My top, all-time NFL linebackers. I go back a ways so if you don't regconize the names, google them.

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1. Lawrence Taylor.

2. Dick Butkus

3. Ray Nitschke

4. Ray Lewis.

5. Willie Lanier

DU footbal fans, dispute, substitute add others for consideration.

[Diamond_Dog]

1. Mr. Diamond says your list is a good one.

Although Jack Lambert added would make six….

[Raven123]

2. Yeah, I was thinking of Lambert too

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3. OK. I like. A Steelers fan I take it? Well let me, a Raiders fan, add...

the "Mad Stork" Ted Hendricks.

[Diamond_Dog]

4. Mr. Diamond is a Browns fan

But he is pretty good about giving credit where credit is due.

[Marcuse]

5. My next 5: Derrick Thomas, Mike Singletary, Derrick Brooks, Ted Hendricks, Bobby Bell.

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6. I like all of them. Forgot about Bobby Bell from the Hank Stram Chiefs.

[rsdsharp]

7. Pretty good list, but mostly middle linebackers.

I’d suggest Dave Robinson, and the two guys who really invented middle linebacker in the 4-3: Sam Huff and Bill George (I probably go back farther than you).

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8. Yeah, those two guys defined what it meant to be middle linebackers.

Wasn't George even a two-way player?

[rsdsharp]

12. Chuck Bednarik was for the Eagles; he played center and linebacker. George was just defense for the Bears, I think,

although he started out as middle guard in the 5-2.

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14. He had one of the best nicknames. "Concrete" Charlie.

[rsdsharp]

15. Cause that was his side gig. He worked for a concrete company.

After practice, he’d go out and estimate jobs.

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18. I didn't know about the side gig. I thought the nickname was because of his concrete-like wall he put up...

in stopping runners.

[House of Roberts]

9. I go back far enough to remember a guy named Lee Roy Jordan.

Put him where you will on any list, he's still the first one that comes to mind for me.

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10. I remember him. From Tom Landry's great Cowboy teams.

[Marcuse]

11. Add Sam Huff and Chuck Bednarik to the rabbit ears division.

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13. Sam Huff of course. And who can forget "Concrete" Charlie Bednarik?

[Island Deac]

16. I'm going to add Tommy Nobis of the Falcons y'all.

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17. Yep. He was a top backer back in the day.

[rsdsharp]

19. Tommy "hit 'em in the gizzle" Nobis.