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Pass rushing
Written by Duane Long   
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 12:51

I was watching an NFL Network show on top 10 pass rushers and put something together. It has some interesting findings. It has a very interesting conclusion and confirms another disturbing fact.

Here is the NFL Network top 10 pass rushers of all-time. I think their list is hard to argue with. I would change the order a bit but the players they pick all deserve to be on the list:

1. Deacon Jones - L
2. Reggie White - L
3. Lawrence Taylor - R
4. Bruce Smith - L
5. Gino Marchetti - L
6. Kevin Greene - L
7. Michael Strahan - L
 8. Mark Gastineau - L
9. Doug Atkins - R
10. Derrick Thomas - R

The L or R beside each players name shows which side of the line of scrimmage they lined up on. I am sure you are as surprised as I was to see that seven of the ten lined up on the left side, or strong side. We think about pass rushers as lining up on the weak side, or right side. Two of the three right sided players were linebacker, not defensive linemen.

This is the one I don't like:

RK    PLAYER            SACKS
1      Bruce Smith               200 (Virginia)
2      Reggie White            198  (Tennessee)
3      Kevin Greene            160
4      Chris Doleman           150  (Indiana)
5      Michael Strahan         141  (Texas)
6      John Randle               137  (Texas)
Richard Dent              137  (Georgia)
8      Lawrence Taylor        132  (North Carolina)
Leslie O'Neal             132  (Arkansas)
10    Rickey Jackson          128  (Florida)
11    Derrick Thomas         126  (Florida)
12    JASON TAYLOR      125  (Pennsylvania)
13    Simeon Rice               122  (Illinois)
14    Clyde Simmons          121   (S.Carolina)
15    Sean Jones                 113  (Jamaica)
16    Greg Townsend          109  (California)
17    Pat Swilling                 107  (Georgia)
18    Trace Armstrong         106  (Maryland)
19    KEVIN CARTER      104   (Florida)
Neil Smith                   104   (Louisiana)

This is the all-time top 20 sacks list. Players in bold are still active. We talk about the great defensive line prospects coming out of the south. I knew this list would have a majority of the players coming from the south, but 14 of 20??? There is an argument for 15 or even 16 as Kevin Greene was an army brat who spent a good chunk of his life in Alabama, despite being born in New York, and attended Auburn. Sean Jones is not from the United States but I would say Jamaica is south.

This drives home the importance of the recent upswing in "southern type" defensive ends in Ohio. It started with Lawrence Wilson in the 2005 class. Robert Rose was Rivals national number one strong side DE in the 2006 class. We saw Ben Martin and Sol Thomas in the 2007 class. In 2008 Nate Williams was the nations number five weak side defensive end. Last year it was Melvin Fellows. This year Jamel Turner. We have two sure national top ten kids in the 2011 class in Kenny Hayes and Steve Miller.

Having them here is where it starts but it doesn't count for a hill of beans if the staff can't keep them here. That list of elite defense ends wear or will wear scarlet and gray with the exception of Ben Martin. That is a top drawer job of recruiting one of the key positions in the sport of football. I think there is an argument for being the most important position outside of quarterback.


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Comments (8)Add Comment
...
written by RipsManifesto, November 18, 2009
With the exception of Ben Martin you mean.
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written by Duane Long, November 18, 2009
I fixed it.
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written by RipsManifesto, November 18, 2009
That's a crazy list though. Makes me excited to see where these guys could end up after their careers at OSU comes to a close.
Baldwin and Moore
written by pula, November 18, 2009
Why do you think the staff offered Moore and Baldwin so early? They are not exactly garnering high praise for their senior seasons. I think the staff could have taken a wait and see approach. I didn't understand why the staff did not go after Williams Gholston from the start. All he has done is produce.

With the players the amount of talent we have recruited and with a strong DL class in 2011 and 2012, I am shocked we didn't wait. I know that Baldwin has all the tools, but I don't see either guy getting onto the field. The staff really missed a lot of opportunities early in the recruiting process.
Jason Taylor
written by Chris in SoCal, November 19, 2009
Duane,
Jason Taylor went to the University of Akron not Pennsylvania.
...
written by Duane Long, November 19, 2009
Jason Taylor
written by Chris in SoCal, November 19, 2009
Duane,
Jason Taylor went to the University of Akron not Pennsylvania.



I know. He is from Pittsburgh. Where they were born is more a determining factor than where they played their college ball. School is more a choice even though only a couple left their region to play their college ball. School is more a choice even though only a couple left their region to play their college ball.
...
written by Duane Long, November 19, 2009
Baldwin and Moore
written by pula, November 18, 2009
Why do you think the staff offered Moore and Baldwin so early? They are not exactly garnering high praise for their senior seasons. I think the staff could have taken a wait and see approach. I didn't understand why the staff did not go after Williams Gholston from the start. All he has done is produce.

With the players the amount of talent we have recruited and with a strong DL class in 2011 and 2012, I am shocked we didn't wait. I know that Baldwin has all the tools, but I don't see either guy getting onto the field. The staff really missed a lot of opportunities early in the recruiting process.


Baldwin has the kind of body that will draw a lot of attention and he showed well as an athlete. You get in on those early. Moore may be the most underrated player in the class. High school coaches who have played against him give him a five-star rating. A friend recently saw him play and came away impressed. We need strong side DEs. I initially thought DT but I am not sure about that anymore. I say possibly but unlikely. He has not gotten as big as I thought he would when I first saw him as a sophmore. He still could blow up but we favor that odd-man front which counts on having big strong side ends. He is a 280 lb kid in two years. Whether that is as big as he gets will tell us where he ends up by the time he is a senior.

I don't know if the staff would have made an offer to Baldwin if they had waited. He is still a work in progress. Whether they would have or not is something only they can answer. I imagine behind closed doors they would admit they wished he was further along. Moore is another story. The answer to the question, "would you have liked to wait on Moores senior film to offer?", would be a quick and resounding no.
...
written by pula, November 19, 2009
Thank you for your response Duane. I respect your opinion. Where you surprised that the staff did not pursue William Gholston more aggressively? I think Baldwin may be able to play DT. He certainly has the prototypical frame, but everyone seems to question his mentality. That worries me. As we've seen with Mike Adams, you have to have the right mentality to play the position. He has had injuries, but if you watch him and Marcus Hall who has not had as much experience, it is clear that your mentality maters.

I hope that both Moore and Baldwin make there marks as Buckeyes, but I think it will be tough at DE with all the talent coming in. The Bucks will be loaded if they can land Chris Rock to go with Steve Miller and Kenny Hayes. The 2012 class might even be better. I am feeling real good about the position. I would love it if Moore and Baldwin find success at DT. Similar to the OL, I just don't think the numbers have been there in recent years.

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