But on a serious note I would say wilfork or Hampton, with big Ted slightly behind those guys. Being five times first-pro and the five-times pro bowler is a rare achievement in the NFL for a 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. Super Bowl champion: 2 times (XXXIX, XLIX). He was not quite the size of Ted Washington, but he was more than the 315 pounds he was listed at, though. This site is owned and operated by Coaching Kidz. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. As they continue to learn the What Is a Secondary in Football? His pro career started as remaining undrafted and ended as one of the best nose tackles of all time! 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. Any coach that wants to find success with a 3-4 defensive scheme needs a dominant nose tackle. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. 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. Moving former defensive end Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle has made an already stout 49ers run defense even more formidable. Upon arriving in Houston, the Oilers fortunes changed, going from the bottom of the AFC to among the better teams from 1975 through 1980. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. 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. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! 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. If youre a football player, you must understand what a defensive technique is. The dynamic 6ft 2 inches tall and 210 pounder middle and noseguard was the key player in the defensive back for the browns. 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. Some NFL players are just physical freaks in terms of taking a pounding and lasting and lasting. 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. He frequently drives blockers backwards and is a consistent threat to penetrate the line of scrimmage. LOL, really curious where you got the film to do an in-depthanalysis of Les Bingaman. Pro Football Network analyst Matt Valdovinos ranks the top 25 offensive tackles in the NFL. 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. That fact that Bob Dee, who has No. Wilfork frequently drew. 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 his first four years he was a top backup for Ted Washington forming an amazing 1-2 punch. 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. In 1985 Pickel took over the nose tackle spot in the Raiders defense and he'd play the usual shade spot in passing downs. 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. Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots. And my man Smerlas getting his due love it! One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. Clears the gap for the linebacker, works the left tackle, and forces the. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Nose tackle is an underappreciated and selfless position in American football. 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. Smears was a very durable nose tackle and had played 149 consecutive matches. Who is the best New York Jets defensive tackle ever? In this technique, the defensive player must line up over the outside shoulder of the offensive line. A nose tackle has to occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. It is not easy for the nose tackles to be the best defender, but Culp did it in 1975 after joining the Houston Oilers. He would go on to be selected first overall by the Jimmy Johnson-led Cowboys in 1991, just the. He played a total of 200 games and recorded 20.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. Williams became a three times pro bowler in three consecutive seasons, from 2006 to 2008. However, until that time, he is without question the best nose tackle in the league. Yep, he arrived when those guys were on their way out of town. Former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was announced as this year's inductee into the team's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. 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. 17. But he did the dirty work of a shade tackle in a 4-3 under defense. Along the way, Ill also answer general sports related questions. The Broncos used some 3-4 for years prior to 1976 when they finally committed to it full time. Dan Saleaumua was like a rolling ball of butcher knives, moving around all the time, always seemingly around the ball. Klecko was a fan favorite and defensive stand out for the Jets through the 1980's. Arriving at the Jets after playing his college ball at Temple University, Klecko quickly had an impact on the . Equally comfortable operating as either a 1 or 2-gap defensive tackle, Wilfork possesses both the raw power and schematic versatility to disrupt any blocking scheme. As it turned out, Carter found his position and Alzado went on to be an excellent 3-4 end. Art Shell, 1968-1982. I think he was part of at least three of their championships, though undersized. 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. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. With that in mind, he shared some final thoughts on his playing career. Sione Pouha has quietly emerged as one of the most effective run defenders in the game. To be fair, Williams was a Second-team All-Pro in 2004 and then First-team in 2005 and 2006. Ted Washington's the best I've seen play. Not only that, but theyre offensive linemans specifically the center and guards worst nightmare. But the tenacious and resourcefulfourth-year prois a significant member of the Bears defensive line rotation. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. 89 retired in New England, is forming a one-two punch with Wilfork is simply lethal. 17+ Basketball Games for Kids The Ultimate List. 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. 1. 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 .