Ray Lewis in the pantheon of great linebackers

It really is tough to compare Lewis and Taylor. I'd go with Taylor for the reason you cited, but they really played very different roles.

If you just look at middle linebackers, I'd put Lewis a little behind Butkus, but ahead anybody else I've seen, including Lambert and Singletary.

 

Lewis was better at covering up murder so he has that going for him.

 

Funny thing about that, Lewis was considered small even in college, that's pretty much the only reason he lasted as long as he did in the draft, and then he ballooned to I-don't-know-how-many pounds but he looks a bit like a defensive end out there. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

 

Too small and the game is so different and LBs were asked to do even 10 years ago.

One name pre-merger I'm surprised hasn't been brought up is Chuck Bednarik. Eight time All-Pro, played 60 minutes on both sides of the ball

 

Lewis also ran something like 4.64 in the 40 which hurt him as much as size in where he was drafted. The Broncos thought John Mobley had better "tools."

I can make a schematic argument that Lewis changed the running game almost as much as Taylor changed the passing game.

Taylor is also a moron, whereas regardless of how you feel about the obstructing justice thing, Lewis is the Payton Manning of defense in terms of understanding schematics.

 

Junior, Chuck Bednarik Bobby Bell, Sam Huff, Roy Winston make the honorable mention all-Drip team. Incidentally, there are 22 linebackers in the NFL Hall of Fame
Chuck Bednarik (C-LB) 1949-1962
Bobby Bell (also DE) 1963-1974
Nick Buoniconti 1962-1974, 1976
Dick Butkus 1965-1973
Harry Carson 1976-1988
George Connor (also DT, OT) 1948-1955
Bill George 1952-1966
Jack Ham 1971-1982
Chris Hanburger 1965-1978
Ted Hendricks 1969-1983
Sam Huff 1956-1967, 1969
Rickey Jackson LB (also DE) 1981-1995
Jack Lambert 1974-1984
Willie Lanier 1967-1977
Ray Nitschke 1958-1972
Les Richter 1954-1962
Joe Schmidt 1953-1965
Mike Singletary 1981-1992
Lawrence Taylor 1981-1993
Derrick Thomas 1989-1999
Andre Tippett 1982-1993
Dave Wilcox 1964-1974

 

LT has some issues, no question there, but they guy could play and I NEVER heard a teammate say anything derogatory toward him, even during his coke years. That's how much respect people had for his football playing ability.

 

No white linebacker covered as much ground in his prime as Urlacher.

 

WTF is that about?

 

Do you not agree?

 

LOL