Dexter McCluster is said to stand 5'8" , though some say he is shorter, and weighs 170 pounds. He was drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010. Though he is listed as a kick returner, running back, and wide receiver, the Chiefs are expected to use him in a variety of ways. 

Brandon Banks reportedly stands 5'7" and weighs just 149 pounds. He joined the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent rookie this year, and has done well returning punts. He scored on an electric 77-yard return, but has a propensity to fumble. He coughed up the ball three times in preseason. 

Trindon Holliday tips the scales at 5'5" and 165 pounds. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 draft by the Houston Texans. Considered one of the fastest men ever in college football, he hurt his thumb in the preseason and will miss the rest of the year. 

This recent influx of tiny players is nothing new for the league, but has been seen less and less over the past few decades. The 1980's had Joe Morris, Stump Mitchell and Lionel "Train"James, three smaller running backs. 

Morris was listed at 5'7" and played with the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. He went to the Pro Bowl twice, ran for over 1,000 yards three times, and led the NFL with 21 touchdown runs in 1985. He ran for a career best 1,516 yards the next year, helping the Giants get to Super Bowl XXI. He scored once in the New York victory over the Denver Broncos. He attempted to play for the Cleveland Browns in 1991, then retired. 

His younger brother Jamie, also listed at 5'7", played three years in the NFL. He once carried the ball a whopping 45 times for 152 yards in a game for the Washington Redskins during the 1988 season. It is still an NFL record for the most carries in a single game. 

The Redskins loved to use small running backs in that era. Reggie Brooks stood 5'8", and gained 1,063 yards during his 1993 rookie year. Keith Griffin also stood 5'8", and was an important reserve who helped the team capture Super Bowl XXII. 

James, like Sproles,  stood 5'6" and played for the San Diego Chargers from 1984 to 1988. He led the NFL in kickoff returns and yards as a rookie before playing his way into the starting lineup the next year. He led the league with a then NFL record 2,535 all purpose yards. He had 1,027 yards receiving, which was then a record for a running back, on 86 catches. He once gained 345 yards in a single games as well. 

Mitchell, who played with the Saint Louis Cardinals from 1981 to 1989, was said to have been shorter than his listed height of 5'9". He led the NFL in kickoff return yards as a rookie, and became a 1,000 yard running back five years later after averaging a NFL best 5.5 yards per carry. 

Buddy Young is easily the most famous small player in pro football history, standing just 5'4" and weighing 175 pound. He join the New York Yankees of the All American Football Conference, the precursor to the NFL Colts franchise, in 1947.  

Known as "The Bronze Bullet", Young was considered one of the greatest football players of that era. He was an All-American in his freshman year at the University of Illinois after equalling several of Red Grange's school records, including touchdowns scored in a single season.

Like many players, he then had to joined the military to serve because of World War 2 after his freshman season. When he fulfilled his obligations in 1946, he spurned offers to turn pro and returned to Illinois. Young then helped them win the Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl. He was also an All-American in track. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Young was a trailblazer, being one of a few African-American players to play professional football then. He joined the Yankees and formed one of the more electrifying backfield tandems in pro football with Spec Sanders and gained a career best 712 yards on 116 carries, a 6.1 yards per carry average, as a rookie playing fullback.

Young was also a superb return specialist. In his first year, he scored a touchdown on both a punt return and  kickoff return. He was fifth in the AAFC in total yards, and was named Second Team All-AAFC that season. 

The Yankees became the New York Yanks in 1950, then became the Dallas Texans in 1952, and he stayed with the team even though bigotry in Texas was so bad that season the team had to play many of their home games in Hershey, Pennsylvania and Akron, Ohio. He still led the NFL with 23 kick returns for 643 yards for a team that failed to win a single game.

The Texans became the Baltimore Colts the next year, and Young was still with the team. He returned 11 kicks for 378 yards, a career high 34.4 yards per return average, and scored on a 104 yard return. It was the second longest return in NFL history at the time, and is still the 13th longest ever. 

He made his lone Pro Bowl squad in 1954. His last season as a player was in 1955. He then retired and became the first Colt to have his jersey retired. He continued to break new ground after retirement. Young became the first African-American to be hired as an executive by the NFL, and later was named Director of Player Relations. 

Buddy Young was a tough man who preferred to play without a face mask and hardly any pads. He was the fastest player in the NFL at one time, and once tied the 60-yard indoor dash record of 6.1 seconds. He even beat a race horse in a 100 yard dash while with the Colts.  

The shortest player in NFL history was Jack "Soapy" Shapiro of the the 1929 Staten Island Stapletons. He stood five foot and a half inch, weighing just 119 pounds. Though he is officially recognized to have played blocking back in one game, records in those days were poorly kept. Shapiro clams he was with the team three regular season games and two exhibition games, playing in three games total. 

There have been diminutive quarterbacks that excelled in the NFL. Eddie LeBaron supposedly stood 5'9", but reportedly was closer to 5'7", and weighed 168 pounds. The tenth round draft choice lasted 11 seasons in the NFL, making the Pro Bowl four times.  

Davey O'Brien stood 5'7", weighing 151 pounds, and was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1939 after winning the Heisman Trophy. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie before suddenly retired to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and there is an award named after him that is annually given to the best quarterback in college football. 

Doug Flutie was the 1984 Heisman Trophy winner. Because he appeared to be shorter than his listed height of 5'9", the Los Angeles Rams drafted him in the 11th round. Flutie opted to play a season in the United States Football League before giving the NFL a try.  

He started with the Chicago Bears, who had traded for his rights, but did not last even two years with them before being moved to the New England Patriots. After winning eight of 13 starts over three years, he was released.  Finding no job offers he liked in the NFL, he went to the Canadian Football League and played with three teams over eight years.

After winning three CFL championships, and setting numerous records, he returned to the NFL for eight more seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl once. He converted the first successful drop kick in over 65 years during the 2006 season. 

There are countless other stories of small men who were superb in the NFL. In 2009, there were 27 players listed at 5'8" or shorter on rosters. Men like Darrell Green and Barry Sanders were Hall of Famers from the 1990's, while others like Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Kevin Faulk, Jim Leonhard, and Bob Sanders star in the game today. 

The expression that the size of the heart overcomes the size of the body is modeled by these people. With the inevitable growth of the human race each generation that is shown by the fact that a man rarely under 300 pounds plays in the NFL trenches anymore, these little guys give hope to the ordinary man who still hangs onto childhood dreams of having the ability to play the game. 

They keep us grounded as they soar in the eyes of appreciation. For it is these

There is an influx of little men in the 2010 NFL season expected to make significant impact. Darren Sproles of the San Diego Chargers has been making an impact with his team since 2005. He excels on special teams, but also makes a contribution on offense as well as a 5'6" running back. 

Dexter McCluster is said to stand 5'8" , though some say he is shorter, and weighs 170 pounds. He was drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010. Though he is listed as a kick returner, running back, and wide receiver, the Chiefs are expected to use him in a variety of ways. 

Brandon Banks reportedly stands 5'7" and weighs just 149 pounds. He joined the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent rookie this year, and has done well returning punts. He scored on an electric 77-yard return, but has a propensity to fumble. He coughed up the ball three times in preseason. 

Trindon Holliday tips the scales at 5'5" and 165 pounds. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 draft by the Houston Texans. Considered one of the fastest men ever in college football, he hurt his thumb in the preseason and will miss the rest of the year. 

This recent influx of tiny players is nothing new for the league, but has been seen less and less over the past few decades. The 1980's had Joe Morris, Stump Mitchell and Lionel "Train"James, three smaller running backs. 

Morris was listed at 5'7" and played with the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. He went to the Pro Bowl twice, ran for over 1,000 yards three times, and led the NFL with 21 touchdown runs in 1985. He ran for a career best 1,516 yards the next year, helping the Giants get to Super Bowl XXI. He scored once in the New York victory over the Denver Broncos. He attempted to play for the Cleveland Browns in 1991, then retired. 

His younger brother Jamie, also listed at 5'7", played three years in the NFL. He once carried the ball a whopping 45 times for 152 yards in a game for the Washington Redskins during the 1988 season. It is still an NFL record for the most carries in a single game. 

The Redskins loved to use small running backs in that era. Reggie Brooks stood 5'8", and gained 1,063 yards during his 1993 rookie year. Keith Griffin also stood 5'8", and was an important reserve who helped the team capture Super Bowl XXII. 

James, like Sproles,  stood 5'6" and played for the San Diego Chargers from 1984 to 1988. He led the NFL in kickoff returns and yards as a rookie before playing his way into the starting lineup the next year. He led the league with a then NFL record 2,535 all purpose yards. He had 1,027 yards receiving, which was then a record for a running back, on 86 catches. He once gained 345 yards in a single games as well. 

Mitchell, who played with the Saint Louis Cardinals from 1981 to 1989, was said to have been shorter than his listed height of 5'9". He led the NFL in kickoff return yards as a rookie, and became a 1,000 yard running back five years later after averaging a NFL best 5.5 yards per carry. 

Buddy Young is easily the most famous small player in pro football history, standing just 5'4" and weighing 175 pound. He join the New York Yankees of the All American Football Conference, the precursor to the NFL Colts franchise, in 1947.  

Known as "The Bronze Bullet", Young was considered one of the greatest football players of that era. He was an All-American in his freshman year at the University of Illinois after equalling several of Red Grange's school records, including touchdowns scored in a single season.

Like many players, he then had to joined the military to serve because of World War 2 after his freshman season. When he fulfilled his obligations in 1946, he spurned offers to turn pro and returned to Illinois. Young then helped them win the Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl. He was also an All-American in track. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Young was a trailblazer, being one of a few African-American players to play professional football then. He joined the Yankees and formed one of the more electrifying backfield tandems in pro football with Spec Sanders and gained a career best 712 yards on 116 carries, a 6.1 yards per carry average, as a rookie playing fullback.

Young was also a superb return specialist. In his first year, he scored a touchdown on both a punt return and  kickoff return. He was fifth in the AAFC in total yards, and was named Second Team All-AAFC that season. 

The Yankees became the New York Yanks in 1950, then became the Dallas Texans in 1952, and he stayed with the team even though bigotry in Texas was so bad that season the team had to play many of their home games in Hershey, Pennsylvania and Akron, Ohio. He still led the NFL with 23 kick returns for 643 yards for a team that failed to win a single game.

The Texans became the Baltimore Colts the next year, and Young was still with the team. He returned 11 kicks for 378 yards, a career high 34.4 yards per return average, and scored on a 104 yard return. It was the second longest return in NFL history at the time, and is still the 13th longest ever. 

He made his lone Pro Bowl squad in 1954. His last season as a player was in 1955. He then retired and became the first Colt to have his jersey retired. He continued to break new ground after retirement. Young became the first African-American to be hired as an executive by the NFL, and later was named Director of Player Relations. 

Buddy Young was a tough man who preferred to play without a face mask and hardly any pads. He was the fastest player in the NFL at one time, and once tied the 60-yard indoor dash record of 6.1 seconds. He even beat a race horse in a 100 yard dash while with the Colts.  

The shortest player in NFL history was Jack "Soapy" Shapiro of the the 1929 Staten Island Stapletons. He stood five foot and a half inch, weighing just 119 pounds. Though he is officially recognized to have played blocking back in one game, records in those days were poorly kept. Shapiro clams he was with the team three regular season games and two exhibition games, playing in three games total. 

There have been diminutive quarterbacks that excelled in the NFL. Eddie LeBaron supposedly stood 5'9", but reportedly was closer to 5'7", and weighed 168 pounds. The tenth round draft choice lasted 11 seasons in the NFL, making the Pro Bowl four times.  

Davey O'Brien stood 5'7", weighing 151 pounds, and was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1939 after winning the Heisman Trophy. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie before suddenly retired to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and there is an award named after him that is annually given to the best quarterback in college football. 

Doug Flutie was the 1984 Heisman Trophy winner. Because he appeared to be shorter than his listed height of 5'9", the Los Angeles Rams drafted him in the 11th round. Flutie opted to play a season in the United States Football League before giving the NFL a try.  

He started with the Chicago Bears, who had traded for his rights, but did not last even two years with them before being moved to the New England Patriots. After winning eight of 13 starts over three years, he was released.  Finding no job offers he liked in the NFL, he went to the Canadian Football League and played with three teams over eight years.

After winning three CFL championships, and setting numerous records, he returned to the NFL for eight more seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl once. He converted the first successful drop kick in over 65 years during the 2006 season. 

There are countless other stories of small men who were superb in the NFL. In 2009, there were 27 players listed at 5'8" or shorter on rosters. Men like Darrell Green and Barry Sanders were Hall of Famers from the 1990's, while others like Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Kevin Faulk, Jim Leonhard, and Bob Sanders star in the game today. 

The expression that the size of the heart overcomes the size of the body is modeled by these people. With the inevitable growth of the human race each generation that is shown by the fact that a man rarely under 300 pounds plays in the NFL trenches anymore, these little guys give hope to the ordinary man who still hangs onto childhood dreams of having the ability to play the game. 

They keep us grounded as they soar in the eyes of appreciation. For it is these David's who walk in the land of Goliath not needing a sling shot to win.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The team is still full of talent after letting future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson leave and have offensive stalwarts Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil hold out for better contracts.

Led by quarterback Philip Rivers, along with tight end Antonio Gates, the Chargers hope rookie Ryan Matthews can fill the role of Tomlinson.

If Jackson and McNeil return soon, the team has to be considered a favorite to win their division.

With the improvement of the Oakland Raiders, it will not be easy. The Denver Broncos also plan to be in the hunt for the title, while the Kansas City Chiefs continue to rebuild.

Here is how the 2010 season may go in the AFC West:

Begin Slideshow

The one constant during this run has been future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. He has been named to the Pro Bowl fives times since 2001, led the team to four Super Bowls, and won three.

His contract expires after this season, and the Patriots might be taking a gamble not re-signing him before the inevitable players strike. The 33-year-old may be entering his prime and is the undisputed leader of the team.

If Brady were to leave New England after this season, the following results could be devastating. The franchise could disintegrate back into mediocrity like they were mired in from 1967 to 1975, and in the early 1990's.

Here is how things could shape up in the AFC East in 2010.

Begin Slideshow

Things got so bad in the decade in the 1970's they were called the "Aints" by many. Several fans would show up to their games wearing paper bags over their head as the franchise struggled mightily.

All of this changed last year, as an explosive and talented squad put it all together and won a franchise best 13 games. They rolled through the postseason and ended up hoisting their first league championship banner ever. Now that they are tasting success from victory, most can expect more of the same from them in the NFC South in 2010.

Although the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, two teams that have never won it all, made improvements during the offseason, most pundits expect the Saints to run away with the division rather easily. A very young Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considered to be years away from being competitive, as they rebuild through the draft.

Here is how the 2010 season could go in the NFC South:

Begin Slideshow

While Minnesota joined the NFL in 1961, the other three teams have been in the league as far back as 1930. Much blood has been shed on the gridiron between these franchises over the decades.

A return to the divisions glorious history may not happen in 2010, but the obvious improvement of the young Detroit Lions to the young, yet arrived, Green Bay Packers, to the Vikings that were a few plays away from another Super Bowl appearance for the franchise. Factor in a veteran Chicago Bears team, and one can expect another scrum in a division known for broken bones, great play, with black and blue results.

Here are predictions of how it may go this season.

Begin Slideshow

Harold Leon Jackson was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 12th round of the 1967 NFL Draft, the 323rd player chosen overall. He was just the 11th of ow 56 players drafted from Jackson State University. There have been 92 players from the school to have played pro football so far.

Led by Hall of Famers Walter Payton, Jackie Slater, and Lem Barney with other gridiron legends like Robert Brazile, Coy Bacon, Speedy Duncan, Leon Gray, Wilbert Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, and Rickey Young. Jackson's five Pro Bowls are only exceeded by Payton, Slater, and Barney, and matched by Smith.

He only appeared in two games during his rookie season, not recording a statistic. The Rams then dealt him to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 1968 season, where he would soon be known throughout the league. He was their only offensive Pro Bowler, and one of the three they had that year.

On an Eagles team that struggled to earn its four wins, he caught nearly half of starting quarterback Norm Snead's passing yards and touchdowns with an NFL leading 1,116 yards and 9 scores on a career best 65 receptions. His career best 79,7 receiving yards per game also led the league.

The Eagles languished in mediocrity the next two years, and juggled Snead, Pete Liske, and Rick Arrington at the quarterback position. They ran the ball mostly, and Jackson caught 88 balls for eight scores over that time. He exploded in 1972 with another Pro Bowl season, leading the NFL with 62 receptions, 1,048 receiving yards, and 74.9 receiving yards per game.

The Rams decided they wanted Jackson back, so they traded three time Pro Bowl quarterback Roman Gabriel for him. The trade benefited both teams, as both men made the Pro Bowl that year with their new teams.

Jackson accrued his only First Team All-Pro honor as well that season, leading the NFL with a career high 13 touchdown catches with a career best 21.9 yards per catch on 40 receptions. One game saw him score four times on seven receptions for 238 yards that year.

He stayed a productive deep threat for the Rams over the next four years, making the Pro Bowl in 1975, averaging over 16 yards per catch on 160 balls. He made his last Pro Bowl in 1977, then joined the New England Patriots the next year.

He added another component to an explosive Patriots passing attack led by quarterback Steve Grogan with wide receiver Stanley Morgan and tight end Russ Francis. They were called "Grogan's Heroes".

Jackson averaged over 20 yards per catch in three of his four years in New England. Though Grogan never earned a Pro Bowl nod, he enjoyed the finest years of his career with the trio. Morgan also averaged over 20 yards each year, going to a pair of Pro Bowls. Francis was a top tight end during that era, having made his third and final Pro Bowl squad that year. The team was in the top ten in the league in offensive yards and points in Jackson's first three years with the team.

Now 36-years old, he joined the Minnesota Vikings in 1982. It was the only year he did not have the number 29 on his jersey, and it proved to be a jinx. He was hurt in the first game, not getting any statistics and missing the rest of the year. He then joined the Seattle Seahawks the next year, catching eight passes before retiring at seasons end.

He was back in uniform in 1987 with the Patriots at the age of 41. The NFL players had gone on strike, so New England asked him to suit up for two games. Though he was their receivers coach, he obliged but did not appear in a game.

In the decade of the 1970's, no other player caught more balls for more yards and more touchdowns than Harold Jackson. His feat is even more of an amazing accomplishment, considering he had over 14 different quarterbacks throwing him the ball in his career on some teams that generally struggled at that position.

He helped Pat Haden make his only Pro Bowl, helped John Hadl make his last and his only First Team All-Pro honor. He caught some of Hall of Famer Joe Namath last passes, and improved the games of Grogan, Liske, James Harris, and John Reaves.

Most people look at his career average of 17.9 yards per catch, or the fact he averaged over 20 yards four times, and assume Jackson was strictly a deep threat. While he was torturous on defensive backs on the long ball, he also ran precision routes and had excellent hands.

Of the four wide receivers that were chosen on the NFL's 1970's All-Decade Team, only two are in Canton. Not only did Jackson outperform them with catches, yardage, and touchdowns, but he averaged more yards per catch than any of them. The closest to him is Hall of Famer Lynn Swann and fellow All-Decade selection Drew Pearson with their 17.1 yards per catch. Pearson played seven years that decade, Swann had six. Jackson averaged 18.2 over the entire ten years.

One probable reason for his not being chosen was the fact he played on just a few teams that made the playoffs a few times. Mostly his teams struggled, where he was all they had as a deep route threat. He often was met with double teams in an era where the ten-yard chuck was legal, thus making it much more difficult to get open. Teams also generally had their defensive backs play man-to-man, another way making getting open much harder in the ten-yard chuck rule era.

If Jackson got to play in this era of zone defenses and the 5-yard chuck rule, you could easily pump up his career statistics to even more astonishing numbers. Yet with all the rules since 1979 that helped the offense, he still ranks 29th in NFL history in receiving yards, 23rd in career yards per touch, and 24th in receiving touchdowns.

Though the casual football viewer might see him as a sexy choice, and the voters in Canton have not really voted much for him since his retirement, the numbers do not lie. The newer fan might not appreciate his numbers, not understanding the game or the rules of his era.

The fact he still ranks 67th on the All-Time receptions list in NFL history shows his productivity and that he was more than a deep threat. Some critics might point to his five Pro Bowls as not being enough, but Jackson played in an era when your peers voted you in—not a computer generated fan vote like today that is a popularity contest seemingly based more on histrionics than actual football play.

Of the 19 wide receivers inducted into Canton, only eight have appeared in more Pro Bowls than Jackson. What got many of those with lesser Pro Bowls inducted was the fact they played on teams that won championships. This is a debate on whether a teams accomplishments should be part of the reasoning for induction or if a players actual individual accomplishments on the gridiron constitutes worthiness.

If he had played on just one championship team, the theory that Harold Jackson already being a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame seems fathomable. Cliff Branch, though somewhat comparable to Jackson but with lesser numbers, played on three championship teams and came fairly close to induction a few times.

Perhaps it is time to look more at what the player does with what he has to work with around him than what his team does while with him. Harold Jackson most certainly belongs in Canton.

Notable Players Drafted In 1968 (* Denotes Hall Of Fame)

1. Ron Yary, OT, Minnesota *
2. Bob Johnson, C, Cincinnati
3. Claude Humphrey, DE, Atlanta
4. Russ Washington, DT/ OT, San Diego
8. Larry Csonka, FB, Miami *
9. Haven Moses, WR, Buffalo
11. Greg Landry, QB, Detroit
13. MacArthur Lane, RB, St. Louis Cardinals
14. Tim Rossovich, LB, Philadelphia
15. Forrest Blue, C, San Francisco
23. John Williams, OT, Baltimore Colts
26. Bill Lueck, G, Green Bay
31. Curley Culp, DT, Denver
33. Charlie West, DB, Minnesota
42. Bob Atkins, DB, St. Louis
43. Bill Lenkaitus, C, San Diego
47. John Garlington, LB, Cleveland
48. Mike Livingston, QB, Kansas City
52. Ken Stabler, QB, Oakland
69. Skip Vanderbundt, LB, San Francisco
73. Dick Anderson, DB, Miami
74. Charlie Sanders, TE, Detroit *
77. Elvin Bethea, DE, Houston Oilers *
80. Art Shell, OT, Oakland *
81. Dick Himes, OT, Green Bay
82. Paul Robinson, RB, Cincinnati
84. Jess Phillips, RB, Cincinnati
98. Johnny Fuller, DB, San Francisco
105. Jim Beirne, WR, Houston
110. Charlie H. Smith, RB, Oakland
117. Mike Bragg, P, Washington
118. Jim Kiick, RB, Miami
124. Mark Nordquist, G, Philadelphia
127. Cecil Turner, WR, Chicago
130. Blaine Nye, G, Dallas
156. Essex Johnson, RB, Cincinnati
159. D.D. Lewis, LB, Dallas
167. Oscar Reed, RB, Minnesota
176. Bob Brunet, RB, Washington
181. Willie Holman, DE, Chicago
190. George Atkinson, DB, Oakland
222. Paul Smith, DT, Denver
249. John Outlaw, DB, Boston Patriots
261. Tommy Hart, DE, San Francisco
275. Greg Brezina, LB, Atlanta
277. Marv Hubbard, RB, Oakland
288. Henry Davis, LB, New York Giants
289. Rich Coady, C, Chicago
291. Dennis Partee, K, San Diego
297. John Pergine, LB, Los Angeles Rams
301. Bob Trumpy, TE, Cincinnati
305. Jim Cheyunski, LB, Boston
317. Jeff Queen, RB, San Diego
330. Charlie Greer, DB, Denver
351. Dean Halverson, LB, LA Rams
357. Marlin Briscoe, WR, Denver
375. Robert Holmes, RB, Kansas City
417. Rocky Bleier, RB, Pittsburgh
428. Larry Cole, DE, Dallas
441. Bob Lee, QB, Minnesota

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

That also means millions of observers, and even many actual players, will participate in fantasy football. 

Today's NFL markets the quarterback mostly, and this is also reflected fantasy football itself.

Most of the time, the quarterback accumulates his fantasy team their most points through his statistical output. 

Here are the five best quarterbacks for the upcoming season:

Begin Slideshow

Randy Gradishar
6'3" 233
Middle Linebacker
Denver Broncos
1973 - 1984
12 Seasons
145 Games Played
20 Interceptions
4 Touchdowns
Seven Pro Bowls
1978 NFL Defensive Player of the Year


Randolph Charles Gradishar was drafted in the first round of the 1973 draft by the Denver Broncos. He was the 14th player chosen overall. He attended college at Ohio State University under legendary coach Woody Hayes. Hayes, who sent over 98 players to the professional football level in his Hall of Fame career, called Gradishar the finest linebacker he ever coached.

In his three years as a Buckeye, starting in every game, he set then-school records for 320 tackles in a career and 134 in one season. He was ejected in the 1971 game against rival Michigan University, causing a ten minute brawl after he punched a Wolverine in the face. It happened one play after a famous meltdown by Hayes, where the coach threw a penalty flag and yard marker he had previously destroyed after being thrown out of the game himself.

Not only is he a member of the schools All-Century Team and their Hall of Fame, but Gradishar is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. An excellent student in college, he was also inducted into the GTE Academic Hall of Fame and is on the ABC Sports All-Century team.

Denver brought him along slowly in his rookie year, starting just three of 14 games behind veteran Ray May. May was the 1971 NFL Man of the Year and a member of the Super Bowl V champions Baltimore Colts.

He started every game the next year, the last season the Broncos would run a base 4-3 defense during his tenure with the club. He was named to the Pro Bowl after grabbing three interceptions and taking one in 44 yards for a touchdown. He scored once again the following year off of another three picks and had seven quarterback sacks.

Denver went into the 1977 season running the 3-4 defense under coach Joe Collier. With players like Gradishar, Louis Wright, Tom Jackson, Bill Thompson, Reuben Carter, Bob Swensen, Lyle Alzado, and Barney Chavous, the Broncos had one of the most feared defenses in all of football history.

They were dubbed the "Orange Crush", and a soft drink named after them soon became very popular. Five members of the defense were named to the Pro Bowl that year and four were named First Team All-Pro, including Gradishar. They led Denver to a 12-2 record and an appearance in Super Bowl XII. Though they lost the game, the defense left a permanent mark on NFL history with their excellence by allowing just 10.6 points per game that year.

Gradishar may have had his finest season the following year, where he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and UPI. He also was named the winner of the George Halas Award and Linebacker of the Year by Football Digest. Denver's defense was second in the league in points allowed, and Gradishar was one of five Bronco defenders to go to the Pro Bowl.

Football Digest named him NFL Linebacker of the Year again in 1979 despite not starting in one of the 16 games he played. Other than his rookie season, it was the only game in his career he failed to start. He was once again selected to the Pro Bowl.

Though he failed to make the Pro Bowl in 1980, he did take one interception a career long 93 yards for the last touchdown of his career. He was also named First Team All-NFL by the Sporting News.

Gradishar then made the Pro Bowl the next three years before retiring after the 1983 season. He never missed a game in his entire career, an amazing feat for someone playing such a violent position where he had to give up his body on virtually every play to prevent the opponents from being successful.

Not only was he durable, very intelligent, quick on his feet, and a big hitter, but Gradishar was also a masterful technician. He had the innate ability to diagnose a play and was seldom fooled. This, along with his foot speed, allowed him to defend just about any opponent on a pass play. This ability allowed Denver the luxury of blitzing their outside linebackers, knowing he could cover their assignments.

His specialty may have been the short yardage situation. With a superb ability to sift would-be blockers, he often filled the holes the opposing running backs would run to. Though he didn't have the toothless snarl of Jack Lambert or easily seen nastiness of Dick Butkus, he was just as good as those two Hall of Famers.

Some of the best running backs in NFL history, Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett, are on record espousing his tremendous hitting ability. "The chance for a real good shot comes very seldom, but when it's there I take full advantage of it." Gradishar once said.

There have been few linebackers to take the gridiron on his level. He is a member of the Broncos Ring of Honor and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Why he has yet to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is beyond bewildering. He has been a finalist twice and a semi-finalist four times.

Now he is in a gigantic pool of candidates in the Seniors Committee list. Though he should have long been inducted before he made it that far, he is caught in a quagmire of a selection process where no more than two candidates yearly can just make it to the final vote process.

It would behoove Canton to double that, allowing the Seniors Committee to try to induct at least four each year. The backlog of excellent players is too long, and it is frustrating seeing lesser modern players go in as superior players are caught in a numbers crunch that is much harder to win than a slots machine jackpot.

Watching a player as great as Randy Gradishar wait this long to get his deserved respect truly shows the ineptness of the Canton voter. Though no one can question the recent inductions of linebackers like Andre Tippett, Ricky Jackson, and Derrick Thomas, no one would ever say that any were better football players than Gradishar. Though deserving, it is a travesty the much more deserving Gradishar continues to wait on his rightful placement in the hallowed walls of Canton.



Notable Players Drafted In 1974 (* Denotes Hall of Famer)


1. Ed "Too Tall" Jones, DE, Dallas
5. John Dutton, DT, Baltimore Colts
19. Henry Lawrence, OT, New Orleans
21. Lynn Swann, WR, Pittsburgh *
24. Roger Carr, WR, Baltimore
34. Steve Nelson, MLB, New England
35. Keith Fahnhorst, OT, San Francisco
45. Dave Caspar, TE, Oakland *
46. Jack Lambert, MLB, Pittsburgh *
49. Delvin Williams, RB, San Francisco
51. Matt Blair, LB, Minnesota
53. Danny White, QB, Dallas
78. Nat Moore, WR, Miami
82. John Stallworth, WR, Pittsburgh *
87. Mike Boryla, QB, Cincinnati
88. Frank LeMaster, LB, Philadelphia
109. Henry Childs, TE, Atlanta
116. Steve Odom, WR, Green Bay
125. Mike Webster, C, Pittsburgh *
169. Efren Herrera, K, Dallas
199. Eddie Brown, S, Cleveland
365. Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, WR, Houston Oilers

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