A CASE FOR NFL DEFENSIVE BACKS

Written By: California Condor
12-21-2010


A CASE FOR NFL DEFENSIVE BACKS

I first begin watching football during the "Luv Ya Blu" era but I didn't begin to really understand skilled positions until the "Moon Run & Shoot" era.  My favorite unit of positions were the Wide Receivers.  The one thing I noticed, outside of Haywood Jeffries, Earnest Givens, Drew Hill, and Curtis Duncan were all small receivers.  At that point, I figured all receivers were suppose to be small.  With the receivers looking small, the size of the defensive backs never really stood out.

Fast forward 15 to 20 years, alot of the receivers are looking like giants and the Defensive backs are looking like midgets. 

Raheel, Nuno, and Marcus Coleman (1560 The Game)

A question that has been on my mind since I seen Vincent Jackson 6'6 in height of the San Diego Chargers, why are the receivers getting larger and the defensive backs are getting smaller.  I have asked various local football minds this question and they all give me the same answers

• a DB is a receiver w/o hands
• taller guys lack the agility
• thats what the NCAA is currently breeding

I was listening to the David and Raheel Morning Show at Night w/ Marcus Coleman (12/12/2010) former Jets and Texans DB.  I asked them why are the receivers getting bigger and the DBs are getting smaller.  They all acknowledged the size discrepancy but Marcus Coleman went a step further in saying he don't understand why the league appeared to be going to the smaller faster CBs when history has proven some of the best DBs were taller.  He went on to list some notable names which caused me to do the research myself.  Of course I value Coleman's observation because, he was a professional defensive back.

I wanted to know the size of some of the best Defensive Backs therefore I begin my research at a website listing the Top 25 Defensive Backs of All Time. 

THE LIST

Roderick Kevin Woodson
Position: DB
Height: 5-11 Weight: 205 lbs.
Born: March 10, 1965 in Fort Wayne, IN
College: Purdue (school history)
Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1st round (10th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft.

Richard Lane aka NIGHT TRAIN LANE
Position: DB-E
Height: 6-1 Weight: 194 lbs.
Born: April 16, 1927 in Austin, TX
College: Western Nebraska Community College-Scottsbluff

Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 107 (84th overall since 1950)

7-time Pro Bowler & 3-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1974, finalist in 1971, 1972, 1973

Kenneth Mason Easley Jr.

Position: DB
Height: 6-3 Weight: 206 lbs.
Born: January 15, 1959 in Chesapeake, VA
College: UCLA (school history)
Drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 65 (730th overall since 1950)
5-time Pro Bowler & 3-time First-Team All-Pro

Roger Russell Wehrli
Position: DB
Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: November 26, 1947 in New Point, MO
College: Missouri (school history)
Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (19th overall) of the 1969 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 98 (156th overall since 1950)
7-time Pro Bowler & 3-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2007, finalist in 2005, semi-finalist in 2004, 2006

 

Emlen Lewis Tunnell
Position: DB
Height: 6-1 Weight: 187 lbs.
Born: March 29, 1925 in Bryn Mawr, PA
College: Iowa, Toledo (school history)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 122 (32nd overall since 1950)
9-time Pro Bowler & 4-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1967

 
 
 
 
 

Kenneth Ray Houston
Position: DB
Height: 6-3 Weight: 197 lbs.
Born: November 12, 1944 in Lufkin, TX
College: Prairie View
Drafted by the Houston Oilers in the 9th round (214th overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 112 (61st overall since 1950)
12-time Pro Bowler & 2-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1986

 
 
 
 
 

Ronald Mandel Lott
Position: DB
Height: 6-0 Weight: 203 lbs.
Born: May 8, 1959 in Albuquerque, NM
College: USC (school history)
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1st round (8th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 117 (49th overall since 1950)
10-time Pro Bowler & 6-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2000

Melvin Cornell Blount
Position: DB
Height: 6-3 Weight: 205 lbs.
Born: April 10, 1948 in Vidalia, GA
College: Southern (school history)
Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 3rd round (53rd overall) of the 1970 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 111 (69th overall since 1950)
5-time Pro Bowler & 2-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1989


 
 

Melvin Lacy Renfro
Position: DB-RB
Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: December 30, 1941 in Houston, TX
College: Oregon (school history)
Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2nd round (17th overall) of the 1964 NFL Draft.
Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 10th round (79th overall) of the 1964 AFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 112 (61st overall since 1950)
10-time Pro Bowler & 1-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1996, finalist in 1993, 1994, 1995

Edward Earl Reed Jr.
Position: DB
Height: 5-11 Weight: 200 lbs.
Born: September 11, 1978 in St. Rose, LA
College: Miami (FL)
Drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 1st round (24th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 84 (295th overall since 1950)
6-time Pro Bowler & 4-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)

Roland Champ Bailey
Position: DB
Height: 6-0 Weight: 192 lbs.
Born: June 22, 1978 in Folkston, GA
College: Georgia (school history)
Drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 1st round (7th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 101 (129th overall since 1950)
9-time Pro Bowler & 3-time First-Team All-Pro



 
 
 
 

Deion Luwynn Sanders
Position: DB-WR
Height: 6-1 Weight: 195 lbs.
Born: August 9, 1967 in Fort Myers, FL
College: Florida State (school history)
Drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1st round (5th overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 114 (56th overall since 1950)
8-time Pro Bowler & 6-time First-Team All-Pro

William Ferdie Brown
Position: DB
Height: 6-1 Weight: 195 lbs.
Born: December 2, 1940 in Yazoo City, MS
College: Grambling State
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 112 (61st overall since 1950)
9-time Pro Bowler & 5-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1984




 
 
 

John David Tatum
Position: DB
Height: 5-10 Weight: 200 lbs.
Born: November 18, 1948 in Cherryville, NC
College: Ohio State (school history)
Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 1st round (19th overall) of the 1971 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 65 (730th overall since 1950)
3-time Pro Bowler


After listing some of the best defensive backs that played the game, it becomes even more amazing that the NFL is going smaller.  I am not saying all receivers are giants and all defensive backs are runts however my eyes are not deceiving me.   All in all, I would like to see an NFL were the DBs are not at a size disadvantage to the receivers.  What's next? Linebacker units averaging 190lbs in weight.  Earlier I made mention of football minds giving me routine answers, I am not saying they are incorrect but when you look at the list of great DBs, their answers are negated.

California Condor

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