Welcome to the Solid Verbal. I'll that for me. I'm a man, I'm forty.
I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy. You want to be happy for dake Edo State?
Is that? Whoo whoo? And no, Dan and Tie Welcome back to the Solid Verbal. Boys and girls. My name is ty He'll the brand joining me as always over there in beautiful New York City. My man Dan Ruvenstein, Sir, how are you?
My revised answer is a team of twenty two Tyler Maddick Cave I matt Madikaevitch Chi Madikavitch. I believe well, I know it's Matti Kaevich, but the plural of if it's twenty two of them, still by right, twenty two mattic Cave is where I'm I'm coming down. It would be a brutal, brutal game to play against twenty two of that guy. But that is my final answer.
Welcome back to the show. Boys and girls. I'm Tye, He's Dan. This is the Solid Verbal. Don't forget to subscribe to the show. Going out to our website, solidverbal dot com, where you can find all of our links, the history of the show, all the good stuff, that you know you want. If you're a first time listener,
check it out solid verbal dot com. We are also on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, and there is a subreddit that a bunch of our coolest fans started so that other verbawlers would have a chance in a place to communicate about each and every episode. So that is Reddit dot com slash are slash solid verbal in case you're interested in one final housekeeping note before we get rolling here with our part two Alzheimer's show. A lot
of people signing up for that newsletter right now. Yeah, I get pings on my phone even when I'm at the mysterious day job Dan. Yeah, full disclosure, the thoughts, the phone pings. For whatever reason, I had not figured out how to undo the ping. Okay, so it does disturb me in meetings, I'll have you know. Oh, every time someone signs up for that newsletter. We had a bunch over the last couple of weeks, I would just urge everyone, please, by all means disturb me in meetings,
sign up for that newsletter. Just go to soliverbal dot com. It's our website. There's a big old form right on the home page you can fill in your email address. After you hit subscribe, they're going to send you an email just to make sure you're not a bot or something. But then after you click that link, you will be fully subscribed and at the ready for a bunch of cool announcements that I know we're going to make over
the next couple weeks. Here we've got we've got a lot going right now in the super secret Soliverbal Laboratory.
We do have a lot in the works that's kind of coming together pretty quickly. But we are excited about some possibilities. And all I could think about when you were saying that is have you has your your phone or computer? I ever had to be projected on a wall for a presentation and you get in like a text or something like that, You're like, ha ha, when don't we turn that? Because now all I want to do is text you, Hey, the cream came in. It's
the strongest we have for your rash. But it shouldn't do the job, and it probably won't ever be up on a wall, but you know, in the off chance it does. Hey, Ty, All right, Well, how are you everything going?
Well? How's a little man?
Little man's doing great? Solid baby is thriving started sleeping on his stomach because he's dreaming of our all solid verbal teams. He is, is he do? How would you describe tonight's show? Like, how would you? Because it's one thing to say, like this is our our favorite players at each position or position groups, whatever, since we started the show in two thousand and eight. But it's not
our favorites. It's not who we think is necessarily the best of the best, but it's who we believe if we were given a choice, they sing to us in a in a special way. So for example, yeah, if you're when I was between Marcus Mariota and Colin Kaepernick or something, you could look at stats, you could look at awards, and something might be objectively better decision wise, but at the end the end of the day, you'll be like, you know what, I'm just I'm a mariotic guy and I'm doing it.
Well. Let me let me use a different example, and I don't think I'm given too much of the game away here by throwing out Tyron Matthew. So what we did last week is we we talked about our sentimental favorites. Maybe a guy had a funny name, Maybe a guy was really good in college, didn't do much in the pros. But we're not talking about the headlining acts, just guys that, for whatever reason spoke players good player in this era to find an era, you get the drift what we're
doing tonight, are I think it? When I think of our all time team, I'm looking at a guy like a Tyron Matthew as a really good example. He'll play. He's a consensus pick. He only played two seasons at LSU before we got kicked off the team. But in those two seasons, Tehran Matthew made an impact. He made an impact, he got a nickname. We're going to talk a little bit later about all the different ways that he changed the game. But it didn't take a whole lot.
I've got a couple guys on here who had one remarkable season that stands out in my mind. So I'm just assembling players, in some cases seasons, putting together the bits and pieces since we started this podcast, mind you, back in two thousand and eight that have collectively made up for my own little college football reservoir.
Yeah, I mean, I'm looking at your team right now and I am shocked, Color me shocked. Three Cam McDaniels at running back. That's right, you know, I just.
Best looking guy in college football, right there is he? Though I know there was the most photogeneic guy I think was That.
Was pretty good. I'm still partial to our guy in his fifties.
So we had a lot of commentary on the show.
From Mooking Sexy, Randy Atzel, come on, you gotta okay? Sorry?
Did I cut you off? I apologize?
No, You're good.
We had a lot of commentary on the show. He did a week ago. We had a little bit more time to prepare for this one, Dane. Let's get rolling. Let's start at the quarterback. Whoa position?
Headliners, tell me who you considered before your choices or choice?
Well, I considered Cam Newton. Yeah, I considered Cam Newton because of that remarkable run he had with Auburn, which was incredible and he was unstoppable in that one singular season. I considered guys like Manzell because Manzell really did change the college in the SCC right like his style of play, his edge that he played with, it absolutely had an impact. But the two that I eventually settled on. One was a guy that, let's be honest, it's a sentimental though too,
it can be it's a little sentimental. Had a good college career, Nick Foles had a better pro career. It has had a better pro career being so, we won a Super Bowl, was an MVP of a Super Bowl, just signed a monster contract. But Nick Foles is the guy that we had a lot of fun with on the podcast back in twenty eleven, mainly because he played on a lousy team. He was the best player, one of the best players on a really bad team, would throw for five hundred yards each and every week in
a losing effort, and that nickname caught on. It's still with us. We still get tweets whenever he's playing on a Sunday. So Nick Foles is like my runner up, just purely because of sentimental value.
I think you put it on the wrong show. I may have put it on the wrong show, but he was probably in the last ten years, He's probably not one of the best forty college quarterbacks. Honorable mention, Yes, okay, he's your honorable mention. You wormed sentimentality into tonight's And who is your actual pick for the quarterback who has best defined excellence? What's the Simpsons Award Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence. That's right, who is that award win?
It's got to be Tim Tebow.
Wow, Okay, I like that pick. I think it's a good pick. It's I wouldn't have considered it, but I still think it's a good pick.
Won the BCS Championship twice, one Heisman once one and forty five touchdowns accounted for over four seasons and over twelve thousand yards from scrimmage. I'm not sure why you wouldn't consider Tim Tebow. I think he goes down as one of the best college quarterbacks, one of the best college football players of all time. For me, take the stats in tandem with all the other intangibles, and the answers is clear, and it's tibo.
Did you consider Sean Petty? Do you remember that name? Of course, the Maryland linebacker forced to start at quarterback against I don't know it was George Attack or Wake Forest or something cour of years ago. That had to be under consideration because all of the quarterbacks we considered knew they would be playing quarterback that season, but not necessarily Sean Petty. I considered Marcus Mariota, Heisman winner and took his team, you know, three year starter took his
team to the National Championship game. Comes up short for sure, but was electric from the moment he stepped on the field. Lamar Jackson, I don't know how you don't consider Lamar Jackson for everything he did as he thrived those specific two years. I have Tibo on here now. Baker Mayfield is all all time in terms of statistics. Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray stand out, and that's an insane thing because of this era. I have RG three here because
his Heisman winning season was extraordinary. And then Colin Kaepernick what he did in Nevada. I'm not putting him in that top duo for me because it was I think he's a whack quarterback. I'm not fully keeping that against him, but at the same time, he was just so good. What was he the angry Ostrich something like that. I
think it was the angry Ostrich. I have manziel and Johnny Football and Cam Newton on mine because of just how electric they were within the fish bowl that they sort of put themselves into because of trouble or attention off the field, and the fact that they were able to shine was It was just incredible TV. And that goes such a long way for me. Johnny Manziel setting all sorts of records, winning the Heisman, Cam Newton winning
the Heisman, and both beating Alabama in impressive fashion. I just when I think about this past decade, I think we probably spent more words talking about both of them than any other two quarterbacks. And so that that to me is reason.
Enough, fair enough, fair enough. So we're going Manzel and Tebow, not a bed, not a bad.
Pretty good at pretty good as long as as long as Manzel's not playing lcu.
All right, who got it? Running back?
So running back was actually easier than I thought it would be. There have been a number of players who've put up huge yardage and huge games like how do we how do you like leave off melgre for instance, Well I did. I don't know if you did, but I did, which troubles me. But I went with more I would say complete talents. I have Christian McCaffrey, I love to do everything, all purpose types who also happened to be great between the tackles. So I have Christian
McCaffrey for his insane all purpose ability. Leonard Fournette because physically and being able to run as fast as he did at that size, and just for that ole miss truck alone. I don't know how he's not there, And I just I felt compelled in my marrow to put Leonard Fournette there. And then the guy that almost embodied a combination of both of them, the all purpose ability but also running hard and physically. I have Dalvin Cook. Okay, it wasn't. He didn't put you know, three four years,
you know, Loan Starter tonnage of yards. But Dalvin Cook at his best, and he did it over a season. I felt was it was impressive in a way that even McCaffrey and Fournette weren't. I was terrified with that thing. The thing about it, I loved it.
Dalvin Cook was not to say that the other guys, certainly McCaffrey and Fournette didn't fall into a similar category. But Dalvin Cook, almost to a greater degree, felt like he was taking every ball to the house. Yes, every time he touched it. You knew there was that game breaking ability. The others were outstanding in their own right. I considered, though Christian McCaffrey, I consider Dalvin Cook for that same reason. I'm gonna play this just because because
you haven't played the old Milgor sound in a while. Oh, he was fantastic. Trent Richardson's another guy had a really stellar college career. We also had an awesome conversation about whether he could kill a horse if he ran full speed and shoulder charged a horse.
One of our very first backup might be better might in front of him.
Yeah, the two names that I'm gonna throw out there, and I'm surprised you didn't mention Michael James.
You know he would be under considerate. He is under consideration. For me, He's arguably the best Oregon offense, like non quarterback offensive player ever, with how productive he was in just three years.
I feel like because of the Chip Kelly regime under which he saw his five thousand plus yards as a running back, that system was different. The system was fun. He seemed to kind of come into his own around the same time that that Oregon football program was really truly ramping up and becoming cool. He was kind of the face of that to some degree. And so for me, he's he's in the backfield here, Mike.
Do you remember how he got his starts. Why he was thrust into the starting lineup. You know what I don't la Garrett Blunt punching. Yeah, that's right, that's right. He was the backup. He had red shirted, wanted to transfer back home, and I think it was Utah. It was his first game and he ran wild, and even though Blunt came back later on in the season, it was Michael's backfield.
The other name here, and perhaps I'm biased, you know, no, this is a great name here. Gotta go Saquon Barkley. Now there's a little bit of recency bias here. I tried to avoid the younger guys as best I could, not because they haven't been outstanding, but just because he
tend to remember them a little better. But along the same lines as Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey, I can't think of anyone since we started doing the podcast who embodied that big game, breakaway, explosive ability the way Squon. Saquon was just fun to watch. And while Dalvin Cook, you knew, could outrun everyone if he hit a hole, one cut, boom gone, Yes, Saquon would find a way
to invent a hole and then he'd be gone. The ability to distract a defense, to attract defenders so that Trace McSorley could throw it down the field to someone else. He he just changed the game in so many ways that stats can never reflect.
And a huge beneficiary of the Joe Morehead era, yes, where they were able to get him the ball creatively. And I think the point is, I think you were alluding to it that the best of Saquon Barkley might be the best of what we've seen from that position. The reason I hesitated a little bit was there was some wild card element to his play where, oh, he had forty seven yards against Northwestern, huh, And I don't know if that's his fault. I don't know if it's play.
Calls were fun fine seven yards though.
Those were a fun forty seven. The best of Saquon I think it was the Iowa game. It was certainly the USC game in the Rose Bowl, the Michigan game at home, when I think he lined up he took a snap a sort of a wildcat type running back and ran a counter to the house with like basically not being touched. The best of Saquon Barkley was terrifying. And so that's the best thing I can say about somebody like that. So he absolutely deserves to be here.
Let's move on to wide receiver. Mm hmm, I'll go first.
I've got I've got four wide here, four that I feel very confident about.
Your first selection on here I had. I was so angry at myself for not immediately thinking of him.
Michael Crabtree. Yeah, so Crabtree was right at the very very beginning of the podcast, got to go way back in time.
It was the two thousand and eight was the year of the catch, right, the.
Year of the catch. Yeah, Crabtree had thirty one hundred yards and forty one touchdowns in two years at Texas Tech. Now granted different system, wide open system. They're throwing the ball. They were throwing the ball under Mike Leach pretty much every down, but his ability to change the game. He was unguardable, unguardable in the college game, and certainly to put up numbers like that in just two seasons speaks
to that point. I can't remember. Well, I've got a couple other guys on here who were unguardable in their own ways, but Crabtree, to me, is probably the alpha dog in this category.
I think that's right. He red shirt. I think he was a high school quarterback, so they weren't really sure what they were going to get from him. And then he was basically a receiving prodigy his red shirt freshman year, he catches whatever it was, over one hundred balls, goes to about two thousand yards, over twenty touchdowns, and was one of those receivers who it's just a handful in
the last decade. I'm not going to say he stands completely alone where an opposing defensive coordinator whoever, is trying to figure out what to call him, like, they're probably going to Crabtree and you know, there's nothing you like, yeah, ok okay, and what do you want to about it? And he is just I mean, that freshman year is
just something of legend. And then he makes, you know, arguably the best catch maybe outside of the game winner for Alabama the National Championship game of the past decade as well.
So Crabtree for me is number one. Yep, number two isn't that far off. And I know, I know he sort of fell on a bad way after going to the NFL. And again we covered that a bit on our previous show. We're looking at college athletes what they did on the field. Justin Blackman in three years at Oklahoma State thirty five hundred and sixty four receiving yards, forty receiving touchdowns. He was another one who falls into
that category where he was virtually unguardable. Was drafted what the top five ish, yeah, number five in the twenty twelve draft by the Jaguars. He's a guy that I remember back when I was playing fantasy football in twenty twelve, twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen, I was bending over backwards because I was wholly convinced that Justin Blackman was gonna be the next big thing in the NFL. And it didn't work out for a multitude of reasons. But yeah, black men in college.
Not necessarily having to do with his talent.
No, no, no, not having to do with this talent, had some substance abuse things, and all that aside from a pure talent perspective, and certainly in the college game. Another one who falls in that unguardable category. I don't think quite as high as Crabtree, but he's at least he's at least in my wide receiving cores.
Physically dominant unlike basically every receiver in this past decade and was the rare guy. And there's a guy on my list as well who I don't know if he was as big as black Men, where he would just run a crossing route, a drag route or something. You're like, oh, that's a smart play call. It's you know, third and eight and you're getting it to him. It's a little bit of space. He's going to get that. And then like, I think he just ran forty seven yards after the catch, which at that size.
Which one of your three are you referring to.
I'm referring to Marquise Lee.
Okay.
That's why I thought Marquise Lee was somebody, and he I think was a little bit more all purpose because of his ability in the return game, and that's what pushed him for me. I just remember he had a window of you know, clenching your butt, holding your breath, and that, to me, is that one of the highest
compliments I can pay. Because USC wasn't always in a great place with him, and I know he had some injury issues and Robert Woods was also there, and he was again like all the next guy's even better, and at times it did seem that way for Mark eas Lee, he was just also electric with the ball, but built that solidly that he would take that six yard route and like, oh now he's that's seventy seven to the house.
Cool. Yeah, I remember the Marquise Lee era he was Yeah, I'm with you on that one.
Twenty twelve, I think is when he peaked. Yeah, yeah, who's next for you? I'm a little bit wishy wash you on your next pick.
I've got Mike Evans here.
Yeah. Good at what he did? No, No, great at what he did.
I think one of the primary reasons I had Mike Evans on here. First off, he was huge, huge, almost twenty five hundred yards in two seasons seventeen receiving touchdowns at A and M before he decided to go pro. He was another one who was very difficult to guard, didn't quite have that breakaway speed, but was still pretty quick and obviously a monster coming out on the field. What I'd say about Evans, though, is there were so many games where Manzel was connecting with Evans that sort
of defined an era of college football for me. Some of those really big games featuring Manziel also featured Mike Evans and taking again in totality the size, with some of the moments, and certainly the stats. I think he's in this wide receiving core For.
Me, I don't know that there's a better instant deep threat go up and get it. Like in the offensive meeting rooms at Texas A and M, the conversation may have just gone, Hey, Mike, you cool if we just sort of like send you and kind of throw it up and you'll just come down with it, and like, oh yeah, totally no, that works for me, Okay, cool.
Cool.
That was Mike Evans and there are very few of anybody that were better phishyically at attacking a ball deep. But was he the most polished route runner. I don't know, but you know, you throw it up to him in the end zone. Yeah, on a nice fade, you're getting six, And that's crazy impressive.
I'll be honest with you. If I were, if I were actually ranking these from one through four, Evans would probably be fourth behind Sammy Watkins. I had such difficulty here, but continue, Sammy Watkins had the numbers, clearly had the numbers, twenty eight touchdowns, thirty seven hundred plus receiving yards in
three years at Clemson. He's another one that falls into that game breaking category where wasn't the biggest guy certainly wasn't Mike Evans, but his ability to run in space after catching the football and the acrobatics that we saw on display sometimes catching passes from Taj Boyd. Remember that
was a Boyd era. Yep, he is unbelievable. Another one that I was wholly convinced was going to be a monster in the NFL, and it hasn't quite materialized to that degree, but had all the all the tools that you needed everything to really be a game breaking wide out.
I'm going to read for you twenty twelve's Clemson receiving Corps and why it was difficult for me. Nuke Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant, Adam Humphries. Wow, pretty good for them, not bad, pretty good forsome. And then that's all ignoring the fact that Mike Williams comes along and is excellent. Ar Tavis Scott, Who am I missing? That's you know?
Since then you have well Dion Kine, Ray Ray McLeod, Hunter Renfro, You got Hunter Renfro, Jordan Leggott at tight ends, and then Justin Ross and t Higgins, like, it's just it's been such an incredible run at receiver it was impossible to select. So I didn't take any of them. You took Watkins, and I thought that was good enough and rightfully, so.
Okay, So you've got two others.
On your side. Yes, So I had Mark Easley and I explained that Tavon Austin.
I just I thought about Tavon Austin long and hard.
He was vapors Yeah, he was just vapor in that his trail and that he made me weaken the knees and when asked to just get spot duty at running back, I want to say against Oklahoma, but maybe that was a huge receiving game that he just stepped in and Ranford three hundred yards. He was even with having another All American caliber and high round draft pick in Steedman
Bailey opposite him, Tavon Austin was with the ball. Just one of four people, whether Percy Harvin, d Anthony Thomas, Tavon Austin, whoever else, that was just so fast and so just stupidly dangerous that I couldn't leave him. I just I felt too much while watching Tavon Austin and My final pick is Tyler Lockett, Kansas State. Okay, I the excellence when and this is another like everybody knows
Tyler Lockett's getting the ball. He went for over five hundred combined against Oklahoma and Texas in the same season. He was so automatic on a team that at times struggled offensively that he bailed him out of so many situations and games. And just if Crabtree was unguardable, Tyler Lockett's unguardable. And the degree of difficulty I would say for Tyler Lockett within some of the confines of the Kansas State offense made it even more impressive at times.
To me.
I loved watching him.
I want to go back for a second. Okay, Tavon Austin. Yeah, Tevon Austin is such a good pick.
Here, and I was so bummed an NFL team couldn't figure out how to use him or he couldn't figure out how to be an NFL all purpose weapon. But come on, Tevon Austin doing everything for West Virginia he had looking at his stats in twenty was it twenty eleven? Was his or twenty eleven twenty twelve? He goes for one hundred and eighty seven against LSU. I remember that
game that was at home. I believe the spot duty at running back was I'm loading it up right now, but it's just like, what more could he do three forty four on the ground running back against Oklahoma twenty twelve? In twenty twelve, I mean, and then iconically and changed because we just talked about Clemson and just in terms
of his influence with the toss sweep in the Orange Bowl. Sure, West Virginia, Clemson gets Kevin Steele fired, who is a legitimately good defensive coordinator and still is, and Clemson turns to Venables to to sort of modernize their defense, and the rest is sort of history for them. But damn, tave On Austin, You're killing everybody.
It represents so much of I think the hype, so much of the building expectations at that time around Dana Holgerson. Yeah, because he really came into his own under Holgerson. That was the Gino Smith era the reserves, So there was a lot of excitement around that West Virginia football program. Obviously in a little bit of a different place right now, but Tavon Austin's a really good pick, really good to hold to rate our pick here.
I will always remember because I interviewed him and I asked him, if you didn't go to West Virginia, where did you want to go. He was like, I was dying for an Oregon offer. Just like adding twenty twelve Oregon with Tavon Austin, d' anthony Thomas and the Michael James and Kenyon Barner. I guess it'll be twenty eleven. Just run the flexbone, That's what that was my reaction when you told me that, All right, next position.
So we're going to do offensive line that we're going to take a momentary pause and continue on with the defense. We haven't done a whole lot of deep diving of offensive lines over the course of I don't know, the last twelve years or so. The first name on my list is also the first name on your list, and that's Quentin Nelson. Ye, Quentin Nelson, violence of Notre Dame. Violent as an offensive lineman, clearly paying dividends as a high draft pick now in the NFL. Really the full
package when it comes to an offensive lineman. He just mauled people. Dan mauled people in an era against teams that had really good, big defensive lineman. There was just never a match, never match that he couldn't handle Georgia LSU.
All of these games he showed up.
Yeah, that's the first one. Also in the Notre Dame category, I'll throw Ronnie Stanley in there.
Oh, that wouldn't have been my second pick for Notre Dame.
I don't think it is my second pick, not even in this category. It's just the way that I grouped them mentally because they're both from Notre Dame. Ronnie Stanley had a very good college career. Shouldn't be overlooked.
Stanley over Zach Martin.
Zach Martin's a good one too. There have been a lot of good Notre Dame offensive linemen. Correct, Yeah, Barrett Jones should be higher on this list. Then perhaps I gave him credit for Barrett Jones when when he was playing for Alabama. I will never forget as long as I live. We were doing a podcast during Barrett jones junior senior year I forget, and I had Andy Staples on. We were talking about a bowl game of BCS or an SEC championship, a big game featuring Alabama.
And Staples loves Barrett Jones.
Loved Barrett Jones, and I made an offhand comment at the time saying that I forget which Alabama superstar was the best player on the field. And you could tell that he almost like Andy is the nicest guy in the world, right, Yeah, something like Andy's the nicest guy in the world. He's not looking to show anybody up. But that was probably the closest he came to sort of putting me in my place, because he said, excuse me, the best player on the field is Barrett Jones. End of starting fall stop.
Hard to watch an Alabama game and hear about the Alabama offensive line without hearing about Barrett Jones. GPA difficult, difficult and that's okay. I think he's doing is he ed ESPN? Now? I think he's doing radio TV stuff for ESPN. So he's got a bright, shining career in front of him. But yes, that's a very good pick. I know he he slid around the line a little bit. He was a left tackle, he was a center. He did what was asked to him. He probably did Rubik's cubes.
He was great. I can't argue with that pick at all. Who's last for you?
The other name I have on here, and I don't know if I should really put him on, but he is notable because there was a movie made about him literally the year after he left college. And that's Michael Orr from O. Yes, very good, really good, very good in college. Yeah, notable, perhaps more so for other reasons, but went on to have a pretty good pro career. Yeah, certainly a good college career. Yeah, Michael wore interesting name.
So I had Quentin Nelson. The only other player I had here was Brandon Shurf. Oh, because that's the other like and they run particularly well if I remember correctly when Shurf was anchoring one side of the line, but what he was able to do, especially in past protection, and I assume it was was it Mark Wiseman or Akram Wadley, I don't know whoever it was. Was damn lucky to be behind Brandon Shurf because at his best
the violence was also there. And those are two guys which anybody who watched either Quenton Nelson or Brandon Shurf watching their cutups, watching their highlights of what they were doing to defensive linemen, the only correct reaction was like, how do we get a guy like that on our team.
Didn't you tell me you had a bully to find that would who would pump himself up? Yes for leg day or whatever by.
Yeah, he's a former offensive line Yes, loved Brandon Shurf, but there was there was a lot to Brandon Shurf that was just excellent. So Nelson's my my standing alone on a hill pick for this. But yeah, both of those dudes so great. Trey Jackson also counts a little bit for me. I really liked watching him at Florida State, so I would probably slide him in there as well.
So listen, speaking of that, Dan m if you decide that you want to stand alone on a hill, I always do make sure that you take your away luggage with you when you're on your way there.
I'm using it this weekend Away is.
The name Away offers high quality luggage at a much lower price by cutting out the middleman and selling directly to you. You can choose from nine colors and four sizes. The carry on, they got a bigger carry on, both of which, by the way, are compliant with major airlines. They've got a medium in the large so very very appropriately named. We've got several of them. Here in the house right now. Solid Wife Kate loves them. All. Suitcases
Dan are made with premium German polycarbonate. It's lightweight, it's unrivaled in strength, settle for nothing less Hi. Yeah, it's resistant to impact. They've also got three hundred and sixty degrees spinner wheels to guaranteed a smoother ride. Best of all, both sizes of the carry on are able to charge anything that's powered by USB court.
I'm ready, I've been charging. I'm ready for the weekend. We rented a house a little upstate New York with actually the Brandon Schurf.
Guy is the Is this the weekend for that?
This is the weekend? Okay, so nice, nice little weekend to get out of the city. I will be using my away suitcase. I'm very excited for the first time, very secure, and couldn't ask for more.
Thanks to a lifetime warranty. If it breaks, they'll fix it or replace it, and you could try it for one hundred days. If you decide it's not for you, you can get a full refund. So I'm not just saying that you've got one. You love it. I have used Solid Wife Kates before. She's got like a fleet. Right, She's got the whole on away fleet in the room next door. She loves it.
Yeah, this was before we even partnered with a Way. That's correct that she was just all in, like they sent me one because they wanted me to experience how good it is, and it is great, and you were. This was the conversation was we already have a bunch of them. They're great. You take this one.
So for twenty dollars off a suitcase, you can visit away travel dot com slash solid, use the promo code solid during checkout. That is away Travel dot Com slash Solid promo code is solid, and you get twenty bucks off suitcase. Check it out. We love it. Dan loves it. Think you will too.
Do you want to drool over more players?
Let's flip over to the defensive side of the ball, Dan.
Yeah, do you have a kick return or anything? Or are we going to do that later?
We can do that later. Okay, defense, start me off with your defensive lineman. There is some similarity here.
It was impossible. It was impossible. I know who I have as my most impressive player. That's in Dominic and Sue Yes, two thousand and nine and Dominican Sue was going to wreck you, and that is a reality that you were going to have to make peace with. I'm so sorry for what he put you through. Colt McCoy must be very harrowing. You must wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and you can see the grass underneath his cleats. I get it. He was impossible.
He was next to it was Jared Crick right, yes, next to Jared Crik for Nebraska. I always get that confused with It was Owdric on Penn stage.
Jareddrick. Yeah.
Yeah, it was very very confusing for me. But in Dominican Sue was and I have other names here who were unstoppable, unguardable, terrifying. In Dominican Sue, I think, to me, still stands alone on this hill as i've as I've been saying, who else you got, I've got Jadavion Clowney. Okay, just because physically athletically from defensive end, we have not had another Jadeveon Clowney. Jadevion, excuse me, I have Aaron Donald who in terms of production inside how quickly he
got off the ball. The fact that he almost athletically was a safety at defensive tackle. He was so nimble and just all over the place and disruptive. Aaron Donald is there for Pitt. It's just it is one of the great tragedies to me, and I don't care that much about the NFL or the NFL Draft, but that he fell as far as he did where it's just like, there's nothing anybody can do about Aaron Donald. Why are you not taking him in the top five? That's insane?
And then the final answer is somebody who's undersized, because these are all giant dudes. My first three, I have Vic Beasley there. Yeah, the speed with which he came off the edge to me was just terrifying as well. And I know they've put Clemson has put a ton now of great defensive linemen into the NFL in all four this past year, but going back to Shackloss and Kevin Dodd whoever, there have been great ones, Vic Beasley was for me more must watch than any of them.
And as runners up, and I went with TCU's defensive ends on the Sentimental Show, I kind of just wanted to go with the twenty thirteen Missoo defensive line just I don't know if they even all started but Michael sam Cony, Ealy, Shane Ray, Marcus Golden in the same room is just it's worth noting.
So I've got and Domikin Sue or as you once said, Nom Dekon Sue.
Dom dom de Kong.
Yeah to David Clowney, both those guys are they have to be on this all time defensive line. Here's a guy that you missed.
I'm ready.
JJ Watt.
Yeah, there are multiple Watts I missed.
JJ Watt is easily the most interesting storyline here. Keep in mind remember his story. He was a two star tight end out of high school, got a scholarship with Butch Jones at Central Michigan. Yeah, and then left, had the jone is to leave so that he could walk on as a defensive end at Wisconsin. Obviously, had an outstanding college career, left after his junior year eleventh overall picked by the Texans. The rest is history. Has had a pretty good NFL career whenever he's able to stay healthy.
But when I remember about what not only his ability to change the game, his ability to bat down balls has had an impact in the NFL and certainly had a bigger impact in the college game as well. Because it's just it's not the same caliber offensive line, not the same caliber quarterback opposite that, and what was really a game changer when he came in and started making his mark in Wisconsin.
We haven't mentioned any Alabama defensive lineman and there are a ton. Oh yeah, I would spotlight Jonathan Allen just because of his versatility. I loved him so so much sentimentally. I would, you know, Mount Cody, I think we've brought up I was hoping to bring up I don't remember if I did last week, but Jonathan Allen to me among that very long list, and there have been you know whoever it is, Corney Upshaw or Ashawn Robinson, guys who have been drafted highly, Jonathan Allen being able to
adjust to so many different styles. There's a bunch of LSU guys, Brockers, Sam Montgomery, Glenn Dorsey, was you know, somebody that we probably should be listing in these top four, but there's just not enough spots. I just man, you look at the long list of Alabama dus, You're like, I don't what. It's the same thing with the Clemson receivers formula, Like, how am I supposed to choose just one.
Glenn Dorsey, by the way, was before the soliverbal So don't feel bad.
Was he not eight?
He was seven? Oh?
Okay, so now I don't feel bad.
Rest assured. Okay, okay, let's go to linebacker. There's one here. It's an obvious one. I have to say. Manti Tao Ooh, Manti Tayo will forever go down as the victim of
that weird catfishing thing. But all that aside and the zoo, the circus that that was one of the most decorated college football players of all time, had one hundred or more tackles in three straight seasons, one a Defensive Impact Player of the Year Award, the Lot Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Beeneric Award, the Bronco Newgirsky Trophy, the Bucket Award, the Lombardi Award, and the Walter Frickin Camp Award. Wow, that, my friends, is a hell of a college career. I
don't care what he did at the next level. I don't care about the weird catfishing thing. Manti Tao was incredible as a college linebacker and deserves to be a top this list.
Okay, I think that's and especially with what he was asked to do within the I guess this would be the challenger right to your Cam McDaniel, best looking. What was the defensive coordinator's name, Bobiaco? You're Bob Diacoah is a challenger? God, how did I forget Diaco's name? But you know, dropping into that sort of center field pseudo safety spot, he was asked to a lot within that defense. He was incredible, really had an incredible run. So that's
definitely the end of Notre Dame linebackers for you. Correct.
I've also got Jalen Smith on here.
I know this is your like fifth Notre Dame player, Okay, I know. Jalen Smith was amazing.
Jalen Smith was amazing. He was going to be, if not the top pick, probably a top three pick in the twenty sixteen draft. Before he blew his knee out against Ohio State. He was everywhere. We talked about Joe Schmidt on the last show. The contrast between Joe Schmidt and Jalen Smith, seeing them next to each other on the field really showed you how gifted this kid was. And now the fact that he has healed up from his injury took a couple of years, but was very
productive for the Cowboys last season. My guess is the Cowboys got a steal. They were willing to invest and wait on him, hoping that he'd heal up, and it seems like the kind of thing now it's going to pay out dividends at the next level.
I think that's right. Yeah.
The other name here that I'll mention before I throw it over to I don't want to disrespect Alabama. Uh oh, so I want to talk about Rolando McLean.
Yeah, he was superb.
He was unbelievable in the two thousand and nine season. It's the kind of thing that sticks out from the early days of our podcast. I remember talking about Alabama and just coming across his name in an article or recap or highlight as I was watching and doing the studying, the necessary studying to do this show, and it was like, holy freaking crap, this guy is so good. He is
so good that nine season sticks with me now. Rolando McLean had a lot go on after he went to the Pros, and there was a bit of a downturn there that we won't talk about here. I saw he recently got a degree from Alabama, finished his degree. So that's good. Cool, that's great, But certainly in terms of athletic prowess, it was all there for Lando mclin.
Oh yeah. I mean I'm in a group Orlando McClain with my first pick because I think there's a lot of similarity in just how much they were able to do, whether it was sideline to sideline, in coverage, in stuffing the run, in just diagnosing things. I mean, that's what you want from you're either inside linebacker or middle linebacker. Right,
they're the quote quarterback of the defense. There is something about the best of the best at this position, going back to in the modern era of Patrick Willis, that was before our era, I believe, or else he would be on this yes, yes, where you remember you remember on Saved by the Bell, Zach would be able to freeze time be like, hey, I don't think you know she even realizes that I'm going to the dance. He
breaks the fourth wall. There is something about an excellent middle linebacker who, as soon as the ball is snapped, the entire play freezes looks around in a time continuum, a space time continuum that nobody else is privy to me, Like I see what's going on here? I see what's going on here, and you just you couldn't get anything past Luke Keigley or Orlando McLain in terms of diagnostics. They would look at you and you'd be like, oh, maybe on passing, maybe we're going deep, maybe we're running
a couple slants, like, you're not doing that. Maybe we're I don't know it was a screen. No, you're not running a screen. What are we doing? What are we doing? I think you're gonna run off tackle? Maybe a counter. I'm like, uh, how did you know? And that was the Luke Keegley and Rolando McClain experience, that they just had this intuition like they had hacked into the radio in the quarterback's helmet. It was so fun to watch
both of those guys. So I have Keikley, who had seven hundred and forty four tackles in his three years. I have Jarvis Jones, who had a weird path going from USC where he was medically, you know, not clear to play. Then he ends up at Georgia and then he just destroys everything you want to do from the edge as an outside linebacker sort of a stand up rush end outside linebacker. He was incredible to me. And then my final pick. It's a combination of sentimental and
just excellence. It's Fonteze perfect.
Oh man, I still have nightmares about Vontees perfect.
Vontez perfect. And I was also considering Miles Jack here just because of what he was also asked to do on offense, and this would have been sentimental Owen Marie sick plankful back and linebacker. But Vontez perfect. If you have not had a chance watches college stuff, it's all great. He's mean, he's angry, he's going to get a lot of penalties, and it's going to be kind of worth it if you're rooting for him. But if you ever have a chance to watch his high school film, oh yeah,
he's just almontying everybody. He looks like he's twenty seven, he's never been kissed. Whatever comparison you want to make, he is stupid in high school and in the best possible way and makes me want to if you ever have the opportunity to come across our friend Brandon Huffman and you just end up talking about West Coast high school football, I don't know if this is true of
Vontez perfect, but just reminded me of him. He will he will pull out facts like now many people know this, but Vontez Berfect's uncle is drag racing legend and knows everything about everybody. And I just love that Vontez perfect destroyed everybody in LA.
It was great, Monteze perfect.
Montes perfect. And the picture of him pointing Matt Barkley maybe iconic. Totally iconic. All right, Next up, defensive back. We already talked a little bit about to Ron honey Badger.
Yeah, the honey Badger. In two years, he forced eleven fumbles, recovered eight of them, returned two of them for touchdowns. Yeah, had four interceptions, ran back two punts for touchdowns. I couldn't find it in the stats, but I'm certain he blocked kicks along the way and was just a special team's wizard. Dan. He changed the game. He had such a nose for the ball and his playmaking ability wherever
he was on the football field. It's different than Saquon Barkley, obviously, but it's that same sort of edge where you just you know the potential is there to change the game anytime the ball is in his vicinity. And it was a shame the way things went down at at LSU that we didn't get another year from him at LSU.
And you know, he's obviously moved on to the NFL now and has had a decent enough career, but his first two seasons at LSU, when he garnered that nickname Honey Badger, right, just a ton of fun to watch as a fan.
There is something about value added with guys like Tyra Matthew where you're right, it's you know, the punt returning, the special teams, the ability to go from safety to nickel corner, to blitz from wherever, to know, just a standard corner, whatever. That he could occupy so many roles in the same drive, in the same game, whatever, that he was just too valuable to leave off this with as high a level and how's game changing as he was.
For that same reason, I have Jalen Ramsey. When you have that all field defensive ability to make plays no matter the situation, I just those are the two people I want on my team, maybe more than anybody on this list outside of Sue is Matthew and Ramsey just because of the versatility on defense where you can task them with anything and They're not only going to be competent, but they're going to excel. So that's why I have both of them.
I like it. You've also got Patrick Peterson and Eric Barry on your list.
Yeah. I doubled up with LSU guys because Patrick Peterson was just smothering and Eric Barry just the intuition there, similar to what I feel about ROLANDA. McLain and Luke Keigley. But Eric Barry just game changer at safety, could come up, could play center field, diagnosed everything quickly, just a football mind in the defensive backfield that almost stands alone. Over this past decade, played for what was in football talent
as well Bill Fulmer and Lane Kiffin. I want to say it's see fourteen interceptions in three years, had seven picks in his sophomore year, went on to a long and prosperous NFL career. I think he just got released by the Chiefs. Some serious hurdles too in the NFL. Has overcome a ton.
Another name here that you know. I don't know if he goes as one of the greatest of all time. I was enamored with Taylor Maze from US OH.
I love Taylor Mays and I don't think he was that good, but I loved.
So here's the thing. Taylor Mays was a three time first team All American. M h, there aren't a whole lot of those guys, so, at least in a college sense, that's pretty damn good's that's among the very best. He was a freaking torpedo. He was coming down from that safety piece hard. He was six three two twenty six. And this was only USC timing its own players, so take it with a grain of salt, but they had timed him out like a four to three to two forty yard dash. That is a rocket coming down from
the safety position, mauling guys. He was huge. Didn't work out in the NFL, but who cares Taylor Mays. I had a serious, serious, serious thing for Taylor Mays. I was very into the Taylor Mays air at USC.
If you were to put together a team of player like the off the Bus team, you know a lot of sports writers and TV people would be like, well, i' let's see you. Getting off the bus is just something else. It's just different. Taylor Mays is a get off, you know, getting off the bus kind of player at that size how he was so impressive right away. Physically, he was also at times probably the least favorite defensive back of USC fans because he was.
Yes, well he was going two row.
You're he was gonna throw his shoulder into you and maybe decapitate you, or maybe you're the opposite the opposing player which just bounce off and keep going. He was that the wrapping up left something to be desired. His coverage skills at times left something to be desired, but physically he could deliver something unlike probably any safety or three safeties over the past decade.
In hindsight, probably for the best that he didn't play during the targeting era.
Yeah, I'd say so.
So there you go. The other name here I've got is Prince Amukamara. Yeah, also excellent, very good at Nebraska. Better at Nebraska than he ended up being in the pros. Fun name, lockdown corner. I don't know, we had a lot of fun with him. Prince.
I like Prince Yeah. I mean those were some seriously great defenses, those Polini defenses. Neil was like eight oh nine ten somewhere in there. Those were crazy impressive kicker and punter. You got any needs, Yeah, I just want punter here. I have JK. Scott and Michael Dixon because they're putting a hurt in on that ball and they're placing it and they're pinning it and they are it's
not cute what they did. Like there's something like that we like making not making fun, but having fun with like, oh, this punter's crazy good? Like, no, they were. I don't like punting. I don't like the conservative nature of a lot of coaches and offensive coordinators at times playing for field position when mathematically it makes no sense. But if you have Michael Dixon, if you have JK. Scott and you can pin somebody inside the five pretty consistently in
big games, I get it. But if you don't, let's let's be a little bit more aggressive. But those two just absolute boots and accurate, consistent, you know, forty five plus yards average, both of them. I just fall under the almost the Quenton Nelson, Like, how do we find that guy? Yeah, how do we find that? Because definitely changed the game for those teams for Bama in Texas. To be clear, JK. Scott Alabama, Michael Dixon Texas.
Mine is Roberto Aguayo for Florida, Okay, Yeah, he was pretty automatic. He went one ninety eight for one ninety eight as a kicker on extra points over his career. He was one for one in field goals zero to nineteen yards, twenty eight of twenty eight from twenty to twenty nine yards, seventeen of seventeen from thirty to thirty nine yards. Again, we're talking about a college kicker here.
These kinds of guys don't grow on trees. After you got beyond forty he wasn't quite as successful, but eighteen of twenty four over his career from outside forty five of eight over the span of his career from outside fifty hit fifty three yarders in the college game. That's a weapon, as a serious weapon from twenty thirteen to twenty fifteen for Jimbo Fisher, and they took full advantage of it.
They did one hundred percent. Did huge.
Who else we got here? You got a kick returner.
I'm gonna go de Anthony the Anthony Okay, yeah, because he both kicked returning and punt returning. Chris Owusu is a name that I would throw in there.
What about CJ. Spiller? I think that was right at the early.
That oh wait, I think that was Owait.
I think that k Wait nine somewhere in there.
It was very Yeah, he was OLW eight O nine. He was very difficult. I think he returned three or four either in one of those years. He was very difficult to leave off because I was going on and on about all purpose and versatility, and he had the game where I think he ran caught and threw a touchdown. C. J. Spiller is worth mentioning in any context for the best of these these teams.
All right, well, there you go. We wanted to try and put together like an hour long show, and I think if I listed out everyone that I wanted to at least shout out, we'd have been here all night. But please let us know. Look us up on social silver wellgmail dot com. Let us know if there are any names and stand out to you that should have been on our list.
The important thing is we included both casual address James Franklin and Nick Foles.
Yes, yes, I.
Know, not including Nape Sudfeld kept you ump at night, but you know you've persevered. And Jake Rudock. I'm trying to think of a well, who is Okay, I have a question for you, because I have an answer.
Okay, who is the.
Most ultimately and I don't mean this to be super mean but inconsequential, but will hold a soft spot in your heart more for this one very specific thing. So Tim Tebow did it well. Tim Tebow his freshman year because you selected him as your quarterback. He was the change of pace, short yardage trick play. You know, does the jump pass stuff like that? Right?
Right?
There are two players that that oldti became their role and they just it ended after that. Okay, eighteen wheeler package or the Belldozer? Who who do you have a softer spot's the eighteen wheeler package because I don't know that we I mean, is there anything more like of this era than like, yeah, he's gonna come in and he's generally gonna run it, but you know, sometimes he's gonna throw it poorly.
The eighteen wheeler package for me was okay, swoops, okay, because there was so much energy that had to go into branding that and making it into like a feel good story. Yeah, and it really wasn't all that great.
So and I'm trying to I don't have the list in front of me, but a special shout out if we're going to talk about this past era of two thousand and eight two modern times of that opening weekend game, we were like, oh, buddy, this is set in the tone for this year. And then Notre Dame in Texas. Both weren't good. That was great. If I'm getting my years correct, all.
Right, Well again, you know how to find us. If you haven't already, please subscribe to the show. You can find all of our links out at solidverbal dot com. We will be back with you a week from tonight. Talk more college football. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your week, enjoy all of your weekend. Please do reach out one more time, let us know what's on your mind, and by all means, stay solid.
Peace.