Justin Smith, one of the all-time best 49er defensive linemen appreciation thread.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Beginning of the year I would have said top 5, but he could be the best defensive player in football right now. He completely dominated in the second half yesterday

Top 5 what? Overall defender or 3-4 DE? Overall defender, maybe, but 3-4 DE? He's been the best 3-4 DE for 3 years now.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/puhef/i_am_nfl_og_and_redditor_evan_mathis_ama/

For those who don't know, Evan Mathis, the left guard for the Philadelphia Eagles, did a Reddit post asking fans to ask him anything. A lot of people asked who the hardest people to guard in the league were - his answers:


"Most physically imposing player you've seen?

EM: I feel like I keep mentioning the same players. James Harrison and Justin Smith are genetic mutants."

"Who's the #1 roughest defensive linemen that you've ever had to block?

EM: Justin Smith."

Justin Smith is the best defensive player in the NFL. It's a distant second, in my opinion.

Justin Smith was FLAT OUT AWESOME in the playoffs. He's getting up there in age, hopefully he continues to have healthy seasons, but we will need to start grooming a back up in the next year or 2.


Besides that, he's the f**king man, and we all know because we watched what he did all year.

Never misses a game. Always on the field. Constantly moving the pocket. Constant pressure. Constantly stuffing running lanes. Constantly chasing down the ball carrier. Constantly taking on double teams. Never complains. MVP of the best defense in the league.

So who wins DPOTY? A one-dimensional sack artist, who plays inconsistent and didn't even come close to leading the league in sacks.

Originally posted by BrianGO:
Never misses a game. Always on the field. Constantly moving the pocket. Constant pressure. Constantly stuffing running lanes. Constantly chasing down the ball carrier. Constantly taking on double teams. Never complains. MVP of the best defense in the league.

So who wins DPOTY? A one-dimensional sack artist, who plays inconsistent and didn't even come close to leading the league in sacks.

All of THIS. That award was an absolute joke.

Originally posted by 12b6demurrer:

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/puhef/i_am_nfl_og_and_redditor_evan_mathis_ama/

For those who don't know, Evan Mathis, the left guard for the Philadelphia Eagles, did a Reddit post asking fans to ask him anything. A lot of people asked who the hardest people to guard in the league were - his answers:


"Most physically imposing player you've seen?

EM: I feel like I keep mentioning the same players. James Harrison and Justin Smith are genetic mutants."

"Who's the #1 roughest defensive linemen that you've ever had to block?

EM: Justin Smith."

Lol that's awesome

Would anyone here trade him for any non-qb in the NFL?

Originally posted by HoneyBadger49er:
Justin Smith was FLAT OUT AWESOME in the playoffs. He's getting up there in age, hopefully he continues to have healthy seasons, but we will need to start grooming a back up in the next year or 2.


Besides that, he's the f**king man, and we all know because we watched what he did all year.

I really hope he has 2-3 more awesome years left because he's not only the anchor of the D but the anchor of our teams identity.

Originally posted by andes14:
Would anyone here trade him for any non-qb in the NFL?

probably not
maybe Fitzgerald or Revis only because he's getting old. But I still would rather have Justin Smith's next 2 or 3 years than Fitz's or Revis' next 2 or 3 years

comparisons to other guys, ie, he reminds someone of Ngata, etc, are meaningless to me. His performance this yr just capped a several yr run of the guy you would least like to be playing across the line from. NO ONE reminds me of Justin. His new move, bullrushing a double team, and crushing one while grabbing the QB behind the OL guy is the one most impressive DE move ever seen. And he didn't do it just once either. I have rewound tape on that move until the tape is darn near worn out. Just looking at the mechanics of what he did with that one move is mind numbing. NOBODY is a better DE, Nobody. When he is finally done, he will go down as best DE ever to play here, and he will be one of the greats all time. The guy is just phenomenal. Strength, agility, hands, upper body., quickness...he has it all. Hard to imagine him and ALL DONE playing on same line. Wow.

Originally posted by ImaMod:
probably not
maybe Fitzgerald or Revis only because he's getting old. But I still would rather have Justin Smith's next 2 or 3 years than Fitz's or Revis' next 2 or 3 years

i agree on revis disagree about fitz

fitz may just be the best player in the nfl

Justin Smith is a straight up American Gankster fahh!! And I mean that in a good way.
He should have got defensive player of the year. But oh well. Our front 7 is gonna be meaner then hell in 12'.

So is this the last year of his contract? What do wed offer him in the way of extension? How old is he?

I hope he rests his body this offseason with a lot of golf and vacation time...then come back in full beast mode again in 2012.