Why they rank here
Lawrence Taylor is the defensive player most often credited with changing the game itself. As an outside linebacker for the New York Giants, his explosive edge rushing forced offenses to redesign protections and elevated the left tackle into a premium position charged with blocking his blind-side attacks. He recorded 132.5 official sacks, though the statistic was not tracked for his 1981 rookie year, and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards. In 1986 he became one of only two defensive players ever named NFL MVP, a season in which he tallied 20.5 sacks and dragged the Giants to a title. He won two Super Bowls and made ten Pro Bowls. Ferocious, instinctive, and relentless, he set the template for the modern pass-rushing edge defender.
Career profile
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