Yep, he arrived when those guys were on their way out of town. 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. Willis was a dynamic6-2, 213-pound middle guard for the Cleveland Browns from 1946-53. 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. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Press J to jump to the feed. Ted Washington is another. Bullshitter. Being a team player is their primary characteristic. By its nature, nose tackle is one of the most unheralded and selfless positions in the NFL. Sopoaga is a disruptive force over the center. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Patriots, a time during which he was one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL -- especially against the run. He had the ability, strength, and quickness to be one of the top defensive backs in the tournament. Jake Matthews, Atlanta Falcons. At the time he was drafted, he was the most athletic defensive tackle of all-time. From his 121 games, he recorded 121 sacks. A 4-technique lines up head-to-head with the tackle. Said legendary writer/talent evaluator Joel Buchsbaum about Carter, "has awesome ability, strength, quickness, and explosion but is not very durable". He debuted in 1968 with the Kansas City Chiefs. WhenToeaina is over the center, the Bears run defense is more stout. Such is life. Smears also played and started the most number of matches as a nose tackle. His power and ferocity at the point of attack make him virtually impossible to handle one on one. Lets take a look at some of those specific nose tackles: Its unclear if well ever see any nose tackles in the future that live up to the names listed above, but theres no doubt that these players are some of the least-recognized superstars of their time. And as was normal, Long would play the three-technique in passing situations. Bill Wills is one such example, he was undrafted in the 1946 draft! 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. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. profootballjournal@gmail.com. He did not focus on personal achievements, which is one of the reasons that his stats are not filled with rich numbers. He did play some 3-4 end in his career and was always effective as a defensive tackle in the Chiefs 4-man lines when they went to nickel, he would routinely turn in 5, 6, or 7-sack seasons. The 10 Most Famous NFL Players from Florida, The 10 Best Current NFL Players Without A Ring. Occupying multiple blockers and creating lanes of pursuit for fellow defenders is the weekly requirement of a nose tackle, regardless of system. Super Bowl champion: 3 times (XIX, XXIII, XXIV), First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1986, 1987, 1988). Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. Randle signed with the Vikings and went on to become one of the best defensive tackles of the 1990s and definitely the mouthiest. Pro Football Hall of Fame/Associated Press, Al Messerschmidt Archive/Associated Press. LOL, really curious where you got the film to do an in-depthanalysis of Les Bingaman. Curly Clip is, undoubtedly, the flag bearer for the best nose tackles of all time. At 6-1 330 (350?) He has played a total of 200 games and recorded 29 sacks and two interceptions. Its where the defender lines up head-to-head with the offensive center. He ended his career with 32.5 sacks and 75.5 run stuffs. Besides, he had been a part of the 49ers three super bowl winning teams and a three-time first-team all-pro and three-time pro bowler. Here are the top 25 offensive tackles for the 2021 NFL season. This is due mainly to the fact that most of the standout nose tackles in the league play for 3-4 teams. Again, these are two completely different positions in the game of football and have entirely different roles in defensive schemes. He won the super bowl once and was named all-pro once in 2001. Kendall Wright looked like the perfect slot receiver for a lot of the year. He was First-team All-Pro twice and a Second-teamer three other seasons and went to five Pro Bowls as a nose tackle (tied with Fred Smerlas for the most-ever by a 3-4 nose). This is because four linebackers can either drop back and guard the middle of the field or play at the line of scrimmage against the run. Isaiah Wynn is an interesting player. This would make them more responsible for the B-gap (in-between the tackle and guard). Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! I also thought Jamal Williams was excellent for a few years at his peak. See leaders through past seasons 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. Pro Bowl: 6 times (1969, 1971, 19751978), Defensive Player of the Year: 1 time (1975). These players are often the most recognized players in the locker room especially among the defensive coordinators for helping clear up space for the rest of the team. Packers stalwart B.J. Thomas played in 213 games, started 199 of them, totaled 864 tackles including 93.5 sacks and 95.0 run stuffs, totals that rival players like Warren Sapp and Bryant Young, two of the 1990s All-Decade selections. If its a 2-technique, the player must line up head-to-head with the guard. But he is not experienced enough at the position to warrant a place on the list. He is one of the "Jewel" of The News Titan. This player is only used in a 3-4 defensive scheme, opposed to a 4-3 defensive scheme. Tim Goad is a very good player from start. Any coach that wants to find success with a 3-4 defensive scheme needs a dominant nose tackle. Would have put Maas and Gilbert Brown much higher, but really enjoyed this list. But his place went to a division rival who doesn't benefit from quite as strong a supporting cast around him. May 18, 2022 9:45 am ET. 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. There have been many legendary nose tackles in the NFL and NCAA, and you'll find all of them on this list below. Corey Williams of the Detroit Lions performs an important function for Gunther Cunningham's defense. Its generally reserved for the defensive end and theyre responsible for both the B-gap (in-between the guard and tackle) and C-gap (on the outside of the tackle). Wilfork has seamlessly transitioned to a 4-3 front and has been by far the Patriots best defensive player this season. However, until that time, he is without question the best nose tackle in the league. However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . This list of the top nose tackles in American football includes all the greats from both the NFL and college football. Take a look at how they stack up. It reached peak popularity with the Bill Parcells style in the mid 80's. In those situations, Howie Long would play the right end. Along the way, Ill also answer general sports related questions. He ended his career with 510 tackles and 35.5 sacks and 57.5 run stuffs. And love seeing Smerlas getting recognized so high. 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. Many people refer to a nose tackle as a nose guard, but theyre two completely different positions in football. Carter played nine seasons, 121 games with 97 starts. NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best offensive tackles in NFL history. They just don't. 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. Wilfork frequently drew. He's likely best known for a gruesome broken leg in the Super Bowl versus the 49ers but he came back from that in 1989 and had a couple solid seasons after that. For the most part, the nose tackle is responsible for filling up these two gaps. 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 The 6"1' 325 pound Hamptonis an immovable force in the middle of Pittsburgh's front seven. 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. He. If you can do that, then your coach will always have a spot for you on the defense. Raji possesses a more diverse and dynamic skill set than Pouha. Not only that, but theyre offensive linemans specifically the center and guards worst nightmare. In his first four years he was a top backup for Ted Washington forming an amazing 1-2 punch. They need to have a big body, but they also need to have some speed and strength to make them quicker and stronger than a center and offensive guard. Washington had played for several teams in his 17-year-long career. The Complete Guide, How Much Do NHL Refs Make? 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. A NT will either be head on v a centre or on the strongside A gap, either way a NTs job is to absorb a double team and not allow either of the OL trying to move him to get downfield. Its popularity declined throughout the 90's, bottoming out in 2001 when only the Steelers were running a 34. By Matthew Valdovinos. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. Nobody is better at absorbing double teams than Hampton. Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. The way he singlehandedly collapsed the pocket and allows fellow Tampa pass rushers to torture Patrick Mahomes all day night long. For many defenses the nose tackle's performance is the most critical element of the scheme. 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. I like Davis' chances of having a productive rookie season behind Payne and the rest of this defensive line. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He was not quite the size of Ted Washington, but he was more than the 315 pounds he was listed at, though. The six-time pro bowler is also an AFL and Super Bowl champion. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. The next year, Taylor was released, and this became the season Wilfork made his name known by recording 54 tackles in only 16 games. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. When on form, Antonio Garay is capable of regularly collapsing the pocket. The best I have personally seen is Casey Hampton. He made an unusually high number of tackles for players in his position and at times could get some rush. Now we are getting into the run-stopping specialists, though very good at that specialty. They have a similar role, but the defensive schemes are very different. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. 16. 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. Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time | NFL Highlights NFL 11M subscribers Subscribe 269K views 5 years ago Former VP of Player Personnel Gil Brandt's Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time! Bills, in his career, became a total of a three-time pro bowler and a four times all-pro. If youre a football player, you must understand what a defensive technique is. Whether youre playing in a 3-4 defensive scheme or 4-3 defensive scheme, two defensive ends line up by the offensive tackle. A 3-4 scheme has one nose tackle in the middle, while a 4-3 defense has two defensive tackles in-between the defensive ends. Some of these positions are universal to whatever scheme youre playing, while others are only specific to one scheme such as a nose tackle. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears. Consistently an excellent player, he had a career year for Pittsburgh when they needed to lean on him more than usual with his running mate Stephon Tuitt going down hurt. Admittedly, in this period, it was less characterized by the dominating nose tackle and more by the fearsome outside linebacker, such as Lawrence Taylor. Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. 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. Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine! This is different from the 0-technique, which is responsible for the two gaps in between the center and both offensive guards. He played a total of 179 and recorded 68.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 89 retired in New England, is forming a one-two punch with Wilfork is simply lethal. And he deserved it due to what he meant to those Charger defenses. Former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was announced as this year's inductee into the team's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Obviously, times have changed since 1963, but Buck's legacy lives on as one of the greatest defensive tackles ever. Smears was an exceptional talent. I swear every time there is a discussion about nose tackles Ngata is mentioned, and Ravens fans go berserk because he doesn't play nose tackle. Nose tackles dont receive a lot of glamour in modern football. 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. When done correctly, the nose tackle acts as a space-eater. Joe Klecko (89%, 59 Votes) Kris Jenkins (8%, 5 Votes) Jason Ferguson (3%, 2 Votes) Sione Pouha (0%, 0 Votes) Abdul Salaam (0%, 0 Votes). Thomas was a solid defensive nose and could have been a terrific 3-technique. Nose Tackles typically don't stuff the stat sheet so it can be hard to measure their greatness unless you're watching tape but I would say that any 3-4 team with a great NT had good numbers v the run, I find your lack of Casey Hampton disturbing. A nose tackle, also known as the nose guard or middle guard, is a player that aligns themselves in the middle of the defensive line. But nose tackle still remains a key position and its distinctive skills perform a vital function for many defenses. 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. A high-motor, hustle type. 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. The number one requirement of a nose tackle is to take on and occupy blockers. 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? He frequently drives blockers backwards and is a consistent threat to penetrate the line of scrimmage. 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. The type of reliable-backup career you just don't see much anymore. Clears the gap for the linebacker, works the left tackle, and forces the. Tom LaMarre. Michael Carter Career Highlights: Super Bowl champion: 3 times (XIX, XXIII, XXIV) First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1986, 1987, 1988) Pro Bowl: 3 times (1985, 1987, 1988) What does that make the 5-technique? He is comfortable using his speed to shoot gaps or lining up directly over guards and centers and overpowering them. The nose guard, however, lines up in the middle of the defensive line in a 5-2 defense. Alexander Boris Johnsons Net Worth vs Jeremy Bernard Corbyns Net Worth: Who is richer? 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. Fronts are more complex now than there were "back in the day". But was a Pro Bowler in 1986, but was certainly worthy of selection in 1984 and 1985 as well. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. We may reconsider in the future, but for now, we put him with the tackles. Team (s): Seattle Seahawks. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. 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. He also covers media and entertainment news on various online platforms. 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. It's tough to find true nose tackles. Raji's versatility is the foundation of Green Bay's defensive scheme. Soliai excels at drawing and occupying double teams. Gilbert Brown was a big piece in that loaded Packer defense. To be the best in the league, one needs to be fast, athletic, dedicated, hard-working, and have exceptional talent. This can either give them an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the play being called by the offense. Also, played some DE. Tier 2: Elite 2. With that said, most nose tackles in the league are anywhere from 60 to 63 and weigh anywhere from 300-350 pounds. 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. After getting drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, Michael Carter remained unmoved throughout his pro football career. Plenty of other factors were there, but the move to the 3-4 defense and Culp's play in it were certainly right up there in the reasons why there was a turnaround (they were 3-31 in the previous 34 games prior to Culp's arrival.). He was a First-team All-Pro four times and voted to five Pro Bowls and was an alternate to a couple of others. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans. After his stellar 1980 season, coaches from opposing teams would fly to Buffalo to watch how Smerlas played in the middle of the Bill defense and exported the style to their own 3-4 teams. Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A coach usually elects to have two defensive tackles on the field, although one of those defensive tackles might be a versatile nose tackle. 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. His penetration causes havoc in the running game and makes hima credible danger to the quarterback. Wilfork has served as the centerpiece of BillBelichick's hybrid defenses for years. This list below has a variety of items in it, from Casey Hampton to Jim Burt. He ended his career with 1017 tackles, more than any other nose we can find and 34.5 sacks. Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots. All-Time Tackles Leaders. Therefore, he does not have a lot of individual achievements to boast about. And my man Smerlas getting his due love it! 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 had great strength, along with skills and techniques. And in 1980 he got his hands up enough to pick off three passes from his nose position. Williams became a three times pro bowler in three consecutive seasons, from 2006 to 2008. So I discount guys like Ngata who may have played in the middle of a 3 man line on occasions but were never 2 gap players. In some situations, they might line up in-between the guards and center if they want to directly fill the gaps during a run play. Relying on awesome strength and excellent leverage, Garay is able to create a powerful forward push, few centers can deal with. ", 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.