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Cornerback

Four pro bowl players make up the first and second teams of this unit, quite an accomplishment for a school to produce. This position also features the only non-linebacker from OSU to join pro football’s 1,000 tackle club.

First Team

Dick LeBeau (1959-1972 Detroit Lions)

The only Hall of Famer found on this list was legendary for his ability to intercept the pass:

He was a corner who could play the ball. When the ball was in the air, he had as much of a chance of getting it as the receiver did. He could judge its flight, it was easy for him.

Mike Brown, Bengals President and son of Paul Brown

Few players in Lions' history were as productive and durable as Dick was during his 14-year career. Not only was he a critical piece of several outstanding defenses during his career, but he also played the game with tremendous class and dignity. In 1970, Dick eclipsed the franchise's all-time record with a remarkable 62 career interceptions, a mark that still stands after almost 40 years.

Detroit Lions President Tom Lewand

In the 1960s LeBeau appeared in some incredible Lions defenses that also included the likes of Dick “Night Train” Lane, Yale Lary, Lem Barney and Joe Schmidt. And yet, it is LeBeau who had the most longevity with Detroit of any of those four Hall of Fame legends, starting 171 games consecutively (a record that still stands amongst pro corners) and playing in 185 games in total. Five different seasons in his career, LeBeau was ranked in the top ten for the professional ranks in terms of interceptions, and his 62 career picks ranks tenth all time. In fact, at the time of his retirement, the mark had only been surpassed by the aforementioned Night Train Lane and one Emlen Tunnell. Lebeau would reach three consecutive pro bowls from 1964-1966 and add four defensive touchdowns to his resume.

Despite the accomplishments of Lebeau and the incredible talent around him defensively, the Lions managed just one playoff appearance his entire career, losing in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Cowboys in 1970.

Antoine Winfield (1999-2003 Buffalo Bills, 2004-2012 Minnesota Vikings)

Winfield is one of the surest tacklers in Viking history, which is saying a lot when you’re a cornerback. He was in the top three of his team in terms of solo tackles eight times in his career, totalling 901 stops by himself and 1,057 tackles all together.

But for a quarterback to fall under the misconception that Winfield was solely a run support specialist would be a costly mistake. Antoine hauled in 27 interceptions in his career and ran two of those back for touchdowns. Since the stat began being recorded in 2001, he also managed to defense over 100 passes and forced 14 fumbles in his career.

Antoine also played the most games of anyone in this position group, 191 in total (he started 173 of those). He made three consecutive pro bowl appearances from 2008 through 2010.

Second Team

Nate Clements (2001-2006 Buffalo Bills, 2007-2010 San Francisco 49ers, 2011-2012 Cincinnati Bengals)

Much like Winfield, Clements was a hard hitter (22 career forced fumbles) and sure tackler (812 tackles, 656 of them solo). His statistics indicate a tremendous coverage ability too, with 36 interceptions, 145 defensed passes, and 5 pick sixes.

When Clements signed with San Francisco a few years after his lone pro bowl in 2004, he was made the highest paid defensive player in the league, on a contract that totalled 80 million dollars over 8 years. Nothing speaks to player worth quite like the value a team puts on him in dollars.

Clements played in 180 games for his career, making three Ohio State corners that hit that insane benchmark for pro experience.

Shawn Springs (1997-2003 Seattle Seahawks, 2004-2008 Washington Redskins, 2009 New England Patriots)

Completing a very deep cornerback group for this squad is another player with at least 27 interceptions (33 career for this former three-time all-american) and 169 games of experience (Springs is the baseline, 169).

Not to mention all four made the pro bowl at least once... Springs got his in 1998, after he picked off a career high -- and fifth in the NFL -- seven passes.

The first four seasons of Springs’s career were his best in fact, as he made the all-rookie team in 1997, the aforementioned pro bowl in 1998, had at least five ints two of the three times in his career during the span, and his four years with at least 65 tackles were his first four. That’s not to say he fell off the map after those seasons, far from it. He was still a very productive starter after the initial burst, with four years at a minimum of 50 total tackles and three seasons with a minimum of three interceptions.

Strong Safety

This is the... ahem... stronger of the two safety spots for this team. Some good names got left off this list, with room for only one on each team.

First Team

Jack Tatum (1971-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980 Houston Oilers)

This is the number six most feared tackler in pro history, according to NFL Films. With good reason.

Tatum’s strongest asset was the fear he instilled upon opposing offenses, but he also managed to haul in 37 interceptions on his career while doing that, having as many as 7 in one season (1980). The blunt force traumatizing member of the Soul Patrol was a key part of the defense’s success, and a major reason for their 1976 Super Bowl victory.

Tatum landed in three straight pro bowls from 1973 through 1975. And if it wasn’t for his infamous hit that paralyzed Darryl Stringley, he may have earned some Hall of Fame recognition too.

Second Team

Donte Whitner (2006-2010 Buffalo Bills, 2011-2013 San Francisco 49ers, 2014-2015 Cleveland Browns, 2016 Washington Redskins, 2017 Free Agent)

Staying on the theme of hard hitters, Donte Whitner earns the nod for the second team. Another three time pro bowler, Whitner has an insane 921 tackles in 157 games, including 130 tackles in a single season for the 2010 campaign.

Whitner’s teams enjoyed some modest success. He reached three NFC Championship games with the Niners, and in his lone run to the Super Bowl with the team he landed a legendary hit that was key to their win over the Saints in the NFC title game.

Free Safety

Three former buckeyes that were primarily free safeties in the NFL made a pro bowl. We’ve had some success at this position, but not nearly the level of strong safety or corner. I, for one, hope to see Malik Hooker on this list in six or seven years.

First Team

Tim Fox (1976-1981 New England Patriots, 1982-1984 San Diego Chargers, 1985-1986 Los Angeles Rams)

Patriots fans love Tim Fox, as for six years he started all but one game for the team and was one of the top three tacklers on the squad consistently. His lone pro bowl came during his time in New England in 1980. He added at least two interceptions in each of those six seasons too.

After that very successful six-year run in New England, Fox was dealt to the Chargers and never started more than 10 games in a year the rest of his career. In 1982 he looked brilliant through seven games, intercepting four passes, but an injury cut his season short.

For his career, Fox intercepted 26 passes in 141 games, 116 of those he started.

Second Team

Malcolm Jenkins (2009-2013 New Orleans Saints, 2014-Present Philadelphia Eagles)

Jenkins has had a solid career to date, playing a total of 119 games with the Saints and Eagles. His rookie year he was a contributor to a Saints team that won the Super Bowl. He has a total of 14 career interceptions (more impressively he’s returned six for touchdowns), 516 tackles, 10 forced fumbles, and 71 passes defensed. He was selected to the pro bowl for the first time in 2015.

Jenkins came out of Ohio State as a corner, but was moved to free safety during his second year in the NFL.    

Honorable Mentions

Shaun Gayle (1984-1994 Chicago Bears, 1995 San Diego Chargers) - Strong Safety

One guy that was really hard to leave off the team, Gayle has a Super Bowl ring, a pro bowl, and three seasons as the Bears leading tackler to his credit. He played in 160 games and recorded 770 tackles, with 16 interceptions. On a more interesting note, he holds the record for the shortest ever punt return touchdown.

William White (1988-1993 Detroit Lions, 1994-1996 Kansas City Chiefs, 1997-1998 Atlanta Falcons) - Strong Safety

White played 170 games combined with his three different teams, intercepting 20 passes and making 721 tackles. He made Super Bowl XXXIII with the Atlanta Falcons.

Chris Gamble (2004-2012 Carolina Panthers) - Cornerback

Gamble had a fairly productive career for the Panthers, playing in 123 games and starting 117 of them. He is the Panthers career leader with 27 interceptions, adding in 96 passes defensed and 438 solo tackles.

Fred Bruney (1953, 1956 San Francisco 49ers, 1956-1957 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1958 Los Angeles Rams, 1960-1962 Boston Patriots) - Free Safety

Bruney may have only played 77 games for his entire career (he missed the 1954, 1955, and 1959 seasons), but he was one of the more dominating safeties in a then brand-new AFL from 1960-1962. He made the league’s all-star game in both 1961 and 1962.

Sources: pro-football-reference.com, wikipedia.org, profootballhalloffame.com, archive.patriots.com, others.