SEC Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Time Team

Earlier this week, I picked All-Time Teams made up of Pro Football Hall of Famers from the PAC-12 and Big-10. Here’s an All-Time Team of Pro Football Hall of Famers from teams of the SEC. 

Offense

Quarterback

Peyton Manning, Tennessee

Running Backs

Emmitt Smith, Florida

Charley Trippi, Georgia

Receivers

Don Hutson, Alabama

Lance Alworth, Arkansas

Tight End

Ozzie Newsome, Alabama

Tackles

Frank “Bruiser” Kinard, Mississippi

Gene Hickerson, Mississippi

Guards

John Hannah, Alabama

Alan Faneca, LSU

Center 

Dwight Stephenson, Alabama

Defense

Defensive Line

Reggie White, Tennessee

Frank “Bruiser” Kinard, Mississippi

Dan Hampton, Arkansas

Jack Youngblood, Florida

Linebackers

Derrick Thomas, Alabama

Frank Gatski, Auburn

Kevin Greene, Auburn

Cornerbacks

Champ Bailey, Georgia

Yale Larry, Texas A&M

Safeties

Johnny Robinson, LSU

Steve Atwater, Arkansas

***

Unlike the PAC-12 and Big 10, it was a struggle to complete this team. Some liberties were taken. Yale Lary was a versatile defensive back. He spent the vast majority of his career at safety, not the cornerback position that I have him playing. Frank Gatski is honored in Canton for his play at center. He played a little linebacker. I have him on defense. Bruiser Kinard has offense-defense responsibilities on this team. Gene Hickerson played guard for the Cleveland Browns. He played tackle at Mississippi. He plays tackle here. Then there’s a handful of players that played for colleges that are now in the SEC but weren’t when they were on campus. Some liberties were taken to complete this All-Time Team of Hall of Famers from the SEC. Maybe this will be an easy exercise in twenty years. It isn’t an easy exercise now. The SEC doesn’t have a large enough selection of Hall of Famers.

Lance Alworth (Arkansas), Dan Hampton (Arkansas), Steve Atwater (Arkansas), and Yale Lary (Texas A&M) never played in the SEC. Arkansas and Texas A&M joined the conference long after those players played at their respective colleges.

Filling several of the positions was a challenge due to a lack of candidates. Quarterback and center were difficult for the surplus of candidates. 

Center:

Dwight Stephenson, Alabama

Dermotti Dawson, Kentucky

Frank Gatski, Auburn

Kevin Mawae, LSU

Quarterback:

Peyton Manning, Tennessee

Fran Tarkenton, Georgia

Y.A. Tittle, LSU

Bart Starr, Alabama

Joe Namath, Alabama

Ken Stabler, Alabama

That’s a nice run of passers for the Tide. 

I really like the defensive end duo of Reggie White and Jack Youngblood. The guards are nice too.