Top Defensive Linemen Fan Poll Results

The Fan Poll Results for Defensive Linemen pretty much turned out exactly as one would have expected. The Top 5 actually had about twice as much of the voting percentage as the rest of the group. 

 

The Rest

#10 – Dennis Anderson – 0%

#9 (tied) – 4.2% – Kenny Craik, Marcus Spriggs, Tim Betts, Davern Williams, Brandon Lang, Torre Lankford, Seth Calloway

#8 – (tied) – 8.3% – Pratt Lyons, Kenny Mainor

#7 – Rashad Dillard – 20.8%

#6 – Jonathan Massaquoi – 25%

The Best

#5 – Steve McLendon – 45.8%

Steve McLendon made the honorable mentions of my Top Ten. Trojan Nation, however, viewed McLendon’s steady success as worthy of inclusion in the Top Five.

The 2008 All-Sun Belt selection didn’t set tons of records during his time at Troy, but that doesn’t negate his success. As a stalwart defensive tackle, his presence in the middle helped to stymie offensive schemes at the line. 

McLendon ranks third in fumble return yards with his 67 in 2008. This is his only record set while at Troy. This gives some insight into the well-rounded, consistent player that McLendon was. It is this silent consistency that allowed the Ozark native to find a decades worth of success in the NFL with both the Steelers and Jets. 

#4 – Mario Addison – 50%

Much like McLendon, Addison is the only other member of the Top Five who was an honorable mention in my Top Ten. This shouldn’t be a surprise, as four of the Top Five are Troy’s most famous defensive linemen in the NFL. As a 2010 All-Sun Belt player, Addison helped contribute to the tough defense Troy played in the last of their 5 straight Sun Belt titles. 

During his time at Troy, Addison ranked #15 in Tackles for Loss in 2010 with 15. This is a mark he shares with Tim Betts.

While he only set this one record, Addison was enough of a contributor to be signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears in 2011. He skipped around to the Colts and Washington, before finding a steady fit in Carolina, where he’s been since 2012.

#3 – Al Lucas – 66.7%

Al Lucas paved the way for the successes of our top two linemen. Lucas is without a doubt one of the most decorated linemen we’ve ever had. 

His impact on the defensive side of the ball is in no way contested. He used his time wearing cardinal to help the Trojans to two Southland Championships (1996 and 1999). He also helped solidify a defense that gave Troy a 36-14 record over his four years. 

Lucas went to the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played over 20 games for the Panthers before moving to the AFL. Lucas had a stellar year with the Tampa Bay Storm in 2002, helping them earn an ArenaBowl victory. He was then signed with the Los Angeles Avengers.

Tragically, however, Lucas’ life was cut short on April 10, 2005. While playing a game against the New York Dragons, Lucas was injured during his tackle of the New York return man. He suffered a spinal cord injury and was pronounced dead later that day.

Lucas’ true impact on the game of football may not be known, but his impact on Troy landed him here at #3. 

#2 – Osi Umenyiora – 79.2%

If Troy is Alabama’s International University, then Osi Umenyiora is Troy’s International Player. Born in England to Nigerian parents, he moved to Auburn in high school.

While at Troy, Umenyiora was a true force to be reckoned with. He formed a triumvirate of tough defensive linemen with Demarcus Ware and Davern Williams. They helped usher the Trojan defense from the FCS era into FBS. Troy inducted Umenyiora into the Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Osi Umenyiora’s pro career took him to the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons. During his time in New York, Umenyiora joined a very exclusive club at Troy: Super Bowl-winning Trojans. He was part of two Super Bowl winning teams in the 2007 and 2011 seasons. 

Umenyiora continued his globetrotting ways in his post playing career as a broadcaster. He currently lives in London and works for the NFL promoting football there. You can here him on “The Jason and Osi Podcast” weekly. 

#1 – DeMarcus Ware – 83.3%

This list would’ve ended up a lot differently without the influence of #2 ranked Osi Umenyiora. It was his encouraging of the Troy staff to take a look at his friend on the Auburn High School defensive line. The rest was history from there.

DeMarcus Ware is probably the most recognizable Trojan to have played the game, at least in the last 25 years. The fan vote shows this to be the case. Ware was one of the most dynamic defensive ends to come through Troy in the school’s 110 year history. 

Ware set numerous records before becoming Troy’s highest draft pick at 11th in 2005, a mark he now shares with Leodis McKelvin. In the NFL, Ware anchored defenses on underperforming Cowboys teams. He was finally able to raise the Lombardi trophy though with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 in 2016. 

Even with all of this success, DeMarcus Ware has not forgotten his home, coming back to be honorary coach for T-Day in 2019. He was also part of the inaugural Troy Sports Hall of Fame class in 2012. 

 

So that’s how the defensive lineman fan poll shook out. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and look out for the Top Linebackers list and poll to be coming up next week. As always follow me on Twitter @BenOnSports for my thoughts on Troy and really anything else.