The 25 Most Fearsome Tacklers in the NFL Today

Who is carrying Ed Reed's legacy as a fearsome tackler in the NFL today?

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Defense wins championships in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks proved that to us last season when their "Legion of Boom" dominated Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos to secure a 43-8 Super Bowl victory. It takes grit to win in the NFL. Prolific, record-breaking offenses are good and all, but when it comes down to it, your team as only as good as its ability to keep the other team out of the end zone. 

Numerous championship squads aside from the Seahawks have proven this to us over the past decade. The New England Patriots were at their best when their defense was anchored by the likes of Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison. The Green Bay Packers were driven to their recent championship with the help of Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews. The Baltimore Ravens toppled the San Francisco 49ers thanks to solid play from Ray Lewis and Ed Reed

Oh, and speaking of Reed, if you'll take a look at the calendar today, you may notice that it's the future Hall of Famer's birthday. A nine-time Pro Bowler as well as the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year, Reed set a standard at the safety position, highlighted by his ball-hawking prowess, and his tough, game-changing hits. One of the strongest defenders in league history, Reed's legacy is unquestionable in the NFL. 

In honor of Reed, we've decided to place the spotlight on the 25 Most Fearsome Tacklers in the NFL Today. He may not be an NFL team at the moment, but that doesn't mean his presence isn't felt through other players. 

Paul Posluszny

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Team(s): Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars

Playing experience: 8 seasons

Position: Middle linebacker

Coming out of "Linebacker U", former Penn State Nittany Lion Paul Posluszny took some time to establish himself as a defensive star in the league. After a few so-so seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Posluszny has stepped up his game in Jacksonville, particularly under defensive-minded head coach Gus Bradley. Last year, in Bradley's first season with the team, Posluszny made his first Pro Bowl appearance. In Week 1, against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Jaguars linebacker racked up 12 solo tackles for the team. Not too shabby. 

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Kiko Alonso

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Team(s): Buffalo Bills

Playing experience: 2 seasons

Position: Middle linebacker

As last season's Pro Football Writer's of America Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso started his career out with a bang, netting 159 combined tackles during the season and serving as the leader of a tough Bills defense led by then-defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. With Pettine now in Cleveland, Alonso was out to prove that his success last season was more than just good coaching. Unfortunately, Alonso tore his ACL in July and is likely out for the entire season. That's a lucky break for any team on Buffalo's schedule. 

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Harrison Smith

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Team(s): Minnesota Vikings

Playing experience: 3 seasons

Position: Free safety

Thought of as one of the best young safeties in the league, Harrison Smith will be a key cog in the Minnesota Vikings' rebuilding process as they look to rebound from last year's 5-10-1 finish. A first round pick from Notre Dame, Smith was a wise investment for a team that has been known for little else other than Adrian Peterson over the past few seasons. As a former linebacker, Smith has the tackling technique of a front seven star and the speed necessary to make an impact in the secondary. 

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Robert Quinn

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Team(s): St. Louis Rams

Playing experience: 4 seasons

Position: Defensive end

Robert Quinn was narrowly edged out as the NFL sack leader last season by Robert Mathis, but Quinn is back in 2014 and ready to re-assert his power in the backfield. Though he was shut out of the category in Week 1, don't expect Quinn to be held down for many more games. With his fellow defensive end Chris Long now out for at least two months, Quinn knows he needs to step up in a big way for St. Louis. He has the strength and tenacity to do it. 

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Mark Barron

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Team(s): Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Playing experience: 3 seasons

Position: Strong safety

Alongside veteran Dashon Goldson, former Alabama standout Mark Barron will hold down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary as the last line of defense for the team. If you're hoping to get in the end zone against Tampa Bay, realize that it won't be easy getting past a brutal tackler like Barron. The guy is a former All-American who is well on his way to becoming a future Pro Bowler at his position, having already racked up 183 tackles in just over two full seasons in the NFL. 

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Lance Briggs

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Team(s): Chicago Bears

Playing experience: 12 seasons

Position: Outside linebacker

Oft-overshadowed by his more recognizable former teammate Brian Urlacher, Bears linebacker Lance Briggs has been a reliable, hard-nosed member of the Chicago front seven for 12 seasons now. After suffering a shoulder fracture midway through the 2013 season, Briggs will be looking to regain the form that saw him tally over 100 combined tackles in eight of his previous 10 seasons. We'll see if time is still on Briggs' side in the 2014-15 season.  

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LaRon Landry

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Team(s): Washington Redskins, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts

Playing experience: 8 seasons

Position: Safety

Drafted out of LSU by the Washington Redskins, LaRon Landry was known for his hard-hitting prowess in the secondary, and he's worked hard to keep that reputation as a professional in the NFL. He certainly has the respect of his newest head coach, Chuck Pagano. "He's got to be an enforcer back there," Pagano said in a recent interview about the team's acquisition of Landry. "He's got to be a dominant football player, which he's done and will continue to do." 

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Terrell Suggs

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Team(s): Baltimore Ravens

Playing experience: 12 seasons

Position: Outside linebacker

Since Ray Lewis' departure from the Baltimore Ravens, OLB Terrell Suggs has assumed the mantle as the team's defensive leader. But, honestly, he had been playing that role for years. Statistically, anyway. Lewis was always the vocal leader of the team, but Suggs was quietly racking up sacks and tackles for the Ravens many years prior to Lewis' retirement. His dominating presence was proven best in 2011 when Suggs secured the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award.

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Derrick Johnson

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Team(s): Kansas City Chiefs

Playing experience: 10 seasons

Position: Inside linebacker

The loss of Derrick Johnson is a serious blow to the Kansas City Chiefs defense this year. The long-time Chief went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon in the team's opening game against the Tennessee Titans, and how they'll recover from such a loss remains to be seen. Johnson has been an every-down player for Kansas City since his rookie season, and his three consecutive Pro Bowl selections starting in 2011 proved that the rest of the league had learned just how impactful a player DJ could be. 

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Robert Mathis

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Team(s): Indianapolis Colts

Playing experience: 12 seasons

Position: Defensive end

In a passing league, losing your team's sack leader isn't a great way to begin the season. Unfortunately, such is the case for the Indianapolis Colts whose veteran defensive end Robert Mathis was lost to an Achilles injury this past week. Ouch. Mathis led the NFL in sacks last season with 18.5. How can anyone on the Indianapolis roster hope to match that sort of output in Mathis' absence? 

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Donte Whitner

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Team(s): Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns

Playing experience: 9 seasons

Position: Strong safety

Cleveland Browns safety Donte Whitner is good at his job and he knows it. And while he's on the topic, he wants other NFL defenders to know that they aren't doing what he does nearly half as well. Quoted in 2013 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers, Whitner said "somewhere near 50" percent of defenders in the league don't understand proper tackling techniques. "You have guys just running in there diving at people's feet. Somewhere you have guys just running in there hoping to make the tackle," Whitner added. We thought about arguing with him, but then we saw this video. How can you say no to that? 

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Vontaze Burfict

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Team(s): Cincinnati Bengals

Playing experience: 3 seasons

Position: Linebacker

Though he was regarded as a strong prospect, character issues prevented former Arizona State Sun Devil Vontaze Burfict from being selected in the 2012 NFL Draft. How many teams must be kicking themselves now? As a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Burfict was the league leader in tackles last season, disproving all his critics who said that he would be a problem for the team that hired him. Burfict appears to have matured tremendously, and knows what's at stake as a player in the NFL. Speaking on the departure of former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer over the offseason, Burfict said, "Zim was telling me if I keep doing the things I have to do and keep my head on straight and stay out of trouble, there's no reason I shouldn't be in Canton." Hopefully, he'll prove Zimmer to be right. 

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Troy Polamalu

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Team(s): Pittsburgh Steelers

Playing experience: 12 seasons

Position: Strong safety

Advancing in age, Troy Polamalu's career in the NFL doesn't figure to go on for very many more years, particularly with how old and aging the Pittsburgh Steelers roster is as a whole. But, until he officially announces his retirement, you can be sure that Polamalu will be playing with as much intensity as he ever has, his curly mane flying into the face of every wide receiver he brings down to the ground. In the eyes of Pittsburgh fans, the guy is literally Superman

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Ryan Clark

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Team(s): New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers

Playing experience: 13 seasons

Position: Free safety

A one-time Super Bowl winner with the Pittsburgh Steelers, safety Ryan Clark has gone from an undrafted defensive back out of Lousiana State to a highly regarded veteran in the league. With 832 tackles to his name, Clark is thought of as one of the most consistent tackling safeties in the league. While Clark's career is on the downturn (the Steelers let him walk this past offseason so that they could upgrade the younger Mike Mitchell to the starting position) he can still earn the respect of an opposing team's quarterback on a week-to-week basis. 

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Von Miller

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Team(s): Denver Broncos

Playing experience: 4 seasons

Position: Outside linebacker

Coming off a surgery for a torn ACL suffered during last year's playoffs, Von Miller wasn't at his best during Denver's Week 1 victory against the Indianapolis Colts. However, don't expect Miller's slow start to last long. The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker is a monster in Denver's defense, particularly in the backfield where he racked 18.5 sacks during the 2012 season. Perhaps the Broncos could've fared better in the Super Bowl if Miller had been around to apply some pressure to Russell Wilson. 

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Luke Kuechly

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Team(s): Carolina Panthers

Playing experience: 3 seasons

Position: Middle linebacker

With 9 combined tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble to his name in Week 1, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly announced his return to the NFL in a big way. After earning his first Pro Bowl selection in 2013, as well as the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, you know that Kuechly was itching to get back out onto the field for Carolina after a long offseason. As Carolina looks to build on their successes from last season, Kuechly will be a huge factor in determining whether they can return to the playoffs. 

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Dashon Goldson

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Team(s): San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Playing experience: 8 seasons

Position: Safety

Regarded as one of the most technically sound tacklers in the league, Bucs safety Dashon Goldson was a stalwart presence with the 49ers before signing a 5-year/$41.25M contract with Tampa prior to the 2013-14 season. A two-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All Pro selection in 2012, Goldson is tasked with anchoring the Buccaneers defense this season as they look to turn around the franchise's fortunes from recent seasons and regain the success that their former defensive stars like Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, and John Lynch once earned for the team.

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Ndamukong Suh

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Team(s): Detroit Lions

Playing experience: 5 seasons

Position: Defensive tackle

Despite his reputation as a dirty player, you can't leave Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh off a list that talks about fearsome defenders in the NFL. Suh is a wrecking ball of a player, often requiring the attention of several offensive lineman in order to be kept from the quarterback. Suh hasn't reached the statistical heights he achieved in his rookie season when he garnered 10 sacks for the Detroit defense, but that's only because offenses are putting a greater focus on stopping him. No quarterback wants to find themselves on the end of one of his hits. 

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Bernard Pollard

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Team(s): Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans

Playing experience: 9 seasons

Position: Safety

Bernard Pollard's name qualifies as fighting words in the New England area. Dubbed the "Patriot Killer", Pollard has been responsible for teeth-rattling or ligament-tearing hits to New England's Stevan Ridley, Tom Brady, and Rob Gronkowski. Nicknamed "Bonecrusher" during his collegiate playing days at Purdue, Pollard has lived up to that nickname in every sense of the word in the NFL. 

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Jared Allen

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Team(s): Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears

Playing experience: 11 seasons

Position: Defensive end

Defensive end Jared Allen is impossible to contain in the trenches. At this point, with 128.5 sacks to his name, Allen has proven this to be true. Remember 2011 when Allen tallied 22 sacks in a single season? Well, even if you don't, you can be sure that his opponents do. Even in his 11th season in the league, Allen is an offensive lineman's nightmare. 

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Clay Matthews

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Team(s): Green Bay Packers

Playing experience: 6 seasons

Position: Outside linebacker

Clay Matthews has been known as a passionate player during his days with the Green Bay Packers, in which he's secured a Super Bowl title and four Pro Bowl nods. A fierce and intense player, Matthews' forceful play earned him the criticism of San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh last season after Green Bay's Week 1 loss against the team included an out-of-bounds tackle by Matthews against Niners QB Colin Kaepernick. However, Matthews wasn't worrying about Harbaugh's gripes then and you can be sure he isn't thinking about them now. "I'm an awesome player. I'm not a dirty player," Matthews said last season when asked to respond to Harbaugh's remarks. What else needs to be said? 

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Patrick Willis

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Team(s): San Francisco 49ers

Playing experience: 8 seasons

Position: Inside linebacker

Though teammate NaVorro Bowman has received greater accolades in recent seasons, his elder linebacker Patrick Willis has been a longer influence on the San Francisco 49ers, and has been a decisive reason for their sudden successes in recent seasons. Statistically prolific, Willis has a good shot to pass the 1,000 tackle mark in 2014, and will likely earn his eighth Pro Bowl selection in as many seasons in the league. If Willis sticks to his current trajectory, he figures to be a Hall of Famer one day. Take it from his former head coach, Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, who once said in reference to Ray Lewis and Willis, "I've coached two of the greatest linebackers — one that has already proven to be one of the greatest and one who will prove to be."

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Earl Thomas

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Team(s): Seattle Seahawks

Playing experience: 5 seasons

Position: Free safety

Standing just 5'10", Earl Thomas' short stature is made up for by his powerful frame, as the Seahawks Pro Bowl safety has laid the hammer down on countless opponents since his entrance into the NFL. Don't disregard his tireless dedication to the game either. Said teammate Richard Sherman about Thomas last season, "He’s the kind of player that makes unbelievable plays look routine. He’s one of the most locked-in football players I have ever seen." That's what it takes to earn a ring. 

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J.J. Watt

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Team(s): Houston Texans

Playing experience: 4 seasons

Position: Defensive end

As a winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award and a two-time Pro Bowler, J.J. Watt has wasted no time in proving himself as an impact player in the NFL. The Houston Texans star is only four seasons into his career, so you know he's still got plenty of years to terrorize divisional rivals like Andrew Luck. Simply put, Watt is a sack machine, having racked up 37.5 quarterback takedowns thus far. Though the Texans may be in for a down season in 2014, you can be sure that Watt will continue to impress us with his uncommon combination of speed and strength. 

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Kam Chancellor

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Team(s): Seattle Seahawks

Playing experience: 5 seasons

Position: Strong safety

As a member of the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, safety Kam Chancellor came together with his fellow defensive backs to form the "Legion of Boom" last season, keying the team to a resounding victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XVLIII. Chancellor was the team leader in tackles during the game, terrorizing Peyton Manning and his teammates in every quarter. As we saw from the team's Week 1 victory over the Green Bay Packers, Chancellor & Co. aren't letting off the gas anytime soon. 

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