All-Time Pure Talent Team

[Lucky Colts Fan]

This is probably the only All-Time Team where I DON'T have Peyton Manning as my QB.

 

This is based on pure God-given athletic ability.  Here we go!

 

OFFENSE:

 

Quarterback:  Michael Vick (speed, agility, arm strength)  Otto Graham (pinpoint accuracy)

Running Back:  Jim Brown (untackleable)  Bo Jackson (strength, speed)  Barry Sanders (agility, agility, and more agility)

Fullback:  Bronko Nagurski (size, strength, versatility) <-- *you'll find his picture next to the word 'football player' in the dictionary*

Wide Receiver:  Randy Moss (speed, height, jumping, catching)  Calvin Johnson (speed, height, jumping, catching)  Bob Hayes (speed, speed, and more speed)

Tight End:  Rob Gronkowski (size, speed, strength, catching)  Antonio Gates (size, speed, jumping, catching)

Left Tackle:  Anthony Munoz (size, strength, agility, catching)

Left Guard:  John Hannah (size, speed, strength, toughness)

Center:  Mike Webster (speed, strength, toughness)

Right Guard:  Larry Allen (size, strength, strength, and more strength)

Right Tackle:  Forrest Gregg (speed, strength, length)

 

DEFENSE:

 

EDGE:  Lawrence Taylor (size, speed, strength, agility)  Derrick Thomas (speed, strength, agility)  Von Miller (speed, agility)

Defensive End:  Reggie White (size, strength, strength, and more strength)  J.J. Watt (size, speed, strength, agility)

Defensive Tackle:  Vince Wilfork (size, strength, basically unmovable)  Joe Greene (size, strength, speed)

Outside Linebacker:  Derrick Brooks (speed, agility)  Ted Hendricks (size, speed, strength, jumping)

Middle Linebacker:  Brian Urlacher (size, speed, strength, agility)  Ray Lewis (speed, strength, agility)

Cornerback:  Deion Sanders (size, speed, agility, catching)  Rod Woodson (size, speed, agility, catching)  Darrell Green (speed, agility)

Safety:  Ed Reed (size, speed, agility, catching)  Troy Polamalu (size, speed, strength, agility, catching)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS:

 

Kicker:  Sebastian Janikowski (size, power)  Justin Tucker (power, accuracy)

Punter:  Ray Guy (size, power)  Shane Lechler (size, power)  Pat McAfee (size, power, accuracy, throwing, running, catching, recovering kicks, ... telling jokes)

Returner:  Devin Hester (speed, like a lot of speed, just... so much speed)  Dante Hall (speed, agility)

 

You don't even need a playbook with this team.  Just say "Hey, you 11 guys, go out there and do what you do."  And those 11 guys will go out on the field and do what they do and you'll score points in all three phases.  It will be backyard football and you'll win the game 255-0.

[Four2itus]

At RB, the Nigerian Nightmare, Christian Okoye....

 

 

[Luck 4 president]

I’m not gonna do all positions but...

 

QB: Aaron Rodgers

RB: Walter Payton, AP

WR: Megatron, Moss, Rice

TE: Gronk

 

LB: Urlacher, Lewis

DE/edge: Watt, Lawrence Taylor 

CB: Champ Bailey, Darrell Revis

S: Ed Reed, Brian Dawkins

 

[DaveA1102]

18 hours ago, Four2itus said:

At RB, the Nigerian Nightmare, Christian Okoye....

 

 

 

His "A Football Life" is one of my favourite ever episodes.  What a character and story.

[Flash7]

I'm not a fan of this player, but if we're going off of talent, then Cam Newton may have to be in the conversation. He's big and strong, elusive and fast, and has a cannon for an arm. On talent alone, he may be at the top of the list. However, his play at QB wouldn't rank as high as the greats (Montana, Manning, Brady, Marino, Elway, Favre, etc.).

[ColtsBlueFL]

I can't do a 'talent' list.  If they didn't make my 'best' list, then they either didn't quite have enough or use all of their talent. That said, my personal list:

 

 

QB - Tom Brady  (Peyton Manning, Joe Montana H.M.)

Half back - Walter Payton, Gayle Sayers (Bo Jackson and LaDainian Tomlinson H.M.)

Fullback - Jim Brown, Earl Campbell

WR - Jerry Rice, Randy Moss (Lance Alworth H.M.)

TE - Kellen Winslow, Tony Gonzalez (John Mackey H.M.)

LT - Anthony Munoz

LG - Bruce Matthews

C - Mike Webster

RG - John Hannah

RT - Walter Jones

 

OLB - Lawrence Taylor (Ted Hendricks H.M.)

MLB - Dick Butkus (Ray Lewis and Jack Lambert H.M.)

OLB - Derrick Thomas, (Jack Ham H.M.)

DE - Deacon Jones, Reggie White (Bruce Smith H.M.)

DT - Mean Joe Greene, Bob Lilly (Merlin Olsen H.M.)

FS - Ed Reed   (Paul Krause H.M.)

SS - Ronnie Lott  (Brian Dawkins H.M.)

CB 1 - Deion Sanders {Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey H.M.}

CB 2 - Rod Woodson  {Mike Haynes, Darrell Green H.M.}

[NFLfan]

51 minutes ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

I can't do a 'talent' list.  If they didn't make my 'best' list, then then didn't quite have enough or use their talent. That said, my personal list:

 

 

QB - Tom Brady  (Peyton Manning, Joe Montana H.M.)

Half back - Walter Payton, Gayle Sayers (Bo Jackson and LaDainian Tomlinson H.M.)

Fullback - Jim Brown, Earl Campbell

WR - Jerry Rice, Randy Moss (Lance Alworth H.M.)

TE - Kellen Winslow, Tony Gonzalez (John Mackey H.M.)

LT - Anthony Munoz

LG - Bruce Matthews

C - Mike Webster

RG - John Hannah

RT - Walter Jones

 

OLB - Lawrence Taylor (Ted Hendricks H.M.)

MLB - Dick Butkus (Ray Lewis and Jack Lambert H.M.)

OLB - Derrick Thomas, (Jack Ham H.M.)

DE - Deacon Jones, Reggie White (Bruce Smith H.M.)

DT - Mean Joe Greene, Bob Lilly (Merlin Olsen H.M.)

FS - Ed Reed   (Paul Krause H.M.)

SS - Ronnie Lott  (Brian Dawkins H.M.)

 

Randall McDaniel has to be up there over Larry Allen and Bruce Matthews (not strictly a guard). 

[alawai]

Thanks guys.  Great post and great response!  Someone will keep adding names/players but it’s all good.

[ColtsBlueFL]

52 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

 

Randall McDaniel has to be up there over Larry Allen and Bruce Matthews (not strictly a guard). 

 

Good point, but to me, Bruce Matthews had started in 99 games as a left guard, 87 as a center, 67 as a right guard, 22 as a right tackle, and 17 as a left tackle. Very versatile as well! I don't think he has ever missed a game due to injury either, and he had 292 NFL games starts.  He was a 14 time pro bowler, and a 9 time first team All Pro, though I know McDaniel was a 12 time pro bowler and also a 9 time All Pro as well. Then there's Larry Little, Will Shields, Allen (as you mention) etc... it's surprising and amazing when Alan Faneca and Steve Hutchinson are even further down on my discussion list!  

 

So many other great O line players (IE: Jonathan Ogden, Dwight Stephenson,  etc...) that I passed on mentioning seconds and H.M.'s for the O line positions.  

 

I do have a lot of guys I really like that didn't even make Honorable Mention.  But that makes it all the more fun to discuss with others and their preferences on their best lists.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Here's my all-time team:

 

Offense

QB - Peyton Manning

RB - Emmitt Smith

FB - Jim Brown

WR - Jerry Rice

WR -Michael Irvin

TE - Kellen Winslow Sr

LT - Anthony Munoz 6'6 280

LG - Randall McDaniel 6'4 285

C - Mike Webster 6'1 260

RG - Larry Allen 6'3 325

RT-  Jackie Slater 6'4 280

-If I go 3 WR's and take Winslow out, I would put Marvin Harrison in the Slot - speed and hands plus his chemistry with Peyton is unmatched!

 

Defense 

DE - Reggie White (best DE ever)

DT - Mean Joe Greene

DT - Cortez Kennedy (310 pounds of brute muscle)

DE - Bruce Smith

OLB - Lawrence Taylor (fast)

MLB - Ray Lewis (monster and a leader)

OLB -Derrick Thomas (fast)

LCB - Deion Sanders 4.2 40 speed

RCB - Darrell Green 4.2 40 speed

SS - Troy Polamalu (heads will roll)

FS - Ronnie Lott (heads will roll)

 

Special Teams

Kicker - Adam Vinatieri

Punter - Ray Guy

Kick Returner - Devin Hester

Punt Returner - Deion Sanders as well

 

Head Coach - Bill Belichick

 

 

 

[ColtsBlueFL]

4 hours ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

I can't do a 'talent' list.  If they didn't make my 'best' list, then they either didn't quite have enough or use all of their talent. That said, my personal list:

 

 

QB - Tom Brady  (Peyton Manning, Joe Montana H.M.)

Half back - Walter Payton, Gayle Sayers (Bo Jackson and LaDainian Tomlinson H.M.)

Fullback - Jim Brown, Earl Campbell

WR - Jerry Rice, Randy Moss (Lance Alworth H.M.)

TE - Kellen Winslow, Tony Gonzalez (John Mackey H.M.)

LT - Anthony Munoz

LG - Bruce Matthews

C - Mike Webster

RG - John Hannah

RT - Walter Jones

 

OLB - Lawrence Taylor (Ted Hendricks H.M.)

MLB - Dick Butkus (Ray Lewis and Jack Lambert H.M.)

OLB - Derrick Thomas, (Jack Ham H.M.)

DE - Deacon Jones, Reggie White (Bruce Smith H.M.)

DT - Mean Joe Greene, Bob Lilly (Merlin Olsen H.M.)

FS - Ed Reed   (Paul Krause H.M.)

SS - Ronnie Lott  (Brian Dawkins H.M.)

 

 

Can't believe I left off the corner backs!!

 

CB 1 - Deion Sanders {Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey H.M.}

CB 2 - Rod Woodson  {Mike Haynes, Darrell Green H.M.}

[2006Coltsbestever]

12 minutes ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

 

 

Can't believe I left off the corner backs!!

 

CB 1 - Deion Sanders {Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey H.M.}

CB 2 - Rod Woodson  {Mike Haynes, Darrell Green H.M.}

I left off John Hannah but McDaniel and Allen were so Great too and they were alot bigger. Webster was the man at Center IMO. He only weighed around 260 but was strong as an Ox!

[NFLfan]

7 hours ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

Good point, but to me, Bruce Matthews had started in 99 games as a left guard, 87 as a center, 67 as a right guard, 22 as a right tackle, and 17 as a left tackle. Very versatile as well! I don't think he has ever missed a game due to injury either, and he had 292 NFL games starts.  He was a 14 time pro bowler, and a 9 time first team

 

If you have an award for all-around offensive lineman, Matthews would get it. He is a great Hall of Fame player. But if you are selecting best player at left guard, it has to go to McDaniel who played more than double the number of games at left guard as Matthews did. As you pointed out, they were both first team All Pro 9x but Matthews was not at Left Guard all those years. McDaniel was. 

 

I did not see Paul Krause play, but I heard he was great. Thanks for the honorable mention there.

[ColtsBlueFL]

56 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

 

If you have an award for all-around offensive lineman, Matthews would get it. He is a great Hall of Fame player. But if you are selecting best player at left guard, it has to go to McDaniel who played more than double the number of games at left guard as Matthews did. As you pointed out, they were both first team All Pro 9x but Matthews was not at Left Guard all those years. McDaniel was. 

 

I did not see Paul Krause play, but I heard he was great. Thanks for the honorable mention there.

 

Krause was a pass interception machine. In an era with much less passing than now. I also wanted to find a spot on that list for Alan Page as well.  Minny in the middle late 1960's to about mid 1970's were my team (purple people eaters!). But somehow a transition to the Baltimore Colts happened, quite likely as the Vikes incredible front 4 got old...

 

I saw Fran play, and Joe Kapp (who to my young eyes was an even tougher, less graceful, Steve Young before Steve Young was) who even snuck in there for a (and my first as a fan) SB appearance (was a sad day for me to see the KC Chiefs metriculate to the W).  Funniest description I heard about Kapp was he was "half passer, half Mexican, and half collision". He also was a pioneer in sowing some of the 1st  seeds for future players free agency. I remember Chuck Foreman, Ahmad Rashad, John Gilliam, Wally Hilgenberg, Ron Yary and Mick Tinglehoff...

 

But make no mistake, it was Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, and Gary Larsen that had me hooked before I was even 10...

 

Then... coming near the middle/end of the 1970's, the Horseshoe hooked me and I've been a Colts fan ever since. Both in Balmer and Indy.

[alawai]

21 minutes ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

 

Krause was a pass interception machine. In an era with much less passing than now. I also wanted to find a spot on that list for Alan Page as well.  Minny in the middle late 1960's to about mid 1970's were my team (purple people eaters!). But somehow a transition to the Baltimore Colts happened, quite likely as the Vikes incredible front 4 got old...

 

I saw Fran play, and Joe Kapp (who to my young eyes was an even tougher, less graceful, Steve Young before Steve Young was) who even snuck in there for a (and my first as a fan) SB appearance (was a sad day for me to see the KC Chiefs metriculate to the W).  Funniest description I heard about Kapp was he was "half passer, half Mexican, and half collision". He also was a pioneer in sowing some of the 1st  seeds for future players free agency. I remember Chuck Foreman, Ahmad Rashad, John Gilliam, Wally Hilgenberg, Ron Yary and Mick Tinglehoff...

 

But make no mistake, it was Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, and Gary Larsen that had me hooked before I was even 10...

 

Then... coming near the middle/end of the 1970's, the Horseshoe hooked me and I've been a Colts fan ever since. Both in Balmer and Indy.

I remember a game that Kapp did/call a visual.  Yes not an audible but a visual. The WR was not covered so Kapp waived at the WR.

[Lucky Colts Fan]

23 hours ago, Flash7 said:

I'm not a fan of this player, but if we're going off of talent, then Cam Newton may have to be in the conversation. He's big and strong, elusive and fast, and has a cannon for an arm. On talent alone, he may be at the top of the list. However, his play at QB wouldn't rank as high as the greats (Montana, Manning, Brady, Marino, Elway, Favre, etc.).

 

Cam is super-talented.  He's a bigger, more physical version of Vick, just not as agile.  He is like the Jim Brown of QBs.

 

Whereas Vick is like the Barry Sanders of QBs.

 

Just a different flavor of superhero.  Cam can run through a defender like Superman flying through a wall, while Vick is like Nightcrawler.  You see him on one side of the wall, then you blink and he's somehow on the other side of the wall.  And the wall is just as confused as you are.

 

"Vick was just here, where'd he go?"

 

[Lucky Colts Fan]

22 hours ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

I can't do a 'talent' list.  If they didn't make my 'best' list, then they either didn't quite have enough or use all of their talent. That said, my personal list:

 

19 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Here's my all-time team:

 

I tried to differentiate between the most talented players and the most successful players.

 

In football, as in life, it's not the most talented that is the most successful.  It's the ones that work the hardest.  If they have the talent on top of the work ethic, they exist in rarefied air.

 

Guys like Peyton, Brady, Emmitt, Rice, and Lott were the best on the field when they were playing, but they weren't the most talented guys on the field.

 

Guys like Jim Brown and Reggie White were THE most talented players on the field, and had the work ethic to make them special.

 

If Mike Vick and Randy Moss had the work ethic of Peyton Manning, we'd be talking about them as the unequivocal GOATs at their respective positions.  (I know that's quite a claim, but considering their talent, you have to admit they could have been more than special)

[2006Coltsbestever]

11 minutes ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

 

I tried to differentiate between the most talented players and the most successful players.

 

In football, as in life, it's not the most talented that is the most successful.  It's the ones that work the hardest.  If they have the talent on top of the work ethic, they exist in rarefied air.

 

Guys like Peyton, Brady, Emmitt, Rice, and Lott were the best on the field when they were playing, but they weren't the most talented guys on the field.

 

Guys like Jim Brown and Reggie White were THE most talented players on the field, and had the work ethic to make them special.

 

If Mike Vick and Randy Moss had the work ethic of Peyton Manning, we'd be talking about them as the unequivocal GOATs at their respective positions.  (I know that's quite a claim, but considering their talent, you have to admit they could have been more than special)

Yeah I understood your point, Great Thread by the way. Bo Jackson was probably the most talented RB of all-time. It was ashame he got injured.

[Superman]

For me, most talented QB has to be either Brett Favre or Dan Marino. Receivers are Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson (). 

[Myles]

I don't understand "talent" in this thread.  Just physical potential?   I would put throwing an accurate ball as talent.  Vick didn't really posses that talent.    It seems that size is being used to define talent.   Maybe "tools" might be a better fit.  

[Lucky Colts Fan]

1 hour ago, Myles said:

I don't understand "talent" in this thread.  Just physical potential?   I would put throwing an accurate ball as talent.  Vick didn't really posses that talent.

 

Did you see the QB I listed right after Vick?

On 6/27/2018 at 12:51 PM, Lucky Colts Fan said:

Otto Graham (pinpoint accuracy)

 

1 hour ago, Myles said:

It seems that size is being used to define talent.   Maybe "tools" might be a better fit.  

 

It's all just opinion, don't overthink it. 

 

You can call it "physically gifted" instead of "talented" if you want.

 

[Myles]

24 minutes ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

Did you see the QB I listed right after Vick?

 

 

It's all just opinion, don't overthink it. 

 

You can call it "physically gifted" instead of "talented" if you want.

 

Where is Jeff George on the list? 

 

[Lucky Colts Fan]

8 minutes ago, Myles said:

Where is Jeff George on the list? 

 

 

Right next to Ryan Leaf! 

[Colts_Fan12]

On 7/5/2018 at 9:57 AM, Myles said:

I don't understand "talent" in this thread.  Just physical potential?   I would put throwing an accurate ball as talent.  Vick didn't really posses that talent.    It seems that size is being used to define talent.   Maybe "tools" might be a better fit.  

The lack of peyton on a lot of these teams is sad he was prolly the most football intelligent qb to ever play and he was accurate and had a good arm before the surgery easily one of the greatest talents of all time 

[2006Coltsbestever]

4 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

The lack of peyton on a lot of these teams is sad he was prolly the most football intelligent qb to ever play and he was accurate and had a good arm before the surgery easily one of the greatest talents of all time 

You would love my all-time team, see above. Peyton is my guy.

[Colts_Fan12]

5 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

You would love my all-time team, see above. Peyton is my guy.

Good lol easily the best QB ever with that mind and talent combination