Russ Washington played both Offensive Tackle and Defensive Tackle at the University of Missouri, and the man who stood at 6’ 5” and nearly 300 pounds made the mouths water of NFL scouts.  the San Diego Chargers selected him fourth overall in 1968, where he was used as a Defensive Tackle over his first two seasons.  He did well, but the Chargers saw more value in him on the O-Line, and that is where he moved in 1970 and was their starting Right Tackle for 13 years.

Washington’s size was a better fit on offense, especially on pass protection.  When the team moved to a more pass-heavy offense under Don Coryell, Washington was in his element and it showed with five trips to the Pro Bowl in the second half of his career.  Rarely hurt, Washington played 200 Games for the Chargers and would enter their franchise Hall of Fame in 1985.

Andy Russell debuted for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1963, and he had to sit out his next two seasons due to ROTC commitments.  He would return to the Steelers in 1967, and in 1968 he would be chosen for his first Pro Bowl in 1970.  He would become a perennial Pro Bowl Selection from that year until 1975, and the Linebacker was an early member of the Steel Curtain Defense, where he would help them win their first two Super Bowls.

The recipient of five straight Pro Bowls as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Defensive End, Justin Smith was a major force of the Niners Defense and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by multiple publications in 2011. For a five-year stretch (2009-13), Smith was in the conversation for the top Defensive End in football, and the consumate dispruptor had found his mojo.  He retired with 87.5 Sacks and 884 Tackles, numbers that showed he was devastating on both the rush and pass.