It's the final days of Senior Bowl week. So, just follow the Pittsburgh Steelers and take notes.
If history has taught us anything about this week, that is the lesson. The Steelers, more than any team in NFL history, have figured out a way to cull talent from this event. Whether it's Hall of Famers, consistent Pro Bowlers, solid starters or niche performers who slide perfectly into a system, a large portion of the Steelers' storied history has taken part in this week's game.
Among the take? Eight Hall of Famers: defensive tackle Joe Greene, quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Len Dawson, running back Franco Harris, wideouts Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, and centers Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson. When wideout Hines Ward becomes Hall of Fame eligible later this decade, that number could swell to nine.
And all played in the Senior Bowl.
How about linebackers Joey Porter, LaMarr Woodley, Larry Foote and Kendrell Bell? All were in the Senior Bowl. Defensive back Carnell Lake? Yep. Solid Super Bowl building blocks like Antwaan Randle-El and Max Starks? Absolutely.
Maybe we shouldn't have been surprised when diminutive wideout Markus Wheaton stepped into Pittsburgh's lineup this past season and added an unexpected explosive punch. The Steelers had an eye on him in Senior Bowl practices at this time two years ago.
With that impressive success in mind, we've culled a list of every NFL team's best Senior Bowl participant since the game's inception, as well as take a look at each team's key Senior Bowl scoops over the last decade.
NFC NORTH
DETROIT LIONS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Joe Schmidt. He gets the nod over Alex Karras and Lomas Brown. He was a small college linebacker, even by 1950s standards (6-foot, 195 pounds). But once the Lions staff coached against him in the Senior Bowl, it knew he was special. Schmidt helped lead the Lions to two NFL championships, appeared in 10 Pro Bowls and was named to eight All-Pro teams. He's in the conversation for the greatest Detroit Lion ever, along with quarterback Bobby Layne and running back Barry Sanders.
Senior Bowl finds the last decade: OG Larry Warford, DE Ziggy Ansah, DE Cliff Avril, OG Manny Ramirez, OT Gosder Cherilus and S Louis Delmas.
CHICAGO BEARS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Running back Walter Payton. Linebacker Brian Urlacher and quarterback Jim McMahon are in the conversation, but Payton is one of the best NFL running backs in league history. He led all rushers with 73 yards in the 1975 game and went on to be selected fourth overall by the Bears.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: RB Matt Forte, QB Kyle Orton and OG Kyle Long.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Ray Nitschke. It easily could have been offensive lineman Jerry Kramer (who should be in the Hall of Fame by now). It also could have been iconic running back Jim Taylor (or a wideout like James Lofton). But few players define Green Bay's historic grit better than Nitschke. Amazingly, Taylor, Kramer and Nitschke all played in the 1958 Senior Bowl. Only Nitschke went two ways, playing linebacker and running back. It's a toughness Packers fans would come to love as he helped the franchise win five total NFL championships, including two Super Bowls.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: LB Clay Matthews, WR Jordy Nelson, DT BJ Raji, OG Daryn Colledge, K Mason Crosby and DE Datone Jones.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Guard Randall McDaniel. He gets the nod easily over offensive lineman Todd Steussie. McDaniel starred in the 1988 Senior Bowl en route to becoming Minnesota's first-round pick. He went on to live in the Pro Bowl during his NFL career (12 straight selections) along with nine first-team All-Pro selections. The Hall of Famer also started in 202 straight games.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OT Phil Loadholt, LB Chad Greenway, S Cedric Griffin and OG Brandon Fusco.
NFC SOUTH
ATLANTA FALCONS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Brett Favre. Yes, it's got to hurt for Atlanta, but with all due respect to defensive end Claude Humphrey, Favre is the best player the franchise ever found in the Senior Bowl. Interestingly, Favre played well in the Senior Bowl and was coveted by the New York Jets going into the 1991 draft. But the Falcons took Favre before the Jets could, setting up a historic trade. Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf was in the Jets' front office in 1991. One year later, Wolf joined the Packers and rectified the mistake, sending a first-round pick to Atlanta for Favre in 1992. Just like that, the best quarterback to ever don a Falcons uniform was gone.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: CB Desmond Trufant, WR Roddy White, DE Jonathan Babineaux, OG Justin Blalock, OT Sam Baker, LB Sean Weatherspoon, WR Harry Douglas, S William Moore, S Thomas DeCoud and LB Michael Boley.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: OC Ryan Kalil. Pickings are slim for this short-lived franchise. Kris Jenkins and Kerry Collins were candidates, but Kalil made four Pro Bowls and is one of the game's best centers at 29 years old. He has plenty of prime years ahead of him and should go down as one of the better centers to ever play in the Senior Bowl.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: DT Kawann Short, RB DeAngelo Williams and OG Evan Mathis.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Rickey Jackson. One of the NFL's great linebackers, Jackson nudges out kicker Morten Andersen and linebacker Pat Swilling. LeCharles Bentley got some consideration, too. Jackson helped the North to a 23-10 win in 1981. Jackson got lost on a lot of bad Saints teams, but he is one of the franchise's greatest defenders, selected to six Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams each, as well as the Hall of Fame.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: TE Jimmy Graham, DE Cameron Jordan, P Thomas Morstead and S Roman Harper.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Derrick Brooks. The only other player who starred in a Senior Bowl and was selected by Tampa Bay was running back Bo Jackson. So … yeah, pretty painful history. But Brooks more than made up for it in the 1995 Senior Bowl, earning MVP honors as the South defense crushed the North en route to a 14-7 win. Brooks was something special, and he showed it in the NFL, helping turn around a moribund franchise during a Hall of Fame career.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: RB Doug Martin, LB Barrett Ruud, OT Jeremy Trueblood and OG Davin Joseph.
NFC EAST
DALLAS COWBOYS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Guard/Tackle Larry Allen. This wasn't an easy determination, considering the Cowboys have plucked some great players from the Senior Bowl, including Hall of Famer Bob Hayes and guys like Ed Jones, Lee Roy Jordan, DeMarcus Ware and Jay Novacek. Allen gets the nod for being one of the great offensive linemen in NFL history. Remarkably, Allen managed his invite from the Senior Bowl despite playing for tiny Division II Sonoma State University (near San Francisco). Allen more than held his own against all the power conference stars, foreshadowing a skill set that would make him an NFL cornerstone.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: RB DeMarco Murray, LB DeMarcus Ware, DE Anthony Spencer, OG Zack Martin, K Nick Folk, DE Marcus Spears
NEW YORK GIANTS
Best Senior Bowl selection: DE Michael Strahan. Another tough decision, considering the Giants also plucked fellow Hall of Famers Frank Gifford and Sam Huff out of the Senior Bowl ranks. Strahan gets the nod for being one of the most dominant defensive ends in NFL history. Senior Bowl organizers clearly saw something special, extending an invite to Strahan despite him playing at tiny Texas Southern.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: CB Corey Webster, DE Mathias Kiwanuka, CB Aaron Ross
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb was far and away the best player the Eagles ever culled from the Senior Bowl. A surprise, given Philadelphia's rich NFL history. Then again, McNabb doesn't get his due for how great he truly was during his tenure in Philadelphia. He was actually overshadowed by Cade McNown in the 1999 Senior Bowl. Thankfully for Philadelphia fans, that didn't sway the Eagles' front office.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OT Lane Johnson, QB Nick Foles, WR Riley Cooper, LB Trent Cole, DT Mike Patterson, DT Brodrick Bunkley, OLB Brandon Graham
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Safety Paul Krause. Krause gets the nod over fellow Hall of Famer Art Monk and Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien. Krause finished his NFL career with eight All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections. Krause was one of the Senior Bowl iron men, playing both defensive back and wideout in the game (catching a touchdown), and also kicking two extra points. He was also drafted by major league baseball. They don't make them like Krause anymore.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: RB Alfred Morris, LB Keenan Robinson CB Carlos Rogers, QB Jason Campbell, LB Lorenzo Alexander
NFC WEST
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Cornerback Aeneas Williams. Theoretically it should be Joe Namath, who the St. Louis Cardinals drafted with a first-round pick in the 1965 NFL draft. But Namath was also drafted (and subsequently signed) by the AFL's New York Jets, so he doesn't count. But Williams was an elite player in his own right, and he edges fellow Hall of Famer Roger Wehrli and some other very good players, including Tom Banks and Darnell Dockett. Williams was simply dominant, but often overlooked on a lot of bad Cardinals teams. Eight Pro Bowl and five All-Pro nods simply don't give him his full due.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: DT Dan Williams, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, OG Deuce Lutui, OT Levi Brown
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Defensive end Jack Youngblood. One of the best defensive ends in NFL history, Youngblood edges Torry Holt for this spot. In reality, the Senior Bowl hasn't provided many star players over the Rams' history, but Youngblood is a franchise icon. In what was arguably the NFL's best decade for absolutely frightening defensive linemen, Youngblood was one of the most fierce.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: CB Janoris Jenkins, DT Aaron Donald
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Wide receiver Terrell Owens. Owens edges Gene Washington, Ricky Watters, Bryant Young and Julian Peterson, who are all worthy of some Senior Bowl love from 49ers fans. Historically, San Francisco has gotten a good amount of talent from the game. While Owens isn't a Hall of Famer, it's likely he'll end up there some day. He didn't blow anyone away at the 1996 Senior Bowl, but simply getting invited from tiny Chattanooga was an accomplishment. And he wouldn't be held down much longer.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: LB Patrick Willis, OT Joe Staley, OG Mike Iupati, QB Colin Kaepernick, OG Adam Snyder, LB Chris Borland, OC David Baas, DE Manny Lawson, LB Parys Haralson
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Wide receiver Steve Largent. Ask this question in 10 years and we might be saying Russell Wilson or Richard Sherman. But for now, it's Largent, a Hall of Famer who edges guys like Shaun Alexander, Steve Hutchinson and Kevin Mawae. Seattle has plucked some great players here and there over the years, and quite a few recently. But people outside of Seattle often don't give Largent the credit he deserves. He had seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro nods, and more than 13,000 receiving yards and 100 touchdowns. Not bad considering he played in an era when wideouts got beaten up regularly by defenders.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: QB Russell Wilson, CB Richard Sherman, OC Max Unger, LB K.J. Wright, LB Bobby Wagner, LB Leroy Hill
AFC NORTH
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Joe Flacco. It's a short era to choose from, since we can't consider the Cleveland Browns as part of this history. Flacco gets the nod for having been a darn good quarterback and a Super Bowl winner – and just now getting into the middle of his prime years. If it's a quarterback league and winning the Super Bowl is what matters most, Flacco is far and away the best player Baltimore has ever pulled from a Senior Bowl.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OG Ben Grubbs, OG Marshal Yanda, OT Michael Oher
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Carson Palmer. Nowadays it's bizarre to think that a No. 1 overall pick – and quarterback, no less – would play in the Senior Bowl. But Palmer did it after winning the Heisman Trophy. He got shut out in the game but was clearly worthy of the No. 1 overall selection. He's easily the best player the Bengals have ever gotten out of the Senior Bowl…although the franchise has been pulling quite a bit of impressive talent out of late.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: QB Andy Dalton, DT Geno Atkins, LB Rey Maualuga, CB Leon Hall, OG Kevin Zeitler
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Tight end Ozzie Newsome. Newsome was an easy choice, and not just because he was a Hall of Fame tight end in the NFL. The Browns simply haven't pulled much elite talent from the Senior Bowl despite a lengthy franchise history. That said, Newsome was a five-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl player, and was a standard-setter at tight end when it wasn't today's heavily-targeted position.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OC Alex Mack, DE Phil Taylor, LB D'Qwell Jackson, LB Kamerion Wimbley
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Defensive tackle Joe Greene. Pittsburgh is the Senior Bowl pace-setter throughout history. The Steelers have had too much success to squeeze it into this small space. See the top of this story.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: WR Mike Wallace, LB LaMarr Woodley
AFC SOUTH
HOUSTON TEXANS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Running back Arian Foster. There's not a long list of players here to work with, and the Texans didn't score much talent in the Senior Bowl during their first decade in existence. That puts Foster at the top – where he could easily remain if he can stay healthy for a few more years. Interestingly, Foster had some eyes on him in Senior Bowl practices in 2009, but he pulled a hamstring (sound familiar?) and never played in the game. Other running backs made impressions on the field, Foster fell out of the draft. After signing with Houston, the rest is history.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: LB Brian Cushing, LB Connor Barwin, LB DeMeco Ryans, OT Eric Winston
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Ted Hendricks. Hendricks edges out some quality players in Reggie Wayne, Alan Ameche, Cornelius Bennett and Bubba Smith. Nicknamed "The Stork" for his long, rangy frame (6-7, 225 pounds), Hendricks won four Super Bowls and was named to nine All-Pro teams. He was a key piece of some brutal defenses over the length of his career and one of the most recognizable defenders of his era.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OT Anthony Castonzo, RB Justin Forsett, RB Joseph Addai, CB Tim Jennings
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Defensive tackle Marcus Stroud. Fred Taylor deserves to be in the argument, but his solid longevity gets overshadowed by Stroud's shorter period of dominance. For three years, Stroud was in the top two or three defensive tackles in the NFL. Like other recent expansion teams, there isn't a great deal of Senior Bowl selections to choose from. There also haven't been a lot of top end players uncovered, either. But Stroud was a great player for a handful of years and that gives him the nod.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: TE Marcedes Lewis, OT Khalif Barnes, RB Rashad Jennings, DT Tyson Alualu
TENNESSEE TITANS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Steve McNair. McNair is the selection, but others such as Derrick Mason, Robert Brazile and Blaine Bishop got serious consideration. McNair simply shaped the franchise more drastically than any of those other players. McNair worked his way into the 1995 Senior Bowl invite by dominating at I-AA Alcorn State. He helped draw a massive Senior Bowl audience but got mired in a defensive game. It didn't matter to front offices that recognized McNair's ability to immediately change a franchise.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: RB Chris Johnson, S Michael Griffin, OT Michael Roos, OT David Stewart, OC Leroy Harris
AFC EAST
BUFFALO BILLS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Running back Thurman Thomas. Thomas gets the nod over Ruben Brown, who many outside of Buffalo forget was a Pro Bowl mainstay at guard (voted in nine times, along with four All-Pro teams). Thomas was strong in the 1988 Senior Bowl, rushing for 104 yards and winning game MVP. He would get even better on the NFL level, rivaling Barry Sanders for a number of years as one of the league's top two running backs. Four Super Bowl appearances later, Thomas is a Hall of Famer and easily the Bills' best Senior Bowl get.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: DT Kyle Williams, CB, Leodis McKelvin, LB Paul Posluszny, RB Joique Bell
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Dan Marino. Marino doesn't take honors without some serious thought toward Jason Taylor, and mild consideration for John Offerdahl and Richmond Webb. But Marino's future greatness was evident in the 1983 Senior Bowl. He threw two touchdown passes to lead the North to a win, and took home offensive MVP honors. By the end of his NFL career, he'd hold virtually every significant passing record in the league. His stature as the sixth quarterback selected in the first round of the 1983 draft remains one of the league's greatest personnel embarrassments.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: DT Jared Odrick, OC Samson Satele
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Running back Curtis Martin. The Patriots haven't historically struck much gold in the Senior Bowl, particularly in the franchise's first 20 years. That said, it doesn't get much better than Martin, who was tapped despite playing in a defense-dominated 1995 Senior Bowl. His 14,000 yards and 90 rushing touchdowns in the NFL were impressive, not to mention his feat of becoming the oldest player to ever win a rushing title, at 31.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OT Nate Solder, S Devin McCourty, OG Logan Mankins, K Stephen Gostkowski, S Patrick Chung
NEW YORK JETS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Quarterback Joe Namath. He edges John Riggins and Mark Gastineau. The most iconic Jet of all time was one of the reasons the 1965 Senior Bowl was played before a sellout crowd. Coached by the legendary Tom Landry, Namath threw for 246 yards and rallied the south to a 7-7 tie by hitting future Hall of Famer Bob Hayes with a 53-yard touchdown pass. Amazingly, Landry passed on Namath in the draft in favor of Cal quarterback Craig Morton. Namath went 12th to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Jets thought more of Namath, took him first in the AFL draft and offered him a rich contract.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OC Nick Mangold, LB David Harris, LB Quinton Coples, TE Joel Dreessen, K Mike Nugent
AFC WEST
DENVER BRONCOS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Al Wilson. Center Tom Nalen and linebacker John Mobley both got some consideration. But Wilson gets the call due to a stellar career that was cut short by injury. In only eight seasons, Wilson was named to five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. Denver has had some recent success pulling defensive stars out of the Senior Bowl, but they haven't surpassed Wilson just yet.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: LB Von Miller, CB Darrent Williams, OC Chris Myers, QB Jay Cutler, LB Elvis Dumervil
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Linebacker Derrick Thomas. The Chiefs tapped some other top end Senior Bowl talents – Dale Carter, Albert Lewis and Larry Johnson – but none comes close to Thomas. Few pass rushers have been as dominant as Thomas was from the linebacker spot, both before or since his 11-year career ended.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: OT Eric Fisher, WR Dwayne Bowe, P Dustin Colquitt, LB Tamba Hali
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: OG Gene Upshaw. One of the defining offensive linemen of his era, Upshaw easily stands out as Oakland's best Senior Bowl pull. A Hall of Famer, Upshaw made seven All-Pro teams and won two Super Bowls. He later went on to help shape the NFL into the juggernaut it is today as the longtime executive director of the NFL Players Association.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: QB Derek Carr, DE Lamarr Houston, LB Kirk Morrison, LB Thomas Howard
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Best Senior Bowl selection: Tight end Kellen Winslow. Winslow is an arguable selection, considering the Chargers also landed LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers out of the Senior Bowl. Tomlinson will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But Winslow is a Hall of Famer right now and will forever be recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the NFL. As a dominant pass-catcher, he was 20 years ahead of his time at the tight end spot.
Senior Bowl finds in the last decade: WR Vincent Jackson, RB Darren Sproles, OT Marcus McNeill, S Eric Weddle, TE Scott Chandler
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