The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducts their 2011 class today. Washington Redskins legend Chris Hanburger, a senior nominee, finds himself joining the heralded walls of Canton.

Some of you may recall my quest to get Chris his long overdue respect. His nine Pro Bowls are the most in Redskins history, and his four First Team All-Pro honors is tied with the legendendaty "Slingin" Sammy Baugh as the most in franchise history. He was also named 1972 Defensive Player of the Year by the NFL 101 Committee.

I wanted to give you real Redskins and NFL fans a gift. I spent months talking to players and coaches Chris played against or with. They graciously gave me quotes and letters, which I compiled into a package and submitted to the senior committee of the Hall of Fame a few months ago. His peers awoke the voters and got "The Hangman" finally inducted.

For those who saw Hanburger play, none of these quotes will surprise you. For those younger fans oblivious to his greatness, this may help educate you on the impact Chris Hanburger had on the game of football while wearing a Redskins jersey.

Please enjoy :

JACKIE SMITH
Tight End
1963 - 1978
Hall of Fame Inductee 1994

As tight end playing for St. Louis and in the same division as the Redskins, I played against Chris twice a season for quite a few years. When I first started playing, linebackers were big strong guys, not very mobile and geared more to stopping the running game.

Chris should be the "poster boy" for the new era of linebackers that could not only be effective against the run, but equally effective against the pass. His combination of strength and speed made it very difficult to block him or even get position on him. His ability to anticipate and then react allowed him to knock down passes in the intermediate distances and make tackles on the opposite side of the field.

He had to be the first linebacker to broaden the scope of the linebacker and increase the expectations of other teams of their linebackers.

I seriously doubt if I ever effectively blocked Chris. My guess is I only got in his way for a split second, because he was intent on being where the ball was on every play.

He was a player all teams had to prepare for...or at least try to.

Added to his great skill is another important aspect of Chris Hanburger. We need to remember the gentlemen that played this game. These are players that played the game with their heart because they appreciated the opportunity and wanted to do their best. They modestly reflect on their accomplishments simply because they would not have been satisfied with less.

Chris Hanburger belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Joe Gibbs
Former Head Coach, The Washington Redskins
1981 - 1992, 2004 - 2007
Hall of Fame Inductee 1996

When Chris was an active player, I coached against him when I was an assistant coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. When we prepared our game plans, we always considered how Chris might react against our plays. We considered him to be an exceptional player and we always took that into consideration during our game planning. He was an all around player who made the most of his abilities. He was tough and smart—two player qualities that I always wanted in my players.

Even though I never coached Chris, I have respect for him as a person and a football player. He is a big part of the Washington Redskins history.

MIKE DITKA
Tight End
1961 – 1972
Hall of Fame Inductee 1988

Chris was a hell of a player. He could beat you with finesse. He was always in position and was smart and quick. He also could use power.

He was quiet and did his job, having a great career without the attention he deserved.

People get too caught up in statistics. He knocked me on my ass.

When I was in Dallas, Coach Landry would always tell us to watch him.

He belongs in the Hall of Fame.

CHARLIE SANDERS
Tight End
1968 - 1977
Hall of Fame Inductee 2007

Chris was smart. He was a real student of the game and studied his opponents. He had a nose for the ball and was very hard to block. He always gave me a headache.

RAYMOND BERRY
Wide Receiver/ Coach
1955 – 1967, 1968-1992
Hall of Fame Inductee 1973

He should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nine Pro Bowls speaks for themselves.

I remember one play I caught a pass, and Hanburger absolutely blasted me. As he was laying on me, I fixed my helmet, looked at him and asked, “Are you OK?” Hanburger looked at me stunned by the question.

SONNY JURGENSEN
Quarterback
1957 – 1974
Hall of Fame Inductee 1983

Chris Hanburger is the smartest linebacker to ever play in the NFL. He was a coach on the field.

Chris belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His nine Pro Bowls is proof.

Roger Staubach
Quarterback
1969 - 1979
Hall of Fame Inductee 1985

Chris was an outstanding linebacker in the NFL. Even though we had our great rivalry and I didn't like the Redskins, I respected him.

John Hannah
Offensive Guard
1973 - 1985
Hall of Fame Inductee 1991

He was, at that time, the smartest player in the league. We did everything we could to try to eliminate him from the play. We knew if we didn't neutralize him, then we had less of a chance of winning.

CHARLE YOUNG
Tight End
1973 – 1986

Chris Hanburger was one of the best. It takes an All-Pro, such as myself, to know another All-Pro.

He was the toughest linebacker I ever went against in my career.

He was extremely difficult to block, and he was never out of position. He was a smart, hard-working player who got the job done.

He could read you. He knew what you were going to do before you did.

HOMER JONES
Wide Receiver
1964 – 1970

I feared Chris Hanburger much more than Dick Butkus or any other linebacker in the NFL. He could run with me, and he could hit very hard. He was also very smart.

Chris Hanburger deserves entry into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

NORM BULAICH
Fullback
1970 – 1979

Chris Hanburger should be in Canton. The voters must wake up. He went to nine Pro Bowls!

Voters do not realize how hard it is to just make an NFL team, let alone be voted to the Pro Bowl by your peers.

He is at the top of my list of linebackers I played against in my career.

I respected him. He had great football sense. He was very fast and hard to block. His knowledge of defense was excellent, and he always got to the ball.

JIM HANIFAN
Coach
1973 – 2003

Chris Hanburger played a mistake free game. He just never made mistakes. Don Coryell, Joe Gibbs and I would game plan on him, but it did not work.

He was intelligent and excellent. He deserves induction into Canton. .

I will always remember one particular game. George Allen had Hanburger reading the hand signs Gibbs and I were flashing to Jim Hart, our quarterback. Hanburger kept making play after play, destroying our game plan.

I got so mad. On the next play, I saw Hanburger looking over at our sideline. I flashed him the middle finger, which caused Hanburger’s jaw to drop as he looked at me in disbelief. I still laugh today at this memory.

CALVIN HILL
Running Back
1969 – 1981

The best outside linebackers I ever faced were Chris Hanburger, Jack Ham and Chuck Howley. It was Hanburger, however, who gave me the most trouble and taught me the most. Hanburger made me a better player.

He was scary.

He was the guy who captained the Redskins defense and called their signals. I hardly ever beat him, and it usually took me all game just to beat him on a play.

You never knew when he was going to blitz, and he often jumped over me on a blitz. He was smart and gave you different looks. He was a nightmare to oppose.

You would just hope to try to beat him some of the time. He was slippery and was resourceful. He was difficult to beat athletically, because he was such a great athlete. He was great at the point of attack.

He could really run and was fluid in his flow. You had to game plan specifically against him, because you knew he was a top opponent.

When I was with the Redskins, he was a great teammate. He was really great in practice also.

He was a big play guy who defined the WLB position. There is a reason he was a Pro Bowl player nine times.

The fact he is not in Canton shows the voters do not understand how good he was.

BRIG OWENS
Safety
1966 – 1977

Chris Hanburger is one of the all-time greats. He was a strong leader both on and off the field.

It is inexcusable that he has yet to be mentioned for induction. He went to nine Pro Bowls, the most in franchise history.

He knew how to read plays. He would argue with Sam Huff in the huddle over what play to call, which kept the team loose.

He was a great friend and teammate.

PRESTON PEARSON
Running Back
1967 – 1980

I had lots of clashes on the gridiron with him, and I never looked forward to opposing Chris Hanburger. He was an all-around linebacker.

He was studied, and he knew his opponents. He was always well prepared.

Not only was he very smart, but he was a hard-hitting linebacker. He was really, really tough. He deserves induction.

BRAD DUSEK
Linebacker
1974 – 1981

Chris taught me everything I know how to play linebacker.

He was our “one” general on the team. He knew over 300 audibles for our defense.

He was modest, smart, quick and fast. He was always one step ahead of the opponents. He had this amazing ability to read the eyes of running backs. He had a sixth sense.

Chris Hanburger should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

LEN HAUSS
Center
1964 – 1977

I was Chris Hanburger’s roommate for eight seasons on road games. He was always a smart player and one of the hardest hitting players in the league.

He had a quiet, business-like approach. He was not a “look at me” type of player, meaning he would never blow his own horn. He put the team first.

He would study the opponent’s non-stop. He knew the opposition and was excellent at studying their tendencies.

He was a great player and a team player. He deserves to be in Canton.

RICKIE HARRIS
Defensive Back
1965 – 1972

Chris Hanburger was the smartest player I ever played with. I really respected him.

He taught me how to read a defense, and he often covered me on the field. He was so smart; you knew you could depend on him to play a defender. It made my job easier.

Our defense was dependent on him to get us in the right position. He was regimented on defensive duty, and knew all of our assignments.

He could run with everyone in the NFL, and he often covered wide receivers on pass plays. He is also one of the best blitzers I ever saw play.

Chris Hanburger was a great player, and he deserves induction into Canton.

Facts :

Chris Hanburger
Washington Redskins
Linebacker
6'2" 220
1965 - 1978
14 Seasons
187 Games Played
19 Interceptions
17 Fumble Recoveries
5 Touchdowns
9 Pro Bowls
4 First Team All-Pro Teams
1972 NFL 101 NFC Defensive Player of the Year

Christian G. Hanburger was an 18th round draft choice of the Redskins in 1965. He was the 245th player chosen that year. He was a 25-year-old rookie, due to his service in the Army before going to the University of North Carolina.

At UNC, he was a two-way player who was named All-ACC at center his junior and senior years. In 1963, his team won the ACC Championship.

Hanburger played right away and was in the Pro Bowl by his second year in the league. He would then begin a string of Pro Bowl appearances until 1969.

He then resumed that string in 1972 until 1976.

Sacks and tackles were not recorded in those days, but Hanburger was a playmaker.

He is considered one of the best of his era. He was known for his blitzing ability and pass coverage.

Ever the complete player, he returned three fumbles for touchdowns, the third most in NFL history, in his career to go with two more on interceptions.

In 1972, Hanburger captained the Over The Hill gangs defense to a Super Bowl appearance and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Year by the NFL 101 Club.

Hanburger was known not only for good speed, but his exceptional intelligence and quickness.

He had the innate ability to diagnose a play before the ball was hiked. He often would cover the other teams tight end and peel off to knock passes down meant for wide receivers.

Hall of Fame coach George Allen liked to leave Hanburger in charge of the play-calling on defense and named his team captain for many seasons.

Chris Hanburger's nine Pro Bowl appearances are still the most by any player in the entire history of the Washington Redskins.

His four First Team All-Pro honors are tied with Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh as the most in team history.

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Unlike the past three years, I will be unable to do a full mock due to other obligations. I did quite well in those, so I suspect I will do horribly in this abbreviated mock.

We all know trades are part of drafts, but I will not theorize there and pretend the teams will draft in order.

So let's get to it and start ripping apart my decisions.

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The free agent is surely represented in Canton. The number of free agents inducted figures to greatly increase thanks to shorter contracts with clauses, as teams basically just rent players for short periods of time.

Yet signing the right free agent can lead a franchise to championship glory and sports immortality. While some signings are sound moves, others can be gambles and no one knows how they will pay off until all is said and done.

Here are the very best free agent signings in professional football history since the draft was created in 1936.

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History has shown malcontents like Mark Aguirre, Dennis Rodman, Alex Rodriguez, Plaxico Burress and many more hoist championship trophies.

While Super Bowl dreams for the Washington Redskins may seem faint for the 2011 season, no team enters a season without some sort of hope for some amount of time.

With Washington looking to fill holes on their roster, trading for players with character issues could certainly be a possibility if the draft and free agency does not do a sufficient job by itself.

Here are some scenarios that could play out, as ludicrous as they may seem.

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He became just the third Badger ever to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2009.

He decided to forgo his senior year to enter the 2011 NFL draft after missing three games in his junior year with a MCL sprain. Despite the lost games, Clay was named one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award.

Clay ran for over 3,400 yards and scored 41 times in his three seasons. In college, he measured at 6'1", 255 lbs. and drew comparisons to ex-Badger Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner who still holds the NCAA record for most rushing yards in a career.

Though Clay carried the ball 342 times in his freshman and junior years combined, he did lug the ball 277 times as a sophomore. That is more attempts than Dayne had in two years with Wisconsin, where he ended up toting the ball an amazing 1,115 times in four years.

Though Dayne was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2000 draft, some critics fear all the tread on his tires were worn off at Wisconsin. In his four seasons as a Jint, Dayne never started more than seven games, and his rookie season on 770 yards on 228 carries was his best season with them.

Dayne joined the Denver Broncos in 2005 but was rarely used. He joined the Houston Texans the next two years, where he had arguably some of the finest years of his career. After gaining a career-best 773 yards in 2007, he was out of the league.

Clay was built a lot like Dayne (5'10", 250) in college, and both players are big running backs known for being nimble on their feet. While Dayne was not exactly a speed merchant, Clay ran a disappointing 4.84 40-yard dash at the combine despite recently shedding 25 pounds.

With his slow time, Clay's draft prospects have dropped immensely. Before he hurt his MCL at Wisconsin, there were rumblings that Clay might get tabbed in the second round. Those murmurs, as well as the fact he was being asked to carry the ball too many times in the Badgers' run-oriented attack, might have helped propel him to turn pro.

There is a good chance no one drafts Clay this year. There are big backs like Mikel Leshoure, Daniel Thomas, Jamie Harper and Stevan Ridley gaining more interest from NFL teams right now.

Then there is the history of Badgers running backs in the NFL.

Wisconsin has sent 37 running backs to the NFL. Just four have gone to the Pro Bowl, and just one ran for over 1,000 yards in a single season. Three were fullbacks, led by Alan "The Horse" Ameche. Ameche was the 1955 Heisman winner and 1958 NFL Rookie of the Year.

Ameche ran for 961 yards as a rookie, which would stay a record for rookie runners until Cadillac Williams broke it in 2005. Ameche is also known as the man who scored the winning touchdown in "The Greatest Game Ever Played."

Pat Harder and Ed Jankowski were the other Badger fullbacks to go to the Pro Bowl, but Michael Bennett is the only halfback. Bennett gained 1,296 yards in 2002, the only full season of his injury-filled career.

Hall of Famers and Green Bay Packers legends Curly Lambeau and Arnie Herber saw time at running back in the NFL, but Herber is mostly known for his work at quarterback, and Lambeau is best known as the legendary coach the Packers named their home field after.

Clay will be battling history, concerns about his speed and maybe even his 619 rushing attempts over three college seasons as he looks for a job with an NFL team. Despite being strictly a power back only suited for running between the tackles, he does have certain skills that translate at the next level. 

He won't change directions quickly or offer a lot on special teams or in the passing game, and he has had ankle issues. Clay's 29" vertical was the worst amongst running backs at the combine, and scouts feel he is stiff in the hips and has questionable vision.

Scouts want him back up to his collegiate weight despite his running a 4.7 at Wisconsin's pro day. He has a tremendous stiff arm and really packs a wallop upon impact. He is also a patient runner, using his nimble feet to wait for the hole to open before he runs through it.

Clay has said his reason for early entry is because he knows running backs can have short careers. He does not want to be a fullback, preferring to be an every-down type. If he improves his pass blocking and catching, as well as puts to rest concerns over his ankles and ball security abilities, Clay could add an intriguing dimension to a depth chart.

You can't teach size, something Clay has plenty of in supply. If he packs on more weight again, some think he could be a Pete Johnson type. Johnson was a 1,000-yard back for the Cincinnati Bengals and scored 12 or more touchdowns in three of his seven seasons. He stood 6'0" and weighed 252 pounds, so the comparison could be fair.

If Clay has half the career Johnson did, he will be a steal for anyone who drafts him or signs him as a free agent. It would be a career that most former Badgers running backs would be envious of.

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One of the biggest holes may be at quarterback, especially considering how the 2010 season ended at that position.

Though the players' lockout is affecting Washington's plans, general manager Bruce Allen and head coach Mike Shanahan still have to move forward and get any players they can to improve upon 2010's disappointing results.

Many critics and observers see the Redskins tabbing quarterback Jake Locker in the first round. The NFL is a quarterback-friendly league with rules slanted to helping the position, so a franchise quarterback could make the difference between the playoffs and an early exit.

The only question left is if Shanahan and Allen believe Locker is that guy, assuming he is still available.

This is how it could play out for the Redskins' 2011 draft.

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The city of Los Angeles was Rams country since 1946. Legendary sports journalist Jerry Magee got in Hilton's ear during the 1960 season to espouse the wonders of the unchartered San Diego area.

After less than 10,000 watched the Chargers clinch their division, as opposed to 18,000 on opening day, Hilton decided to move the team.

The team kept up their excellent play. They had one of the best offenses and defenses during this time and Hall of Fame head coach Sid Gillman was designing plays that made the Chargers more exciting than any other professional football team.

Gillman, who is often called the "Father of the Modern Day Offense," led the Chargers to five division titles. When his Chargers won the 1963 crown, the only championship in franchise history, he challenged NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle to a game against the NFL champion Chicago Bears.

Though Rozelle declined, the seeds were sown and the champions of both leagues would meet after the 1966 season. Gillman would stay with the Chargers their entire time in the AFL, a feat only Hall of Famer Hank Stram of the Kansas City Chiefs also accomplished.

The beginning of the NFL was rough on the Chargers, but things started to change in 1975 when the team had probably the best single draft in franchise history. They grabbed Hall of Famer Fred Dean along with Pro Bowlers Gary "Big Hands" Johnson and Louie Kelcher to make up one of the best defensive lines in the league.

They also drafted Mike Williams and Mike Fuller, who would excel in their defensive secondary and special teams for many years.

Billy Shields, Rickey Young and Ralph Perretta, also drafted in 1975 by San Diego, would contribute mightily to the offense for several years as well.

Then San Diego brought Don Coryell in as head coach early in the 1978 season. "Air Coryell" was soon born, an offense some consider the most exciting in NFL history. Coryell also had ties to Gillman, having sat in on several Chargers practices while he coached at nearby San Diego State University.

Though Coryell put together some great teams, the frugality of ownership quickly destroyed it and several players went on to win with other teams. Yet Coryell kept winning until his team started to age in 1986, when he was fired.

After the team took a few years and head coaches to rebuild, Bobby Ross took over in 1992 and began to win instantly. He stayed just five years before leaving, but Ross directed the Chargers to their only Super Bowl appearance in 1994.

Since Ross left, Chargers fans have been back on a roller coaster of a journey. Marty Schottenheimer was hired as head coach in 2002 and quickly built a winner. The 2006 team won a franchise record 14 games, but Schottenheimer often clashed with the front office.

Norv Turner replaced him in 2007 and has won the AFC West three times. The team is rebuilding right now as they try to stay competitive enough to hopefully bring the Chargers their first championship since 1963.

The Chargers have fielded some of the more exciting teams in football history, especially on offense. Of the seven people their franchise has in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, five played on offense.

Fred Dean is the only one on defense, though Junior Seau will change that soon. Many think there should be several more Chargers enshrined into Canton. Coryell should be joining Gillman because of all he has done for offensive schemes teams still run today.

This is a team of the best Chargers who are not, and may be never will be, members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Isiah B. Robertson was a first-round draft choice by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1971 NFL Draft. He was the 10th player chosen overall.

Robertson hailed from Southern University, where he became the school's first College Division All-America selection as a senior in 1970.

He is a member of the school's athletic Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Robertson still holds the school record of returning an interception 102 yards for a score.

While at Southern, the football team was stacked with future NFL players.

Some of his teammates included Hall of Famer Mel Blount, Harold Carmichael, Al Beauchamp, Ken Ellis, Ray Jones, Richard Neal, Jim Osborne, Alden Rouche, Lew Porter, Donnel Smith and Harold McLinton.

When Robertson joined the Rams, the famous "Fearsome Foursome" front line was nearing the end of their glory days.

They still had Hall of Famers Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones, as well as Pro Bowler Coy Bacon, but Jones would leave the Rams at the end of the season and Bacon would join him with the San Diego Chargers in 1973.

Los Angeles just lost legendary linebacker Maxie Baughan (who should be in Canton) to retirement.

Robertson stepped into that vacant spot and stood out right away. He got a career-best four interceptions and was named to the Pro Bowl.

He was also named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, beating out such future Hall of Famers like Jack Ham and Jack Youngblood, as well as legends like Jack Tatum, Lyle Alzado, Phil Villapiano, Mike Wagner and Dwight White for the honor.

He returned to the Pro Bowl in 1973, as well as earning a First Team All-Pro honor.

He scored once off of three interceptions that year. It was the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl seasons for Robertson.

Known for blazing speed mixed with high intelligence and a knack for always being around the ball, Robertson became one of the NFL's top outside linebackers in the 1970's.

He matched his career-best total of four interceptions in 1975, yet gained a career high 118 yards.

One swipe went 76 yards for a score, the longest ever by a Rams linebacker.

The 1976 season was his last being named First Team All-Pro, but he went to the Pro Bowl one last time the next year.

He was hurt much of the 1978 season, causing him to miss three games, as well as eight starts. They would be the only games of his career that Robertson missed.

The Rams traded Robertson to the Buffalo Bills just before the 1979 season.

Buffalo signed him to a contract extension that made Robertson one of the highest-paid linebackers in the league.

He picked off two balls that year, both of which happened in one game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He took one ball 23 yards for the last touchdown of his career.

The Bills had a young linebacking unit with Jim Haslett, Lucius Sanford, Shane Nelson and Chris Keating. All would be key ingredients in the Bills' resurgence, and Robertson served as their mentor.

Buffalo had not won their division since 1966, when they were members of the American Football League.

The 1975 season was the only time they had made the playoffs since the AFL merged with the NFL in 1970, but they lost in the first round.

The Bills won 11 games in 1980, which was the most wins they had since winning the 1964 AFL Championship.

The Bills won their division again in 1981, helped by a pair of interceptions by Robertson. Buffalo would win their first playoff game since winning the 1965 AFL title before losing to the Bengals, who eventually reached Super Bowl XVI, that year.

The 1982 season is best known for losing seven games to a players' strike.

Robertson started in all nine games, picking off a pass. He informed Buffalo that he was retiring at the end of the year, so Darryl Talley was drafted to take over.

Once clocked at 4.5 in the 40-yard dash, Robertson was more than a linebacker with blazing speed.

It is no coincidence that most of the defensive units he suited up for ended up being amongst the best in the NFL yearly.

The Rams were ranked first in defense in both 1974 and 1975, and gave up the fewest points. Los Angeles would reach the NFC Championship Game thrice in his eight seasons with them.

His reuniting with Chuck Knox was no mystery. Knox, who took over as the Bills head coach in 1978, was Robertson's head coach with the Rams from 1973 to 1977. Knox knew Robertson would help Buffalo start winning again, which they did.

Sacks and tackles were not recorded statistics in his era, but Robertson was often seen crashing off the edge to lay into the opposing quarterback.

He was also superior in pass coverage, often seen shutting down a tight end or running back all game.

A sound technician, Robertson also was known for bone-crunching hits at high speeds.

He had a knack for the big play much of his career.

In a 1974 playoff game against the Washington Redskins, he picked off a pass thrown by Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen.

Robertson then proceeded to hurdle several men and break four tackling attempts on his way to a 59-yard touchdown that sealed a 19-10 win for the Rams.

Hall of Famer Les Richter is the only Rams linebacker who appeared in the Pro Bowl more than Robertson.

His six Pro Bowls is tied with five other Rams as the most in team history. Robertson is the only Rams linebacker ever to be named First Team All-Pro twice.

No other Rams linebacker has more interceptions or yards returned off interceptions than Robertson, as well as his having the longest interception return ever by a Rams linebacker.

His two scores off interceptions is second to Jack Pardee as the most ever.

He is fourth, behind Richter, Pardee, and "Hacksaw" Jack Reynolds, for having the most fumble recoveries ever by a Rams linebacker.

While he played just four years in Buffalo, only five Bills linebackers have more interceptions than him.

Consistent, dependable, tough, fast and smart. Though Hall of Famers like Ham, Ted Hendricks and Bobby Bell were chosen on the 1970's NFL All-Decade Team, Robertson was worthy as well.

Bell went to one Pro Bowl in 1970 and no more until he retired in 1974. Hendricks went to four Pro Bowls that decade.

The 1970's had some of the greatest outside linebackers in NFL history. Ham, Hendricks, and Bell are joined by Chris Hanburger and Dave Wilcox in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Yet it is a neglected position in Canton as well.

Men like Baughan, Robert Brazile, Chuck Howley and Matt Blair join Robertson on hoping Canton awakens and finally inducts them.

What makes the situation sadder is to see one-dimensional outside linebackers like Andre Tippett, Derrick Thomas and Rickey Jackson get inducted in the last decade while a long list of equal or better players like Robertson still wait.

Though worthy, they basically spent their careers rushing the passer while the more well-rounded players are now going three or four decades since they retired.

If you want the big play, Robertson provided it. Or if you want consistency that never came off the field and could cover all aspects of defense, Robertson provided it. If you need accolades, he provided those as well.

Since retiring as a player, he has created a message called "Run To Win" in a long-term residential recovery program for men he named "House of Isiah." It helps youths keep clear of drugs.

Robertson also works with the Special Olympics.

If you want to see some rare video football of him scoring touchdowns, laying out crushing tackles, as well as doing spectacular things while possessing the football, visit www.isiahrobertson.com.

There is little to no argument about the worthiness of his inclusion into Canton. When one looks at his whole body of work, it is easy to see that Isiah Robertson should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.


Notable Players Drafted In 1971 * Denotes Hall of Fame Inductee

1. Jim Plunkett, QB, New England Patriots
2. Archie Manning, QB, New Orleans Saints
3. Dan Pastorini, QB, Houston Oilers
4. J.D. Hill, WR, Buffalo Bills
6. John Riggins, RB, New York Jets *
8. Frank Lewis, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
9. John Brockington, RB, Green Bay Packers
14. Clarence R. Scott, CB, Cleveland Browns
19. Jack Tatum, FS, Oakland Raiders
20. Jack Youngblood, DE, L.A. Rams
22. Don McCauley, RB, Baltimore Colts
27. Julius Adams, DE, Patriots
34. Jack Ham, LB, Steelers *
43. Dan Dierdorf, OT, St. Louis Cardinals *
45. Phil Villapiano, LB, Raiders
56. Lynn Dickey, QB, Oilers
57. Jim Braxton, FB, Buffalo Bills
67. Ken Anderson, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
79. Lyle Alzado, DE, Denver Broncos
99. Joe Theismann, QB, Miami Dolphins
104. Dwight White, DE, Steelers
105. Larry Brown, OT, Steelers
142. Doug Dieken, OT, Browns
147. Mel Gray, WR, Cardinals
161. Harold Carmichael, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
206. Ron Jessie, WR, Dallas Cowboys
230. Vern Den Herder, DE, Dolphins
268. Mike Wagner, FS, Steelers
272. George Starke, OT, Washington Redskins

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It was also a long shot that he'd make the team, having spent much of his time at Georgia Tech University blocking for running back Eddie Lee Ivory.

Ivory was the Green Bay Packers' first-round draft pick that year. Offensive linemen Kent Hill and Roy Simmons were the only other Tech offensive players drafted that year. Hill happened to be the Rams first-round selection and would be Drew Hill's teammate his entire career except for the 1985 season.

Hill made the team as a kick returner. He took a return 98 yards for a score in his second season and led the league in returns in his third. He was rarely used as a receiver in his first three years, as the Rams leaned on veterans like Ron Jessie, Preston Dennard and Bill Waddy.

Yet he did help the Rams reach their first ever Super Bowl as a rookie. After missing the entire 1983 year because of injury, Hill returned with luster. Los Angeles finally used him more on offense, where he teamed with Pro Bowler Henry Ellard and Olympic sprint Gold Medalist Ron Brown to comprise of a very exciting receiving trio.

Though the Rams leaned on Hall of Fame halfback Eric Dickerson and his then-record 2,105 yards off a whopping 379 carries, Hill averaged an amazing 27.9 yards on 14 receptions. Brown averaged over 20 yards and Ellard averaged over 18 yards per catch as well that season.

Despite just 60 receptions in five years, Houston traded two draft picks to acquire Hill to help out Warren Moon, who was signed in 1984. Moon, a future Hall of Fame quarterback, came to the Oilers with new head coach Hugh Campbell and quickly bonded with Hill.

Moon and Campbell won five Grey Cups together with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Campbell won nine CFL titles total with the Eskimos. He was focused on stocking the defense in the draft. Campbell drafted two players, Steve Tasker and Mike Golic, who went on to help other teams.

Hill caught 64 balls his first year as an Oiler, while gaining a career best 1,169 yards. The nine touchdown catches he had that year would be the second best total of his career. Campbell was fired before the season ended, replaced by Jerry Glanville.

Glanville began getting Moon and Hill players on offense by drafting wide receivers Haywood Jeffries, Ernest Givens and Curtis Duncan in the 1987 draft. Kent Hill had come over from the Rams in 1986 to help Mike Munchak, Bruce Matthews and Dean Steinkuhler form an excellent offensive line. Munchak and Matthews would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Oilers reached the playoffs in 1987 for the first time since 1980. They would go to the playoffs every year until 1993. Though they lost in the first round four times and reached the second round just thrice, their "Run and Shoot" offense was prolific.

Though Hill weighed 170, he was the inside receiver for Houston. While he often would stretch the seam of defenses, he was tough enough to go over the middle and was a good blocker. He soon became the guy Moon could rely on most.

“Drew was a great receiver, one who knew the offense and was always in the right spot,” Moon said. “I always knew exactly where Drew would be. He had a low-key demeanor. He didn’t get upset. He was always cool under pressure.”

While the 1987 season is most noted for losing four games because of a players strike, Hill was still able to pile up 989 yards on 49 receptions. He then followed that up the next year with perhaps the finest season of his career.

While obtaining his first Pro Bowl nod, Hill set a career high mark of 10 touchdown catches while grabbing 72 passes for 1,141 yards. He got dinged up with injuries the next year, missing four starts but still was able to gain 938 yards on 66 receptions and eight scores.

The 1990 season was his last Pro Bowl year after Hill caught 74 passes. He followed that up with a career best 90 receptions the next season despite being 35 years old. Hill also has a knack of making his fellow wide receivers better too.

His leadership and influence helped Jeffries, Givens and Duncan all become Pro Bowl players as well. The quartet caught 315 passes as a group in the 1991 season. Hill and Jeffries had 190 by themselves. He left the Oilers after that year to go back to his home state and join the Atlanta Falcons.

He was the Oilers leader in career receptions and receiving yards when he left. He still ranks fourth in receptions and second in receiving yards and touchdowns. Hill caught 94 balls in two tears with the Falcons before retiring after the 1993 season.

Though he was a humble man who shunned the spotlight, Hill had over 1,000 yards receiving in five of his seven years with Houston. His 15.6 yards per catch average shows his ability to get deep into a defense despite working through the heart of the defense most of the time.

While he was old school, just doing his job in a steady fashion that was as reliable as the sun rising and setting, Hill never made waves or wanted superfluous attention. Yet his 634 career receptions for 9,831 yards and 61 touchdowns show he was beyond spectacular.

Former teammates said he lived his last years as an avid golfer who ran a business in the Atlanta area. Alonzo Highsmith saw Hill in December, saying Hill told him he was doing well. Yet he had two massive strokes Friday and passed away. News of his passing has slowly been trickling out at a low-key pace since.

Even in passing, Hill has found a way to temporarily avoid the spotlight. Yet now is the time for any fan anywhere, especially those blessed enough to actually get to watch him play, to take a moment of silence and appreciate the gridiron exploits of Drew Hill.

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