Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Here's an old article from Bleacher Report on this matter. 2009, but not that old if we're talking "All-Time"...

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/309 ... e-nfl-team

If you're not ready to read the entire article yet, here's the lineup they gave...

QB - Kerry Collins
RB - Lenny Moore
RB - Franco Harris
WR - Bobby Engram
WR - OJ McDuffie
TE - Mickey Shuler
OT - Stew Barber (though never playing in the NFL)
OT - Keith Dorney
OG - Mike Munchak
OG - Steve Wisniewski
C - Jeff Hartings

DT - Rosey Grier
DT - Mike Reid
DE - Mike Hartenstine
DE - Tamba Hali
OLB - Jack Ham
OLB - Lavar Arrington
MLB - Shane Conlan
CB - Paul Lankford
CB - David Macklin
FS - Darren Perry
SS - Kim Herring

K - Matt Bahr
P - Gregg Montgomery
R - Eddie Drummond

Biggest attention-grabber with me is they (if you read the entire article) placing Mike Michalske as an 'honorable mention' for guard when he should be the first they mention, thus then deciding who gets the other spot, Munchak or Wisniewski?

They mention Lenny & Franco as strictly RBs. Then they give Matt Suhey the nod for 'fullback' although Franco actually was one. They, of course, meant blocking back. Good choice. But being this was 2009, would Michael Robinson have since surpassed him in that category?

They should have offered two MLBs instead of just one. And if so, shouldn't Matt Millen be that other one alongside Shane? I don't why they placed Matt at 'honorable mention' at OLB?

Joe Jurevicius, IMO, if they put a 3rd WR in. They misspelled his name.

Robbie Gould, now, over Bahr as kicker?

Kerry Collins. No, NOT a 'bust', but just a simple example of Penn State never being the most QB-friendly program if he is actually the best NFL QB ever from that very school (I place him above Plum). And the QB of their 1986 National Championship over 'the U' STILL anonymous to this day! And, of course, Jim Kelly being mistaken for a possible linebacker, etc. I'm really not too sure Joe Pa would have been a successful NFL HC.

Linebacking, basically, the only real position that transferred many from Happy Valley to NFL success as well. MICAH, I can imagine, is already right at the borderline ready to BREAK INTO this starting lineup at ANY moment (if, maybe, not already)!

This is all judging these players STRICTLY how they were in the NFL! Completely excluding what they did at PSU - not blending it into the equation at all.

Thoughts? Anything to add?

Well, I remember "back in the day" Penn State was referred to by some as "Linebacker U." but I don't know if the Nittany Lions still have that reputation (I don't watch college football quite as religiously as I used to).

I can think of one prominent "football factory" university that is even less "QB friendly" than Penn State: the Ohio State University (the comments I've been reading about Justin Fields! Oh, my. . .).

Good listing. Irv Pankey was a tough customer at tackle for the Los Angeles Rams, but maybe both Keith Dorney and Stew Barber were better.

Halas Hall wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 10:08 pm Good listing. Irv Pankey was a tough customer at tackle for the Los Angeles Rams, but maybe both Keith Dorney and Stew Barber were better.

Pankey was very tough. Another tough guy was Ron Heller....I would put Pankey and Heller over Dorney and Barber, but its just a matter of opinion.

I'd replace the WRs with Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin, but both those guys came after 2009. I'd have Michael Zordich over Kim Herring. PSU has had a lot of solid Centers...I think Chuck Cherundolo was probably the best. You'd have to put Michalske on the team; I'd have him over Munchak, who never really impressed me. TE is weird...I associate Ted Kwalick as the PSU gold standard, but his career was very short. Kyle Brady played forever and was a much better blocker than Shuler. But that is splitting hairs.

I think the LBers are a mess. Jack Ham is an easy choice. Conlan faded pretty quickly. If I needed an MLB, I'd take Millen or Bowman over Conlan. The worst selection on the team is Lavar Arrington. Very overrated. But somehow better than Dave Robinson? Whatever.