According
to Pro Football Focus (which grades each play from each player using a +/-
system), here are the best players in the NFL at each position for the first
half of the season (1st, 2nd & 3rd Teams).
PFF grades are in parenthesis (an average player would score a zero). Keep in
mind, scores are only comparable to each position – you can’t compare a QB’s
score to a RB’s score. Why is this? - each position is asked to do different
things. A RB has to pass block. A QB doesn’t.
One note – players must have played 60% of their team’s offensive/defensive
snaps to be eligible for these All-Pro teams. That eliminates players who excel
in a very a specific role. For example: a huge blocking TE like Carolina’s Ben
Hartsock, who only comes in on run plays, excels at run blocking (+11.4) and
his receiving score is nullified (-0.8) because he never gets an opportunity to
fail (played just 186/473 snaps). This augments his score and specialty players
like this are not included (just like third-down-only RBs or third-down-only
pass rushers aren’t eligible).
There are 27 spots for each All-Pro team, the same number of positions as the
Associated Press All-Pro team.
1st TEAM QB Peyton Manning, DEN (21.7)
RB LeSean McCoy, PHI (16.3)
RB Frank Gore, SF (9.7)
FB Anthony Sherman, KC (11.0)
WR Calvin Johnson, DET (14.9)
WR Jordy Nelson, GB (14.2)
TE Vernon Davis, SF (8.9)
OT Nate Solder, NE (20.5)
OT Jordan Gross, CAR (17.3)
OG Evan Mathis, PHI (25.1)
OG Louis Vasquez, DEN (13.7)
C Chris Myers, HOU (12.4)
DE JJ Watt, HOU (44.5)
DE Robert Quinn, STL (32.1)
DT Jason Hatcher, DAL (20.9)
DT Gerald McCoy, TB (20.7)
OLB Justin Houston, KC (20.8)
OLB Robert Mathis, IND (16.1)
ILB Derrick Johnson, KC (11.4)
ILB Brandon Spikes, NE (10.6)
CB Darrelle Revis, TB (13.7)
CB Alterraun Verner, TEN (11.4)
S Devin McCourty, NE (16.2)
S TJ Ward, CLE (11.4)
K Matt Prader, DEN (37.9)
P Johnny Hekker, STL (17.8)
KR Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN (7.9)
2nd TEAM QB Philip Rivers, SD (16.9)
RB Marshawn Lynch, SEA (8.6)
RB Adrian Peterson, MIN (6.4)
FB Mike Tolbert, CAR (6.4)
WR Antonio Brown, PIT (13.1)
WR Brandon Marshall, CHI (12.3)
TE Jordan Cameron, CLE (8.6)
OT Doug Free, DAL (16.6)
OT Andrew Whitworth, CIN (16.3)
OG David DeCastro, PIT (11.3)
OG Daryn Colledge, ARZ (7.9)
C Manuel Ramirez, DEN (11.4)
DE Cameron Jordan, NO (18.8)
DE Michael Johnson, CIN (18.3)
DT Geno Atkins, CIN (19.9)
DT Randy Starks, MIA (18.4)
OLB Elvis Dumervil, BAL (15.4)
OLB Tamba Hali, KC (14.3)
ILB Sean Lee, DAL (9.0)
ILB NaVorro Bowman, SF (6.9)
CB Jason McCourty, TEN (10.8)
CB Vontae Davis, IND (8.8)
S Earl Thomas, SEA (11.0)
S Eric Berry, KC (9.2)
K Stephen Gostkowski, NE (26.9)
P Shane Lechler, HOU (17.7)
KR Golden Tate, SEA (5.7)
3rd TEAM QB Aaron
Rodgers, GB (16.8)
RB Arian Foster, HOU (5.6)
RB Jamaal Charles, KC (3.9)
FB Bruce Miller, SF (5.8)
WR Dez Bryant, DAL (11.5)
WR Andre Johnson, HOU (10.9)
TE Jimmy Graham, NO (6.6)
OT Joe Staley, SF (16.3)
OT Joe Thomas, CLE (15.8)
OG Ben Grubbs, NO (7.8)
OG Jon Asamoah, KC (7.8)
C Alex Mack, CLE (9.8)
DE Muhammad Wilkerson, NYJ (16.2)
DE Fletcher Cox, PHI (14.8)
DT Jurrell Casey, TEN (16.9)
DT Brandon Mebane, SEA (16.6)
OLB Junior Galette, NO (12.2)
OLB Lavonte David, TB (11.8)
ILB Daryl Washington, ARZ (6.1)
ILB Kiko Alonso, BUF (5.5)
CB Richard Sherman, SEA (8.7)
CB Brent Grimes, MIA (8.3)
S Troy Polamalu, PIT (8.7)
S Michael Griffin, TEN (7.7)
K Dan Bailey, DAL (26.5)
P Thomas Morstead, NO (15.2)
KR Julian Edelman, NE (4.6)
If the NFL season ended at the quarter mark, here is what
the Top 10 picks would look like with my projections for each selection:
1) Pittsburgh Steelers select: LT Jake Matthews (6-5/308), Texas A&M
With Big Ben still able to play well, the Steelers try to buy their franchise
quarterback some time by taking Matthews, son of Hall of Fame offensive lineman
Bruce Matthews and cousin of Green Bay’s Clay Matthews. Jake has
picture-perfect technique (his punch stuns defenders and speed rushers never
get around him because his feet are so good) to go with his exceptional
athletic gifts and will be a HOF player in his own right if healthy.
2) New York Giants select: DE Jadeveon Clowney (6-5/274), South Carolina
The Giants need a LT badly (2013 #1 pick Justin Pugh cannot play the position),
but there is no way they can pass up on Clowney, who is the most talented
athlete in the draft by a wide margin. Currently playing with a foot injury
that will need surgery after the season, Clowney is a 4.45 player when healthy
at 275 pounds. He’s as big as Bruce Smith and as fast as Darrelle Revis. Think
about that.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars select: QB Teddy Bridgewater (6-3/205), Louisville
In all likely-hood, the Jaguars will have to trade up for the #1 pick to take
Bridgewater. I’m sure Pittsburgh would field offers from any team picking in
the Top 10, including Jacksonville, Tampa, Minnesota and Philly. Teddy has
exceptional accuracy and above-average arm strength and athleticism. Reminds me
of Andrew Luck.
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers select: QB Brett Hundley (6-3/227), UCLA
Time to hit the reset button in Tampa and you could do a lot worse than
Hundley, who is big and athletic and equipped with a rocket arm. Hundley is
used to doing it all himself at UCLA and the presence of WR Vincent Jackson and
RB Doug Martin will help him immensely.
5) St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) select: LT Taylor Lewan (6-7/315),
Michigan
Lewan is a nasty player – he has displayed questionable character both on and
off the field. A lot of Ndamukong Suh in him. Huge and athletic, he’ll start at
RT and work his way to LT. If he adjusts to the speed, and he should, he’s an
annual Pro-Bowl player. I would take Oregon QB Marcus Mariota here, but the
Rams brass is convinced Sam Bradford is a star.
6) St. Louis Rams select: NT Louis Nix (6-2/352), Notre Dame
The Rams play a 4-3, but every 4-3 needs someone to play two-gap and control
the center and guard, stopping the run game. Nix is the best NT to enter the
draft in a very long time. Star Lotulelei is dominating at NT in Carolina’s 4-3
defense, helping turn that team into a Top 3 unit (12.0 pts/game) and Nix is an
even better player.
7) Oakland Raiders select: WR Marqise Lee (6-0/195), USC
Terrelle Pryor looks like the future for Oakland and Lee, a local HS &
college star in Los Angeles, would be the perfect weapon to help him succeed.
Lee is not the biggest and not the fastest, but he can really play football.
Think Chad Johnson in his prime.
8) Minnesota Vikings select: QB Marcus Mariota (6-4/212), Oregon
Vikings break Chip Kelly’s heart and take the electric Mariota who has both the
best arm and legs of any available quarterback. He’s thin and has accuracy
problems at times, but the upside is Randall Cunningham in his prime.
9) Philadelphia Eagles select: OLB Anthony Barr (6-4/248), UCLA
Birds take the best pass-rusher available. Barr is perfect for the 3-4 under
defense and should supply 12-15 sacks a year. Reminds me of Kansas City’s
Justin Houston.
10) Atlanta Falcons select: DE Stephon Tuitt (6-5/303), Notre Dame
An exceptional 3-down player, Tuitt brings some star power to a Falcons defense
that has let the team down late in games so far this season, putting a serious
damper on any Super Bowl hopes. Tuitt is big and strong and can rotate along
all 4 positions of Atlanta’s defensive line, bringing them a great deal of
versatility.
As amazing as Mike Vick is
(clearly the best QB in Eagles history...maybe the greatest player of all-time
...OK maybe I have a serious homer bias with #7), he’s 33, has a 1-year
contract and will need to be replaced eventually. Here’s a look at some great
fits at quarterback for Chip Kelly and the Eagles in the 2014 NFL Draft:
Teddy
Bridgewater, Louisville (6-3,205)
2013 Stats (4 Games): Passing: 79/110, 1,214 yds, 11.0 yds/att, 71.8 comp%, 14
TD, 1 INT; Rushing: 12 att, 36 yds, 0 TD
2014 Draft Projection: #1 Overall Pick
Teddy is a virtual Andrew Luck clone – he has a plus arm (better velocity than
Luck) with pinpoint accuracy and is an exceptional athlete (should run a
4.60-4.65 the NFL Combine) who goes through all his progressions before leaving
the pocket. Louisville faces inferior opponents, but don’t look at how open
receivers are, look at Bridgewater’s ball placement. It’s almost always
perfect, leading receivers on the hands without having them break stride. Teddy
is a bit thin, but has the frame to put on 20 pounds. There is a zero percent
chance the Eagles end up with Bridgewater. He will likely be the starting QB of
the Jacksonville Jaguars on opening day 2014 after going #1 overall in the
draft. Marcus
Mariota,Oregon (6-4,212)
2013 Stats (4 Games): Passing: 60/107, 1,003 yds, 9.4 yds/att, 56.1 comp%, 9
TD, 0 INT; Rushing: 21 att, 295 yds, 5 TD
2014 Draft Projection: Top 10 Pick
Unless Braxton Miller of Ohio State comes out for the 2014 NFL Draft (he
shouldn’t), Mariota will be the fastest QB available. It wouldn’t shock me to
see him run a 4.45 at the Combine. Keep in mind, Colin Kaepernick ran a 4.53,
Russell Wilson ran a 4.55 and Cam Newton ran a 4.59, so Mariota can really fly.
He’s tall and has the strongest arm in the class, invoking comparisons to
Kaepernick and Randall Cunningham. He’s built more like Randall, thin and wiry.
He has issues with accuracy at times and often throws to wide-open receivers in
Oregon’s blistering offense. None of this should matter because he’s supremely
talented and the pinpoint accuracy will come in due time. He would be perfect
for Chip Kelly, who recruited and coached him during his breakout season as a
redshirt freshman in 2012. If the Eagles are 8-8 or 9-7, they will have to
trade up significantly to draft Mariota, who has the upside of being the #2 overall
pick in the draft. Brett
Hundley,UCLA (6-3,227)
2013 Stats (3 Games): Passing: 61/92, 848 yds, 9.2 yds/att, 66.3 comp%, 8 TD, 3
INT; Rushing: 32 att, 157 yds, 2 TD
2014 Draft Projection: Top 10 Pick
Built like a tank, Hundley has a rocket arm and very good athletic ability. He’s
not fast, but will time better than most QB’s in the 4.65-4.75 range. UCLA has
limited NFL prospects on offense, so Hundley is lighting up Pac-12 teams almost
on his own. He’s a poor-man’s Cam Newton. Big and strong, but not that big and
strong. Great velocity, but not the top-3 NFL arm Cam has. Very athletic, but
not as fast. There will be scouts that like him over every QB other than
Bridgewater in the 2014 NFL Draft because of his plus size and athletic
ability. He’s only 20 and that 227 is a ripped 227. He could very well end up
in the 240 range. He’s probably a Top-5 NFL Draft Pick - the Eagles would have
to trade up to get him unless their defense completely shits the bed all
season. I don’t think that will happen. I’ll wager he’s picked before Mariota
because of his ideal size and experience playing in a more conventional
offense. Mariota is a much better fit for Chip Kelly, so the Eagles would be
thrilled to see a team pass up on him to select Hundley in the draft. Johnny Manziel,Texas
A&M (6-0,210)
2013 Stats (5 Games): Passing: 100/140, 1,489 yds, 10.6 yds/att, 71.4 comp%, 14
TD, 4 INT; Rushing: 48 att, 314 yds, 3 TD
2014 Draft Projection: Late 1st / Early 2nd Round
Despite the bad rap, I love Johnny’s attitude on the field and so do his
teammates. When he’s not taunting opponents after a touchdown, Johnny is calm
and collect in the face of adversity and his teammates gravitate to that, which
you could really see in Texas A&M’s rally vs Alabama. Media and fans
who want every football player to act like Tim Tebow have zero impact on
how high Manziel gets drafted. His arm has gotten stronger since last season
and is about NFL average right now, in the same league as Tony Romo when you
look at velocity. His footwork has improved dramatically and that has really
impacted his accuracy for the better. The obvious feature with Johnny is
escapability and speed. Johnny is legitimately fast. The lazy comparisons NFL
pundits make is Jeff Garcia and Doug Flutie because Johnny is white, but he is
much faster than those players. He will likely time in the 4.45-4.50 range at
the combine, which is almost as fast as RG3 (4.41 in 2012) and faster than
Steve Young (4.50 in 1984). That’s actually the upside for Johnny – Steve Young
was a shorter, lighter QB with an average arm, tremendous accuracy and great
speed. They are nothing alike off the field, but are both killers on the field.
Manziel’s height/weight doesn’t bother me – he’s bigger than Russell Wilson and
the same size as Steve Young and Drew Brees. Chip Kelly loved Johnny in high
school - Manziel verbally committed to Oregon before switching to A&M
after deciding he’d like to play closer to his home in Texas. If the Eagles end
up 9-7 or 10-6, Johnny could very well fall into their lap later in the 1st
Round and Chip may finally get his guy. Tajh
Boyd,Clemson (6-1,225)
2013 Stats (4 Games): Passing: 73/114, 994 yds, 8.7 yds/att, 64.0 comp%, 9 TD,
0 INT; Rushing: 49 att, 159 yds, 4 TD
2014 Draft Projection: Late 1st / Early 2nd Round
In some ways, Boyd reminds me of Donovan McNabb. He is thickly built with a big
arm and a pretty deep ball, but struggles with accuracy on short and
intermediate routes. He’s also a fantastic leader and has helped place Clemson
at the top of the ACC, coming through with huge performances in big games
against Georgia in 2013 and LSU in 2012. He plays faster than he times, and
will run around the same time McNabb did at the NFL Combine (4.64 in 1999).
Even with the accuracy concerns and less-than-ideal height, it would not
surprise me if Boyd was drafted in the top 15 picks because of his supreme
leadership qualities and above average arm strength and speed, similar to when
Buffalo drafted EJ Manuel with the 16th pick in 2013 with the same attributes
and accuracy concerns. Boyd would fit in well with Chip Kelly’s offense and
could be available after the first half of the 1st Round.
Just hours
before the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft kicks off, I've compiled my list
of the Top 100 Prospects ranked by position. To put this list together, I've
poured over dozens of available online game tape. The list includes heights,
weights, college statistics and workout numbers for each player. You can view and print
the PDF file HERE.
My out of left field predictions for this draft class:
HOF Offensive Player: LT Lane Johnson
HOF Defensive Player: DT Sharrif Floyd
Offensive Superstar Sleeper: TE Travis Kelce & QB Matt Scott
Defensive Superstar Sleeper: CB Jamar Taylor
Offensive Bust: QB Matt Barkley
Defensive Bust: OLB Barkevious Mingo
Here are NFL Comparisons for my Top 10 Players in this draft:
DT
(3T/5T DE) Sharrif Floyd (Warren Sapp)
OLB
(LEO) Dion Jordan (Jason Taylor)
LT
Lane Johnson (Joe Staley – the best LT in today’s NFL by far)
LT
Eric Fisher (Joe Thomas)
WR
Tavon Austin (Percy Harvin - with more speed and less headaches)
OG
Jonathan Cooper (Randall McDaniel)
LT
Luke Joeckel (Todd Steussie – 11-year starter & two-time Pro Bowl
selection)
DT
(3T/5T DE) Sheldon Richardson (Gerald McCoy)
DE
(LEO) Ezekiel Ansah (Jason Paul-Pierre – with even less football
experience)
DT
(NT/5T DE) Star Lotulelei (Dan Wilkinson – 12 year starter & 54.5
career sacks)
A common saying in NFL upper management and scouting circles is that they are "slaves to college football."
If that's the case, and it logically would be, immobile pocket passers like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are finished. Hyper-athletic youth football athletes are playing quarterback over running back and wide receiver. Almost everyone in college football is using the spread offense, with a large package of read-option and pistol formation sprinkled in on game day. This is not a fad - these athletes can really throw the ball.
An astonishing 14 of 32 projected starting quarterbacks entering 2013 ran their 40-yard dash coming out of college in under 4.72 seconds - a faster time than All-Pro wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who ran a 4.72 in 2003. Of these 14 quarterbacks, 11 have been drafted in the past three draft classes. That my friend is a trend, one that is picking up serious momentum. Here's a list of projected 2013 starters who are "dual-threat" quarterbacks, ranked by their 40-time (year drafted in parenthesis):
Michael Vick, 4.33 (2001)
Robert Griffin III, 4.41 (2012)
Colin Kaepernick, 4.53 (2011)
Russell Wilson, 4.55 (2012)
Cam Newton, 4.59 (2011)
Geno Smith, 4.59 (2013)
Jake Locker, 4.59 (2011)
Blaine Gabbert, 4.62 (2011)
EJ Manuel, 4.65 (2013)
Ryan Tannehill, 4.65 (2012)
Christian Ponder, 4.65 (2011)
Andrew Luck, 4.67 (2012)
Aaron Rodgers, 4.71 (2005)
Alex Smith, 4.71 (2005)
I've taken the liberty of including Geno Smith and EJ Manuel from the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft. Both are projected Top-40 picks, and you don't take quarterbacks that high unless you plan on starting them sooner than later.
The 2014 NFL Draft will continue along this trend: dual-threat quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville), Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) and Tajh Boyd (Clemson) are all projected Top-40 picks. Soon, as in by this time next year, at least half of NFL clubs will be led by quarterbacks who can run.
Yes, Joe Flacco just won the Super Bowl. But the likes of his kind will soon be in the minority. Tom Brady will be 36 at the start of 2013. Peyton Manning will be 37. They are the last great Mahicans of the immobile pocket passer. The Colin Kaepernick's, RG3's and Cam Newton's are supremely blessed, for they will inherit the earth.
Newsflash: Adrian Peterson is good. He set the NFL single-game record with 296 rushing yards as a rookie in 2007 and was just 9 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record this season, finishing the year with 2,097 yards. He's one of 3 running backs to rush for 2,000 yards and average 6 yards-per-carry in a single-season. And he's one of 4 backs to score more than 10 touchdowns in each of his first 6 seasons. All of these overwhelming accolades produces a legitimate question - could Adrian Peterson be the greatest running back of all-time?
In a word, no. Jim Brown is and probably always will be the greatest. No other back can say they were statistically the best in the NFL for 8 out of 9 seasons. That's just ridiculous. But All-Day has a legitimate claim to the #2 spot.
Peterson is just one of 4 running backs (along with Brown, Joe Perry and Barry Sanders) to average over 5 yards-per-carry for his career (minimum 1,000 carries). Adrian's 99.4 yards-per-game ranks 3rd all-time, behind Brown (104.3) and Sanders (99.8). If you conservatively project his career, he's clearly the #2 or #3 back of all-time when you combine career production with peak value.
Considering era dominance, and to a lesser extent longevity, I've compiled my Top 10 list of the greatest running backs of all-time. The first 9 on my list are indisputable - other than Adrian Peterson, they are the only running backs in NFL history with over 10,000 yards rushing who were also named to 3 or more All-Pro Teams. You can argue the order, but debating their inclusion is a losing battle. Barring a catastrophic injury, Peterson will join that group sometime next season. My #10 back was just 593 yards away from the exclusive 10,000 yard / 3 All-Pro club and might have had the greatest 3-year peak ever. All of these guys were studs from the beginning - every one of them was a first round draft pick, with 9 taken among the first 7 overall selections.
Watching a Jim Brown video is like listening to great Jazz. Free-flowing, spellbinding, powerful, no play is the same and yet they all leave you speechless. Jim Brown retired at age 29 to star in movies after a 1965 season that might have been his greatest ever. He won the rushing title, his third MVP award, led Cleveland to the NFL Championship game and then called it quits. No one has ever left football at the top of his game like Brown. Even when John Elway retired after winning his second consecutive Super Bowl, he was no longer the athlete he was in his prime.
If Peterson simply stays healthy for 3 or 4 more seasons, he will find himself comfortably between Jim Brown and Barry Sanders as the second greatest back of all-time. I prefer Peterson to Sanders mainly on style points. When Barry broke one, it was like he stole something during the night when you weren't looking. When Adrian breaks one, it's like helplessly watching him beat up you and your three best friends in plain daylight. There is a small chance AD overtakes Brown. Right now, Adrian is 27 years old and modern medicine combined with once-in-a-generation genes is a potent combo. Who thought Kobe Bryant was going to lead the NBA in scoring at age 34? No one. If Peterson can stay healthy and remain supremely productive through his age 33 season (6 more years), he'll approach 17,000 yards and 150 touchdowns with a peak performance greater or equal to any back in history. If that happens, move over Jimmy Brown.
No one had better feet and stop/start ability than Barry. More so than any other back, Sanders did things on a regular basis that you didn't know were athletically possible. I've actually worked with Barry before and one thing that jumps out at you in person is how thick his lower half is in contrast to his lean upper body. He had the thighs and butt of a 250-pound man. That's what made him so suddenly explosive and impossible to bring down in tight quarters despite his small stature. No one lost more yardage than Barry Sanders, yet he finished with an average of 5.0 yards-per-carry. Like a prolific home-run hitter, you lived with the strikeouts.
Watching Walter Payton's highlight video, it's hard to believe he was only listed at 200 pounds. In reality, he probably played most of his career in the 190-195 pound range. Yet few backs dealt as much punishment as Payton. He ran with bad intentions and stiff-armed his way to an NFL career rushing record by the time he retired. The classic Payton image is of him jumping over the offensive line head-over-heals en route to another goal-line touchdown. Other than determination, pure athleticism defined Walter. He could run, jump, throw, block and catch. He could do it all.
It's easy to dismiss Emmitt's career rushing and touchdown records. He played on a great team with the best offensive line in football. He can't be the greatest because he was slow, short and kinda pudgy. But the reality is for five seasons, from 1991-1995, Emmitt Smith was the best back in the game. Yes, he played well past his prime and that affects how people view his career. But he was the best there was for a stretch. I can still close my eyes and picture Emmitt carrying the 11-4 Cowboys to the 1993 NFC East crown in a Week 17 win over the 11-4 Giants with a completely separated shoulder, touching the ball 42 times for 229 yards and a touchdown. His vision, balance, cutback skills and ability to withstand punishment is unmatched.
If you could play God and build the perfect back out of clay, he would look like Eric Dickerson. Tall, muscular and fast with vision and balance - ED had it all. Well, other than a passion for the game. After dominating the NFL in 1983 and 1984, Dickerson held out for the first of three occasions in 1985, eventually forcing a trade to Indianapolis in 1987. Despite winning 4 rushing titles in his first 6 seasons, he never seemed to really like playing football. Holy shit he was talented though. An upright, graceful runner, Dickerson would pick a hole and effortlessly run by or through defenders. If he had Walter Payton's heart, he'd probably rank 1st on this list.
Longtime NFL Coach Al Saunders described Marshall Faulk better than anybody. "He's like the queen on the chessboard," said Saunders. "You can do damage with your knights and bishops, but nobody does more damage than the queen." Marshall could line up wide, in the I-formation, in the slot, wherever. You did anything that would get him the ball in space and Marshall was so talented that he could execute whatever play you or Mike Martz could dream up. The indelible image of Faulk is a devastating stutter step, followed by him exploding past defenders with sprinter speed and brilliant cutbacks. From 1998-2001, Marshall averaged 2,248 yards from scrimmage and scored 69 touchdowns in 60 games.
The Juice had world-class speed. In fact, he's probably one of the 2 or 3 most naturally talented backs in history, the missing link between Jim Brown and Eric Dickerson. A prototype of size, speed, and fluidity for the current Adrian Peterson model. O.J. and Marshall Faulk are the two fastest running backs on this list. Simpson combined that speed with balance and strength - he and Dickerson are very similar players. O.J. was drafted #1 overall by a horrible Bills squad in 1969 who misused him worse than the Saints misused Reggie Bush. When Lou Saban (Nick's father) was hired to coach the Bills in 1972, he centered the offense around O.J. who responded by dominating the NFL from 1972-1976, winning 4 rushing titles in 5 years. Yes, he ran for a record 2,003 yards in just 14 games in 1973, but that wasn't even his best season. In 1975, O.J. ran for 1,817 yards and 16 touchdowns with 426 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns on 28 receptions.
If your lasting image of Tomlinson is the slimmed-down 210-pound version playing 3rd down for the Jets, you forgot how dominant a player he once was. For 7 seasons, Tomlinson was a powerful load with speed to burn and dealt the most vicious stiff arm this side of Walter Payton. His 31 touchdowns in 2006 is the NFL record. That Chargers team had the most talented roster in football and lost a heart-breaking playoff game to New England on an interception return fumble of all things. Tomlinson ran for 123 yards and two scores that game, ending his best shot at being on a Super Bowl team. One thing I never knew about Tomlinson before compiling this list is the guy almost never fumbled. His miniscule 0.79 fumbles / 100 touches is by far the lowest rate of any back on this list.
Earl didn't hit defenders as much as he speared them. Or decapitated them. In Campbell's first 3 seasons (1978-1980), he won Offensive Rookie of the Year, 3 rushing titles, 3 All-Pro selections and an MVP. He was as dominant as any back could possibly be. Unfortunately, all those big blows took a toll on Earl's body and he began to break down. He was no longer a big and fast back, just a big one. Campbell posted two more good seasons in 1981 and 1983 before being regulated to a complimentary role and retiring after 8 seasons. No one has a highlight reel that incites more "OHHHHH MAN, HOLY SHIT!!!" reactions.
Earl Campbell Highlight Video:
Honorable Mention:
Gale Sayers, Terrell Davis, Marcus Allen, Tony Dorsett, Franco Harris, Edgerrin James, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin, Thurman Thomas, Joe Perry, Steve Van Buren and Marion Motley.
Sayers and Davis had supreme peaks but didn't play long enough to make this list. Allen, Dorsett, Harris, James, Bettis, Thomas and Perry excelled for long periods of time but didn't dominate the way that backs on this list did. Van Buren and Motley had shorter NFL careers and limited carries (since they were two-way players) compared to more modern backs.
I am a Phillies and Eagles fan with the prospective of someone who has worked in sports. If you are here for entertaining insights or semi-lucid rants about baseball and football, you've come to the right spot.
Tyler Green was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the 1991 amateur draft, 10th overall, ahead of sluggers Manny Ramirez (13th), Cliff Floyd (14th) and Shawn Green (16th).
Noted for his devastating but unpredictable knuckle-curve and 93-95 mph fastball, Green racked up an 8-4 record at the midpoint of the 1995 season, his first full year in MLB, and was named to the All-Star team. Unfortunately, like many Phillies Phenoms before and after, Green quickly faded, losing his final five decisions and finishing the year with an 8-9 record.
Green never lived up to his first round status. This was partly due to shoulder and elbow problems that hampered him throughout his career. Overall, he had a career record of 18-25 with 263 strikeouts in 384 innings and a 5.16 ERA.
I have many, many 1992 Topps, Upper Deck, Stadium Club, and Pinnacle rookie cards of Tyler. As an 11 year old, I treated them like gold, waiting for the day when he would lead the Phillies to a World Series Championship. Those were the days.
