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Rank The Careers of the 2011 Defensive End/Edge Class


BlaqOptic

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On 1/9/2022 at 5:38 AM, BlaqOptic said:

So the Cameron Jordan HoF topic got me thinking and realizing that this is arguably the best class of 3-4 Defensive Ends, 4-3 Defensive Ends, and 3-4 OLBs in NFL history... So I'm curious as to how people rank their careers as of today... The players in question are...

J.J. Watt: 135 Games, 135 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 63 Passes Defensed, 26 Forced Fumbles, 102.0 Sacks, 547 Total Tackles, 177 Tackles For Loss, 292 QB Hits, 1 Safety, 3 Touchdowns, 5x All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowl, 5 Double Digit Sack Seasons, 2 Sack Titles, All-Decade Team, 3x Defensive Player of the Year. 

Robert Quinn: 155 Games, 134 Starts, 0 Interceptions, 32 Passes Defensed, 32 Forced Fumbles, 100.5 Sacks, 358 Total Tackles, 107 Tackles For Loss, 172 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 1 Touchdown, 4x All-Pro*, 1x Pro Bowl, 5 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

Cameron Jordan: 175 Games, 174 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 54 Passes Defensed, 13 Forced Fumbles, 106.0 Sacks, 571 Total Tackles, 136 Tackles For Loss, 205 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 1 Touchdown, 1x All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowl, 6 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

Cameron Heyward: 165 Games, 130 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 42 Passes Defensed, 7 Forced Fumbles, 67.0 Sacks, 534 Total Tackles, 99 Tackles For Loss, 152 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 0 Touchdowns, 3x All-Pro*, 5x Pro Bowl, 1 Double Digit Sack Season.

Von Miller: 149 Games, 149 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 22 Passes Defensed, 27 Forced Fumbles, 114.5 Sacks, 535 Total Tackles, 151 Tackles For Loss, 232 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 2 Touchdowns, 3x All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, 7 Double Digit Sack Seasons, All-Decade Team, 1x Defensive Rookie of the Year, 1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP.

Aldon Smith: 75 Games, 63 Starts, 1 Interceptions, 10 Passes Defensed, 6 Forced Fumbles, 52.5 Sacks, 228 Total Tackles, 56 Tackles For Loss, 103 QB Hits, 1 Safety, 1 Touchdown, 1x All-Pro, 1x Pro Bowl, 2 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

Justin Houston: 148 Games, 142 Starts, 4 Interceptions, 33 Passes Defensed, 18 Forced Fumbles, 102.0 Sacks, 482 Total Tackles, 123 Tackles For Loss, 165 QB Hits, 4 Safeties, 2 Touchdowns, 1x All-Pro, 4x Pro Bowl, 4 Double Digit Sack Seasons, 1 Sack Title.

Muhammad Wilkerson: 108 Games, 104 Starts, 24 Interceptions, 29 Passes Defensed, 11 Forced Fumbles, 44.5 Sacks, 410 Total Tackles, 71 Tackles For Loss, 103 QB Hits, 1 Safety, 21Touchdown, 0x All-Pro, 1x Pro Bowl, 2 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

*Assuming they take an All-Pro nomination this year...

 

So where do you rank them as players? Where do you rank their careers? How do you think each will be remembered? Is my assessment of this class being one of the best ever accurate?

Add Kerrigan stats, not sure why he's not there?

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On 1/9/2022 at 10:22 AM, iknowcool said:

Watt is the better player, but I think there is an argument for Miller having the better career.  Maybe not a strong one and I probably wouldn't be the one to make it, but it exists.

Otherwise I agree with the list above, except I'd probably put Heyward over Quinn.  Tempted to put him over Houston as well.  Just think he's been a very consistent, high-level player for what has often been a very good defense, whereas Houston fell off relatively fast (injuries played a role in that).

Von Millers ability in his career to show up big, in bigtime games, in bigtime situations, when you NEED it---is unparalleled to any other rusher in the past 15 years.

Thats something raw numbers wont show, but Von shows up in big situations and always makes a stop/sack/big play in the 4th when you need it. He is the game winning drive killer and always plays his best when the team needs him to play his best.

There is not another defensive player I want out there if the other team has the ball with 1:48 left in the game down 3 than Von Miller.

Watching him for the last decade he has such a good sense of when he needs to turn it on and make a play. Its almost like a QB. I dont know what you want to call it but feel for the game, situational awareness, ect. He feels the moment and performs in the moment.

That is something he has in spades over any other defensive player/rusher in recent memory--so you can start your argument for him over Watt there lol He would also win the reliability and longevity categories over Watt as well.

Edited by AkronsWitness
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On 1/8/2022 at 9:38 PM, BlaqOptic said:

So the Cameron Jordan HoF topic got me thinking and realizing that this is arguably the best class of 3-4 Defensive Ends, 4-3 Defensive Ends, and 3-4 OLBs in NFL history... So I'm curious as to how people rank their careers as of today... The players in question are...

J.J. Watt: 135 Games, 135 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 63 Passes Defensed, 26 Forced Fumbles, 102.0 Sacks, 547 Total Tackles, 177 Tackles For Loss, 292 QB Hits, 1 Safety, 3 Touchdowns, 5x All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowl, 5 Double Digit Sack Seasons, 2 Sack Titles, All-Decade Team, 3x Defensive Player of the Year. 

Robert Quinn: 155 Games, 134 Starts, 0 Interceptions, 32 Passes Defensed, 32 Forced Fumbles, 100.5 Sacks, 358 Total Tackles, 107 Tackles For Loss, 172 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 1 Touchdown, 4x All-Pro*, 1x Pro Bowl, 5 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

Cameron Jordan: 175 Games, 174 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 54 Passes Defensed, 13 Forced Fumbles, 106.0 Sacks, 571 Total Tackles, 136 Tackles For Loss, 205 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 1 Touchdown, 1x All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowl, 6 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

Cameron Heyward: 165 Games, 130 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 42 Passes Defensed, 7 Forced Fumbles, 67.0 Sacks, 534 Total Tackles, 99 Tackles For Loss, 152 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 0 Touchdowns, 3x All-Pro*, 5x Pro Bowl, 1 Double Digit Sack Season.

Von Miller: 149 Games, 149 Starts, 2 Interceptions, 22 Passes Defensed, 27 Forced Fumbles, 114.5 Sacks, 535 Total Tackles, 151 Tackles For Loss, 232 QB Hits, 0 Safeties, 2 Touchdowns, 3x All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, 7 Double Digit Sack Seasons, All-Decade Team, 1x Defensive Rookie of the Year, 1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP.

Aldon Smith: 75 Games, 63 Starts, 1 Interceptions, 10 Passes Defensed, 6 Forced Fumbles, 52.5 Sacks, 228 Total Tackles, 56 Tackles For Loss, 103 QB Hits, 1 Safety, 1 Touchdown, 1x All-Pro, 1x Pro Bowl, 2 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

Justin Houston: 148 Games, 142 Starts, 4 Interceptions, 33 Passes Defensed, 18 Forced Fumbles, 102.0 Sacks, 482 Total Tackles, 123 Tackles For Loss, 165 QB Hits, 4 Safeties, 2 Touchdowns, 1x All-Pro, 4x Pro Bowl, 4 Double Digit Sack Seasons, 1 Sack Title.

Muhammad Wilkerson: 108 Games, 104 Starts, 24 Interceptions, 29 Passes Defensed, 11 Forced Fumbles, 44.5 Sacks, 410 Total Tackles, 71 Tackles For Loss, 103 QB Hits, 1 Safety, 21Touchdown, 0x All-Pro, 1x Pro Bowl, 2 Double Digit Sack Seasons.

*Assuming they take an All-Pro nomination this year...

 

So where do you rank them as players? Where do you rank their careers? How do you think each will be remembered? Is my assessment of this class being one of the best ever accurate?

Pass rusher class so good you can leave off a top-16 pick with 95 career sacks and nobody even notices. Imagine describing Kerrigan's career, and then adding "Oh, but he wasn't a top 5 pass rusher in his draft class".

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On 1/20/2022 at 6:57 AM, ChazStandard said:

Pass rusher class so good you can leave off a top-16 pick with 95 career sacks and nobody even notices. Imagine describing Kerrigan's career, and then adding "Oh, but he wasn't a top 5 pass rusher in his draft class".

Today I learned Kerrigan has 95 career sacks. Man I always underrated him more than his numbers say. Also surprising how well Washington has drafted at DL but have no playoff wins to show for it. Ryan certainly has a argument over Smith better sustained career but Smith even for short period was HOF talent with just too much off-the field package. 

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