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re: Who is the best player from your school, and would they be your starter today?
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:25 pm to RTRnFlorida
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:25 pm to RTRnFlorida
Shawn Andrew's yes
1
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:35 pm to RTRnFlorida
Stetson By God Bennett and yes. 2 Natties back to back fricker could play the position, he would have a Heisman in the 90s before they started giving it to QBs on shite teams.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:40 pm to TDCat
Based on his pro career Dermonti Dawson. AP first team all pro for six years and played in the pro bowl 7 times. He was a center. In the NFL Hall of Fame.
Jeff Van Note played in six pro bowls. Played center.
Both would be too old. I will go with Josh Allen who is still playing. He has two pro bowls. Yes he would start.
Randall Cobb is a good pick and could probably still play.
Jeff Van Note played in six pro bowls. Played center.
Both would be too old. I will go with Josh Allen who is still playing. He has two pro bowls. Yes he would start.
Randall Cobb is a good pick and could probably still play.
This post was edited on 5/15/25 at 9:41 am
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:43 pm to BhamTigah
quote:
No doubt DT was the best pass rusher, but there’s an argument Biscuit was the better all around linebacker.
I could also make a pretty good argument for another Derrick being Bama’s best ever. It’s hard to compare players from different periods and from different positions, especially with the history of program like Bama’s.
It is hard to compare players from different eras. But Thomas and Bennett overlapped. Bennett was at Alabama from 83-86, Thomas was there from 85-88.
Bennett was great. But Thomas had better stats in college and in the NFL. Thomas was the type of ayer who could disrupt an entire offense every play, Bennett was not. And while this is about college, the same held true in the NFL. Bennet made 5 pro bowls, Thomas made 9 and likely would have made more if not for his death. Thomas is in the Hall of Fame, Bennett is not.
Again, Bennett was great. But Thomas was just on a different level, especially his senior season.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:46 pm to GatorBait24
quote:
Auburn would take Bo.
Florida would take Emmitt
Oklahoma would take AD
And if they were all hooked up to a polygraph machine with a gun to their head if they told a lie....they'd all pick Herschel, and so would you.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:49 pm to TN Tygah
quote:
by TN Tygah
The people who run this place really hate us.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:50 pm to RTRnFlorida
Why not by position all school position team?
Posted on 5/14/25 at 8:52 pm to RTRnFlorida
Michael Dickson
He would definitely start today. Our punting wasn't good last year
He would definitely start today. Our punting wasn't good last year
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:11 pm to Globetrotter747
quote:
Probably not from older eras.
There are plenty of Bama legends from the Bryant era that just wouldn’t have the size, speed, strength, or skill to jump in a time machine and start in 2025. They would be physically outmatched and mentally overwhelmed.
Then they aren’t “the best ever.”
But I would bet that John Hannah, Dwight Stephenson, Marty Lyons, E.J. Junior, Lee Roy Jordan Ozzie Newsome and others would all start today. Ken Stabler and Joe Namath would too if they did a little less carousing and partying then they did back then. Too much is made of how small players were back then. Yes, average player size was smaller in the 60s and 70s. But there were still a lot of 6’2” to 6’5” 240-280 pounders. Lyons was 6’5” 270 pounds. Newsome was 6’2” 230 pounds. Hannah was 6’2” 265, Stephenson 6’2” 260, Junior 6’3” 235, Jordan 6’1” 220. All those guys had the size, speed and skill to play today. With modern nutrition and off season training they all would likely have been 10-20 pounds heavier.
Now back in the 20s and 30s? Yeah, few of those guys would likely start. But a few, the Jim Thorpes of the world, would even 100 years later.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:20 pm to NWLA_Bama
Yes. Bennet was three time All American for Bama. SEC Player of the year. DT was amazing, but the biscuit was I think more amazing. I was at the 86’ game where he made Daniel Moore make a painting after he smashed the Notre Dame running back.
3× First-team All-Pro (1988, 1991, 1992)
5× Pro Bowl (1988, 1990–1993)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
PFWA All-Rookie Team (1987)
Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team
Lombardi Award (1986)
Unanimous All-American (1986)
2× First-team All-American (1984, 1985)
SEC Player of the Year (1986)
3× First-team All-SEC (1984, 1985, 1986)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:
1,190
Sacks:
71.5
Forced fumbles:
31
Interceptions:
7
Stats at Pro Football Reference
3× First-team All-Pro (1988, 1991, 1992)
5× Pro Bowl (1988, 1990–1993)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
PFWA All-Rookie Team (1987)
Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team
Lombardi Award (1986)
Unanimous All-American (1986)
2× First-team All-American (1984, 1985)
SEC Player of the Year (1986)
3× First-team All-SEC (1984, 1985, 1986)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:
1,190
Sacks:
71.5
Forced fumbles:
31
Interceptions:
7
Stats at Pro Football Reference
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:22 pm to SneezyBeltranIsHere
You would take Vince over Arch?!! Damn..
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:25 pm to captdalton
I think you left off the GOAT
Don Hutson is like a Babe Ruth figure. Basically invented a new way to play the game and changed it forever putting up unheard of stats
Don Hutson is like a Babe Ruth figure. Basically invented a new way to play the game and changed it forever putting up unheard of stats
quote:
Hutson joined the Packers in 1935 and played 11 seasons before he retired in 1945. He led the league in receiving yards in seven separate seasons and led the league in receiving touchdowns in nine seasons. A talented safety on defense, he also led the NFL in interceptions in 1940, becoming the first and only player to lead the league in receiving touchdowns and interceptions in the same season. Hutson was an eight-time All-Pro selection, a four-time All-Star, and was twice awarded the Joe F. Carr Trophy as the NFL Most Valuable Player.
Hutson is considered to have been the first modern wide receiver
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:25 pm to captdalton
quote:
Then they aren’t “the best ever.”
Totally disagree. I think athletic greatness should be compared relative to the era.
Napoleon’s Grand Armee is one of history’s greatest fighting forces. It doesn’t matter that a modern army would decimate it in no time. It was great in its day.
The 1985 Bears are one the NFL’s greatest teams, but I am not so sure a college team like 2019 LSU couldn’t beat them. A modern Super Bowl team would obliterate them.
And so forth.
quote:
But I would bet that John Hannah, Dwight Stephenson, Marty Lyons, E.J. Junior, Lee Roy Jordan Ozzie Newsome and others would all start today. Ken Stabler and Joe Namath would too if they did a little less carousing and partying then they did back then.
I disagree.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:34 pm to RTRnFlorida
Most people have and will disagree with you. Bennett was great. Both were 1st team All-Americans. Bennett won the Lombardi Award. Thomas won the Butkus Award. Bennett won SEC player of the year. Thomas won SEC male athlete of the year.
Both were very good. Both were pro-bowlers, Bennett 5 times and Thomas 9 times. But only one had his number retired. Only one is in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Both were very good. Both were pro-bowlers, Bennett 5 times and Thomas 9 times. But only one had his number retired. Only one is in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:35 pm to RTRnFlorida
Derrick Thomas would still wreck shite.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:45 pm to Darindawg
quote:
And if they were all hooked up to a polygraph machine with a gun to their head if they told a lie....they'd all pick Herschel, and so would you.
Nah. I saw Herschel and Bo both play, including H2H. I would still take Bo. I’m sure you would still take Herschel. Fine by me.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:51 pm to Jimmyboy
quote:As a fan of a team that plays Florida a lot, let me help you out:
Tebow tha gawd or wuerfel. Hard to choose
Emmitt Smith. And yes, he would start for y'all today, and would be a fricking headache to play against.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:53 pm to Globetrotter747
quote:
I disagree.
That is fine, there is no law against being wrong on an internet message board. It is common for people to arrogantly believe that people today are superior to people that came before them, whether physically, emotionally or intellectually. Even when they clearly aren’t and it is simply the fact we have more advanced technology today.
Have you ever met any of these former players that you say would have been too small to play? They are not little.
I met one in particular a few years back that really made me rethink the myth that yesterday’s players were small. He wasn’t an Alabama player, Joe Jacoby played tackle for the Redskins in the 80s. It wasn’t that he was 6’7” and over 300 pounds that was astounding. It was that his hands were so big he could palm the moon. His fingers so big instead of gloves he has to wear five socks on each hand when it gets cold. He was wearing one of his super bowl rings, which he took off and let me look at. A child could have hoolhooped inside it. The idea that all former players would be loo small to play today is a complete fallacy.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:55 pm to RTRnFlorida
quote:
For Bama, I think it would be Cornelius Bennet, and I’d love his 20+ sacks right about now, headed into the season.
I ran into Biscuit in a Roswell GA Walmart check-out line in the late 90’s.
Big Black Guy In Line Behind Me: “Auburn huh?” (I was wearing an Auburn shirt that day.)
Me: Yep! War Eagle!
Big Black Guy In Line Behind Me: I’m Bama.
Me (noticing he’s a huge guy and EXTREMELY fit): You look like you probably played… what’s your name?
Big Black Guy In Line Behind Me: “Cornelius Bennet.”
Me: “Well hell, I reckon you DID play a little Bama football then!”
We laughed and shook hands. Nice dude.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 9:59 pm to SOBMarcus
quote:
Earl Campbell
As lifelong Razorback fans, my granddad and dad despised Texas and everything associated with them other than Earl Campbell. I was raised watching, admiring and imitating the Tyler Rose. Earl gets a Razorback pass. What a magnificent machine. Bonus points to Texas for making sure he is taken well care of as he left it all on the field for UT, the Houston Oilers and the Saints.
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