RSS
Home
All-Time all STL football team: Defensive End
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
We switch sides of the ball this week to take a look at who have been the best players to ever play on the defensive side of the ball for a St. Louis football team. Our first position that we look in depth at this week will be the defensive end position.
DEFENSIVE END
First Team: Kevin Carter
Our first defensive end was technically the first St. Louis Ram. Kevin Carter was selected by the Rams in their first draft in St. Louis in 1995 and he did not disappoint. During his 6 seasons in St. Louis he had 62.5 sacks and was in on an impressive 214 tackles. Carter lead the entire NFL in 1999 with 17 sacks and was selected to his only Pro Bowl as a Ram that season. Carter was always kind of an enigma with the Rams for most fans. He produced on the field but there were questions about his heart at times here. He famously checked himself out of the game in the final seconds of Super Bowl XXXIV and it was captured by NFL Films. The wrap was unfair because Carter played 14 years in the NFL and you don't play that well for that long without having a big heart.
I know this selection will probably rub a lot of St. Louis football fans the wrong way but you cannot dispute the play of this defensive end on the field. Leonard Little has had a very nice career after improbably staying with the franchise after the DWI in which he killed a woman in downtown St. Louis. Little has 81 sacks in his career and still counting. Little made the move from linebacker to defensive end after the 1999 season and it was a tremendous decision. Little has been in the top 10 in sacks four times and was selected to a Pro Bowl in 2003 when he had 12.5 sacks. Little remains the Rams biggest pass rush threat heading into his 12th season in St. Louis.
SECOND TEAM
The first round draft pick for the Rams in 1998, Grant Wistrom was known as a high motor defensive end who was a constant threat to the quarterback. In his six seasons with the Rams he registered 41.5 sacks and had a nose for the football intercepting the ball 5 times in his time here while also recovering 6 fumbles. Wistrom was a starter for two Super Bowl teams and was a great influence in the locker room.
This selection is a little bit of an old school selection but this player had a tremendous career in St. Louis. Chuck Walker was a defensive lineman for the Cardinals during the 1960's. Walker was a 1st team All-Pro in 1969 and was selected to his only Pro Bowl in 1966. Walker had a tremendous season in 1969 when he recovered 5 fumbles that season leading the entire NFL in that category. Since the NFL did not keep sacks as an official stat before the early 80's it is unknown how many sacks Walker did have.
Other players who should be mentioned.....
Curtis Greer: A nice player for the Cardinals during the 1980's who had 50.5 sacks in a 7 year career.
Ron Yankowski: A 10 year career with the Cardinals means he deserves a mention.
Players who should be forgotten.....
Anthony Hargrove: One of the bigger knuckleheads in Rams recent history
Leslie O'Neal: More interested in partying than playing for the Rams at the end.
THIS WEEK'S ALL-TIME STL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
MONDAY: Defensive Ends
TUESDAY: Defensive Tackles
WEDNESDAY: Linebackers
THURSDAY: Cornerback
FRIDAY: Safety
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
