The Talk of Fame Network has been picking all-time NFL teams for the colleges that have sent the most players to the NFL. Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and other football talent factories. It's been a long time since Cal was a factor on the national football scene. I don't think that the Talk of Fame Network is going to visit Berkeley any time soon. So, here's a Flea Flicker look at an All-Time Cal NFL Team.
Offense
QB - Aaron Rodgers
RB - Marshawn Lynch
RB - Chuck Muncie
WR - DeSean Jackson
WR - Wesley Walker
TE - Tony Gonzalez
T - Tarik Glenn
T - Mitchell Schwartz
G - Ed White
G - Harvey Salem
C- Alex Mack
Defense
DE - Andre Carter
DE - Sherman White
DT - Brandon Mebane
DT- Chidi Ahanotu
LB - Ken Harvey
LB - Les Richter
LB - Hardy Nickerson
CB - Nnambi Asomugha
CB - Deltha O'Neal
S - Herm Edwards
S - Thomas DeCoud
Special Teams
K - Ryan Longwell
P - Bryan Anger
Ret - DeSean Jackson
For a team with the sort of college football footprint that Cal has they have sent a solid number of players to the NFL. A few of those players have found NFL success. Linebacker Les Richter is the only Cal player that has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tony Gonzalez should join him in a few years. Aaron Rodgers will be inducted five years after he retires. A Hall of Fame argument can, and will, be made for Marshawn Lynch. Especially if his return to the league amounts to something.
Cal has supplied the NFL with some nice offensive talent over the years. Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Joe Kapp, Craig Morton, and Vince Feragamo have led their teams to Super Bowls. Only Rodgers has won a title. Steve Bartkowski did lead his team to a Super Bowl but his passing career is probably second to that of Rodgers of the Cal's NFL quarterbacks. Joe Roth might have been the best of them all but he sadly never got the chance. As for running backs, Cal has sent a bunch to the NFL in recent years. Lynch and Muncie have had the most productive NFL careers but it was still tough to leave Johnny Olszewski off of this team. If current San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen can stay healthy he should make this team in a couple of years. Linemen that just missed the cut include Bob Reinhard, Ted Albrecht, and Todd Steussie.
Linebacker might be Cal's top position when it comes to supplying the NFL with talent. Richter is honored in Canton. Ken Harvey and Hardy Nickerson were offense-wrecking teammates at Cal and Pro Bowl regulars in the 1990s. Harvey was a pass rushing force and Nickerson was a team leader on an outstanding Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. Gary Plummer and Matt Hazeltine were tough to cut from this team. If linebacker is a Cal strength, safety isn't. Selecting a complete defensive backfield was a struggle. Actually, I couldn't complete it. Cornerback wasn't a problem. Nnambi Asomugha and Deltha O'Neal had solid, sometimes great, NFL careers. Herm Edwards could've/should've been one of the corners but I moved him to safety to make a complete team. He could handle the move. Thomas DeCoud had some nice moments (a Pro Bowl nod in 2012) but had a mostly modest seven-year NFL career.
When I think about the players that Cal has sent to the NFL it's a bit surprising that they haven't had more football success. They've had some terrific players. I guess that they haven't had enough of them at any one time. One of their best teams in my lifetime wasn't littered with NFL talent. In 1991 Cal thrashed Clemson in the Citrus Bowl, finished the season 10-2, and was ranked #8 in the final AP poll. Only linemen Troy Auzenne and Todd Steussie, receiver Sean Dawkins, and defensive tackle Chidi Ahanatou had much more than a few cups of coffee in the NFL. But that 1991 Cal football season sure was a fun one. Their game against #1 Washington is the best college game I've ever attended.
Go Bears!
No comments:
Post a Comment