Johnny Robinson's credentials make you want to drive to Canton, kick down the Hall of Fame's door and clear a spot for his bust yourself. The former top ten draft pick looks to be on the verge of breaking out. A dominant presence as a run blocker, Moton uses his athleticism to get to the next level of the defense in a hurry. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. Not only was Fleming good enough to stick with great teams, but he also was the luckiest son of a gun on the face of the earth. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. But what peak years they were: 14- and 13-win seasons, annual playoff appearances, routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons. But his Hall of Fame candidacy has been stuck in semifinalist limbo. WebThe 10 most underrated football players of all time are: Gheorghe Hagi, Michael Laudrup, Gaetano Scirea, Hristo Stoichkov, Matthias Sammer, Davor Suker, Gunter Netzer, If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. WebWhile positional drills may be more indicative of a player's success in the NFL, other events like the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and bench press are less obvious. Full name: Jordi Alba Ramos Date of birth: March 21, 1989 Age: 33 years old (as of 2023) Place of birth: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain Height: 1.70 m Current team: Ogbah improved against the run while putting up a career-high in both sacks (9) and QB hits (21). Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. Butler has never even been a Hall of Fame semifinalist, and it's not going to happen for him soon. Overshadowed on a bad team for much of his early career, Bates also came from a draft that featured top safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James. McDole was known as "The Dancing Bear" because of his nimble feet, one of the coolest nicknames ever. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. Antoine Griezmann is known for his excellent left foot and can score and create goals with it; hence, he is one of the best left-footed midfielders. The best teams in the AFL proved to be NFL-caliber, but the bottom of the league was populated with a nearly bankrupt franchise or two, so the best players clumped on the best teams and stood out from the crowd. A Hall of Fame voter once warned me that "every town has its linebacker.". No matter. It was the era of great defensive lines with catchy namesthe Rams had the Fearsome Foursome, the Cowboys the Doomsday Defense, the Steelers later added the Steel Curtain, and so forthand Marshall was the Ringo Starr of the Purple People Eaters, the guy who once ran the wrong way for a touchdown and was happy just to be in the band. And few were better at making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes. For years, the team couldn't even harken back to its glory days properly, as Smith's Pride of the Jaguars induction was delayed until he was sober and no longer under house arrest. He had to blanket a wide receiver in man coverage with no safety help on every play. One of the most well-traveled quarterbacks in NFL history, Vinny Testaverde hung around long enough to register the seventh-most passing yards ever in his 20-year career. Perhaps it's time we look back on how much of an impact he and his Jaguars had on the NFL two decades ago. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. Photo by JOHN CAPUTO/AFP via Getty Images, ST. LOUIS, MO CIRCA 1980: Ed Jones #72 of the Dallas Cowboys gets blocked by Dan Dierdorf #72 of the St. Louis Cardinals during an NFL football game circa 1980 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. That voter meant every fanbase has a beloved old defender, renowned for his toughness and leadership, that they swear belongs in the Hall of Fame. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. They say you know an offensive lineman is doing a great job when his name is rarely brought up, but its time Moton is talked about more for his success. To understand why he is not in the Hall of Fame, you must familiarize yourself with both the era he played in and the vagaries of Hall voting. Sideways. In his prime, Wright was often mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Haynes. 1 overall pick, NFL coverage map 2021: TV schedule Week 16, Seattle Seahawks: 3 players who wont be back in 2022. The Rams eventually acquired Jim Everett and opened up their offense, transforming Ellard into one of the NFL's most dangerous deep threats. Fewer yet realize that he made a crucial play in each victory. Bottom line: One of the premier long-ball threats of any era, Stanley Morgan ranks 10th in yards per reception (19.2) and 39th in touchdown catches (72) on the all-time list. The most underrated player on all 32 NFL teams Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard (20) runs with the ball while being tackled by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters (24) in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. That may be unfair to players like Robinson, Jerry Kramer and L.C. Travis Kelce and George Kittle dominate the conversation at tight end but Darren Waller is quickly emerging as a name that should be discussed as well. Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. And because versatility is his calling card, he'll never produce gaudy sack totals or climb any all-time leaderboards. If Isiah Robertson is famous at all, it's for being "posterized" by Earl Campbell in one of the most famous NFL Films highlights of all time. "Hate to say it, but I do believe I should be there (in Canton)," Marshall once said. You mean future Hall of Fame tackle Orlando Pace didnt block four guys all by himself? Mills and Reggie White were the USFL's two greatest defenders ever. Bahr converted 84 percent of his field-goal attempts (21 of 25), and 98 percent of his extra-point tries (40 of 41) when it counted most. Randy Gradishar. Hes on the short list of running back leaders in yards per rush (4.6, 17th), touches (2,824, 25th) and yards from scrimmage (14,079, 35th) in NFL history. The career active leader in games started by a defensive lineman is Julius Peppers with 227. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" In an era when 50 percent completion rates and 20-interception seasons were common for Pro Bowl quarterbacks, Anderson's 64.9 percent completion rate and quarterback ratings above 90 look like temporal anomalies. A mauler of a right guard, Timmerman also was agile enough to escort Marshall Faulk on screens and sweeps. Sam Mills rises above the rest of the gritty linebacker pack, at least when it comes to being underrated, because three of his greatest seasons have been erased from history. After spending a season on the practice squad and injured-reserve with the Jets, Franklin-Myers made the most of his opportunities as a rotational player throughout most of 2020, leading to a starting role in 2021 and a massive $55M extension. McLaurin registered 87 catches in 2020 after 58 during his rookie season in 2019. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. Six All-Pro selections. Thats what Krieg did best win football games. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. Jones topped the 100 career sack total in week one of 2021, a five-sack day that tied a Cardinals franchise record and set a personal career-best. Bottom line: All Ken Norton could do was take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl rings. He played in the run-'n'-shoot offense, which means he was on an island against the NFL's best pass-rushers on every snap for a half-decadeno tight end flanking him, no blocking back behind him. Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. Players like McDole are what all-time underrated lists exist for. Neal Anderson replaced Walter Payton. Incredibly, McDole started 97 of the next 98 games. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. "It pissed me off," Fletcher replied. Passing wasn't really their thing. McLaurins numbers through two-plus seasons are very similar to Stefon Diggs, who went through a similar quarterback situation early during his career in Minnesota. His 42-yarder in the 1990 NFC championship game rates as one of the greatest clutch kicks in league history. 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars overtake Detroit for No. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). Tom Jackson. Ellard moved on to Washington in 1994 and enjoyed a late-career renaissance, averaging 61 catches and 18.8 yards per reception over a three-year span in his mid-30s. Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. Brett Favre may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, but Butler brought back celebration. St. It would rank 16th all-time, except that if we allow Marshall's sacks into the record, we would have to make room for Deacon Jones, Mean Joe Greene and others. Peppers will have to play three more seasons to catch Marshall, and Peppers' starts are non-consecutive. The start to his career is Hall of Fame worthy and includes a Super Bowl championship while with the New England Patriots. Roberston is the guy getting head-butted in the sternum and knocked backward by Campbell before the running back's jersey gets torn off. Put Ellard in another era or even the AFC with an accomplished quarterback, and his legacy as The Best Wideout Not Named Jerry Rice would be that much greater. When London Fletcher retired after the 2014 season, Robert Klemko of The MMQBasked him if he was motivated by feeling underappreciated for most of his career. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. By the time Rivers is retired for five years, the "San Diego Chargers" will be as relevant as the Dayton Triangles, and Hall voters will be too busy rubber-stamping Tom Brady and Drew Brees to get to a guy from a lost city who couldn't win the big one. Dave Meggett -- RB, 1989-1994. Chiesa is a winger who plays for Juventus. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. Hence, the Campbell video. Brown is now best known as a television personality. Jerry Hughes has been a consistent pass rusher and important piece to the Buffalo Bills defense. That feeling never really went away.". The rumors themselves were not surprising. But the run-'n'-shoot took away more than it provided, and the early 1990s Lions kept getting obliterated by better defenses in the playoffs. He once sacked Dan Marino twice on the first two plays of a gamea remarkable achievement, as Marino was one of the least sacked quarterbacks in NFL history. At age 25, Franklin-Myers seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential and should benefit from some additional pieces being added to a young rebuilding Jets defense. Upon entering the league in 2019, Johnson recorded 59 catches as a rookie and then topped that mark in 2020 with 88 catches. But his Rams had a running back named Eric Dickerson and quarterbacks named Dieter Brock and Jeff Kemp. #5. "That was my territory," Edwards recalled in The Palm Beach Post. Bottom line: The 1970s Steelers won four Super Bowls two with a power run game, two with a potent pass attack and who better than Jon Kolb to do the heavy lifting? He finished his career by doing something almost impossible: signing with the Patriots as a veteran role player during one of the few years they didn't reach the Super Bowl. He picked off a dozen passes in his career two of them at 38 years of age an absurd number for a 6-foot-4, 265-pound lineman. Mostly Schlereth and sidekick Tom Nalen, who were masters of zone-blocking schemes, a major reason why Davis is in the Hall of Fame today. Ronald Koeman is a bonafide legend of Dutch football. His 2,690 all-purpose yards with the Titans in the 2000 season are second in league history. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. Wide receiver Chase Claypool stole headlines as a rookie in 2020, while teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster always seems to attract headlines one way or another. If McCree doesn't cough up that fourth-quarter pick, the Chargers beat the Patriots, and perhaps Philip Rivers leads a team that went 14-2 in the regular season to the Super Bowl.