Top 10 Linebackers in UF History

Swamp Donkey

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Silliness as always. They seem to think NFL production has anything to do with rating them as college players.

Peterson was by far the best linebacker in 97. Even SOS mentioned he always graded out the highest and his long NFL career bore that out.

Rutledge was a beast in the middle and the second best LB on that team. He was not fast enough for the NFL though.

Kearse was a one trick pony who could neither cover nor play the run. He was damn near unblockable blitzing from the edge. But chicks dig sacks and interceptions.
 
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Gatorbait25

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Johnny Rutledge most definitely belongs on this list, as law pointed out.
I would even say Siler ,who doesn't really fit the game of today quite as well
was a perfect middle backer against what was mostly I form, 2 back sets during
his time. Even though we only got two seasons out of him, Channing Crowder
is a fine honorable mention.
 

Durty South Swamp

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Silliness as always. They seem to think NFL production has anything to do with rating them as college players.

Peterson was by far the best linebacker in 97. Even SOS mentioned he always graded out the highest and his long NFL career bore that out.

Rutledge was a beast in the middle and the second best LB on that team. He was not fast enough for the NFL though.

Kearse was a one trick pony who could neither cover nor play the run. He was damn near unblockable blitzing from the edge. But chicks dig sacks and interceptions.
your mom certainly enjoyed my sack :dance:
 

Durty South Swamp

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outside of tebow, he was one of the greatest leaders our team has ever had. I'll never forget that Georgia revenge game. That was his game.
 

YLGator

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Another really bad list. Kearse has no business on this list. I'd have all of these guys on the list well ahead of Kearse.

- Huey Richardson
- Tim Paulk
- Carlton Miles
- James Bates
- Johnny Rutledge
- Andra Davis
- Earl Everrett
- Brandon Siler
- Channing Crowder
- Jelani Jenkins
- Jon Bostic
- Jarrad Davis
 

Swamp Donkey

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We ve had a LOT of good linebackers up until the Muschump, McElstain and Mullinz triplets decided to stop recruiting.
 

Durty South Swamp

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Big hitting Linebacker and safety play used to be a staple of Florida football. Now it's the joke.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Big hitting Linebacker and safety play used to be a staple of Florida football. Now it's the joke.
Would you come here to play for Ole English or a Dwag who was a Grad Assistant 20 months ago?
 

G8trwood

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For a couple years, I thought David Little was the only one who could tackle. ;)

I put the edge rush guys in a separate category
 

Frozen Gator

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You can't say Ralph Ortega without putting Glenn Cameron right beside him. What a tandem. UF vs Maryland, Tampa Stadium; C & O played one of the best defensive games I've ever seen, Randy White was equally great for Maryland. A freshman, Tony Green stole the show for the Gators with some long runs (scrimmage and returns).
 

Woodstork

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Several on there before my time. Very hard to rank players you didn’t see. I also think interior and outside backers are very different and combining them into one list leaves off quite a bit of the better ILB.

I’d have Peterson higher. Alonzo Johnson was solid and Kearse was a freak but there’s others unlisted whom I’d put ahead of them. 1 and 2 are no brainers that set the bar for OLB and ILB respectively.
 

Double Gator Dad

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You can't say Ralph Ortega without putting Glenn Cameron right beside him. What a tandem. UF vs Maryland, Tampa Stadium; C & O played one of the best defensive games I've ever seen, Randy White was equally great for Maryland. A freshman, Tony Green stole the show for the Gators with some long runs (scrimmage and returns).

Thanks Frozen

Glenn Cameron was the guy missing for me too

How Kearse and Charlton make the list is a mystery to me
 

NVAGATOR86

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Thanks Frozen

Glenn Cameron was the guy missing for me too

How Kearse and Charlton make the list is a mystery to me
Yep I agree on Cameron. Back in the bad old Doug Dickey days we were "LB U" with Ortega Cameron Green Brantley, Little, and I think even Scott Hutchinson may have played a little LB. The problem was we had Dickey, and we had to watch our SEC hopes die two years in a row 75 and 76 to the Dogs. The 75 Appleby To Washington 80 yard pass still haunts me. I was much younger then but I think I aged at least 5 years on that day. Well at least it got us ready for 1980 and as Yogi said it was "deja vu all over again".
 

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