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The 2021 NFL Draft rolled through Cleveland, Ohio last weekend, and as is usually the case, a plethora of hard-hitting, talented defensive end prospects were selected.
The likes of first-round picks like Kwity Paye (Colts), Payton Turner (Saints) and Jaelan Phillips (Dolphins) will hope to make an immediate impact for their respective teams once the NFL action gets underway on September 9.
Five best Defensive Ends (DEs) to have graced the NFL:
The aforementioned rookies might be talented, but they have some way to go to catch up with the players featured in this list. On that note, let's take a look at the five best DEs to ever suit up in the NFL
#5 Julius Peppers
Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Washington football team (2002-2019)
Julius Peppers was an unrelenting pass-rusher for the entirety of his 17-year NFL career and will be remembered by fans in Carolina as one of the greatest players in the franchise's history.
After retiring at the end of the 2019 season, Jones is not eligible to have his bust cast in the Pro Football Hall of Fame till 2024. Nevertheless, he is considered by most to be a top tip for first-ballot selection.
Peppers is perhaps best remembered for tallying up 159.5 sacks during his hard-hitting career. But don’t be fooled: the Carolina man was much more than a simple pass rusher: He also racked up 11 interceptions, 82 PDs, 52 forced fumbles and 93 TFLs during his outstanding career.
#4 Michael Strahan
New York Giants (1993-2007)
Michael Strahan spent 15 glorious years with the New York Giants and is easily one of the best defensive players in the history of the NFL.
Strahan, who helped the Giants hoist the Lombardi trophy at Super Bowl XLll, was named the 2001 Defensive Player of the Year. He still holds the single-season sack record (22.5).
Michael Strahan rode off into the sunset with 141.5 career sacks, 854 career tackles, four career interceptions and 24 forced fumbles, mostly from the DE position. So he is an absolute no-brainer for this list.
#3 David ‘Deacon’ Jones
Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington football team (1961-1974)
Taking the turf with the Los Angeles Rams, David ‘Deacon’ Jones made it to six straight Pro Bowls between 1965 and 1971. He made a seventh successive one in 1972 after he was traded to the San Diego Chargers.
After chalking up 173.5 sacks in his NFL career (third-best all time), Jones retired as a member of the Washington Redskins in 1974. He missed just five games of a possible 196 in the entirety of his career.
In fact, Jones was so good that the annual award that's given to the NFL's leading sack artist, the Deacon Jones Award, is named after him.
#2 Bruce Smith
Buffalo Bills & Washington football team (1985-2003)
Bruce Smith played an astonishing 19 seasons with the Buffalo Bills (1985-1999) and the Washington Redskins (2000-03).
Smith was the no.1 overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft and was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first full season in the league.
Smith would go on to be named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1990 and 1996 and the AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1996. He also represented the AFC in an incredible 11 Pro Bowls.
The Bills legend is the NFL’s all-time career sack leader (200) and was quite rightly named to the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of both the 1980s and the 1990s.
#1 Reggie White
Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers & Carolina Panthers (1985-2000)
The late Reggie White was nicknamed 'The Minister of Defense' both for his background in theology and the unparalleled and uncompromising way in which he played the game of football.
White is arguably the best defensive end to step foot on the turf in the NFL. One only needs to check out his NFL profile.
Reggie White began his football career in the ill-fated American Football League before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in time for the 1985 season. He amassed 13 sacks and was duly named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year that year.
In his next campaign, White amassed 18 more sacks to earn his first of an incredible 13 straight trips to the Pro Bowl.
In 1993, after recording 124 sacks in 121 games over eight seasons in Philadelphia, White joined the Green Bay Packers and helped the Cheeseheads back to the summit of the NFL; they lifted the Super Bowl in 1996. White recorded a record three sacks in the showcase final.
The 'Minister' retired from the game in 1999 only to return for another stint as a Carolina Panther in 2000. Far from being a spent force, White managed to chalk up 5.5 sacks in his final year in the NFL.
When he finally hung up his cleats for good, White was the NFL's all-time sack leader with 198. He was named to the NFL's All-Decade Teams of both the 1980s and 1990s and is one of the greatest DEs to ever play the game of football.
In truth, I only got to see the last five seasons of White's career. But he was the most dominant DE I've had the pleasure of tuning in to watch by a country mile.
Rest in peace, Reggie!
