Top 5 Centers

Here is the 7th installment of Ray Didinger's Top 5's. click here for the first 6.

1. Chuck Bednarik (1949-62) – Our No. 1 middle linebacker is also our No. 1 center, and there really can be no debate. Bednarik was an All-Pro at both positions and he will always be remembered as the last of the 60-minute men. In his book Pro Football’s 100 Greatest Players, Hall of Fame coach George Allen said, “Bednarik was not only the best linebacker I ever saw, he also was the best center of the last 30 years and he ranked right up there with Mel Hein and Bulldog Turner all-time. He was the surest, strongest snapper I’ve ever seen and an absolutely brutal and unbeatable blocker.”


2. Jim Ringo (1964-67) – Ringo was a superb technician who played the angles inside and cut off rushers before they could hit the gap. He also was agile enough to get downfield and block for sweeps and screens. When he retired following the 1967 season, he had the longest consecutive game streak of any active player, 182 games.

3. Guy Morriss (1973-83) – He ranks sixth on the club’s all-time list for games played with 157. He was a tough guy and a hard worker who spent long hours in the weight room pumping up his 6-foot-4, 255-pound body. Morriss never played center before joining the Eagles. He was a tight end in high school and played both tackle and guard at TCU.

4. Vic Lindskog (1944-51) – An All-American at Stanford, Lindskog was a key figure on the Eagles’ championship teams in 1948 and ’49. He was the starting center and a favorite of coach Greasy Neale.

5. Mike Bartrum (2000-06) – This might seem like a frivolous selection, taking a long-snapper over a true center. But in my opinion, Bartrum was that good and that valuable. When he was snapping the ball, David Akers was almost automatic on field goal tries. Bartrum’s ability to put the ball on the money every time was a key to that success.

Ok, DirtyWudders can only comment on 1 of these guys and he wasn't even a starter at the position. We would have loved to have seen Chuck Bednarik play as there is nobody who plays the game today as he once did.

Wow this is going to be a struggle. Here is DW's list

1. Raleigh McKenzie - Starter in 95 and 96. Ricky Watters had 2 big years.
2. David Alexander - Starting Center for 6+ years. Will look for the help of some older readers if he should be moved down or off the list.
3. Hank Fraley - Undersized center was serviceable for 4.5 years. Unfortunately I will remember him being totally exposed in the Super Bowl by Bill Belichick's blitzes up the middle.
4. Steve Everitt - I remember his being a big name free agent from Cleveland who turned out to be pretty bad.
5. Jamaal Jackson - Bigger than Fraley though I would like to see them upgrade. Was effective when Andrews was healthy and playing beside him.

Need to hear some comments and criticisn on this list as I don't even really like it.