Top 40 CBs of all time

[jimnance]

You’re missing the point. This is exactly why I’m saying you don’t plug players into other eras when making these rankings. In the 1950s, Dwight Howard would have averaged 100 ppg with his physical superiority. Bill Russell would have been neutralized in the 1990s/2000s, if you assume he’d have the exact physical traits and skills, 50 years into the future. So yes, that’s exactly why it’s laughable to start fiddling around with comparing 40 times, physical skills, and sometimes even game skills, when comparing players decades apart. You can only fairly rank them compared to their own peers, and within their own era, and give them a universal rating based on that.

I agree about comparing players from different eras. For one thing, there've
been major rules changes especially in football and hoops.
As for the rest of your post,thats ridiculous.
Howard wouldve done LESS in the 60's than today, especially on offense. Hes a stiff. A stiff is a stiff in any era.
And Russell wouls dominate today.
Russ consistently outplayed Wilt- and Wilt was far superior physically than Howard.
Another example is Bird and MJ: both would destroy the nba far more than they did even when they played. You cant handcheck anymore nor do you get physically destroyed when you drive the lane. Giannis would not have the same success in the 80's he has now unless he drastically changed his game. I played competitive hoops for a long time. I know what Im talking about. A lot if highscoring players today would be lucky to average 15 ppg in the 80's.
And todays game is tailor- made for Bird- whos a better,tougher version than Luka. Larry and MJ might both average 50 today.
The skill level of most players today is below that of their peers in the 80's. Kobe was an 80's- style player- complete game,had the midrange game and thats why he destroyed the nba recently. Offensive #'s today are meaningless,since theres no defense played compared to the past.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

You think Jim Brown would be the same player in today’s game? The defenders he played against aren‘t comparable in size or strength to the players of the 1950s. A lot of those guys needed off-season jobs to pay their bills and didn’t even train half the year. Guys were smoking cigarettes in the locker room. When you see his running style, do you really think he throws defenders around like rag dolls and can’t be tackled in 2021?

Does this look like an NFL defense of today?

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Brown would be an All-Pro back today. He was Adrian Peterson only better. So would Earl Campbell. So would Haynes or Sanders as CB's. These were dominant studs with all the measurables, and with today's training regimens they would be even more so.

Do you think the whole human race has changed so much in 40-50 years that these guys wouldn't dominate today?

 

[jimnance]

You think Jim Brown would be the same player in today’s game? The defenders he played against aren‘t comparable in size or strength to the players of the 1950s. A lot of those guys needed off-season jobs to pay their bills and didn’t even train half the year. Guys were smoking cigarettes in the locker room. When you see his running style, do you really think he throws defenders around like rag dolls and can’t be tackled in 2021?

Does this look like an NFL defense of today?

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Ice_Ice_
Jim Brown was 6'2"" 232- same size as Cory Dillon- but with Jonathan Jones speed!!
He would easily and be by far the best and most dominant rb in the nfl today.
His measurables alone would be unmatched. They didnt run 40s back then- they ran 100s(yards). Ive heard sports scientists equate his 100yd time with a 4.2-4.3 40yd time- at 232 lbs!!

 

[40yrpatsfan]

You think Jim Brown would be the same player in today’s game? The defenders he played against aren‘t comparable in size or strength to the players of the 1950s. A lot of those guys needed off-season jobs to pay their bills and didn’t even train half the year. Guys were smoking cigarettes in the locker room. When you see his running style, do you really think he throws defenders around like rag dolls and can’t be tackled in 2021?

Does this look like an NFL defense of today?

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Another way to think of this is that Bo Jackson played 32-34 years ago, in the mid-late 80's. Do you think he wouldn't excel today either? Jim Brown played 22 years before Bo in the early-mid 60's. What year would you draw the line? The 70's were loaded with studs from the Steelers, Raiders, even our mid-70's Patriots.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I love how the Jets are always the most superstar-struck team in the league and have never had a problem shelling out huge market setting deals…and let arguably the most valuable (peak) defensive player of the 20th century go to another team, despite giving Mark Sanchez two huge contracts when he wasn’t even a FA. They traded Revis for a first round pick and used it to draft Dee Milliner as his replacement…because we all know you can just replace historical outlier players with a top 10 pick.

Then they wound up overpaying for him after all…after he had just won a championship with their biggest rivals and was completely through with trying hard.

New York, sounds just like the Knicks. Overpay for names.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I haven't had time to put up stats with every player, working at an emergency hospital really chews into your free time and desire to do more work on what little you have, but at some point I would love to have years played, pro bowls, Int, Passes defensed, and FF for every player on the list. It would at least be a starting point for discussion cuz ronde barber is a huge snub and belongs on it. When I was looking at Surtain his team mate Madison has more Ints. Now was that because like in our system people avoid Gilmore so JC gets more opportunities? Maybe but its interesting to look at

Sam Madison during his time with the Dolphins definitely deserves to be on the list. He was a beast and they were the best tandem in the NFL.

In the 1950s, Dwight Howard would have averaged 100 ppg with his physical superiority.

Shaq would’ve been a better example. In fact, the league changed its rules to allow illegal zone defense during the Lakers three peat in fear their dominance was going to get out-of-control.

 

[Uptown]