Sunday, April 3, 2011
All-Time Alumni Position Group Rankings: Offensive Line
Following up John's cornerback all-time rankings will be tough so I decided to go with my bread and butter, the O-Line. This decision was more of a calling than a calculated blogging decision. I knew I needed to write the O-Line column when I woke up and spent 20 minutes trying to think of the second guard to go along with John Moffitt for Wisconsin's team (I went with a third tackle).
1. USC
Anthony Munoz (T), Tony Boselli (T), Bruce Matthews (C), Ed Budde (G), and Brad Budde (G).
Even Pete Carroll couldn't mess up with this group.
A west coast team being the number one O-line of all time really messes with my head but it is hard to refute the facts. At the bookends you have Munoz who is a top 5 LT of all time and Boselli who was a #1 pick and was elite for the Jaguars before injuries derailed his careers. Bruce Matthews is the GOAT at the interior O-line. Asking yourself who the Budde's are???? Well let me tell you, these two players truly have achieved the greatest thing ever. Brad (son) and Ed (father) are the only father and son in NFL history to be drafted in the first round, to the same team and play the same position. Oh yeah, they also were both all-pros and Brad is part of the all-century college team.
2. Alabama
Andre Smith (T), Chris Samuels (T), John Hannah (G), Lee Roy Jordan (G), Sylvester Croom (C)
John Hannah makes me shiver with fear.
This group makes up what they don't have in regards to talent with pure, unadulterated meanness. You start with the right side: Andre Smith and John Hannah. I wouldn't hope that my worst enemy had to go up against those two murderers. Over on the left side you have the "finesse" players. Chris Samuels is a boarder line HOF player and first round pick and Lee Roy Jordan serves two purposes. One, I would feel dirty if I didn't have someone named Lee Roy on my all time Bama O-line. Two, he is a top 10 SEC player of all time. Rounding out this group is Sylvester Croom who was the first black coach in SEC history....no big deal.3. Michigan
Jake Long (T) , John Runyan (T), Steve Hutchinson (G), Dan Dierdorf (G), Gerald Ford (C)
Gerald Ford Underachieved as a Senior.
I am sure some Big 10 folks just threw up in their mouths a bit, but the reality is that the first corn fed group to come off the board is at number 3. Sorry. Although this group is lower than expected it certainly is not a group of slouches. Jake Long and John Runyan bring an extra edge to any O-Line, especially when they play against southern teams. Hutchinson is a perennial pro-bowler and Dierdorf was a Outland winner. Although Ford underachieved during his senior year, he was the captain of two national title teams. He was also President. The fact that Jumbo Elliot, Jeff Backus, and John Jensen didn't make the starting group is telling.4. Nebraska
Bob Brown (T), Dean Steinkuhler (T), Will Shields (G), Aaron Taylor (G), and Dave Rimington (C)
Nebraska O-Lineman are Faceless and Awesome.
This group probably should be higher but I have only seen one of them play in my life. At the Tackles, both Brown and Steinkuhler are part of the college FB all-century team and were Outland trophy winners. Brown is part of both the NFL and College HOF's. Steinkuhler picked up Turner Gil's fumblerooski and ran it for a TD against the "U". At Guard, Taylor was the lead blocker for Tommy Frazier, part of the all century team, and the Outland trophy winner. Shields was a perennial NFL pro bowler, part of the all-century team, and was an Outland trophy winner. Rimington has the college award for best center named after him. All five players in this unit were on the all-century team and won the Outland trophy. No biggy.
Honorable Mention:
Wisconsin: Mike Webster, Joe Thomas, Gabe Carimi, Chris Mcintosh, John Moffitt, Aaron Gibson.
Boston College: Dan Koppen, Gosdner Cherilus, Anthony Costanzo, Jeremy Trueblood, Mark Columbo, and Tom Nalen.
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2 comments:
I feel like I have lived my whole life based on a lie. A Pac-10 team has the best O-Line ever? I'm going to go shower with bleach.
Too bad LSU doesn't have Tackles because they Alan Faneca at Guard and Kevin Mawae at Center.
Psst John Hendrie, those USC guys were All-Americans and annual pro bowlers.
But please, let emotion run your logic.
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