Other than Polamalu there wasnt a better player on those defenses. A 375-pounder as a defensive tackle is something not everyone can expect. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. 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. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. This player is only used in a 3-4 defensive scheme, opposed to a 4-3 defensive scheme. 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. Johnsons primary duty was to stop the run, and he did it so well. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. 25. NFL players are large in size. He is comfortable using his speed to shoot gaps or lining up directly over guards and centers and overpowering them. The next year, Taylor was released, and this became the season Wilfork made his name known by recording 54 tackles in only 16 games. Peko plays with intensity, but his technique is smart and precise. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! 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. This is where the defensive player lines up head-to-head with the offensive tackle. Washington had played for several teams in his 17-year-long career. A 4-technique lines up head-to-head with the tackle. There are always 22 football players on the field at once and they all have their own specialized roles. No nose tackle has been First-team All-Pro more or gone to more Pro Bowls than Smerlas. But Ball did it. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. The dynamic 6ft 2 inches tall and 210 pounder middle and noseguard was the key player in the defensive back for the browns. Wilfork is widely considered one of the best nose tackles to play the game of football. A nose tackle has to occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. He played a total of 179 and recorded 68.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. "Snacks", in our view is the top nose/shade tackle in the game today and if he continues his career arc he could move up this list quickly. Occupying multiple blockers and creating lanes of pursuit for fellow defenders is the weekly requirement of a nose tackle, regardless of system. A Complete Overview. 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 . The next time you see a nose tackle playing well, make sure you tip your hat to them! I created this website to share my passion with all of you. Unlike a nose tackle, a defensive ends main responsibility is to control the outside of the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. He had unusually large legs and Dolphin locker room lore includes the fact that even the large socks would not fully cover Baumhower's calves when stretched all the way to the top. See leaders through past seasons Rowe helped the Raiders to their first Super Bowl trophy (IMO) - I was at that Super Bowl. Top 25 defensive tackles heading into the 2021 NFL Season He was All-Pro in 1990 then made a Pro Bowl in 1995. 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. Sometimes even experts fail to recognize talent. 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. Follow us on Twitter: @NFL_Journal - This is because the nose tackle position is one of the most physically demanding positions in all of football. While a 3-technique refers to the outside shoulder of the offensive guard, theres also something called the 2i-technique. Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. Team (s): Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions & Philadelphia Eagles. Another big man, around 330-350 (390?) The crown as the best non-Donald interior defender is a tough one to claim definitively, but in 2019 it belonged to Heyward. You have to keep in mind that offensive linemen are big players and that the nose tackle is almost always double-teamed. While most nose tackles dont receive a lot of praise from the fans (largely due to their lack of stats), some nose tackles throughout history were so good that you had to recognize them no matter what. This makes it hard for the running back to find a hole through either of the two B-gaps (in-between the guard and tackle). Super Bowl champion: 2 times (XXXIX, XLIX). Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. Packers stalwart B.J. Bullshitter. Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. If youre a football player, you must understand what a defensive technique is. Who is the best New York Jets defensive tackle ever? Jerry Ball was shaped like his name. 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. And as was normal, Long would play the three-technique in passing situations. This list includes the tackle's accomplishments, honors, awards, records, & statistics. Top 5 Canes: DTs - State of The U Highest single-season PFF grades since 2017 Donald's peers are the NFL's all-time greats on defense the Reggie Whites and Lawrence Taylors of the world rather than anyone else currently playing. 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. Theyre responsible for taking up space and making it hard for the center and guards to make room for the running back. Now we are getting into the run-stopping specialists, though very good at that specialty. Sugar Bear Hamilton began his career as a defensive end in 1973 but when the Patriots moved to a 3-4 defensive full-time in 1974 he was the middle guard. An odd-numbered technique must line up over the shoulder of the offensive line. The nose guard, however, lines up in the middle of the defensive line in a 5-2 defense. 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. However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . A high-motor, hustle type. In the 1980 season, almost 3/4ths of teams were running one. 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 creative direction of Super Bowl LVII was inspired by the beauty of Arizona's natural landscapes - from its grand rock formations to its vast rainbow skies. However, the proliferation of 3-4 fronts in recent seasons has made the position more important. With that said, the nose tackle position is highly respected by their teammates and is most likely going to be the defensive coordinators favorite player when things are going well. It is no coincidence that with Peko disrupting the line of scrimmage, youngsters Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunalp have been able to blossom into dangerous pass rushers. My name is Steven and I have a passion for sports and staying physically active. Ted Washington's the best I've seen play. At the time he was drafted, he was the most athletic defensive tackle of all-time. When you line up in a 3-technique, youre only responsible for the gap between the offensive guard and offensive tackle also known as the B-gap. His 61 tackles for loss or no gain against the run over that span rank third among defensive linemen, behind only Brandon Graham and Jadeveon Clowney. Such is life. He also covers media and entertainment news on various online platforms. And with Carter, he'd have his moments getting to the passer. Moving former defensive end Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle has made an already stout 49ers run defense even more formidable. After getting drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, Michael Carter remained unmoved throughout his pro football career. 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. 17+ Basketball Games for Kids The Ultimate List. 15 Greatest New England Patriots of All Time - Sportscasting Tier 2: Elite 2. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. Probably the most technically sound nose tackle on this list, Wilfork's leverage and footwork are outstanding. 8. Of course, it leaves some space right up the middle. These amazing nose tackles may currently be active while others have been retired for quite sometime. Whitworth has been one of the top NFL offensive tackles for the majority of his career and is a true model of consistency. 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. And in 1980 he got his hands up enough to pick off three passes from his nose position. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tackling the Defense - City of Champions Pro Football Journal: The Best Nose Tackles in NFL History - Blogger List of Famous Football Nose Tackles - Ranker Not only that, but theyre offensive linemans specifically the center and guards worst nightmare. We think he would have been a fine left 3-4 defensive end and inside rusher in nickel but the Raiders already had that guyHowie Long. He could even muster some pass rushfrom 2010-2012 he had a total over 15.5 sacks, averaging just over 5 a season which is very good considering his positional responsibilities. I would have thought Manu Tiuasosopo would have been in there as he was mixing it up well in the era with Sugar Bear Hamilton, Rubin Carter, Fred Smerlas, etc.And if Reggie Kinlaw makes the list then I would have put Dave Rowe in as well. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Still, their role changes as a defensive tackle. He loves to watch web series, and movies and write on celebrity gossip or trendy movie news. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. By Matthew Valdovinos. One name that is well worth mentioning among the Top 10 Strong Safety All-Time list is the former Seattle Seahawks and Pro Football Hall of Famer strong safety Kenny Easley. He was drafted into the NFL in 2004 by the New England Patriots. 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. This can either give them an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the play being called by the offense. He used his size to his advantage and made the lives of the blockers impossible. He was a First-team All-Pro four times and voted to five Pro Bowls and was an alternate to a couple of others. edit* Hampton was a beast don't know how I didn't think of him! 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. Press J to jump to the feed. Williams became a three times pro bowler in three consecutive seasons, from 2006 to 2008. 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. He was a First-team All-Pro in 1986-88 and was Second-team in 1985 when he had 7 sacks (he had 6.5 in 1988) and was a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time | NFL Highlights - YouTube Balls retired from the game in 1999, leaving behind a dominant legacy. We've been a complete joke at NT since he left. The most common requirement of a nose tackle is to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the rest of the defense. 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. B/R NFL 1000: Top 50 Defensive Tackles - Bleacher Report