5. Defensive lineman Bryant Young
1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers
Young played a bit of defensive end for the 49ers throughout his career, but he primarily lined up as a defensive tackle. And in that context, his numbers for his era should have him as a more prominent name. 2020 was his first year as a finalist. Among defensive tackles of his era, only John Randle, Kevin Clark, and Warren Sapp had more sacks than Young’s 89.5. Only Ted Washington had more combined tackles than Young’s 627, and nobody had more tackles for loss than Young’s 93 — and that’s with tackles for loss becoming a Pro Football Reference statistic in 1999.
He is a four-time Pro Bowler, a one-time First-Team All-Pro, the 1999 AP and PFWA Comeback Player of the year after recovering from a broken leg so severe, he had to have a steel rod inserted in the leg, and a Super Bowl champion with the 49ers at the end of the 1994 season.