Very longtime NFL scout, so longtime that he damn-near invented scouting, Gil Brandt recently treated his twitter followers with his list of best defensive linemen in NFL history. It's an interesting look from a man that's seen a lot of football.
Brandt's Best Defensive Ends
1. Reggie White
2. Deacon Jones
3. Bruce Smith
4. J.J. Watt
5. LeRoy Selmon
6. Doug Atkins
7. Gino Marchetti
8. Carl Eller
9. Chris Doleman
10. Michael Strahan
11. Jason Taylor
12. Harvey Martin
13. Willie Davis
14. Ed "Too Tall" Jones
15. Claude Humphrey
16. Dan Hampton
17. Howie Long
18. Fred Dean
19. Julius Peppers
20. Richard Dent
There aren't too many surprises here. Assuming that J.J. Watt and Julius Peppers are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame about five years after they retire 19 of the above are honored in Canton. "Too Tall" Jones is the lone Canton outcast. It's safe to say that Brandt sees that as a mistake. All that I can say about that is that as a young fan of the Minnesota Vikings I hated seeing Jones and Harvey Martin on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
Brandt's Best Defensive Tackles
1. Joe Greene
2. Bob Lilly
3. Arnie Weinmeister
4. Merlin Olsen
5. Randy White
6. Buck Buchanan
7. Curley Culp
8. Jerome Brown
9. John Randle
10. Cortez Kennedy
11. Alan Page
12. Joe Klecko
13. William Perry
14, Warren Sapp
15. Henry Jordan
16. Aaron Donald
17. Art Donovan
18. Ray Childress
19. Ernie Stautner
20. Alex Karras
There are some surprises here. First of all, Brandt is out of his mind with Alan Page way down at #11. It must be that Vikings-Cowboys rivalry of the 1970's that's forced such poor judgement. On more serious matters, it's sad as much as it's great to see Brandt's appreciation of Jerome Brown. Brown's career and, much more importantly, his life were far too short. Aaron Donald has made quite an impression in only three seasons. How far up this list might he climb? Jerome Brown, Joe Klecko, Aaron Donald, Ray Childress, and Alex Karras are the non-Hall of Famers on the list. If he continues to progress as he has, Donald will get there. Klecko and Karras should already be there. Along with Lavvie Dilweg, Al Wistert, Mac Speedie, and Jerry Kramer, Karras has long been on my personal short list of the Hall's most glaring omissions. I will have to revisit Childress' career. I've always thought of him as a very good player but if Brandt thought enough of him to place him between Art Donovan and Ernie Stautner I need to take another look.
It sounds like Gil Brandt will be doing this for the other positions. I look forward to that.
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