Raji possesses a more diverse and dynamic skill set than Pouha. The change of league did not have much impact on the team as the team continued to dominate, and in 19450, they became the NFL champion. Dedicated to reporting mainstream and esoteric aspects of professional football. Excellent article, John T! Ranking of the NFL's top ten greatest offensive tackles of all time. Its popularity declined throughout the 90's, bottoming out in 2001 when only the Steelers were running a 34. However, until that time, he is without question the best nose tackle in the league. Wilfork played more than 100 games for the Patriots and is considered the best player in the nose tackle position for the Patriots. 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 . NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. These amazing nose tackles may currently be active while others have been retired for quite sometime. The best decision that Rob Ryan made when he took over stewardship of the Cowboys defense, was to leave Ratliff over the center, and defy the calls to move him to end. 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. However, his contribution to the teams victories earned him four all-pro awards. His power and quick takeoff enables him to drive blockers backwards and his speed and range allow him to disengage and envelope a ball carrier. Relying on awesome strength and excellent leverage, Garay is able to create a powerful forward push, few centers can deal with. This site is owned and operated by Coaching Kidz. He was a First-team All-Pro four times and voted to five Pro Bowls and was an alternate to a couple of others. 13. Charlie Johnson had a short career in the NFL, but he still managed to cement his preposition among the best nose tackles of all time in NFL history. Art Shell, 1968-1982. 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. 8. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. He ended his career with 1017 tackles, more than any other nose we can find and 34.5 sacks. We've been a complete joke at NT since he left. Pittsburgh Steelers All-Undrafted Team: Nose Tackle 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. Of course, it leaves some space right up the middle. 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 type of scheme consists of five players on the defensive line a nose guard, two defensive tackles, and two defensive ends. John, in your opinion, and others on this site, would you put Smerlas, Krumrie or Henry Thomas in the HOF ? 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). I also thought Jamal Williams was excellent for a few years at his peak. + Indicates Hall of Famer. 16. From there Peko is able to frequently split double teams and spearhead the Bengals run defense. He was drafted into the NFL in 2004 by the New England Patriots. Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. It is not easy for the nose tackles to be the best defender, but Culp did it in 1975 after joining the Houston Oilers. But on a serious note I would say wilfork or Hampton, with big Ted slightly behind those guys. Unlike a nose tackle, a defensive ends main responsibility is to control the outside of the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. These savvy veterans and youngsters such as Knighton, Cleveland Browns rookie Phillip Taylor and Arizona Cardinals youth Dan Williams, are collectively ensuring the nose tackle remains very relevant. For the 3-technique, the defensive player is asked to line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. Ted Washington is another. A coach usually elects to have two defensive tackles on the field, although one of those defensive tackles might be a versatile nose tackle. He possessed a freakish combo of power and speed for someone of his size. This list includes some nose tackles who operate in versions of a 4-3 frontthatrely on a powerful presence over the center. [Family Ethnicity & Religion], Bruce Wills And Demi Moores Divorce History & Their Kids. Being five times first-pro and the five-times pro bowler is a rare achievement in the NFL for a nose tackle. The 55 Best Movies and Series on HBO Max (Where You 1968 (Denver Broncos, Round: 2 / Pick: 31), Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions, 1979 (Buffalo Bills, Round: 2 / Pick: 32), Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers, 1991 (San Francisco 49ers, Round: 1 / Pick: 25), San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, 1987 (Minnesota Vikings, Round: 3 / Pick: 72), Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots andDetroit Lions, 1984 (San Francisco 49ers, Round: 5 / Pick: 121), 1977 (Philadelphia Eagles, Round: 7 / Pick: 175), Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, 2004 (New England Patriots, Round: 1 / Pick: 21), 1987 (Detroit Lions, Round: 3 / Pick: 63), Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. 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. Jamal Williams was the monster in the middle. Theyre some of the hardest-working players that are almost always double-teamed, if not triple-teamed, when on the field. pounds, Wilfork was the anchor of the Patriots defensive line for more than a decade making First-team All-Pro once and second-team All-Pro four times and five Pro Bowls in his 13 seasons and earned himself two rings. Defensive techniques serve two major purposes they tell the defenders where they need to line up for that specific play and they tell the defenders what their role is when on the field. While a 3-technique refers to the outside shoulder of the offensive guard, theres also something called the 2i-technique. Bill Wills is one such example, he was undrafted in the 1946 draft! What does it need to be a good nose tackle? In fact, he ended his career with 53 sacks with highs in 9 in 1977, 8 in 1980 and 6 in 1976. 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. Not only is Art Shell at the top of this list, but he was also among the best tackles in NFL history, and there those who believe . Ted Washington always amazed me. The Dolphins defensive anchor is steadily building a reputation as one of the most difficult to handle nose tackles in the game. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. Smears also played and started the most number of matches as a nose tackle. 2022 The News Titan - All Rights Reserved, The 10 Best Nose Tackles of All Time in the NFL, The 10 Best Defensive Ends of All Time in the NFL. At 6-1 330 (350?) Top 5 Canes: DTs - State of The U The NFL's top 11 interior defensive linemen - Touchdown Wire In recent seasons the position has taken on greater significance thanks to the proliferation of 3-4 fronts. From his 121 games, he recorded 121 sacks. Like Bill Wills, Pat Williams was also undrafted in 1997. List of the most famous (American) football nose tackles in the history of the sport, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. Pro Bowl: 4 times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001). Vea had four sacks last season playing out of the nose. There are always 22 football players on the field at once and they all have their own specialized roles. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. Nose tackle is an underappreciated and selfless position in American football. Carter was a dominant nose when motivated. He was a bit of a vagabond playing for seven different teams in his 17 years, with six for the Bills, the most of any of his stops. First-team All-Pro: 5 times (1980, 1981, 82, 83, 88). Well.it's more that it goes through cycles. This list includes the tackle's accomplishments, honors, awards, records, & statistics. An extremely aggressive player, Garay is one of the few 3-4 nose tackles who is at his best when threatening the quarterback. 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. With that said, Im happy to have you on the site and hope I can help you out in achieving your goals! Randle signed with the Vikings and went on to become one of the best defensive tackles of the 1990s and definitely the mouthiest. Take a look at how they stack. The 0-technique is largely specific to the nose tackle but can be played by defensive tackles as well. They try to take up as much space as possible down the middle of the line of scrimmage, which often means taking on the center and one or both of the offensive guards. You simply cant run a 3-4 defensive scheme without one. The Ultimate Guide, What Is the Neutral Zone in Football? Yep, he arrived when those guys were on their way out of town. With Sopoaga over the center, Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis are always kept clean and remain free to chase plays down. The third-year pro has the power, leverage and quickness to threaten the pocket on every play. But the majority of the players on the list operate as the focal point ina base 3-4 defense. Tim Goad is a very good player from start. 4-3 duo Terrence Knighton and Brandon Mebane do not appear on the list due to the same inconsistency. He had great strength, along with skills and techniques. Sione Pouha has quietly emerged as one of the most effective run defenders in the game. Career stats of Henry Thomas: 6. He did that while ascending as one of the greatest nose tackles of all time. Well, first we need to understand the 4-technique. The 34 was very popular in the 70's and 80's. Hopefully, Whitworth and the rest of Los Angeles can have a bounce-back year as they will look to contend in a very competitive NFC West. He was All-Pro once and a Second-team All-Pro once and an All-AFC pick twice and voted to four Pro Bowls. Rowe helped the Raiders to their first Super Bowl trophy (IMO) - I was at that Super Bowl. He made an unusually high number of tackles for players in his position and at times could get some rush. The 0-technique is generally played in the 3-4 defensive scheme, which is why its largely a nose tackle technique. Such is life. With that said, most nose tackles in the league are anywhere from 60 to 63 and weigh anywhere from 300-350 pounds. Willis was a dynamic6-2, 213-pound middle guard for the Cleveland Browns from 1946-53. Still, their role changes as a defensive tackle. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. Obviously, its popularity has recovered quite a bit to now when almost half the league is using one again. The same argument applies to Barry Cofield of the Washington Redskins. 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. Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. The ball was so dominant that the opposition had to make a change in their alignment to bring their best player in the middle to face the pressure Ball created. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. Rogers started his career hot, playing shade most often in a 40 defense, and was playing lots of plays (36.5 run stuffs in his first four seasons) and then went to his "All-Pro-type" years from 2004-08 when he was a Second-team All-Pro once and a three-time Pro Bowler. Ngata, from 2008-14 received post-season honors every season, three of those years he was a First-team All-Pro and the others Second-team or Pro Bowl or All-AFC, showing remarkable consistency. Thomas was great at tackling and arguably the best among all nose tackles. This list below has a variety of items in it, from Casey Hampton to Jim Burt. Bullshitter. 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. Tier 2: Elite 2. Two slots for the Pro Bowl and at times 25 of the teams in the NFL playing a 3-4 defense. Carter was the classic run-stopper at nose, not much of a rusher. NFL, one of the most exciting sports leagues in the world, is the gathering place of all American football legends. Smears was an exceptional talent. The San Francisco 49ers signed him in the 1991 NFL draft, where he was overall 25th. Till 1949, The Browns were playing in the AAFC, and then the team joined the NFL. Ngata played more than the shade (1-tech) for the Ravens, playing mostly over guards and even inside shoulder of a tackle (4i) technique. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL tackles of all time NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best offensive tackles in NFL history. And in that role, he recorded 24 sacks in 1985-86. In this technique, the defensive player must line up over the outside shoulder of the offensive line. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears. Pittsburgh Steelers All-Underrated Team: Nose Tackle And my man Smerlas getting his due love it! Jerry Ball was shaped like his name. as a nose tackle, mostly a backup or part-time player. 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. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. For the most part, the nose tackle is responsible for filling up these two gaps. Bills, in his career, became a total of a three-time pro bowler and a four times all-pro. Sopoaga is a disruptive force over the center. My name is Steven and I love everything sports! He won the super bowl once and was named all-pro once in 2001. There are players that play close to the ball and others that play further away. You have to keep in mind that offensive linemen are big players and that the nose tackle is almost always double-teamed. For many defenses the nose tackle's performance is the most critical element of the scheme. This would make them more responsible for the B-gap (in-between the tackle and guard). Ostensibly a 2-gapper, Raji manages to make a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL tackles of all time - NFL.com Pat Williams was a top nose for a long time, playing 14 seasons and was a starter in his last 10. Likely 1988, too, but it was a crowded field in the 1980s for nose tackles. The Top Five New York Jets Defensive Tackles of All-Time - The Jet Press He played a total of 179 and recorded 68.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. Its where the defender lines up head-to-head with the offensive center. Additionally, that year, he had 14.0 run stuffs(second in NFL behind Jerome Brown's 17.0). Take a look at the best portraits from the 2023 NFL Combine!