Which Young guys at the top of the NFL? (1 Viewer)

[bigreese82]

Wanted to start this discussion around draft time..Who are the players with less than 4 yrs experience that are top 5 at their position ? Wondering how long it takes for players to reach the pinnacle at their respective positions?

Who are they? Not necessarily FF related

Let's look at QB,RB,WR,TE,LB,CB,S,DE

QB

Carson Palmer??

RB

Larry Johnson

WR

Larry Fitzgerald??

TE

Gates

Cooley

LB??

CB??

S??

DE??

 

[BlueDredSo]

Shaun Merriman, Lofa Tatupu, DeAngelo Hall, Sean Taylor, Ed Reed?, Dwight Freeney

The LB's could be debated as top 5, I think they're both there though. Does Ed Reed have more than 3-4 years experience? I'm thinking 3.

 

[Foosball God]

Shaun Rogers

 

[Aabye]

I'd add Polamalu and Vilma, probably.

I wouldn't put Fitzgerald ahead of Holt, Moss, Harrison, Smith, CJ, or Owens and I'd drop Cooley.

 

[perry147]

I'd add Polamalu and Vilma, probably.

I wouldn't put Fitzgerald ahead of Holt, Moss, Harrison, Smith, CJ, or Owens and I'd drop Cooley.

I agree drop Cooley and Fitz.

 

[Sheriff66]

Ben Roethlisberger

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Ben Roethlisberger

I was going to say - Polamalu definitely, and Roethlisberger is in the discussion.

 

[jeff_eaglz]

Did you look at the Pro Bowl roster?

I know it isn't the "be all end all" list, but cross referencing that vs. years of service sounds like a plan....

And Fitz makes that cut.

 

[jgb95]

I wouldn't put Sean Taylor in the Top 5 of the 4yr category.

My in the 5 - 10 Year Category (as in how many years he'll be in prison).

I don't see how he's getting out of this hot water!!!!

I also wouldn't even think about putting Big Ben in there!!

He hasn't shown that he can take over a game like Carson. Big Ben is a system QB and a low level one at that. When he can get by without a RB team that makes him look good. Don't get me wrong I like Big Ben but his early success is totally due to being in PITT.

 

[Texasmouth]

I think Fitz definately makes the cut. He played on a team with the worst offensive line on earth with Kurt Warner running for his life and he still made the pro bowl. Not to mention he is sharing the spot light with another super star in Anquan Boldin. I would take Fitz and Boldin over any other duo in the NFL, including Wayne and Harrison. Imagine if Fitz and Boldin had Manning throwing to them? They would be completely unstoppable. Imagine if they played with Bulger and pass happy Martz on the turf in St. Louis. \

I think Fitz will be the most dominating WR of the next decade. Just my opionion of course, which is about as valuable as a green TO jersey.....

 

[Sheriff66]

I wouldn't put Sean Taylor in the Top 5 of the 4yr category.

My in the 5 - 10 Year Category (as in how many years he'll be in prison).

I don't see how he's getting out of this hot water!!!!

I also wouldn't even think about putting Big Ben in there!!

He hasn't shown that he can take over a game like Carson. Big Ben is a system QB and a low level one at that. When he can get by without a RB team that makes him look good. Don't get me wrong I like Big Ben but his early success is totally due to being in PITT.

So being in Cinncy hasn't helped Palmer out ? Rudi Johnson, Housh, C. Johnson, and Henry all suck ?

 

[SoFresh&SoClean]

Young Guns all-star team

(not neccessarily top-5 at position) This is about 3-4 years or less experience, feel free to add or critique.

QB - Carson Palmer

RB - Larry Johnson

FB - Jeremi Johnson

TE - Chris Cooley (Heath Miller maybe) & Gates but he may be too old, prolly not though

WR1 - Larry Fitzgerald

WR2 - Roy Williams

DE - Robert Mathis

DT - Vince Wilfork

OLB - Shawnee Merriman, Terrell Suggs maybe

MLB - Odell Thurman/Lofu Tatupu/Jonathan Vilma (toss up)

CB1 - DeAngelo Hall, Dunta Robinson (Ike Taylor too maybe)

S1 - Troy Polomalu, Madieu Williams, Bob Sanders

 

[Evilgrin 72]

I wouldn't put Sean Taylor in the Top 5 of the 4yr category.

My in the 5 - 10 Year Category (as in how many years he'll be in prison).

I don't see how he's getting out of this hot water!!!!

I also wouldn't even think about putting Big Ben in there!!

He hasn't shown that he can take over a game like Carson.  Big Ben is a system QB and a low level one at that.  When he can get by without a RB team that makes him look good.  Don't get me wrong I like Big Ben but his early success is totally due to being in PITT.

So being in Cinncy hasn't helped Palmer out ? Rudi Johnson, Housh, C. Johnson, and Henry all suck ?

Forget it dude, it's a lost cause. You can point out the fact that the Steelers are 10-13 over the last 3 seasons without Roethlisberger and 27-4 with him and people will still say he just "landed in a great spot." Inherited a 6-10 football team and was forced to play from week 2 of his rookie season on, despite only 3 years of mid-major college ball and a training-camp holdout while his rookie deal was negotiated. If he'd sucked, he would have had every excuse - instead he was great and revitalized the team. Revisionist history would have you believe he took Brady's place on the Patriots....Facts : Even if you want to ignore the 2003 season and simply look at the team since Roethlisberger joined :

Without Ben : .571 winning percentage

With Ben : .871 winning percentage

Add to this that it's been Ben under center every time they've played New England, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Denver...etc. The three losses they've had without Ben at QB (Baltimore twice, Jacksonville once) are all teams against whom Roethlisberger is undefeated (2-0) in his career.

It's all the system, not the player, though.

 

[jonessed]

It was only a matter of time before this turned into a Big Ben argument .

 

[fatness]

I wouldn't put Sean Taylor in the Top 5 of the 4yr category.

My in the 5 - 10 Year Category (as in how many years he'll be in prison).

I don't see how he's getting out of this hot water!!!!

If you mean his trial, probably from lack of evidence.If you mean training with the rest of the team this year and not training in Miami, I have a hunch he won't get out of that one.

 

[mightyeskimo]

I'd add Polamalu and Vilma, probably.

I wouldn't put Fitzgerald ahead of Holt, Moss, Harrison, Smith, CJ, or Owens and I'd drop Cooley.

I'd rather have Fitz than Owens any day. He's not even on a team and people are still sucking his &%$^! Incredible!

 

[-OZ-]

My Pro-Bowl lineup of players with 4 years or less experience:

QB - Ben Roethlisberger*

RB - Larry Johnson

FB - Jeremi Johnson

TE - Antonio Gates

WR1 - Larry Fitzgerald

WR2 - Anquan Boldin

C - Dan Koppen

T - Bryant McKinnie

T - Robert Gallery

G - Eric Steinbach

G - Shawn Andrews

DE - Julius Peppers

DT - Vince Wilfork

DT - Tommie Harris

DE - Osi Umenyiora

OLB - Shawn Merriman

MLB - Jonathan Vilma

OLB - Cato June

CB - DeAngelo Hall

CB - Dunta Robinson

SS - Troy Polomalu

FS - Madieu Williams

* - I know - Carson deserves it too, but Super Bowl winner gets my vote

 

[jeff_eaglz]

My Pro-Bowl lineup of players with 4 years or less experience:

QB - Ben Roethlisberger*

RB - Larry Johnson

FB - Jeremi Johnson

TE - Antonio Gates

WR1 - Larry Fitzgerald

WR2 - Anquan Boldin

C - Dan Koppen

T - Bryant McKinnie

T - Robert Gallery

G - Eric Steinbach

G - Shawn Andrews

DE - Julius Peppers

DT - Vince Wilfork

DT - Tommie Harris

DE - Osi Umenyiora

OLB - Shawn Merriman

MLB - Jonathan Vilma

OLB - Cato June

CB - DeAngelo Hall

CB - Dunta Robinson

SS - Troy Polomalu

FS - Madieu Williams

* - I know - Carson deserves it too, but Super Bowl winner gets my vote

Solid work, Oz.

Completely agree on the O-side. Ben / Carson - either one would be fine.

 

[turkishkamel]

QB - Carson Palmer (Big Ben?)

RB - Larry Johnson, Cadillac Williams

TE - Antonio Gates

WR - Larry Fitzgerald

WR - Anquan Boldin

DE - Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney

DT- Shaun Rogers, Tommie Harris

OLB - Shawnee Merriman, Lance Briggs

MLB - Jonathan Vilma

CB - DeAngelo Hall, Dunta Robinson

S - Troy Polamalu, Bob Sanders, Sean Taylor

 

[Evilgrin 72]

My Pro-Bowl lineup of players with 4 years or less experience:

QB - Ben Roethlisberger*

RB - Larry Johnson

FB - Jeremi Johnson

TE - Antonio Gates

WR1 - Larry Fitzgerald

WR2 - Anquan Boldin

C - Dan Koppen

T - Bryant McKinnie

T - Robert Gallery

G - Eric Steinbach

G - Shawn Andrews

DE - Julius Peppers

DT - Vince Wilfork

DT - Tommie Harris

DE - Osi Umenyiora

OLB - Shawn Merriman

MLB - Jonathan Vilma

OLB - Cato June

CB - DeAngelo Hall

CB - Dunta Robinson

SS - Troy Polomalu

FS - Madieu Williams

* - I know - Carson deserves it too, but Super Bowl winner gets my vote

Can't argue much with this.....