Who's the closest player to Lawrence Taylor

Derrick Thomas was his closest imo..Ray Lewis played a different role

Probably. And he couldn�t hold LT�s jock.

We think alike on this one. (Grin)

In comment 13946115 Carl in CT said:

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We think alike on this one. (Grin)

👍👍

Derrick Thomas and Von Miller

Derrick Thomas is the closest in terms of get off, with good bend.

LT would run through OT and could split double teams.

Day's game was mostly speed. LT was pure violence and intimidation...along with speed.

But as far as greatest defensive player closest to him, I'd have to say Reggie White.

Demarcus Ware in his prime. 2007-2011 era

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closest IMO today is Kahlil Mack.

Maybe people don't see him much on the east coast, but he's awesome.

however for the sake of discussion, I thought we may have been seeing the next LT during Jevon Kearse' rookie season. He transformed that team, won defensive rookie of the month in all but 1 month, i believe was runner up defensive player of the year. He also helped that team get to the super bowl and absolutely dominated in the "music city miracle" game in the playoffs.
Unreal speed for his size.
14.5 sacks as a rookie and 6 forced fumbles (he seemed to have the LT penchant for the strip sack).
Just amazing to watch that year....then he starting falling off, followed by injuries.
Anyway, just thought i would add his name to the mix.

:)
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LT invented and perfected it.

Zero duplicators.

They broke the mold with LT. He changed the game. He dominated a game from the defensive side of the ball. He could win a game with his presence.

LOL. Uh, NFW.

Charles Haley was the same relentless type to a degree. But fell short of LT's explosion.

Ronnie Lott is the most underrated defensive player in history. All Pro at three different positions. One of the great game changers ever. And worthy of being in this discussion from the standpoint of disrupting an offense.

For about six years, and playing the same position as lT during the same time, Pat Swilling played the position about as good as you can play it being a mortal...

compares to LT. He changed the way offensive football was played (advent of the H-Back).

Very few people had the skills that LT had, the speed, the power, the quickness and the size. He was gifted with skills sets that were almost unmatched in the NFL making him almost physically impossible to stop.

Very few people had the passion LT had, the never ending, all out drive to destroy the other team. Not beat them, destroy them. He never stopped and if he got truly mad, he took his drive to an unseen level and he could be one mean SOB. When people are at that level of meanness, they are hard to deal with (in any walk of life, not just the NFL).

Some people are blessed with one of these qualities and some people are blessed with the other. No one that I know of was blessed with so much of both.

No one.

of defensive impact irespective of play-style, I'll go with JJ Watt. I really hope he stays healthy because he has had one hell of a career so far.

One of a kind and they threw away the mold.

because it implies there is someone who can even be compared. There simply isn't.

But the player who, to my eyes, made me think of the impact of LT, was a Parcells' draft pick for the Cowboys ... Demarcus Ware.

Maybe? I didn't see him play, but in the highlights he looked pretty brutal. Including head slapping and clothes-lining guys in ways that were illegal by the time LT played.

no one. LT simply put was the greatest defensive player to ever play the game of football.

as someone who watched every single LT game ever played in the Pros. There is no one like him.. period..

Intimidated a team as much as LT and changed the tenor of the game. For example, Ware put up good numbers, would routinely turn Diehl into a turnstyle, but compared to LT exploding on a QB blinside, Ware would gently caress Eli and lovingly lay him down on the grass. It's like meh he stops a drive or two, meanwhile LT is giving opposing qbs PTSD, making linemen panic and consider retirement like Anton Cigurgh.

They are very close.

Played pretty much the same time as LT, was like a poor man's version but he was as close as i've seen

is the closest. Similar size and speed but Taylor was stronger.
Charles Haley is a good opinion, also without the speed or coverage ability - but pass rush yes.

In comment 13946182 George from PA said:

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They are very close.

Very close ... friends?
Because they sure as hell aren't very close in the impact their play had on the football field (and I'm not downplaying Carson ... he was a fabulous middle lb ... but he was no LT)

including 1986, it was Carl Banks. He was amazing and the danger they caused in stereo was too much for everyone else in the leage. Brooks and Tippet were versions of LT lite. Beatlemania was closer to the reall Beatles than either of them were to being LT.

Reggie White, Deion Sanders and Ray Lewis are among the best defensive players.

In comment 13946191 Phil in LA said:

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including 1986, it was Carl Banks. He was amazing and the danger they caused in stereo was too much for everyone else in the leage. Brooks and Tippet were versions of LT lite. Beatlemania was closer to the reall Beatles than either of them were to being LT.

Banks and LT were very different players. Banks was the best I've ever seen holding the edge. But he wasn't LT.

If you want to pick a Giants linebacker from that era who reminded people of LT, it would be one pre-season of Andy Headen (I'm not sure what year it was ... I'm thinking 1985... but there was a pre-season where Headen was all world in what he did ... of course, it was only pre-season ... sooooo...)

In all the time since he was drafted, there is not a single player I've seen who could completely dictate a games like him and they includes Reggie White. And, it's not even close.

There have been some great athletes since him, but I also haven't seen anyone able to do the things he could play in and play out.

I was surprised by how big he is, both tall and massive.

Our high school coach played a few years at OT in the NFL in the late '50's, and LT would make him look like a little kid.

But Banks spent a lot of time in the backfield in 1986, too. Usually they were more different, but that year they were both amazing.

the Deacon Jones comparison. he played DE, but he was relentless in pursuit of the QB and he was a wrecking ball like LT.

In comment 13946210 Phil in LA said:

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But Banks spent a lot of time in the backfield in 1986, too. Usually they were more different, but that year they were both amazing.

I loved Banks. Still think he would be in the HOF today if not for the fact two of his line-mates are already in.

In comment 13946203 Matt M. said:

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In all the time since he was drafted, there is not a single player I've seen who could completely dictate a games like him and they includes Reggie White. And, it's not even close. There have been some great athletes since him, but I also haven't seen anyone able to do the things he could play in and play out.

I mentioned above, check out what Pat Swilling was doing playing the same position in the mid to late '80s. He was nasty. Parcells was very high on him...even told LT once that "the other 56"in New Orleans was basically just as good...

From 89-92 was a beast incl 2X First-team All-Pro. But still nowhere the run defender that LT was.

In comment 13946125 Eman11 said:

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But as far as greatest defensive player closest to him, I'd have to say Reggie White.

And Reggie White could have been a Giant!! Giants selected Gary Zimmerman in the USFL draft #3. White went #4.

In comment 13946235 Bobby Humphrey's Earpad said:

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From 89-92 was a beast incl 2X First-team All-Pro. But still nowhere the run defender that LT was.

Right. But Swilling wasn't bad.

nobody since LT has been as dominant. including Reggie White

But JJ Watt comes to mind. He wrecked games and doesn�t seem to take plays off. Hurt lately...

In comment 13946276 markky said:

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nobody since LT has been as dominant. including Reggie White

The OP asked since LT, so as great and dominant as Deacon was, he doesn't count. At least as far as this thread goes.

Also he asked for closest to not "as" so IMO Reggie is the closest. He was a dominant defensive player. Not as dominant as LT but more than anyone else I can think of.

nobody could beat him.


Go to 3:00 for the Saints game - ( New Window )

revolutionized a position like he did. Maybe Deion Sanders with the way he could take away half of the field. Maybe Peyton Manning or Jerry Rice. Manning changed the way QBs play where he was calling everything at the line. Jerry Rice was a modern day receiver with 30 years ago.

would kick LT's ass.

he is not close. LT transformed the game and no one has scratched the surface of his original blueprint...

Trying to think of someone comparable in all of sports but it is difficult. Best players tend to have close comparisons - Tiger/Jack... Wilt/Michael/Lebron...

Maybe Babe Ruth? or Wayne Gretzky?

Kinda

In comment 13946401 the mike said:

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he is not close. LT transformed the game and no one has scratched the surface of his original blueprint... Trying to think of someone comparable in all of sports but it is difficult. Best players tend to have close comparisons - Tiger/Jack... Wilt/Michael/Lebron... Maybe Babe Ruth? or Wayne Gretzky?

ALI

In comment 13946130 Grey Pilgrim said:

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I watched both in their prime and as great as RW was, LT just dominated games. I've seen other players including Reggie White, Charles Haley and Bruce Smith, dominate games, but not on a regular basis like LT did.

Maybe the place to look is on the offensive side of the ball, Brady?

In comment 13946401 the mike said:

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he is not close. LT transformed the game and no one has scratched the surface of his original blueprint... Trying to think of someone comparable in all of sports but it is difficult. Best players tend to have close comparisons - Tiger/Jack... Wilt/Michael/Lebron... Maybe Babe Ruth? or Wayne Gretzky?

Gretzky perhaps. "The Great One" is about the best nickname one can have...