1978 to 2008: The FCS Top Thirty Lists - Offensive Linemen

[CSN-info]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/stats/writer/Top30/topthirtycover200w.jpg
The highest level of NCAA Division I championship football began play in 1978 as Division I-AA and from that time there have been numerous top performers throughout the 30 years. Now renamed the Football Championship Subdivision, the following is a list compiled to highlight the Top 30 at the positions of quarterback, runningback, wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, defensive back, kicker/punter, and FCS national championship games as part of our 2008 Yearbook.

This level of football has produced NFL Most Valuable Players such as quarterbacks Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon, Super Bowl MVPs such as Richard Dent, NFL record holders such as Jerry Rice and Steve Christie, and numerous NCAA records. These lists spotlight some of those achievements and gives a sampling of the level of play that the FCS has and continues to produce.

We will be publishing the lists over the next two weeks and we hope you will enjoy this small sampling of the past 30 years of the FCS.Read more ... http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php?blog=5&title=1978-to-2008-the-fcs-top-thirty-lists&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

[B&G]

I think this one highlights the major difference between BCS and FCS. You can get some awesome skill position guys falling thru the cracks but it's rare to find a dominating OL.

My opinion of course.

[Syntax Error]

it's rare to find a dominating OL...1. Matt Birk, OT, Harvard, 6th Rnd-1998
Current NFL player. Has spent his entire career with Minnesota. 6-time Pro-Bowl, 2-time All-Pro (2000, '03).

2. Nate Newton, OG, Florida A&M, Not Drafted-1986
6-time Pro Bowl Performer(1992, '93, '94, '95, '96, '98) & 3-time Super Bowl Winner in 14 seasons with Dallas and Carolina in NFL.

3. Howard Ballard, OT, Alabama A&M, 11th Rnd-1987
2-time Pro Bowl, 1992, '93. 122 starts for 2 NFL teams (Buffalo, Seattle).

4. Tony Jones, OT, Western Carolina, Not Drafted-1988
All-Pro 1994, Pro Bowl 1998, 2-time Super Bowl champion with Denver & Cleveland/Baltimore.

5. John Jackson, OT, Eastern Kentucky, 10th Rnd-1988
2-Time All-Pro, 1993 & '96. Started 138 games for 3 NFL teams (Pittsburgh, San Diego, Cincinnati in 14 seasons).

6. Ray Brown, OG, Arkansas State, 8th Rnd-1986
All-Pro & Pro Bowl 2001, Started 197 games in NFL with St. Louis/Phoenix, Washington, San Francisco, & Detroit.

Pretty dominating.

[UMass922]

I think this one highlights the major difference between BCS and FCS. You can get some awesome skill position guys falling thru the cracks but it's rare to find a dominating OL.

My opinion of course.

Agreed. What an exception in Nate Newton, though! I didn't realize he was an FCS guy.

[Native]

Offensive Linemen from Weber State who made it to the pros include:

David Hale - picked up in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens

Dmitri Tsoumpas - the second overall pick in the 2008 Canadian Football League draft, taken by the Calgary Stampeders

Pat McQuistan - selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2006 NFL Draft

Paul McQuistan - selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 3rd round of the
2006 NFL Draft

Halvor Hagen - Seven season in the NFL, from 1969 to 1975

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Pretty cool to see a pair of Eastern tackles on the list. I didnt realize that Ed Simmons had 2 superbowl rings. Michael Roos has a shot at getting one this year with Tennessee.

[Go...gate]

Ferren of BU was an excellent blocker - he helped RB Paul Lewis become a star at the I-AA level.

[dbackjon]

Michael Roos should be rated higher.

[GATA]

GSU hasn't had a single player on any of the lists yet.

I'm thinking only Tracy Ham and Adrian Peterson make it...

[rob_p469]

No Kirk Scrafford? Huh...

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Michael Roos should be rated higher.

I guarantee when they come out with a revised list 5 or so years down the line, he'll be in the top 10... he's a big reason why the Titans are undefeated right now... Tennessee has only given up 5 sacks through 9 games... that's really impressive. They're also 6th in the league in rushing yards per game...

[Franks Tanks]

No Cap 'n' Cat? This list is bogus. xnonono2x

[blueballs]

GSU hasn't had a single player on any of the lists yet.

I'm thinking only Tracy Ham and Adrian Peterson make it...

They won't be as high on the list as you'd think, even though Peterson owns every significant rushing and scoring record there is and Ham is in the College Football HOF because this list is weighted more heavily towards pro careers.

To wit: There is NO OL on that list who was more dominant in college than Mark "Bus" Williams, Rich McGrath, or Charles Clarke; but none of those three great option linemen played in the NFL so they don't count.

Fred Stokes' omission is curious though, because he was an all american, won two NC's, and played 10 years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Redskins.

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

UNH's Ken Kaplan played in the mid-1980's for Tampa Bay Bucs for about 3-4 years. He started and was a pretty good player. Also, in the early 2000's, UNH had an OC who started for the Chargers in his rookie year, then got caught up in salary demands and got kind of lost.

[Hoyadestroya85]

these lists are really pissing me off, it seems that CSN isn't willing to do the necessary research to determine who was truly the best while they were in college... the beauty of FCS football is that there are plenty of good, even dominant players who never make it in the pros.. this is why these lists are all crap

[Syntax Error]

these lists are really pissing me off ... this is why these lists are all crapLOL Chill pills for you! xlolx

Why don't you read the article and if you don't like the premise, then don't open the lists and don't post on the thread. xlolx

[grizband]

Thatcher Szalay, a two time first team All-American (2000 and 2001), should have been given consideration for this list, if it was truly based on college performace. These lists should be "Top FCS Players Who Also Starred in the NFL."

[Syntax Error]

the article says it takes achievements at FCS and pros, not hard to understand

[UNIFanSince1983]

Brad Meester is a stud! And I think given a few years Chad Reinhart will be a starter on the Redskins line.