20 most underrated football players of all time 20 most underrated football players of all time

The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. He helped the Packers win a Super Bowl. An undrafted quarterback out of the late Milton College (Wisconsin), Krieg got them to the postseason four times and the AFC championship game once. 10 Most Underrated Football Players - Sports Al Dente The most similar current player to Anderson is Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell, but Bell plays in a modern offense that amplifies his production instead of suppressing it. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. The difference between the great and the all-time great is often a matter of timing and luck. Yet somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl invitation. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. Rivers had neither, but he possessed just about everything else. Actually, theres a simple explanation. He finally won a Super Bowl ring as a backup for the Buccaneers. What Mason did have was a keen attention to detail and fanatical drive to succeed. Even so, Smith was pretty much a well-kept secret outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or approaching Pro Bowl standards for almost a decade. Fifteen years ago, similar receivers were gimmicky undersized role players. Fletcher followed Gregg Williams from coaching stop to coaching stop, serving as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind's field marshal. Brett Favre may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, but Butler brought back celebration. Year after year, Chandler Jones is one of the best pure pass rushers in football. Shanahan uses Juszczyk as a traditional lead blocking back, but he provides plenty of versatility out of the backfield and with the ball in his hands. He was usually the Bears' best rusher and receiver in his prime years, catching 40-50 passes per season from Mike Tomczak or the young Jim Harbaugh. He led the Bengals to a pair of playoff appearances in 1973 and 1975, Joe Montana's high school senior and Notre Dame sophomore seasons. While coverage is Bates' strength, he can still lay the big hit and be a factor in run support. The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. And Jackson spent a generation as a pre- and postgame show staple, which puts him in a whole different category. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. Not enough credit is given to Waller who lacks the Shanahan offense or elite QB to help take his game to the next level. Terry McLaurin has played through one of the more unstable quarterback situations in football with Washington since entering the league but continues to emerge as one of the top wideouts in football. Rivers lacks several quarterback prerequisites for enshrinement: playoff glory, all-time records and, most importantly, momentum from a regional fanbase and media. Smith wasnt a no-show on third-and-long, either. But there is no player; fans themselves get to "leap" into the statue for photo ops. Most Underrated A Colts defender delivered some payback in the all-star game. They lost to the Vikings 30-14 in the 1974 Wildcard Round, and they were defeated by the Rams 35-23 in the opening round of the playoffs in 1975. A longtime semifinalist, his case is about to be handed over to the Veterans Committee, which has done a fine job recently of correcting oversights from Kenn's era. That's not something to hold against a player. 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. Most Underrated American Football Players of All Time If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. Williams' career-high in receptions is only 49, but with increased targets, he has already recorded 31 catches over the first five games in 2021. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" Graham has only missed one game since 2012 prior to 2021, and similar to Hughes is a winning culture type of player. WebThe Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time 1. His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Most Underrated NFL Players Of All Time - The Onion The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. Taylor Moton has quietly emerged as a dominant presence at right tackle for the Panthers. He became an All-Pro playing blindside protector in an early 1990s run-'n'-shoot offense. Despite his incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been one of the most underrated tackles in the NFL. Bottom line: OK, kids, lets play Name That Hall of Famer. Maybe not, seeing as Nalen has not had much success. Arizona Cardinals: Kelvin Beachum, OT. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Incredibly, McDole started 97 of the next 98 games. Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time by Team | Stadium Talk 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. A dominant presence as a run blocker, Moton uses his athleticism to get to the next level of the defense in a hurry. 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. Matthew Stafford is approaching 50,000 career passing yards, a number only topped by 11 quarterbacks in history. Teams: Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Houston Oilers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1986, 1987, 1992), Super Bowl championships: Two (1985, 1991). "I dont get it. He accounted for all his teams points in a 15-13 white-knuckler that wrecked the 49ers three-peat bid and sent the Giants to Super Bowl XXV. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 13, He covered receivers (38 career interceptions). Make no mistake about it, Eric Bieniemys exodus from Kansas City to Washington is only one move on the chess board His 65 interceptions are fifth most in NFL history. He ran a Sonny Jurgensen pass back 59 yards in the fourth quarter to seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974. Bottom line: Few remember Glen Edwards as the fearless strong safety with the Steelers first two Super Bowl teams. Theyre the flat-liners whose drop-dead consistency gets lost with average-to-bad teams, in smaller markets, with brain-challenged organizations that have little, if any, history of success. Henry Ellard spent the first five seasons of his NFL career returning punts and putting up humdrum receiving stats. 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Day 2 Recap (Fantasy Football) Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. Fleming was a reliable backup tight end/wide receiver who played with four Super Bowl-winners (and one NFL champion) in a dozen seasons. Without Kenn, there might not be free agency in the NFL, to say nothing of limitations on practice conditions and other initiatives that make pro football less dangerous than it was decades ago. Buckner is a smart player and one of the better-run defenders in football. But what peak years they were: 14- and 13-win seasons, annual playoff appearances, routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons. Entering 2021, Moton had allowed only 10 sacks in over 2,000 pass-blocking snaps. Let's take a look at the the five most underrated footballers of all time. 10. Super Bowl championships: Two (2005, 2008). So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. 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. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. He was a Pro Bowl regular, two-time All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971. WebWhile every fan base is sure to have two or three names they feel are undervalued and worthy of this list, here are my current top ten underrated players in the NFL. Pittsburgh Steelers: All-time underrated, overrated players - NFL.com 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. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). Sideways. Frank Ryan led the NFL in passing touchdowns twice. He played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. At only 510, Johnson lacks the ideal size. And no Hall of Famers allowed. Jordi Alba. Slot specialists such as Julian Edelman and Victor Cruz are now considered valuable components to the modern passing game. Waller overcame addiction and his suspension to emerge in 2019, catching 90 passes for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns while starting all 16 games for the Raiders. The former top ten draft pick looks to be on the verge of breaking out. There are over 120 teams that compete in the FBS, which means that storylines and hidden superstars abound. Bottom line: In the Steelers' 3-4 scheme, defensive ends were akin to smaller, more agile tackles run-stoppers first, pass-rushers second. Two names that are familiar to even casual football fans sit atop the mountaintop of underrated NFL players for the 2015 regular season. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Its easy to forget the Seahawks had some pretty good teams way back when, even a few playoff ones. C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? 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: Sutton hauled in 72 catches for 1,112 yards during his second season in the league before a knee injury cut short his 2020campaign after 1 game. If Morgan had played in a pass-happy offense with a Pro Bowl quarterback and hands-off rules, you would find him in Canton right now. Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). But no highlight clip of that play can be found on the internet. 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. Turned out he was skilled and driven enough to be a champion. 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. Playing in Detroit can stifle any career. At 67 Buckner also has a wide arsenal of pass rush moves to pressure the quarterback. In his most prolific early season, he caught 54 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns. Some might say it's a stretch to put Allen on this list after four straight Pro Bowl seasons and 95+ catch seasons. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). Related:Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time. The USFL may not have been the NFL in terms of quality, but being the Luke Kuechly of a league that featured Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly and Steve Young should count for something. While most Giants fans remember Meggett, he is still one of the most underrated players of all time. 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. Ken Griffey Jr.? While the 2021 season is still early, Johnson looks to have cleaned up some issues with drops that hindered his 2020 performance and is perhaps the only thing stopping him from gaining more notoriety. Karl Mecklenburg. Steve Atwater. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. Then again, the fourth-round draft pick had no choice. 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. Jones has also recorded at least 100 tackles every year since entering the league with the exception of 2018 when he played in only 6 games. "When I was there, the thing we were missing was that explosive type of offense, and the new coach brought that in.". Juszczyk knows his role and is a winning player that will always fight to win those tough yards. Actually, make that four careers. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. Randy Gradishar. During his first four seasons, three with the Ravens and one in Oakland, Waller caught just 18 passes on 29 targets while also being suspended all of 2017. One of the most underrated players in AM Football, Brodie Croyle was drafted into the NFL by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006 after being a college football standout with the University of Alabama. He played left tackle in 1972 and moved to right tackle in 1974. Then it was off to Carolina, where he earned an All-Pro selection for leading the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game as a second-year expansion team during his age-37 season. Ronald Koeman. Shenault is dynamic after the catch and plays like a running back with the ball in his hands. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. Lets not forget they also dominated with cold-blooded efficiency at the other side of the ball, where Keena Turner was rarely out of position at right outside linebacker. 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. He played center, as well, before his career was over. With his career spread evenly across three teams and zero All-Pro selections (a consequence of playing in the same era as Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher), Fletcher is a Hall of Fame long shot. most underrated players in football at David was a crucial component of the Bucs defense during their playoff run in 2020 that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. Guys who played in Jacksonville repeatedly have been crapped on in Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame votes, none more so than Taylor during and after his 11 seasons there. THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS OF ALL TIME - YouTube Let's face it: An entire All-Underrated Team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders. But Anderson was an extraordinary talent. Coughlin gave Smith a tryout, then kickoff return duties, and then teamed him with Mark Brunell and Keenan McCardell to create one of the most dangerous passing attacks of the late '90s and early 2000s. Young was a devastating interior pass-rusher who recorded 30 sacks in the three-year span from 1998 through 2000. It was rival 49ers tackle Bryant Young who the Rams were most concerned about before the 1999 season, when they signed Timmerman as a free agent. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). There are a ton of names in the conversation for best offensive linemen of all time, but Dierdorf Some of the 19 Here are ten of the most underrated college football players of all time. Lambeau Field was an icy outpost; the Packers still played a handful of home games in Milwaukee back then. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. WebTop ten under-capped England players is a list Foden and Maddison want to avoid Matt Le Tissier won 10 fewer England caps than Carlton Palmer. Neal Anderson replaced Walter Payton. WebFive players made their "Top 100" debuts -- David Montgomery, Jimmie Ward, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Tucker and Kyle Pitts -- in Episode 1 (Nos. That may tick him off. A mauler of a right guard, Timmerman also was agile enough to escort Marshall Faulk on screens and sweeps. WebTop 20 Most Underrated Footballers in 2022 1. The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. One of the greatest defenders in the history of a storied franchise, Young is just another victim of bad timing when it comes to getting the reputation he deserves. Allen made a lot of plays. Ryan was Jim Brown's quarterback and then Leroy Kelly's quarterback. Teammates Alan Page and Carl Ellar were held in higher regard. White: 12 underrated players; White: 12 overrated players; Towers: Generic vs. Name Brand; Prospect hunting . Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). There will never be another player like Marshall. WebDon't hesitate to comment below with underrated players who you believe should have been on this list. Butler has never even been a Hall of Fame semifinalist, and it's not going to happen for him soon. He won 65 percent of his NFL starts. Hadl signed with the Chargers instead, and Sid Gilman built him into the trigger man for an offense from which all modern offenses descended. The fullback has become a non-factor in many of todays NFL offenses, but Juszczyk remains an integral part of how the San Francisco 49ers run their offense. Wouldnt you know it? And to think, the guy never played in a Pro Bowl game. Jones is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection. The Jaguars, meanwhile, slowly descended to their current status as the NFL's punching bag. Drew Brees endured an average of just 24 sacks per season in Evans' All-Pro seasons, despite typically dropping back to pass over 650 times per year. Dierdorf started his career with the Cardinals in 1971 as a guard. Raphael Guerreiro - Borussia Dortmund. We could just trudge onward to the next player right now. Maybe Wright wasn't a Blount-level legend, but he deserves better than to be the forgotten man among the Broncos' forgotten men. Were talking about the most unsung, underappreciated players in NFL history here.