best nose tackles of all time

A 4-technique lines up head-to-head with the tackle. 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. + Indicates Hall of Famer. The Broncos used some 3-4 for years prior to 1976 when they finally committed to it full time. A tall nose, like Bob Baumhower, at 6-5 and began his career as an inside designated pass rusher. Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. Bob Baumhower 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. While many people often confuse a nose guard with a nose tackle, many fans also use the terms nose tackle and defensive tackle interchangeably. 10. Cofield has not spent enough time anchoring a 3-4 and is plagued by inconsistency. Email us at: The one season he filled in for an injured 3-tech (Keith Millard) he did will, recording 8.5 sacks and 7.5 stuffs and 82 tackles. Ted Washington is another. His 10 kick blocks rank top 10 among all NFL players. Casey Hampton is criminally low on this 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. He can sometimes be a little inconsistent against the run and doesn't always bring the same fiery determination to disrupting the ground game. 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. The six-time pro bowler is also an AFL and Super Bowl champion. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. Ive played and watched sports all my life and have coached them as well for the last few years. At 6-1 330 (350?) This allows the defensive ends to cover the outside of the offensive line and frees up the middle linebackers to find the quarterback or running back. 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. Paul Soliai is one of the finest 2-gappers in the league. ", Minnesota Vikings, 1967-1978; Chicago Bears, 1978-1981 Played in four Super Bowls, one-time NFL champion 1971 NFL MVP Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times NFL 1970s All-Decade Team Played in 238 consecutive games Had six seasons of double-digit sacks, including 18 in 1976; unofficially finished with 173 career sacks Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, 2014-Present Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times 2014 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Set record for fastest recorded 40 time for DT at NFL Scouting Combine Has logged 28 sacks and 116 tackles in his three NFL seasons Voted 15th best player in NFL on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017, Cincinnati Bengals 2010-present Voted to Pro Bowl six times, First Team All-Pro twice 290 career tackles, 61 sacks, and eight forced fumbles, Detroit Lions, 1960-1966; Los Angeles Rams, 1967-1969 Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times Member of the Rams' "Fearsome Foursome" First player in NFL history with playing weight exceeding 300 pounds Sacked Bart Starr seven times (one for a safety) in the famous 1962 "Thanksgiving Day Massacre", Kansas City Chiefs, 1968-1974; Houston Texans 1974-1980; Detroit Lions, 1980-1981 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time 1975 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Unofficially had 68 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in 14 NFL seasons Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, 1990-2000; Seattle Seahawks, 2001-2003 Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times 1997 NFL sacks leader NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Played in 219 career NFL games, recording 137.5 sacks and 556 tackles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Kansas City Chiefs, 1963-1975 One-time Super Bowl champion, two-time AFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times, six AFL All-Star games Played in 182 career NFL games, including 166 consecutively Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Seattle Seahawks, 1990-2000 Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times 1992 NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Had 58 sacks and 568 tackles durin 11-year NFL career Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Yanks, 2948-1949; New York Giants, 1950-1953 Two-time NFL champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1995-2003; Oakland Raiders, 2004-2007 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL All-Decade Team in 1990s and 2000s Recorded 96.5 career sacks, 435 tackles, and 19 forced fumbles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, 1975-1988 One-time Super Bowl champion Super Bowl XII co-MVP Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times NFL 1980s All-Decade Team Unofficially recorded 111 sacks (high of 16 in 1978) and 1,104 tackles in 14 NFL seasons Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Los Angeles Rams, 1962-1977 Voted to 14 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times 1962 NFL Rookie of the Year NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team,Br> Member of two NFL All-Decade Teams (1960s, 1970s) Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1969-1981 Four-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team Recorded unofficial 78.5 career sacks and 16 fumble recoveries Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, 1961-1974 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team member of NFL's All-Decade Teams in 1960s and 1970s Started every game (164) of his 14-year career 29-yard sack of Bob Griese in Super Bowl VI is NFL record and one of the most memorable in Super Bowl history Scored four defensive touchdowns in career Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With Sopoaga over the center, Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis are always kept clean and remain free to chase plays down. Its popularity declined throughout the 90's, bottoming out in 2001 when only the Steelers were running a 34. Maas was "Big, mean, strong, and nasty" according to Buchsbaum who also though Maas would have been an excellent 4-3 tackle. Gary Dunn/NT - 1976-1987. Rowe helped the Raiders to their first Super Bowl trophy (IMO) - I was at that Super Bowl. Another excellent piece of work by you Mr. Turney. Said legendary writer/talent evaluator Joel Buchsbaum about Carter, "has awesome ability, strength, quickness, and explosion but is not very durable". 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 . And for a nose, he was very durable. Really, on a game-to-game basis, Hamilton was the NFL's first modern nose tackle. Pouha is blessed with tremendous strengthand possesses deceptive speed when working down the line. Joe Nash is a glaring omission. By Matthew Valdovinos. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. Well, a player needs to have the mentality to sacrifice himself for the teams achievement. With Hampton occluding the middle of an opposing blocking scheme, ball carriers are consistentlyforced sideways. But was a Pro Bowler in 1986, but was certainly worthy of selection in 1984 and 1985 as well. I like Davis' chances of having a productive rookie season behind Payne and the rest of this defensive line. He recorded 137.5 sacks over his 14-year career and was. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. He is one of few nose tackles that play on all three downs. 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. As with any list there is room for debate here and there but he's ranked about right.Let me guess, you are a Steeler's fan? Nose tackle is an underappreciated and selfless position in American football. Domato Peko is the fulcrum of the Cincinnati Bengals aggressive 4-3 defense. Therefore, he does not have a lot of individual achievements to boast about. My name is Steven and I have a passion for sports and staying physically active. In this technique, the defensive player must line up over the outside shoulder of the offensive line. Admittedly, in this period, it was less characterized by the dominating nose tackle and more by the fearsome outside linebacker, such as Lawrence Taylor. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. He. Any even-numbered technique (including the 0-technique) must line up head-to-head with the offensive line. 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. And love seeing Smerlas getting recognized so high. In terms of pure 3-4 nose tackles, to this day no nose has played in and started more games at the position than Fred Smerlas. Defensive tackles are mostly the silent killer of a team. First-team All-Pro: 5 times (1980, 1981, 82, 83, 88). Taylor Lewan gets a lot of attention for his off-field attention-seeking antics. 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. He ended his career with 32.5 sacks and 75.5 run stuffs. 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 This list below has a variety of items in it, from Casey Hampton to Jim Burt. But the majority of the players on the list operate as the focal point ina base 3-4 defense. This list includes the tackle's accomplishments, honors, awards, records, & statistics. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! Theyre largely responsible for the C-gap, which is the space on the outside of the tackle, but they might try and confuse the tackle by starting outside and making a move inside. 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. The players Hey there! In 1985 Pickel took over the nose tackle spot in the Raiders defense and he'd play the usual shade spot in passing downs. The Complete Guide, How Much Do NHL Refs Make? all the guys ahead of him were better than he was. He would go on to be selected first overall by the Jimmy Johnson-led Cowboys in 1991, just the. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. The most common requirement of a nose tackle is to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the rest of the defense. A high-motor, hustle type. Obviously, its popularity has recovered quite a bit to now when almost half the league is using one again. So it's harder to peg players. Smerlas was among the first bigger nose tackles, weighing about 290 (though often listed as less) and he also was among the first to crowd the center. Career stats: 106 games started, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 150 tackles, four-time Pro Bowler. Wilfork frequently drew. There are players that play close to the ball and others that play further away. Ratliff is one of the most dominant players in the league and is the key to the Cowboys multiple 3-4 scheme. With that said, Im happy to have you on the site and hope I can help you out in achieving your goals! For the most part, the nose tackle is responsible for filling up these two gaps. Throughout history, there have been several players that have revolutionized what it means to be a nose tackle. When on form, Antonio Garay is capable of regularly collapsing the pocket. Wills played a key role in the defense and was all-pro once and a pro bowler. Curly Clip is, undoubtedly, the flag bearer for the best nose tackles of all time. Carter knew what his job was as a nose tackle, and he did it perfectly. 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. At the time he was drafted, he was the most athletic defensive tackle of all-time. Wilfork has served as the centerpiece of BillBelichick's hybrid defenses for years. 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. The quintessential 2-gap artist, Hampton is the cornerstone of the Steelers ferocious run defense. 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 (. That fact that Bob Dee, who has No. 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. Pro Bowl: 6 times (1969, 1971, 19751978), Defensive Player of the Year: 1 time (1975). 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. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. May 18, 2022 9:45 am ET. Super Bowl champion: 2 times (XXXIX, XLIX). Gilbert Brown was a big piece in that loaded Packer defense. Other than Polamalu there wasnt a better player on those defenses. Louis Rams, 1976-1995 Voted to seven Pro Bowls First player to play 20 seasons for one team Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, St. Louis Rams, 1997-2008; Chicago Bears, 2009 Voted to seven Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times One-time Super Bowl champion Started 154 consecutive games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, 1967-1979 Voted to six Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro three times Two-time Super Bowl champion Started in six NFC Championship Games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 1936-1946 Three-time NFL champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First-Team All-Pro four times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Yanks, 1951; Cleveland Browns, 1954-1962 Voted to six Pro Bowls Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns, 2007-2016 Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Has started all 160 games he has played in the NFL, Green Bay Packers, 1956-1970; Dallas Cowboys, 1971 Started on eight NFL championship teams Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, 1968-1981; Los Angeles Rams, 1982 Voted to seven Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro six times First O-lineman to be selected No. This would make them more responsible for the B-gap (in-between the tackle and guard). View Current Leaderboard. The last time Donald recorded a PFF run-defense or pass-rush grade lower than 85.0 was during his rookie season in 2014. Then in 1986-87 he was still the starter but played less in passing situations and recorded just one sack in 1987 and five in 1988. Jerry Ball was shaped like his name. Moving former defensive end Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle has made an already stout 49ers run defense even more formidable. Nobody is better at absorbing double teams than Hampton. And my man Smerlas getting his due love it! Tom LaMarre. Maryland totaled 279 tackles, with 25 for loss, and 20.5 sacks in his four dominant years for Miami. This site is owned and operated by Coaching Kidz. To be the best in the league, one needs to be fast, athletic, dedicated, hard-working, and have exceptional talent. 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. In those situations, Howie Long would play the right end. So he ended up playing for three-techniques likeJovan Haye and Tony Williams, though he got to play some three-technique himself for a few years in the early 2000s when Fred Robbins manned the nose. Vea had four sacks last season playing out of the nose. You have entered an incorrect email address! Take a look at how they. Like all 4-3 nose tackles, Pekoregularly operates in a shaded alignment over the center. Chicago Bears, 1985-1993; Philadelphia Eagles, 1993-1994 One-time Super Bowl champion Recorded 29.5 sacks in 138 NFL games, Oakland Raiders, 1996; New Orleans Saints, 1997-2001; Dallas Cowboys, 2002-2005; St. Louis Rams 2006-2008 Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time NFL 2000s All-Decade Team 2000 NFC Defensive Player of the Year 2000 NFL sacks leader (17.5) Finished career with 433 tackles, 83.5 sacks and 16 forced fumbles, San Francisco 49ers, 1994-2007 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Had 89.5 sacks and 618 tackles in 208 career games, Cleveland Browns, 1946-1953 One-time NFL champion Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times NFL 1940s All-Decade Team Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Ravens, 2006-2014; Detroit Lions, 2015-Present One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times Started 160 of 162 NFL games Has 29.5 sacks, 491 tackles, 6 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions in 11 NFL seasons, Baltimore Ravens, 2013-Present One of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in NFL today Became highest-paid nose tackle in the NFl by signing a five-year, $54 million deal with Ravens in March Has 4.5 sacks and 101 tackles in 55 career games, Cincinnati Bengals, 1983-1994 Voted to two Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time Recorded 34.5 sacks and 1,017 career tackles Missed only four games (out of 192) in 12-year career, Detroit Lions, 1958-1970 Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times NFL 1960s All-Decade Team Missed only one game in 12-year career, New England Patriots, 2001-2008; Oakland Raiders, 2009-2012 Three-time Super Bowl champion Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Logged 57.5 sacks and recorded 496 career tackles, Minnesota Vikings, 1985-1990; Green Bay Packers, 1992; Seattle Seahawks, 1992; Philadelphia Eagles, 1993 Voted to two Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times 1989 NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL 1980s All-Decade Team Holds NFL record for most sacks by DT in single season (18) Three double-digit sack seasons Recorded 58 career sacks, Houston Oilers, 1985-1995; Dallas Cowboys, 1996 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time NFL-record three fumble recoveries in single game Recorded 76.5 sacks, 861 tackles, and 19 forced fumbles in 12-year NFL career, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1950-1963 Two-time Super Bowl champion Voted to nine Pro Bowls (1957 Pro Bowl MVP), First Team All-Pro once NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team Recorded 23 fumble recoveries and at time of retirement was the all-time career safeties leader with three Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, San Francisco 49ers, 1950-1963 Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times NFL 1950s All-Decade Team 49ers' first-ever draft pick Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Colts, 1950; New York Yanks, 1951; Dallas Texans, 1952; Baltimore Colts, 1953-1961 Two-time NFLchampion Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times NFL 1950s All-Decade Team Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns, 1957-1958; Green Bay Packers, 1959-1969 Two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time NFL champion Voted to four Pro Bowls (1961 Pro Bowl MVP), First Team All-Pro five times 21 career fumble recoveries Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears 1979-1990 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times NFL 1980s All-Decade Team Made All-Pro as both defensive end and defensive tackle Officially credited with 57 career sacks Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Jets, 1977-1987; Indianapolis Colts, 1989 Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times 1981 AFC Player of the Year Started 145 of 155 NFL games 24 career sacks, 9 fumble recoveries in 10 NFL seasons Anthony Munoz called Klecko "the strongest guy I ever faced.