Football tickets are purchased for different reasons, and perhaps one of the more overlooked motivations in recent years is the great play of LB's. The position was not seen as a premium roster spot after the advent of free agency, as teams tended to focus on QB, DE and CB almost exclusively, and as a result the profile of the position suffered. However, the LB position is making a big comeback these days, and that's in large part due to the play of the members of the list below. We've ranked them in order, and as always, statistics tell only part of the story.



1. Ray Lewis

Lewis will go down as the best LB of his generation, and that's no accident. Lewis is still perhaps the most feared defensive player in the NFL, and he personifies everything that the position should be about. He's big, fast, physical and as intense as any player in the history of the sport. He can also do it all - steamroll a RB in the hole, chase the ball down in the open field, rush the QB and defend the pass. Lewis almost single-handedly brought the Ravens a Super Bowl title, and he's still bringing it years later.

2. Derrick Brooks

Brooks is the prototypical Cover 2 LB. He's not huge, but he's extremely fast, is a vicious hitter, is outstanding in coverage and will chase plays down all the way across the field. Brooks is also extremely smart, and serves as a coach on the field, which is a rare quality for an outside LB. You know you're good when several young players are called a "young Derrick Brooks."

3. Brian Urlacher

Some may think that the leader of the Bears' great defense belongs higher on the list, and they would make sound arguments. Urlacher is worth the effort of obtaining football tickets because his athleticism is off the charts. This is a guy who returned punts in college and is as fast as some WR's. However, as rangy and dangerous as he is, he is a wee bit overrated in our opinion, as he's not nearly as physical as Lewis or Brooks. However, we'd love to have him on our team any day.

4. Shawne Merriman

Merriman is not only the first 3-4 LB to make the list, but he's also the youngest. Merriman is a freak in every way. He's 270 pounds of a runaway locomotive train, and he's already feared league-wide after only one year. Merriman could wind up being compared to Lawrence Taylor someday given the way he can change a game completely on any given play. No one looks forward to blocking him, and players look forward to being hit by him even less.

5. James Farrior

Farrior took some time to really break through, but he's been tearing up the league for the Steelers over the past couple of years. Farrior has every skill any LB could ever need. He's big, fast, can tackle like a sledgehammer and cover TE's and RB's effortlessly. He's always around the ball and is a quiet leader on that great Steelers defense. Farrior is largely overlooked, but not by opposing offenses.

6. Honorable Mention

Three LB's are close to cracking the top 5, but for one reason or another they're just a notch below the elite. Zach Thomas is still a tackling machine, but he's limited to stopping the run. Jonathan Vilma is an up-and-coming star, but he could use just a bit more seasoning. Lofa Tatupu is already the leader of the Seattle defense, but we want to see this surprise player perform for more than one year. If he does, not only will he help move football tickets, but he'll be on this list for years to come.