Lawrence Taylor top 3 NFL greatest RBs

[DarkVader33]

The best pure RUNNER that I ever saw was Barry. He was so good that I've seen his own OL just stop and watch him run. Crazy stuff. The stop/start, change of direction, cutting ability. Just a thing of beauty. But he also had a LOT of negative plays.

The best all-round RB that I've ever seen play was Emmitt. This man could do anything that you needed and did it well. Not the fastest (CJ2K), not the strongest (Alstott), not the most elusive (Barry), not a bulldozer (Okoye), not the best receiver (Faulk), didn't strike fear into the hearts of defender (Bo, Earl); but he could do it all at a VERY high level. And his negative plays were minimal.

Have you seen clips of Gale Sayers? Too bad for his injuries that cut his career short but he may have been the best ever if it wasn’t for that.

 

[kskboys]

On this site, a discussion about the best RBs of all time should be the best besides Emmit. Because if Emmit is included, it becomes a silly P-ing contest.

 

[kskboys]

Have you seen clips of Gale Sayers? Too bad for his injuries that cut his career short but he may have been the best ever if it wasn’t for that.

And his knee would've been fixed if he'd played a few decades later.

 

[JW82]

Not to mention OJ. OJ had over 2,000 yds in a 14 game season.

Sure hate to give the POS credit but he was an amazing rb.

 

[stilltheguru]

Don't need lt to tell me emmitt is no worse than top 5 all time

 

[jazzcat22]

Opinion is not truth. Especially from someone who thinks the team and its players really are rose-colored.

I don’t think they are rose colored. How many times I need to tell you that.
But you don’t want to listen to reason. Just come at me all the time for no reason.

 

[DandyDon52]

these type things are meaningless, just have your own opinion and thats all you need.
It really goes by periods. Each period is different.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

outside of allen in Emmitt's later years, none of those OL men were probowlers. in fact they were nobody's until emmitt showed up

I don’t disagree but I’ve heard the narrative of all the hall of famers and pro bowlers he has played with. I don’t knock guys for the talent they have.

 

[America's Cowboy]

No argument here but some may switch the order.........

Like Lawrence Taylor rated his Top 3, this is exactly the same way I have rated my All Time NFL Top 3 RBs for 20+ years now.

1) Walter Payton
2) Barry Sanders
3) Emmitt Smith

 

[fivetwos]

So you're saying stats are useless in rating these RBs?

When it comes to something like average yards per carry for Barry Sanders, yes.

Many carries between minus two and plus two yards, then a homer, but not often enough. Emmitt moved the chains. That offense was rarely in second and long.

 

[RonWashington]

OJ in his prime in Buffalo that was a spectacle . First back with 2000 yards before the Goodfella 17 game marathons

 

[RonWashington]

Emmitt
OJ
Jim Brown

 

[gtb1943]

Have you seen clips of Gale Sayers? Too bad for his injuries that cut his career short but he may have been the best ever if it wasn’t for that.

I look at film of Sayers before the knee and he was the best open field runner I ever saw. That game where he 6 tds 4 rush 1 rec 1 PR it looked like everyone but him was in slo mo.

 

[conner01]

Very hard to argue against this order, though I'm having a hard time not slotting Jim Brown @ #2 with Barry then Emmitt. All 5 guys were elite, not sure any of them could take the punishment that Brown endured and still put up the stats.

Jim brown gets over looked because most people alive today never seen him play. But he’s one of the very few who could dominate today in the nfl. Lots of HOF players from that era wouldn’t thrive today but he would

 

[YosemiteSam]

Me too. I used to say that Peterson ran like an angry Payton.

He was a bull in the preverbal China shop. Agile, strong, fast, and a freight train running.

2007 was a heck of a first round of the draft except the fact that it was anchored by Russell lol There were a ton of future hall of famers or near hall of famers in that first round.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett, LT, Marcus Allen, Curtis Martin. Many great RBs. Narrowing it down to 3 is pretty much impossible w/o leaving out someone who belongs.

This because I got Gale Sayers (only non boys jersey I have), he did it in the mud and rain with the great moves, no artificial turf for him. And you know TD is my man.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Speaking of running back styles. Gale Sayers was Walter Payton before Walter Payton and before Adrian Peterson was the next Walter Payton after Walter Payton. lol

 

[YosemiteSam]

This because I got Gale Sayers (only non boys jersey I have), he did it in the mud and rain with the great moves, no artificial turf for him. And you know TD is my man.

lol, yes. We were thinking of the same player at the same time. Gale Sayers deserves to be right up there with anyone in the top 5.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

Why was Barry pulled when they were within 5 yards of the goal line?
This was where Emmitt Thrived.
How many 1 and 2 yards TD's hurt his, not only total yards, but average per yards as well.

Speaking of 5 yards out...Zeke would be on my short list.....

 

[AKATheRake]

Emmitt is my favorite Cowboy and therefore favorite player of all time.

But............

Jim Brown.

Respect and see Walter and Barry, but..............

Jim Brown. PERIOD!