One of the main roles of an Offensive Lineman is to create holes for Running Backs.  The Cleveland Browns of the 1960s had some of the best runners, and Dick Schafrath was a big reason they had so much opportunity to run. 

Stepping in from Ohio State, Dick Schafrath maintained the high level coaches expected at that position.  He protected the weak side brilliantly but used his powerful, albeit undersized frame to create holes for Cleveland backs.  In fact, on eight occasions, Cleveland Browns’ Running Backs won the rushing title with Schafrath anchoring the left side.

As a four-time First Team All-Pro, it is a little curious that he hasn’t received a look from the Hall, but with the great post-football life that he led, he doesn’t need the accolade to make his existence complete.

It is alleged that Roger Brown was the first legitimate 300-pounder in the National Football League.  Today, this is commonplace, but Brown proved that a much larger man could be very athletic.  It is also amazing that someone so big could be forgotten so quickly.

Brown was good, but he played alongside other greats of the sport.  As a Detroit Lion, he played with Alex Karras, who got all the headlines.  Later he would become a Los Angeles Ram and would be the fourth cog of the Ram’s Fearsome Foursome defense behind the big names of Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen.  Roger Brown may not have turned his name into a household one, but his size and skill made him one of the most feared Defensive Lineman in the league, and his Pro Bowls were earned and not by riding the coattails of his more famous teammates.

What would Roger Brown’s legacy be if he was the featured defensive star of his team?  He was good enough to have been, but circumstances blessed him to play with the greats but cursed him to be in their shadows.

We would love to make a case for Karl Mecklenburg just for his nickname of the “Albino Rhino,” but we have always been a sucker for colorful (or in this case, not so colorful) nicknames.

For years, there was no argument that Karl Mecklenburg led the Denver Broncos defense.  He was a major factor in multiple playoff appearances, and he earned several individual accolades.  Unfortunately for Mecklenburg, he wasn't on the Broncos squad that finally pushed through to a pair of Super Bowl wins in the late 90s. 

The Denver Broncos seem to have little Hall representation from their early days.  Mecklenberg is honored in Denver in the Ring of Fame, but the Rhino is unlikely to be the next Bronco enshrined.

Chuck Foreman was called the “Spin Doctor”, but it was not due to his ability to spin his words.  It was because he could effortlessly spin his body around would-be tacklers, making it look like ballet.

When people think of the Minnesota Vikings of the 1970s, they recall the Purple People Eaters and Fran Tarkenton's scrambling.  They should also remember the offensive exploits of Chuck Foreman, who twice led the National Football League in Touchdowns.  He may have been a Running Back, but he was often used for his receiving skills and was the league leader in that category in 1975.  Watching Foreman run with the ball was like watching a rhinoceros.  While he could spin away from defenders, he often tried to overpower them, though that style also led to multiple fumbles (52 in 109 Games)

The career numbers of Chuck Foreman may not seem like a lot now (9,106 YFS/76 TD), but they were quite good for the era he played in.  He did make the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor, but reaching the NFL version of that accolade may continue to prove difficult.