Considering that Todd Christensen was drafted as a Running Back, it is impressive that he developed into one of the most successful Tight Ends of the 1980s. 

The transition to Tight End was not a quick one, and it was not until his fifth year in the NFL that Christensen was productive.  He would then embark on a five-year stretch that would see him set (then) records for receptions for the position.  The Raider would twice lead the league in receptions, which is still unheard of for a Tight End.  The five-time Pro Bowler may not have been the Raiders’ most explosive weapon, but he was their most consistent.

It could be imagined how many totals Todd Christensen could have put up had he learned the Tight End position earlier in his career.  Regardless, with two Super Bowl Rings and his early 80’s exploits, he has a legacy in Raiderland that few can match.

In the upstart American Football League, the San Diego Chargers possessed one of the most dominating Offensive Lines in football.  A big part of that was Walt Sweeney, who patrolled the Right Guard position.

Sweeney was an immediate factor as a pro.  In his sophomore year, Sweeney was an AFL All-Star, and he remained either that or in the Pro Bowl post-merger for the next eight years.  He was paired on the right side by future Hall of Famer Ron Mix, and the two created an unbeatable combination on the right side of the O-Line. 

Mix got inducted in 1979, but Sweeney has yet to receive a look, despite even the great Merlin Olsen testifying to his greatness.  It is possible that many have thought that Sweeney’s play was aided by having Mix to his right, but as any former teammate of Walt Sweeney would attest, he was a legitimate star in his own right.  Ask Merlin Olsen.

It may seem like a lifetime ago, but when Hall of Fame Quarterback Len Dawson was looking for a serious threat, it was Otis Taylor who was the target.  In fact, it was Taylor who caught half of the passes for the Kansas City Chiefs in their Super Bowl IV victory.

From Prairie View A&M, Taylor was a star in the AFL and a major reason the Chiefs were so good.  He was their top receiver and rewarded them with a 1,297-yard season in 1966.  He was still productive after the NFL/AFL merger and led the league in receiving yards with 1,110 in 1971. 

Unfortunately, for Otis Taylor and other great Wide Receivers of his generation, today’s wideouts put up much higher numbers in the open NFL, which makes Taylor’s numbers seem average (7,306 with 57 TDs).  As Len Dawson will tell you, Otis Taylor was anything but average.

Although Quarterback sacks have always happened in football, the NFL didn't officially track them until 1982.  The first labeled “sackmaster” of American football would have to be the flamboyant and somewhat controversial Mark Gastineau, who terrorized Quarterbacks; and not because he had sex with Brigitte Nielsen.

Mark Gastineau seemed built to terrorize gunslingers.  It was what he was best at, and it could be assured that if the Jets were on the schedule, the opposing QB would have a sleepless night before the game.  Gastineau twice led the league in the new official statistic and set a season record that Michael Strahan wouldn't break until 2001.  As the sack became in vogue, Gastineau became synonymous with it, especially as he developed his “sack dance”.

For a four-year period, it was hard to argue that Mark Gastineau was not among the top three pass rushers in the NFL.  Some have accused him of being too one-dimensional, and while he did rub some people the wrong way, he faces a long climb if he ever wants to see himself in Canton, though Joe Klecko's induction does help.