On to the final two positions in our 2010 NFL Position Rankings series. It’s been a journey stacked with hearty debate and a few
Jared Allen: Roping NFL QB's Since 2004
laughs, and we saved some of the best for last. Today, it’s the defensive ends, the position once manned by the likes of Bruce Smith and the Minister of Defense, Reggie White. This gig draws the huge, scary athletic guys. The ones that play all 3 downs have to be stout in the run game, strong enough to seal the edge while negotiating the 300-plus pound behemoth in front of you in an attempt to find the gnat of a ball carrier hiding behind him. In the pass game, they are expected to produce sacks in droves. If they don’t? Well, soon enough they’ll only be playing those first two downs. So, who are the top 5 playing today? Have a look at our composite rankings and the individual staff rankings below, register your contempt or praise in the comments section below, and don’t forget to click on any individual blogger’s name to get to their individual Football Sickness blogs. Now, as always: GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!
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2010 NFL DEFENSIVE END COMPOSITE RANKINGS 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th place votes
- JARED ALLEN 3/1/0/0/0
- TRENT COLE 0/2/1/1/0
- DWIGHT FREENEY 1/0/1/1/0
- JULIUS PEPPERS 0/0/2/0/1
- JUSTIN TUCK 0/1/0/2/0
- MARIO WILLIAMS 0/0/0/0/2
- WILL SMITH 0/0/0/0/1
INDIVIDUAL STAFF RANKINGS
1. JARED ALLEN: ”YEEEEEEEE-HAW!!!!” The Mullet just roped him another quarterback. High motor, high skill, high comedy…what more could you ask for from your star player? Yes, he’s got tons of help on a dominant Vikings defensive unit, but do you not remember how unblockable he was back in Kansas City?
2. TRENT COLE: One of the quintessential “Burns Theory of Football Excellence” players in the NFL. Big, tough, scary. He doesn’t just tackle ball carriers and quarterbacks, he devours them with the ruthless efficiency of a school of ravenous piranha. The anchor of a perennially upper-echelon Philly D, he has gotten overshadowed at times by others on his own team and division who simply tend to be more boisterous. None as productive or feared as Trent Cole.
3. DWIGHT FREENEY: He is simultaneously the whirling dirvish that just broke your tackle’s ankles, and the speeding truck that just ran over your quarterback. Speed and quickness the likes of which I have never seen at the position. And the guy on the other end, Robert Mathis, would be on this list if it were a top 10, too.
4. JUSTIN TUCK: Just another in a long line of dominant New York Giant defensive ends under Tom Coughlin. Tuck is an athletic specimen and a lunchpail technician, a dangerous combination.
5. MARIO WILLIAMS: Anybody really want to question that #1 pick? Still young and learning, Williams has dealt with double teams (at a minimum) his entire career and still notches big sack numbers, with 35 over the past 3 seasons. As an aside, I would like to openly acknowledge Julius Peppers, who was left off this list because he could be #1 if he only wanted to be. A dishonorable mention, if you will.
1. DWIGHT FREENEY: The little engine that could. Been watching Freeney since he was tearing up the Big East at ‘Cuse. There is no one better at getting to the quarterback in the league. Every game he’s pinpointed, and still tears up the backfield. Imagine if the Colts had some other D-Linemen.
2. JARED ALLEN: He gets bonus points for the best sack dance in the league, and for sporting a mullet for years. The dome lends itself to his dominating speed and strength. Minnesota’s defense gets its energy and intensity directly from him. It doesn’t hurt that he has the best defensive tackle combination in the league to get him singled up on the outside.
3. JULIUS PEPPERS: I don’t care that he only plays when he wants to. It is a testament to his skill level that last year was a down year with 10.5 sacks. He is still the most athletic player at his position, and with more talent next to him in Chicago, he should get a big dose of youth serum. The people that you hear hating on him aren’t calling snaps under center.
4. TRENT COLE: My favorite player in the league, now that #5 wears red. He is the only accomplished pass rusher on the Eagles roster but he is the most productive palyer for them on that side of the ball. his engine never stops, and with the addition of Brandon Graham, he could have a huge year.
5. MARIO WILLIAMS: I can’t remember the last defensive player that came in with so much pressure to produce for a bad team. He has taken that pressure and used it to excel. He continues to be a matchup nightmare for offensive lineman both inside and on the edges. This year is set up to be his best yet.
1. JARED ALLEN: I will admit that Jared Allen confuses me. There is no way a country-listening, mullet-wearing white guy should be the No. 1 defensive end in the league, but he is. Just ask Aaron Rodgers. He just plays crazy and there is no way to defend against something like that.
2. TRENT COLE: What more does this guy have to do to get the respect he deserves? Tackle his big fat coach?
3. JULIUS PEPPERS: Maybe the monsters of midway will help this guy reach his full, scary potential. He’s literally unstoppable when he wants to be.
4. JUSTIN TUCK: Big, big boy. Now swim moves or 360′s for this guy. He runs over you.
5. WILL SMITH: Will Smith is just plain nasty. With Sedrick Ellis coming into his own and eating up guards and centers now (EDITOR’S NOTE: Anything to mention a Trojan, eh FLY?), Will Smith has the potential to be No. 1 next year.
Again, in this era of drop back, chuck and duck, I ask you: Are these guys listed below really Defensive Ends or are they actually Outside Linebackers who put their hands down on the ground just before the snap? More importantly, does it even matter? 4-3, 3-4, all I can say is huck it, Phillip Rivers! Huck it fast!!
MY top 5 Defensive Ends in the NFL:
5. JULIUS PEPPERS: I think that last year was a contract year and he got what he wanted and now we may never get the best of Julius Peppers again. Nonetheless, I will never forget the sitdown that I once had with Mr. Peppers’ ex-teammate, star running back DeShaun Foster (EDITOR’S NOTE: Orange County, represent!), who told me with a straight face and a whole log of pride-swallowing awe: “He can outrun me around the corner and in a straight line, he’s just plain faster than me.” This is a once-in-a-lifetime human specimen and for that he should be on this list, even though his career is sort of like the STP Turbine car at INDY: dominant, but not much to show for it.
4. DWIGHT FREENEY: Faster than Julius Peppers! With LOTS to show for it.
3. TRENT COLE: Probably the most underrated FOOTBALL PLAYER in the NFL today. He just gets ‘er done, every year, every week, every down…hell, I’ll give him a damn Grammy if a Grammy is what he wants!
2. JUSTIN TUCK: He can’t be contained. TUCK, TUCK…GOOSE!!
1. JARED ALLEN: Duh. What do you want to know? That bears sometimes shave and wear boots and blue jeans? Well, it’s true!
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