All Time Best Hogs to Play in NFL

Football Insider Board
#1

I recently read an article stating the All Time Best Razorbacks to play in the NFL. The article was from 2012, and stated that these players didn’t necessarily have long or extremely successful NFL careers due to multiple reasons…but do you think the author got it right? I would have added a few more. What is your opinions? This was his list:

  1. Matt Jones
  2. Shawn Andrews
  3. Ryan Mallett
  4. Felix Jones
  5. Barry Foster
  6. Wayne Martin
  7. Billy Ray Smith Jr.
  8. Darren McFadden
  9. Steve Atwater
  10. Dan Hampton

I would have at least stuck Joe Ferguson in there and now you would have to include Trey Flowers, Hunter Henry and Alex Collins who has been coming on as of late.

#2

I would say that leaving out Lance Alworth and Billy Ray Smith, Sr. pretty much destroys the author’s credibility. How about Preston Carpenter? R.C. Theilman (sp?)

#3

Steve Little for sure.

#4

absolutely would include him. One of the greats!

#5

Jason Peters

#6

Not even close.

Matt J doesn’t belong there. Felix doesn’t belong there. Mallett doesn’t belong there. Wayne Martin doesn’t belong there. Steve Little darn sure doesn’t belong there; he was a massive flop (remember that the car crash that put him in a wheelchair happened after he drank himself stupid the night after being cut by the Cardinals).

Two Hogs in the PFHOF: Alworth and Hampton. Those are automatics.
Atwater, who should be in the HOF
Jason Peters
R.C. Thielemann (3 Pro Bowls to 2 for Andrews)
BR Smith Senior more than Junior, but probably both of them
Foster is OK
DMac, yeah, with two 1000-yard season
Ferguson, absolutely

That’s 10. Andrews would be a possibility. Glen Ray Hines was a two-time AFL All-Star with the Oilers; he’d be a possibility. Preston Carpenter made one Pro Bowl.

#7

Wayne Martin had 82.5 career stats (in 11 seasons), had over 10 sacks in 5 separate seasons (15.5 in 92), started 155 of 171 games (only missed 5 games due to injury), made 1 Pro Bowl (probably should have been more) and was elected to the Saints HOF. I would put him ahead of Foster and DMac.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ … rtWa00.htm

Also no one ever saw Jim Benton play, but he was elected to the 40s NFL all-decade team. In an era where passing was in afterthought he caught 288 passes for 4,801 yds (45 TDs) and had one of the best games ever for a WR in any era - 10 rec, 301 yds. He probably belongs on that list too as a dominant player in his era (at one time the the 2 best WR in the NFL were him and fellow Arkansas native Don Hutson)

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ … ntJi00.htm
http://www.profootballhof.com/news/than … -receiver/

#8

What about Kenny Hamlin.

#9

You might have a point on Martin. I glossed over him, well, because he was a Saint. Honestly didn’t know any of that on Benton.
And of course, we know our announcers: Pat Summerall and Charlie Jones (born in Fort Smith and went to law school at UA).

#10

Pretty bad. Any such list without Lance Alworth is useless.

#11

The subject was about all time best hogs to play in the NFL, not which all time best hogs had good/great NFL careers. So, I will continue to include Steve Little on my list of all time best hogs to play in the NFL.

#12

Ravin Caldwell and Steve Korte had very good pro careers. Wayne Harris may be the most decorated player in CFL history.

#13

Without question Lance was the all time best Hog to play in the NFL.

And Jim Benton should be in the the HOF in my humble opinion. Jim was a friend of mine. We typically visited at least once a week for years.

#14

That’s frankly a really lame reason for a list (and if so would have to include Loyd Phillips, one of our two Outland Trophy winners). I like my list much better.

#15

Lance Alworth not only should be on a list like this, but close to the top. I would debate on whether to put Dan Hampton first or Lance Alworth first. It would be a serious debate. If Lance doesn’t make the list, then I throw away the list. I know my father said Lance is one of the few players that he’d pay to watch play – and that was with the Chargers, Cowboys or Razorbacks.

#16

The list is too modern. Lamar McHan was one of the best QB’s in the NFL. Most have already mentioned Alworth. But Preston Carpenter, Billy Ray Smith (Jr. & Sr.) also have to be included. Dan Hampton certainly. R.C. Theilman. Jim Benton. Footsie Britt (a very good Detroit Lion who also happened to win the Medal of Honor, among other medals for gallantry in WWII.)

Those are just some off the top of my head. I’d have to see a list of all Razorbacks who’ve played in the NFL to begin to list the best.

#17

Didn’t Alworth play all but a year or two in the AFL? That is no justification for leaving him off such a list, just an observation about a technicality. Based on the rest of the list, my guess is it’s more someone not knowing what they were talking about.

If the best is based on the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the list should begin with the ones already in, Alworth and Hampton, and the two most likely to get in next, Atwater and Peters.

#18

In terms of NFL accomplishments it would be in this order IMO:

  1. Alworth (maybe greatest AFL offensive weapon)
  2. Jason Peters - from TE, to free agent to a 1st ballot HOF at OT when he retires
  3. Dan Hampton - HOF
#19

Swine - I can’t help it if you think that is a lame reason for a list. It isn’t my thread and I was only responding to the subject of the thread.

#20

Alworth did spend all but one of his seasons in the old AFL; but he also became the first player from that League to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That pretty much says it all.

Another person I’d think strongly about including would be Pat Summerall. Not a “dominant” player, but a consistent (for the era) placekicker that played in the NFL for a decade. Once made a 49 yard FG in the snow and swirling wind for a walk-off win over the Cleveland Browns (and Jim Brown) to win the Eastern Division and earn the Giants a place in the NFL Championship game.