Question: Who would be your picks for the three greatest Alabama linebackers ever?

saturdaysarebet

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Who would be your picks for the three greatest Alabama linebackers ever?

Lee Roy Jordan
Woodrow Lowe
Derrick Thomas
Cornelius Bennett
Will Anderson, Jr.
CJ Mosley
Rolando McClain
Others?
 
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J-Rod1988

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The ones I've seen play I'd say Demeco Ryans, Rolando McClain, and CJ Moseley, but I also know enough about Bama football to know it would be a travesty to not include Derrick Thomas and Cornelius Bennett. I'm also pretty sure that Coach Bryant said he wished he had 21 more Lee Roy Jordan's to fill out his starting lineup so there's that too.
 

davefrat

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Who would be your picks for the three greatest Alabama linebackers ever?

Leroy Jordan
Woodrow Lowe
Derrick Thomas
Cornelius Bennett
Will Anderson, Jr.
CJ Mosley
Rolando McClain
Others?
Was Will Anderson really a LB?

Seems kind of hard to compare modern rush end/LB types to the old slobber knockers.

That said (and with the caveat about Will) I'd say Derrick Thomas, Biscuit and Mosley.

If we're going with 4 LB then I'd throw in Lee Roy Jordan as well.
 
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gtgilbert

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Was Will Anderson really a LB?

Seems kind of hard to compare modern rush end/LB types to the old slobber knockers.

That said (and with the caveat about Will) I'd say Derrick Thomas, Biscuit and Mosley.

If we're going with 4 LB then I'd throw in Lee Roy Jordan as well.
DT was essentially at the same position as Will Anderson.
 

davefrat

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DT was essentially at the same position as Will Anderson.
I have to disagree with that assessment based upon the changing nature of the game over the last 40 years if for no other reason than the simple fact that teams threw the ball only about 1/2 as much as they do today.

As a result, DT was more often playing a run-stopping role than a pass-rushing role.

Were he to have played in today's game he likely would have been similar to Will, but not under the conditions that existed 40 years ago.

It was a totally different game back then.

For perspective, in DT senior year Bama threw 290 passes.

In Will's senior year Bama threw 438 passes.

I don't have the time or desire to break down how many passes our opponents threw against us in those two seasons, but I'm guessing that our passing stats are relatively similar to those of our opponents during that time.

Although there are more games played now than then.
 
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TideEngineer08

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I have to disagree with that assessment based upon the changing nature of the game over the last 40 years if for no other reason than the simple fact that teams threw the ball only about 1/2 as much as they do today.

As a result, DT was more often playing a run-stopping role than a pass-rushing role.

Were he to have played in today's game he likely would have been similar to Will, but not under the conditions that existed 40 years ago.

It was a totally different game back then.

For perspective, in DT senior year Bama threw 290 passes.

In Will's senior year Bama threw 438 passes.

I don't have the time or desire to break down how many passes our opponents threw against us in those two seasons, but I'm guessing that our passing stats are relatively similar to those of our opponents during that time.

Although there are more games played now than then.
Factor in passing styles as well. In the 80s, 5 and 7 step drops were the norm. Today, it's almost exclusively shotgun and the QB is getting rid of the ball fast.