UCLA has produced two Hall of Fame quarterbacks and another who started a Super Bowl.
Troy Aikman, Bob Waterfield and Bill Kilmer give the Bruins quite an NFL legacy at the quarterback position.
But when NFL teams scout the Pac 12 school, they want to see tape of the UCLA linebackers. That’s where the quantity is with a healthy dose of quality.
UCLA has produced five first-round draft picks at linebacker, six more in the second round and six more in the third. Six of them became Pro Bowlers – Anthony Barr, Jamir Miller and Jerry Robinson (first round), Ken Norton and Eric Kendricks (second) and Don Paul (third).
Norton is the only player in NFL history to start on three consecutive Super Bowl champions. He started for the Dallas Cowboys on their 1992 and 1993 Lombardi Trophy winners and the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. Roman Phifer won three Super Bowl rings in a span of four seasons with the New England Patriots and Don Shinnick won three NFL championships with the Baltimore Colts. In addition, Marvcus Patton started at inside linebacker in two Super Bowls for the Buffalo Bills.
Super Bowls abound on UCLA’s all-time NFL team. Aikman, of course, won three with the Cowboys, center Dave Dalby won three with the Oakland Raiders, guard Randy Cross three with the San Francisco 49ers and special-teamer Matthew Slater three with the Patriots. In addition, defensive tackle Mike Lodish played in six Super Bowls.
Here’s UCLA’s all-time NFL team:
QB--Troy Aikman, Hall of Fame
HB--Freeman McNeil, 3 Pro Bowls, 8,074 rushing yards
FB--Mel Farr, 1967 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
WR--Tom Fears, Hall of Fame
WR--Flipper Anderson, NFL record 336 receiving yards in a game
*-TE--Marcedes Lewis, Pro Bowl, 426 career catches
OT--Jonathan Ogden, Hall of Fame
OT--Luis Sharpe, 3 Pro Bowls, 189 career starts
G--Max Montoya, 4 Pro Bowls, 195 career starts
G--Randy Cross, 3 Pro Bowls, 3-time Super Bowl champ
C--Dave Dalby, Pro Bowl, 3-time Super Bowl champ
DE--Manu Tuiasosopo, 8 seasons, 94 starts
DE--Kenyon Coleman, 11 seasons, 81 starts
DT--Mike Lodish, 6 Super Bowl appearances, 2 rings
*-DT--Kenny Clark, 2 Pro Bowls, 22 1/2 sacks
*-OLB--Anthony Barr, 4 Pro Bowls
MLB--Ken Norton, Started on 3 consecutive Super Bowl champs
OLB--Don Shinnick, 12 seasons, 37 career INTs
CB--Jimmy Johnson, Hall of Fame
CB--Kermit Alexander, Pro Bowl, 43 career INTs
S--Kenny Easley, Hall of Fame
S--Carnell Lake, 1990s NFL all-decade team
K--Frank Corral, 1978 NFL scoring champion
P--Jeff Locke, 5 seasons, 43.4-yard career average
KR--Maurice Jones-Drew, 79 KR, 26-yard average, 2 TDs
*-ST--Matthew Slater, 10 Pro Bowls, 3-time Super Bowl champ
*-Still active
More must-reads: