Undrafted out of Southern in 1966, Rich Jackson was given a chance by the Oakland Raiders, where he played only five games. Al Davis would trade Jackson to the Denver Broncos, but immediately it was a transaction that the Raiders owner would regret.
Did we make a mistake not ranking Drew Bledsoe in his first year of eligibility? Statistically speaking we may have as his career statistics are more impressive than other Quarterbacks ranked higher than him. However other intangibles come into play which just makes it so hard for us to determine the perfect place for him on this list.
With an (unofficial) total of 96.5 Quarterback Sacks, Jim Katcavage would play his entire pro career with the New York Giants after a nice career at the University of Dayton.
Nate Newton was so big, that he was called the “Kitchen," in reference to that he was a more massive player than William "The Refrigerator" Perry. Newton went undrafted from Florida A&M but found a home in the USFL, where he played two years with the Tampa Bay Bandits and would be named to the All-USFL Team.
Used as both a Linebacker and a Guard, Bill Forester arguably was at his best on the defensive side of the gridiron. A 3rd Round Pick from SMU in 1953, Forester played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers, where he went from the outhouse to the penthouse. Green Bay was in a down period in the '50s but…
From the town of Grambling, Louisiana, and of course, playing at Grambling State, Paul “Tank” Younger was not chosen in the 1949 Draft, but he did not have to wait long to find a home as the Los Angeles Rams would sign him.
Although he became known for the sexual assault case in 2014 (which alleged that he was a serial rapist), Darren Sharper was known mostly on the gridiron for his defensive skills and for leading the National Football League in Interception Return Yards three times.
David DeCastro, an All-American at Stanford, was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as their First Round (24th Overall) Pick in the 2012 Draft. Unfortunately, he was only able to play four games as a rookie due to an injury, but he has been relatively healthy since then. He played at Right Guard until the end of the 2020 Season. In…
Undrafted in 1999 out of North Texas, Brian Waters defied the odds to become a successful Offensive Guard in the National Football League, most notably with the Kansas City Chiefs where he was named to five Pro Bowls (plus one more with New England) and made two First Team All Pros. The 2009 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner…
Buford "Baby" Ray played his college ball at Vanderbilt, and while he was not drafted in by any team in the NFL in 1938, he signed with the Green Bay Packers. He would play his entire career in Wisconsin, which spanned 11 seasons. Ray played Predominantly at Left Tackle, where he assisted the team in winning the 1938 and 1944…
While the story of the Dallas Cowboys never started for many fans until the early '70s, there was undoubtedly some star power in the 1960s. One such performer was Don Perkins, their Fullback from the University of New Mexico.
Doug Wilkerson was all set to play college ball at Michigan State but an incident with another student in his senior year of high school led to its revocation. It did not impact his path to the professional ranks, as even though he went to the small HBCU school of North Carolina Central, but shone so bright that he was…
The San Diego Chargers took Ohio State Buckeye Offensive Lineman, Jim Lachey, 12th Overall in 1985, and he would be plugged in immediately as the Bolts’ starting Left Tackle.
Corey Dillon was an All-Rookie (1997) after the Cincinnati Bengals took him in the Second Round from the University of Washington. The Running Back was a workhorse from the start, going for 1,129 Yards and 10 Touchdowns. Dillon's 1,129 was the lowest Rushing total he had until 2003, and in his rookie seasons and each year from 1999 to 2002, he…
We can't say enough about the AFL's Buffalo Bill defense of the 1960s, a unit that doesn't get the due that it should. This is a team that would win the 1964 and 1965 AFL Title, but most people remember the four straight failures in the Super Bowl in the early 90s. We remember.
Steven Jackson is the all-time leading rusher for the Rams, passing no less than Eric Dickerson to do it. A model of consistency, Jackson would record eight consecutive seasons where he rushed for over 1,000 Yards, four of which saw him finish in the top ten overall, including a second place finish in 2009.
Try to say Bob Hoernschemeyer’s name three times fast? Yes, we know that the first line isn’t relevant here, but what is pertinent is that Hoernschemeyer was an End in the late 40s and early 50's terms in every sense of the word. Beginning his professional career with the Chicago Rockets of the AAFC, Hoernschemeyer would do well in rushing…
Undrafted out of Louisville, Frank Minnifield quickly found a home in the USFL, where he played for the Chicago Blitz and the Arizona Wranglers briefly before he sued his way out of the league to play for the Cleveland Browns.
Gary Anderson made a lot of history as a Place Kicker, the first of which was becoming the first South African to play a game in the NFL. Anderson would not just play a game or two, as he would play 353, which as of this writing, places him second all-time.