Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1276571
P E N N S T A T E ' S M U L T I Y E A R N F L O F F E N S I V E T A C K L E S ( 1 9 5 0 - 2 0 1 9 ) * YEARS COLLEGE PLAYER LETTERED POSITIONS NFL Rosey Grier 1951-54 LT N.Y. Giants 1955-56, 1958-62; L.A. Rams 1963-66 Charlie Janerette 1958- 59 LT L.A. Rams 1960, N.Y. Giants 1961-62, N.Y. Jets 1963, Denver 1964-65 Stew Barber 1958-60 LT BuAalo 1961-69 Chuck Sieminski 1960-62 LT San Francisco 1963-65, Atlanta 1966-67, Detroit 1968 Rich Buzin 1965-67 RT, DT N.Y. Giants 1968-70, L.A. Rams 1971, Chicago 1972 Charlie Getty 1970-73 RT Kansas City 1974-82, Green Bay 1983 JeA Bleamer 1973-74 RT Philadelphia 1975-76, N.Y. Jets 1977 Brad Benson 1974-76 LT New England 1977, N.Y. Giants 1978-86 Keith Dorney 1975-78 RT Detroit 1979-87 Irv Pankey 1977-79 LT, TE, LG L.A. Rams 1981-90, Indianapolis 1991-92 Bill Contz 1980-82 RT Cleveland 1983-86, New Orleans 1986-88 Ron Heller 1981-83 TE, LT Tampa 1984-87, Philadelphia 1988-92, Miami 1993-95 Chris Conlin 1984-86 LT Miami 1987, Indianapolis 1990-91 Stan Clayton 1985-87 LT Atlanta 1988-89, New England 1990 Todd Rucci 1990-92 LT, RT New England 1993-99 Andre Johnson 1993-95 LT Washington 1996, Miami 1997, Detroit 1997-98 Floyd Wedderburn 1997-98 LT Seattle 1999-02 Kareem McKenzie 1997-2000 LG, LT N.Y. Jets 2001-04, N.Y. Giants 2005-11 Levi Brown 2003-06 DT, LT Arizona 2007-12, Pittsburgh 2013 Dennis Landolt 2007-09 RT, LT N.Y. Giants 2010, N.Y. Jets 2011-12 Garry Gilliam 2010, 2012-13 TE, RT Seattle 2014-16, San Francisco 2017-18 Donovan Smith 2012-14 LT Tampa Bay 2015- * Sources: 2019 Penn State football media guide, game programs, Penn State Football Encyclopedia, ProFootball.com tackles are usually a little more athletic because of their pass blocking than right tackles, who are run blockers and more of a brute. I was a brute." Levi Brown has similar insights about le: tackles. "In college, you can get away with being stronger or being more tal- ented," he said in a recent phone inter- view. "When you get to the league, all those kinds of things are equalized, so it comes back down to fundamentals: the proper footwork, proper vertical and hor- izontal leverage, inside hands, knee bends and things like that. Fundamentals and overall attitude, not letting the defense dictate what you're going to do. The de- fense tries to confuse you with their alignment, shi:s and late counts. You have to dictate." Dorney, Benson and Brown agree that le: tackle in the NFL is a big money po- sition. "Most quarterbacks are right-handed, so the le: tackle protects the blind side of the quarterback," Dorney said. "Usually the elite pass rusher is going to be a right end. So, in this era of free agency when money is involved, le: tackles are some of the highest-paid players on the team next to the quarterback." "Not me," said Benson, who knows salaries have increased exponentially since his playing years. "I wasn't one of the highest-paid players by any sort. [William] Roberts was probably making $300,000 a year back then, and I was making about 60 thou." In early July, The Sporting News listed the NFL's 25 highest-paid active players. There were 19 quarterbacks, including the No. 1 through No. 17 players, along with four defensive linemen, one wide receiver and one le: tackle. That lone o9ensive lineman was Laremy Tunsil, who signed a three-year contract with Bill O'Brien's Houston Texans for an annual salary of $22 million. Coaches' influence Benson and Dorney say it was their freshman coach, John Chuckran, and po- sition coach, Dick Anderson, who molded them into outstanding tackles. Brown ac- knowledges Anderson, as well as Bill Kenney. "Dick Anderson groomed me to play in the professional ranks, and I really learned from him," Dorney said. "I love Dick Anderson. He was a no-nonsense >>