Travis Kriens

60. Chuck Bednarik (Philadelphia Eagles): The last two-way player in the NFL, Bednarik played center on offense and linebacker on defense from 1949 to 1962. His famous hit on New York Giants quarterback Frank Gifford knocked the future Hall of Famer out of the NFL for more than a year and a half. Selected number one overall in the 1949 NFL Draft, Bednarik was an All-Pro selection 10 times, part of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary all-time team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967. The Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the best defensive player in college.

Honorable Mention: Otto Graham (Cleveland Browns)

61. Curly Culp (NFL): Curly played nose tackle for the Chiefs, Oilers and Lions from 1968 to 1981. When Culp went to Houston, defensive coordinator Bum Phillips converted to the 3-4 defense because Culp required two to three players to block him, which freed up the other linemen and linebackers. He was chosen Defensive Player of the Year in 1975 when he recorded 11.5 sacks as a defensive tackle. Later this year, Culp will be inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame. He was a part of the Super Bowl IV win and is a six-time Pro Bowler.

Honorable Mention: Bill George (Chicago Bears)

62. Jim Langer (Miami Dolphins): A 1987 Hall of Famer and SDSU graduate, Langer is the only Jackrabbit and North Central Conference player to have a plaque in the hall. Langer played middle linebacker for SDSU before becoming the center for the Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1979. He became a starter during the 1972 season when the Dolphins finished the season 17-0, winning Super Bowl VII. A six-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro from 1973 to 1978, Langer ended his career playing two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before retiring after the 1981 season. The Jim Langer Award is presented to the nation’s top Division II lineman each year.

Honorable Mention: Guy McIntyre (San Francisco 49ers)

63. Willie Lanier (Kansas City Chiefs): A middle linebacker for the Chiefs from 1967 to 1977, Lanier was the first African-American star at the position. Not only was he great on the field, but off it as well, being named the 1972 Man of the Year for his charitable work. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and was a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection eight straight seasons from 1969 to 1975. In 1999, he was ranked number 42 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the highest-ranking Chief.

Honorable Mention: Lee Roy Selmon (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Gene Upshaw (Oakland/L.A. Raiders), Dermontti Dawson (Pittsburgh Steelers)

64. Randall McDaniel (Minnesota Vikings): The offensive guard for the Vikings from 1988 to 1999 before he finished his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2000 and 2001, McDaniel made the Pro Bowl every season except his last and was named All-Pro his first nine seasons. In 1994, McDaniel led a rock solid offensive line that held opponents to just one sack every 22.7 pass attempts, the second-best ratio in team history. In 1996, coaches felt he was so talented that he could be used in ways other than just blocking. In a late season game against the Arizona Cardinals, McDaniel had two goal line carries. Then, in the Pro Bowl a few months later, he caught a touchdown pass, becoming the first guard in AFC-NFC Pro Bowl history to accomplish such a feat. McDaniel was inducted into the Vikings “Ring of Honor” in 2006 and was a finalist for the 2008 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Honorable Mention: Jerry Kramer (Green Bay Packers), Jack Reynolds (L.A. Rams)

65. Gary Zimmerman (Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos): Zimmerman was recently announced as a 2008 Hall of Fame inductee. Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986 to 1992 and for the Denver Broncos from 1993 to 1997, winning the Super Bowl in his last season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and was an All-Pro selection eight times. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and was named to the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team

Honorable Mention: Elvin Bethea (Houston Oilers)

66. Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins): If it wasn’t for Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux would be considered the greatest hockey player of all time. He skated 17 seasons for the Penguins, coming back from retirement twice after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1997. Had Lemieux not missed more than six seasons with injuries and illness, his already great number would have reached levels never before seen. “Super Mario” led the NHL in scoring six times, won three league MVP awards and was MVP of the two Stanley Cup winning teams in 1991 and 1992. Lemieux was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately after his first retirement, waiving the normal three-year waiting period. He is currently the owner of the Penguins, having bought the team out of bankruptcy.

Honorable Mention: Ray Nitschke (Green Bay Packers)

67. Bob Kuechenberg (Miami Dolphins): A part of the Dolphin offensive line from 1970 to 1983, Kuechenberg played in six Pro Bowls in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Dan Marino is the only player to play more games as a Dolphin than Kuechenberg.