Can’t believe I forgot terry wooden and Burnett. Editing now.I’m biased from the early 80s on
dbacks - Kevin Abrams, Tebucky Jones, Donavon Darius, Markus Paul, will Allen
lb- Dan Conley, Keith Bullock, Kevin Mitchell, Terry Wooden, Jamie Kimmel
dline-, Tim Green, Ted Gregory, Rob Burnett, Arthur Jones
DE- Rob Burnett, Chandler Jones, Dwight Freeny
I give up I can’t narrow it down enough. Tim Greene is listed a a linebacker also, did he ever play that position even in the pros? I tried looking down a list of players drafted in the NFL and some of the positions seemed off, maybe That’s what they were drafted as, because Tim Greene was always a down lineman to me, even in Atlanta. Anyway, this really isn’t that hard since at this level all these guys stood out.
Tanard Jackson and Duke are underrated and I like the Gachelin call. I had Bromley above him but I can see that. Too young to remember ehrmann, Collins, ridlon, brown or Myers.I will do mine based on their production in college. Not what happened later in the pros.
DE
Dwight Freeney
Was the best college football player in the country his senior season
Duke Pettijohn
A little undersized, a converted LB who is 3rd all time in sacks at Syracuse
HM Rob Burnett, Jaime Kimmel, Alton Robinson, Duffy Rooks, Paul Frase
NT
Ted Gregory
He was an awesome college player, very close to Tim Green great
Art Jones
Could dominate games at times, not quite as consistent as Ted
HM: Kevin Mitchell
DT
Tim Green
45.5 sacks playing exclusively at DT. How many players in college football history have more from that position?
Louis Gachelin
Another guy who could shut down the run but also put heavy pressure on the QB
Joe Ehrmann
Can't leave him off the team
HM: Jay Bromley, Antonio Anderson, Blaise Winter, Mike Charles
OLB
Terry Wooden
Morlon Greenwood
Glen Young
Marquis Spruill
HM Craig Bingham
MLB
Jim Collins
Dan Conley
HM Keith Bulluck, Clifton Smith, Dave Bavaro, Zaire Franklin, Antwaune Ponds
SS
Tommy Myers
Donovin Darius
HM Shamarko Thomas, Tebucky Jones
FS
Marcus Paul
Andre Cisco
HM Quentin Harris, Anthony Smith
CB
Kevin Abrams
Will Allen
Jim Ridlon
Charlie Brown
HM Tanard Jackson, Keith Moody
It's interesting you have Darius and Jones at the same safety spot when they played next ro each other the only year Jones played safety. Is there a reason why?I will do mine based on their production in college. Not what happened later in the pros.
DE
Dwight Freeney
Was the best college football player in the country his senior season
Duke Pettijohn
A little undersized, a converted LB who is 3rd all time in sacks at Syracuse
HM Rob Burnett, Jaime Kimmel, Alton Robinson, Duffy Rooks, Paul Frase
NT
Ted Gregory
He was an awesome college player, very close to Tim Green great
Art Jones
Could dominate games at times, not quite as consistent as Ted
HM: Kevin Mitchell
DT
Tim Green
45.5 sacks playing exclusively at DT. How many players in college football history have more from that position?
Louis Gachelin
Another guy who could shut down the run but also put heavy pressure on the QB
Joe Ehrmann
Can't leave him off the team
HM: Jay Bromley, Antonio Anderson, Blaise Winter, Mike Charles
OLB
Terry Wooden
Morlon Greenwood
Glen Young
Marquis Spruill
HM Craig Bingham
MLB
Jim Collins
Dan Conley
HM Keith Bulluck, Clifton Smith, Dave Bavaro, Zaire Franklin, Antwaune Ponds
SS
Tommy Myers
Donovin Darius
HM Shamarko Thomas, Tebucky Jones
FS
Marcus Paul
Andre Cisco
HM Quentin Harris, Anthony Smith
CB
Kevin Abrams
Will Allen
Jim Ridlon
Charlie Brown
HM Tanard Jackson, Keith Moody
Thank you for this. SU's best 'backer of all time, and it's not particularly close. Strong pass defender and a tackling machine despite battling knee injuries that saw him miss what would have been his sophomore year, and be slowed as a senior, pushing him to the 43rd pick (five before Howie Long, for comparison purposes).Jim Collins at LB
Just for balance. They both deserved to be on the team.It's interesting you have Darius and Jones at the same safety spot when they played next ro each other the only year Jones played safety. Is there a reason why?
Jim was a FANTASTIC player; one of my favorites along with Dan Conley and Art Monk.Thank you for this. SU's best 'backer of all time, and it's not particularly close. Strong pass defender and a tackling machine despite battling knee injuries that saw him miss what would have been his sophomore year, and be slowed as a senior, pushing him to the 43rd pick (five before Howie Long, for comparison purposes).
Collins had crappy supporting casts; the team made one bottom tier bowl in his five seasons, but he:
* Recorded four of SU's top six games for tackles.
* Posted two of the top three seasons in program history for total tackles.
* Trails only Romano, Reed and Ponds in career tackles -- provided you only count his sophomore and junior years. Otherwise he's no. 1, by nearly 50 tackles.
Second round pick of the Rams in '81 -- five after Mike Singletary -- in one of the better LB drafts of the era (LT, Rickey Jackson, Hugh Green, Singletary, EJ Junior.)
Collins battled injuries his first two years, but was a starter beginning in Year 3, and a Pro Bowler two years later. Lost all of '86 and most of '88 to injuries. Hung it up after '89.
Do yourself a favor and watch the '79 game against Penn State -- it's on Youtube somewhere. Belongs in the conversation for best single-game performance by an SU player in the past 50 years.
Thanks for the history lesson. I've heard his name but didn't know much about him. I assumed he was one of those guys that did well in college but didn't translate to the pros. It sounds like injuries derailed what would have been a great career.Thank you for this. SU's best 'backer of all time, and it's not particularly close. Strong pass defender and a tackling machine despite battling knee injuries that saw him miss what would have been his sophomore year, and be slowed as a senior, pushing him to the 43rd pick (five before Howie Long, for comparison purposes).
Collins had crappy supporting casts; the team made one bottom tier bowl in his five seasons, but he:
* Recorded four of SU's top six games for tackles.
* Posted two of the top three seasons in program history for total tackles.
* Trails only Romano, Reed and Ponds in career tackles -- provided you only count his sophomore and junior years. Otherwise he's no. 1, by nearly 50 tackles.
Second round pick of the Rams in '81 -- five after Mike Singletary -- in one of the better LB drafts of the era (LT, Rickey Jackson, Hugh Green, Singletary, EJ Junior.)
Collins battled injuries his first two years, but was a starter beginning in Year 3, and a Pro Bowler two years later. Lost all of '86 and most of '88 to injuries. Hung it up after '89.
Do yourself a favor and watch the '79 game against Penn State -- it's on Youtube somewhere. Belongs in the conversation for best single-game performance by an SU player in the past 50 years.