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Tennessee football’s top 10 NFL DEs ever

By Caleb Calhoun

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 19: Defensive lineman Reggie White #92 of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sideline before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on November 19, 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Packers defeated the Browns 31-20. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 19: Defensive lineman Reggie White #92 of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sideline before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on November 19, 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Packers defeated the Browns 31-20. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images /

Scouting Report. Years in NFL: 12. Leonard Little. 3. player. Pick Analysis. 1995-1997. 839

Teams played for:

  • St. Louis Rams, 1998-2009

Leonard Little was the defensive Peyton Manning during the mid-1990s for Tennessee football. A junior college transfer, he was a three-year starter, registering 28 sacks, another 25 tackles for a loss, eight forced fumbles, 10 passes broken up and 182 total tackles, 135 of which were solo. He earned All-American honors in 1997 as he helped the Vols win the SEC Championship.

After that, Little was taken taken by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the NFL Draft. While he mostly spent time at linebacker in college, the Rams had him settle in at defensive end with his 6’3″ 267-pound frame. Little spent his first four years as a reserve, but he did appear in all the playoff games for the Rams the year they won the Super Bowl, so he was valuable.

In 2002, though, he settled in as the starter just as the Rams were moving into a new era away from Kurt Warner. He helped them get back to the playoffs in 2003 and had an incredible Pro Bowl season. Actually, he was amazing from 2002 to 2004, leading the league in forced fumbles in both 2002 and 2003 and then having two defensive touchdowns in 2004.

The UT legend finished his career appearing in 147 games and starting in 98 of them, registering 87,5 sacks, another 889 tackles for a loss, two interceptions, 16 pass deflections, 31 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, three defensive touchdowns and 390 tackles, 334 of which were solo. Little made his mark as a superstar with the Rams from 2002 to 2009.

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