Aqib Talib was the 20^th Overall Pick in 2008, but the former Kansas Jayhawk struggled early to live up to expectations.  Winning the starting job at Left Cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his sophomore year, Talib did well, but it was not until 2012, when he was traded to the New England Patriots, that his star began to rise.

Talib was a Second Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl Selection in 2013, his lone full season in New England, but he did not stay there, signing with the Denver Broncos as a Free Agent in 2014.  His success continued: he was a Pro Bowler in all four years in Denver, earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2016, and helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50.

The Cornerback would finish his career with the Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins and retired with 35 career Interceptions.

Nolan Cromwell played his entire career with the Los Angeles Rams (1977-87), and after winning the starting free safety job in 1979, he became one of the top Defensive Backs in the early 1980s, where his ability to anticipate routes had few equals.

From 1980 to 1983, Cromwell went to the Pro Bowl, and he earned First Team All-Pro honors in the first three of those years.  Notably, in his fourth Pro Bowl (1983), he earned that accolade as a strong safety rather than his previous position at free safety. Overall, he recorded 37 Interceptions over his career and was often used on special teams as one of the most reliable holders in history.

After his playing career ended, Cromwell became a successful coach, most notably winning a Super Bowl XXXI Ring as the Wide Receivers Coach for the Green Bay Packers.

A lot of people talk about “Playstation” numbers, whereby offensive stars put up offensive numbers that don’t seem realistic.  John Hadl put up those types of numbers when Quarterbacks generally played more conservatively, decades before the Madden craze took over.

On three separate occasions, John Hadl eclipsed 3,000 yards passing.  This is expected of many Quarterbacks now, but it was very impressive considering the era he played in.  He was one of the game's early gunslingers and, as such, posted very impressive touchdown pass numbers.  That led to a lot of interceptions, and he finished his career with more picks than TD passes. 

Regardless of those IT numbers, Hadl was an exciting Quarterback and different from anyone else in his era.  It would be interesting to see how he’d be used in today’s game.