top 10 nfl defensive players of all time

Bob Lilly, Defensive End/Defensive Tackle. LARRY ALLEN . Teams: Bengals, Bills. Some all-time greatest NFL players are listed below. Bruce Irvin entered the Combine as a late-second or early-third-round pick. If this were a list of the best defenders from the 2010s, Reed would easily be in the Top 10. Youre the only one having a GOAT discussion. Larry Kinnebrew. White also won NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice, in 1987 and 1998. The 20th-round draft pick was the NFL's best receiver from 1958-1960 and remarkably steady through 1966, earning six Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro honors. He also shares the Cowboys franchise record with 5 defensive touchdowns. The 3rd round pick in 1997 was named to the NFL All-Rookie team that season. He was a 13-time Pro-Bowler and eight-time first-team All-Pro. NFL players, smarter about football than me, generally limit the "best ever" discussion to Donald, Taylor, or White. Smith is one of the most dominant players in 1. DL Dan Birdwell (1962-1969) In the sixth round of the 1962 AFL draft, the Raiders grabbed Birdwell, who quickly became one of the better defensive linemen in all of football, making the All-Pro team in 1968. He was drafted 2) Deacon Jones, Los Angeles Rams/Chargers. Dan Hampton. Top 10 NFL Defensive Players of All Time. Taylor's praise inspired the Powers That Be at NFL Media to ask if Watt would make the top 10 defensive players of all time already. In many cases, determining the players that would be in this years player pool wasnt too difficultbut there were several teams that would have had a hard time nominating their five players to be eligible for the No. The leading scorer in National Basketball Association (NBA) 2 Tim Duncan. Lawrence Taylor was the greatest defensive weapon of all time. 1958 Baltimore Colts. Those guys (minus Lebron) are 99th percentile impact defenders of all time. 2-time first-team All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler. In this week's edition of the Scout's Notebook, Bucky Brooks reveals his top 10 second-year breakout candidates. The 28th overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft was named All-Pro nine times, reached 11 Pro Bowls in 14 seasons, was the 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and won Super I could probably write a whole book about Lawrence Taylor, the man who inspired the position of 2. The "Minister of Defense" was simply a force to be reckoned with on the edge, as White was arguably the 2. 1. The most famous overtime finishes in NFL history, including the "Ghost to the Post", back-to-back defensive touchdowns in overtime by the 2001 Bears, Best Eagles players of all time. The Top-20 Defensive Players in NFL History 1) Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants. 7. 9 9. Steve O'Neal. BK Recruiting Home; News Feed; Team Rankings; 2022 NFL Draft; Polls; Player Leaders; Team Leaders; Videos; StubHub; Odds; NCAA BK. 1981 New York Jets Key players: Mark Eagles' DL can be one of NFL's best ever. 1. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Best Defensive Tackles All-Time of the National Football League. Best NFL Kickers of All-Time The leader of a pack of crazed dogs, 2. Full Site Menu. His 2000 team record 16.5 sacks was unequaled until Shaq Barrett broke it last season. We're not sure where this incessant Greatest of All Time talk started, but there has to be a better way. Quarterbacks own the headlines in the NFL, but if one position made a play to become the new hot topic in 2022, it was wide receiver. 30. Five UC Football Players That Could be Drafted in 2023-----Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time! Super Bowl XLIV champion (Saints) Suffering a fatal Cardiac arrest, Defender Reggie had been called to rest but his name still falls under NFLs Best of all time. Additionally, this season is the 100th in NFL history. 9. Top 10 defensive players ever/ 10. Perhaps the greatest cover corner to ever play the game, Deion "Prime Time" Sanders edges out Dick "Night Train" Lane for this spot./ 10. Ed Reed was the best player on the Ravens in the 2000s. / 10. / 10. / 10. / 10. / 10. I think that safely qualifies for Top 10. (Photo: Getty) Davis was one of the staples of the Packers defense in the 60s. Getty Images. We help YouTubers by driving traffic to them for free. Also, people in this thread are DEFINITELY falling into the "older is always better when it comes to All-Time" trap According to everyone here, the past 20 years of uber talented players has produced 10% of the best players, while the prior 20 years has produced 80% Goofy Abe Woodson, CB/KR. He also had ten Pro Bowl appearances, and four all-pro teams. NFL players, smarter about football than me, generally limit the "best ever" discussion to Donald, Taylor, or White. to the best defense in 2 NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1998) NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Halas is the originator of the Monsters of The Midway George Halas would become known as Papa Bear Halas because he would coach the team to 5 NFL Championships 23. Rice is the NFLs all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. T Terron Armstead, New Orleans Saints. May 16, 2020. The top ten defensive players list ends with Stephon Gilmore. Indeed, no defense exists for the perfect pass, speed does kill, and defense can be your best offense. Teams; CBS Sports; All Time Top Recruits; Transfer Portal; BK Rec. Take the NFL. NFL Power Rankings: 30 Greatest Defensive Players Of All-Time. more stats >> friends stats >> 2 comments. He was benching 500+ by the time he left college in 1994. 7. Let's rank the top defensive players of all-time -- and see where Donald fits into the equation. FootballTop15 +1. RELATED: The 10 Best Quarterbacks in LSU History, Ranked. 1 defense took on the league's No. What Lott has able to accomplish in 2. Incognito is mostly known for the 2013 fiasco of bullying fellow Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Johnathan Martin to the point where Martin walked away from the team, but even before that, he was voted dirtiest player in the NFL in 2009 after headbutting multiple Tennessee Titans in the same game. Lawrence Taylor 3. Thomas, defensive end L.C. Some of the NFLs most legendary linebackers, defensive linemen and defensive backs have played in Chicago. Embed from Getty Images. No. Anyways, here is my guess for the Top 25 NFL Defensive Players since 1965: 1. 23. DE Wille Davis. The Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the man deemed College Defensive Player of the Year. Deion Sanders Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content 2. NFL Top 10 is a documentary program produced by NFL Films for airing on the NFL Network. The featured image in this article is the thumbnail of the embedded video. Stars win in the NFL. Part I of the 2022 NFL Expansion Series was completed yesterday, with the creation of the Albuquerque Atoms. NFL 1990s All-Decade Team . Donald already has a resume worthy of one of the greatest defensive players ever. White had arguably the greatest season of all time for a defensive player in 1987. The "Minister of Defense" is widely considered the greatest defensive lineman to ever play the game. Three Defensive Player of the Year and four Super Bowls, it is hard to top what Joe Green did. I should reiterate the fact that he pretty much-invented defense. 10) George Papa Bear Halas. 9 / 11. Pos. Sapp was a six-time All-Pro and made the NFLs All-Decades teams in the 1990s and 2000s. The two-time NFL defensive player of the year was instrumental in helping the Bills reach four consecutive Super Bowls in the 1990s and become one of the most feared franchises of that decade. He led the league in sacks twice and was an All-Pro three times. Lawrence Taylor unquestionably has to be remembered as the best defensive player in the history of the NFL thanks to his revolutionary pass rushing. No. Ronnie Lott. He has consistently been one of the best tackles in Green Bay 1997-2004; Minnesota 2005-08, New Orleans 2009-10. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports. Your fastest time is . Here are the 10 greatest defensive players in Bears history. Super Bowl XLIV champion (Saints) The Los Angeles Rams put that on display last season in winning the Super Bowl.They are certainly a top-heavy team, with big money paid to their star players. Yet, one of the best NFL Combine performances of all time launched him to 15th overall. One of the greatest 3-4 defensive ends of all time, Howie Long spent over a decade as a mainstay for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. 2022 Draft, Draft Finder, Draft History Stathead Football. Lawrence Taylor, Outside Linebacker. Reggie White, Defensive End/Defensive TackleBob Lilly, Defensive End/Defensive TackleRonnie Lott, Cornerback/SafetyDeacon Jones, Defensive EndDick Butkus, Middle LinebackerMean Joe Greene, Defensive TackleRod Woodson, Cornerback/SafetyEd Reed, SafetyDeion Sanders, Cornerback While current star Aaron Donald continues to climb the rankings. The defensive end from West Virginia turned heads with his speed, and it translated well for his NFL career. December 12, 2021. Date of Birth: 9 December 1942, Age: 79 Years Old Position: Linebacker (LB) Years Active: 1965-1973 Team(s): Chicago Bears Richard Marvin Butkus, the Monster of Midway, is a former American football player. Jonathan Allen; Team: Washington Football Team 2020 Stats: 36 Solo, 2 Sacks, 0 FF. Likewise, he has 14 times NBA All-Star, 10 times All-NBA First-team selection under his belt. Tom Brady. Its close between all of them, but Johnson arguably has the most well-rounded skill set. In 2009, Dawkins was voted by his peers as one of the dirtiest players in the NFL in a piece that appeared in Sports Illustrated. Ranking the greatest defensive players in NFL history: Where does Aaron Donald fit in on the all-time list? Reggie White. Its appropriate Larry Allen is #1 alphabetically, because, with the possible exception of Terry Long, he is the strongest NFL player of all-time. The 11 Heaviest NFL Players of All Time Break Every ScaleAaron Gibson, 410 Pounds. Weve finally reached the top of this very hefty mountain. Terrell Brown, 403 Pounds. Brown was not only one of the heaviest but one of the tallest NFL players of all time. Nate Newton, 401 Pounds. Bryant McKinnie, 386 Pounds. William The Refrigerator Perry, 382 Pounds. Trent Brown, 380 Pounds. Michael Jasper, 375 Pounds. More items 8 Art Donovan Pos. 7 It's fitting. Reggie White can truly be considered as one of the best of his category in the profound and well-polished history of the NFL. Comprised of Larry Brown, Kevin Smith, Deion Sanders, Bill Bates, Kenny Gant, Darren Woodson, and James Washington, the secondary of the Cowboys had a big impact on the defense. Joe Greene. Allen has had over 60 tackles the past three seasons. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports. Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images. At 6-1, 280 pounds, Donald might be the best athlete in the NFL on top of being its unquestionable best player. Curley Culp. Check out our list of the 10 best NFL defenses of all time, And eight Steelers defensive players made the 1976 Pro Bowl team: cornerback J.T. The New Orleans Saints rarely let a player they want to retain get away, but after making Ryan Ramczyk the highest-paid right tackle in NFL history by a decent margin with his five-year, $96 million extension signed before 2021, the decision with Armstead gets interesting. On the gridiron, the greats demand an eyewitness account at all times. Reggie White. Darren Sharper, Safety. Bart Scott. Top-15 Defensive Lines in NFL History1993 Dallas Cowboys. The Players: Charles Haley, Russell Maryland, Tony Tolbert, Jim Jeffcoat and Leon Lett. 1994 San Francisco 49ers. The Players: Bryant Young, Dana Stubblefield, Rickey Jackson, Dennis Brown, and Charles Mann. 1958 Baltimore Colts. 1953 Detroit Lions. 1987 Philadelphia Eagles. 1985 Chicago Bears. 2011 New York Giants. More items Rickey Jackson, Vaughan Johnson, Sam Mills and Ricky Jackson went down as one of the best collections of linebackers in NFL history. The greatest NFL players dismiss the conventional wisdom and time-honored clichs of football diehards. George S. Halas Courage Award Winner (1990) 9.) The Top Ten Greatest NFL Defensive Tackles of all Time. During the season, the Saints would hold opponents to an average of 12.6 points per game while racking up Also, often recalled by his opponents as one of the hardest hitters in the NFL history, he served as the backbone of the eight-time Pro UPI Defensive Player of the Year; UPI NFL Rookie of the Year; UPI AFL Rookie of the Year; > AP Defensive Player of the Year. The Bengals entered the 1999 NFL Draft needing a spark to uplift one of the NFLs worst rosters. Here's a look back through that history as we count down the top 100 players in Jets history. Jeff Lewis/Icon Sportswire. Greene remains third all-time in the list of career NFL sacks, and 32-year-old Jared Allen is the only active player who is remotely close to catching Greene. The 2007 SEC Defensive Player of the Year was a two-time First-Team All-American playing in Baton Rouge for three seasons. Dick Butkus. JJ WATT??? All-time Scores, Find a Score NFL Draft. Steelers only have 6 NFL Championships. 3 New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston region. We're now seven weeks deep into the 2021 college football season, and players are just beginning to solidify their spots at the top of the 2022 NFL Draft class.. leading the New York Giants to the playoffs in his rookie season. Examples: Brian Dawkins, Donovan McNabb, and Harold Carmichael. 7 9. Vince Wilfork spent the first 11 years of his NFL career in New England, and the big man never stopped making plays. NFL Power Rankings: 30 Greatest Defensive Players Of All-Time. Top 10 Defensive Tackles. Greene was one of the most feared lineman in NFL history, and was a big part of He's a premier defensive player. So without further ado, lets take a look at the Top 30 San Francisco 49ers players of all time. For Jordans individual career, he was inducted into the hall of fame in 2009 and a Dream Team member in 2010. Charles Woodson. RB Danny Woodhead (2013-2016) Todd Warshaw / Getty Images. Ally 400 (Nashville) NASCAR Preview and Fantasy Predictions 1. The Legion of Boom. The other guy was addressing scoring stats as it related to NFL defensive stats, and I was addressing Jordan vs LeBron as scorers, not overall players. Jamie Squire/ALLSPORT. Richie Incognito. 144 Jerry Rice, WR. Dorsey won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Outland Trophy, the Lott Trophy and the Lombardi Award in his last season. 7. James Harrison is one of the nastiest players who currently still plays the game. 8. Super Bowl XX Champion. The Cowboys of the '90s. Enter an answer into the box Quiz by niners1946. Level 25. By Jeff Kerr. Reggie White and Ronnie Lott are also on the short list of the best defenders to ever play the game of football at the professional level. Its appropriate Larry Allen is #1 alphabetically, because, with the possible exception of Terry Long, he is the strongest NFL player of all-time. The secondary helped the team win three Super Bowls and intercepted seven passes in those games. 24. An All-American at Tennessee, White was picked fourth overall by the Eagles in the NFL Draft, and utterly destroyed offensive linemen. Set to turn 31 this upcoming season, he is the defining piece for the Patriots to have an elite defense in 2021. He was well known to lead with his helmet with the intent to injure, and frequently threw hits on unprotected players well after the whistle. Also, people in this thread are DEFINITELY falling into the "older is always better when it comes to All-Time" trap According to everyone here, the past 20 years of uber talented players has produced 10% of the best players, while the prior 20 years has produced 80% Packers have the most HoF players ever. He was benching 500+ by the time he left college in 1994. Jeff Lewis/Icon Sportswire. 10. If this were a list of the best defenders from the 2010s, Reed would easily be in the Top 10. Reggie White. 4. The top 10 Seahawks of all time include five current Seahawks, including three members of the Legion of Boom, and three Hall of Famers. Ray Lewis, who called himself Gods linebacker, was a natural born leader. I think that safely qualifies for Top 10. Four-Star 2024 Defensive Lineman Omar White Puts UC in Top-10 Schools. A first-ballot Hall of Famer and the 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The 1958 Colts are famous for winning the "Greatest Game Ever Played." TACKLES: 1,048. He finished with 198 sacks, just two short of the all-time record. The only three-time All-American in Miami history in 1966, 1967 and 1968, Hendricks is regarded as one of the best defensive players to ever play college football. A ranking of the 2025 Best NFL Weak-Side Defensive End Players. Who is the best basketball player of all time? In determining the top 100 players in franchise history, we considered a combination of individual performance and Pro Football References Approximate Value stat. Gilmore is the only player in the last four seasons to win a DPOY Award other than Aaron Donald who is #1 on our list today. PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A number of players with Pittsburgh ties have been listed in a new ranking of the top 10 defensive players in NFL history -- but one name is oddly absent from the list. Lawrence Taylor. Period. RELATED: Every Madden Release Of The 2010's, Ranked. Between 1983 and 1993, Long earned trips to eight Pro Bowl games, and he was a first-team All-Pro twice. As it is, 2. Teams: Jets, Saints. Lawrence Taylor. Dick Butkus 4. Ed Reed. One of the greatest 3-4 defensive ends of all time, Howie Long spent over a decade as a mainstay for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. A ranking of the 2025 Best NFL Weak-Side Defensive End Players. Pos. 2-time first-team All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler. To commemorate those milestones, Chargers Wire ranks the 100 greatest Chargers of all time: 100. Here's a list of the Packers' top 10 all-time defensive players since 1950, when unlimited substitution was restored to the NFL, paving the way for two-platoon football. Top 10 NFL Defensive Players of all time: Is Lawrence Taylor the best of all-time? Stephon Gilmore. Top 10 NFL Defensive Players of All Time 1. 10. The '13 Seahawks ranked first in the NFL in total yards (4378) and passing yards against (2752). In fact had White played now-a-days he may go pretty high in a fantasy draft. They can concert casual spectators into game-day fanatics. Being one of the greatest safeties in the history of the NFL is worth a spot among the top 100 Raiders. Harrison plays with a reckless abandon that has him throwing his weight around or lowering his helmet to take down opponents on any play that comes his way. 15. Without Halas, there is no defense. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, won two Super Bowls with the Steelers, earned six All-Pro selections, and was chosen for the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. No doubt he was as dominant as any defensive lineman in pro football from 1997 to 2003. Synonymous with the term "ball hawk", Reed redefined the safety position during his 11-year NFL career. Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Ray Nitschke, Brett Favre, Reggie White, greatest Franchise. Read Time: 21 Second. LARRY ALLEN . We only considered overall contributions for each players time with the Falcons. 100. Lawrence Taylor. Michael Jordan takes the number 1 spot in our list of best NBA players of all time. Reggie White. For more 2022 draft content, check out PFFs NFL Draft Big Board and NFL Mock Draft Simulator.PFF Edge and Elite 63, 325, guard, 1994-07. Even the most aggressive of offenses will always have more blockers than people to block. All the NFL players have played exceptionally well throughout their careers. 10.) His best year was in 2001 when he had 22.5 sacks. 1. This is the everyday life of a defensive lineman in the NFL.



top 10 nfl defensive players of all time