All time defensive line

#51
#51
Atkins, Haynesworth, Henderson and White.

Barnett could play linebacker with Wilson and Kiner.

Secondary would consist of Berry, Grant, Priest and Chris White.

That is my all time Tennessee defense.

Thoughts?

Since you're asking for thoughts---just a few.

1. My 4 down DL would be: DT: Henderson, Reggie White....DE: Doug Atkins, Shaun Ellis.
2. My 3 LBs would be: Al Wilson, Leonard Little, Kevin Burnett
3. My DBs would be: CB: Terry McDaniel; Roland James S: Dale Carter; Eric Berry

I think all of the DBs on your list actually played Safety.....I know Berry did play some corner in college, but was drafted as a Safety.

All of my DBs were 1st round draft choices...
 
#52
#52
Roland James was better than all four of your dbs. Terry McDaniel was better than three of them. Bobby Majors and Eddie Brown better than two of them. Chris White not really an all time great. Had one special year with interceptions. That's about it for him.

The ONLY CB from Tennessee that could be mentioned in the same breath with McDaniel and James would be Terry Fair.

Bobby Majors and Eddie Brown were good, but were not even close to Dale Carter or E. Berry.
 
#55
#55
The ONLY CB from Tennessee that could be mentioned in the same breath with McDaniel and James would be Terry Fair.

Bobby Majors and Eddie Brown were good, but were not even close to Dale Carter or E. Berry.
Yes, I did forget about Dale Carter. Better than at least Grant, Priest and White. Maybe equal to Berry. Maybe better. Tough call there. I still have both Majors and Brown over Priest and White.
 
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#56
#56
Lee Otis was as athletic as any defensive lineman we have ever had. I was a shame that his illness took his football future away from him. He was big strong and very fast. He could run down the fastest running backs that played during his day. Another Georgia player who was outstanding. I remember he would show up at some of the Big Orange Club meetings in Atlanta. If he had stayed healthy, he would have been a three time All American.
Lee Otis Burton...no teilling how good he might have been. Sad story.
 
#58
#58
Roland James was better than all four of your dbs. Terry McDaniel was better than three of them. Bobby Majors and Eddie Brown better than two of them. Chris White not really an all time great. Had one special year with interceptions. That's about it for him.
Roland James was a corner. Berry was a safety, but in no one's world would they take James over Berry. Sorry
 
#59
#59
Roland James was a corner. Berry was a safety, but in no one's world would they take James over Berry. Sorry
I would. I watched every single game James played his first three years at UT. Better fundamentally. Much better tackler. But this is the "Big Bang" era of separate the man from the ball with a destructive hit. So I can see why James skills aren't valued these days.
 
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#60
#60
Yes, I did forget about Dale Carter. Better than at least Grant, Priest and White. Maybe equal to Berry. Maybe better. Tough call there. I still have both Majors and Brown over Priest and White.

Carter didn't get all of the INTs that Berry did, but he was most definitely as good as Eric at playing the position.
No less than Marcus Allen called Carter the best athlete that he'd ever seen when they both were at Kansas City.
 
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#62
#62
Oh yeah, and Haynesworth

Not based on college career; not even close. Henderson was an Outland Trophy winner. Haynesworth had 2.5 sacks his entire college career.

Speaking of, Steve Delong gets very little mention but he was the Outland Trophy winner on a losing team. A great player who led the goal line stand at Tiger Stadium in 1964 that kept LSU out of the end zone in a 3-3 tie. To win such a prestigeous award on a losing team is special. He also played about 10 years for the San Diego Chargers.
 
#64
#64
#65
#65
Well, Wrangler, let’s formally and fully introduce him to the younger members of Big Orange Nation: The Legendary Exploits of Doug Atkins: Must Reading for young Vol Fans.

Atkins truly was a larger-than-life figure both at UT and in the NFL. With his swashbuckling style, you might almost call him the "Babe Ruth of Tennessee football."

Every player who ever played against Atkins called him the greatest--and they just hoped to not make him mad in order to survive the game
 
#68
#68
It doesn’t say greatest now. Your approach would be like saying Babe Ruth should not be included in a list of the best ever baseball players.

No. Different sports and different situation.
K-Town is right. The Babe would still be good or great in Baseball today. Because baseball is still about hitting the ball and having excellent hand eye coordination. Babe had the power and form so he wouldn't have needed steroids.

Bob Suffrige was 6'0 205... as an OL

We have walk-on D-line man that would work him now!

Basketball and Football have changed more than any sports from their beginning to current times. Red Grange, Jim Thorpe EVEN JIM BROWN would not be what they were if they played today, even with the benefit of modern training.
 
#70
#70
No. Different sports and different situation.
K-Town is right. The Babe would still be good or great in Baseball today. Because baseball is still about hitting the ball and having excellent hand eye coordination. Babe had the power and form so he wouldn't have needed steroids.

Bob Suffrige was 6'0 205... as an OL

We have walk-on D-line man that would work him now!

Basketball and Football have changed more than any sports from their beginning to current times. Red Grange, Jim Thorpe EVEN JIM BROWN would not be what they were if they played today, even with the benefit of modern training.
Jim Brown would still punish people if he played today. It was his mentality. He never went out of bounds willingly. He was not afraid of getting hit, and he wasn't afraid to deliver a hit. He would still be great if he played today.
 
#71
#71
Anyone putting Haynesworth on the list, based on his college career, obviously didn’t pay attention to his performance here. Many of the DL have had better college careers at Tennessee than Haynesworth. Now, he did have 2 dominating years in the NFL but even then, if he wasn’t paid, he wasn’t motivated.
 
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#72
#72
We may have produced more great defensive linemen than any other position throughout the years. It's hard to pick four, but who would make up your line. I've got Atkins and Barnett at end and White and Henderson at tackle.
White Henderson Haynesworth Barnett. Done!

2nd team...

Leonard Little, Dan William's, Jesse Mahelona, Doug Atkins
 
#73
#73
No. Different sports and different situation.
K-Town is right. The Babe would still be good or great in Baseball today. Because baseball is still about hitting the ball and having excellent hand eye coordination. Babe had the power and form so he wouldn't have needed steroids.

Bob Suffrige was 6'0 205... as an OL

We have walk-on D-line man that would work him now!

Basketball and Football have changed more than any sports from their beginning to current times. Red Grange, Jim Thorpe EVEN JIM BROWN would not be what they were if they played today, even with the benefit of modern training.

Doug Atkins was 6-8, and had a mean streak. I think he would do fine in todays game at the same position.
 

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