One of the most respected men in Professional Football, the excellent blocker and cerebral Matt Birk earned six Pro Bowl selections, the Ed Block Courage Award in 2006, and the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2011. The year after receiving that award at the Super Bowl, he won the brass ring in his final season with the Baltimore Ravens, thus going out as a champion.

One of the most prolific tacklers in the history of the Atlanta Falcons, Keith Brooking, was drafted from Georgia Tech 12^th overall in 1998.  While he was not an immediate starter, he found a home in Atlanta’s Nickel Defense and was a part of their run to Super Bowl XXXIII.  

After becoming a regular starter, Brooking had few equals as a run stuffer, and he had a nine-season run in which he averaged over 100 combined tackles; in 2003, he led the National Football League in Solo Tackles with 123.  Brooking was named to five straight Pro Bowls (2001-05), and as of this writing, is in the top 25 all-time in Solo Tackles and Combined Tackles.

Undrafted and out of Football, the Indianapolis Colts gave Jeff Saturday a chance to make their roster. Saturday did and would become the leader of the Offensive Line that protected the great Peyton Manning for a decade. He would make six Pro Bowls and earn two First Team All-Pro selections and was the 2007 NFL Alumni Offensive Lineman of the Year. Most importantly for Jeff Saturday, he was the starting Center on the Super Bowl XLI Champion Indianapolis Colts.  Saturday's protection and cerebral leadership exceeded his physical skills and placed him in this fringe Hall of Fame position.

James Farrior was drafted 8^th Overall by the New York Jets in 1997, and he did well for New York in the five years he played there, though some argue he didn't live up to the Jets’ hopes when they drafted him so high.  He did, however, show some of that promise in his last year in New York, where he had 143 Tackles.

The linebacker signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2002 and moved to his more natural position at interior Linebacker.  Not only did he keep up his substantial tackling numbers from his last Jets season, but he accrued more Quarterback Sacks than he had before.  Farrior helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls (XL & XLIII), and he made two Pro Bowls (2004 & 2008).   He retired with a very strong 1,412 Tackles (Combined) over his career.