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All (Iowa)-Pro Team for 2009 NFL season
Mike Hlas Jan. 25, 2010 1:46 pm
This is less scientific than astrology, but I'll throw it at the wall and see what you think sticks and what should be re-stuck.
Including the playoffs (the Super Bowl won't change this unless Dallas Clark gets Adrian Peterson-type fumble-itis or wins the game with a Santonio Holmes-type catch), here's how I think former Iowa collegians ranked in NFL productivity this season.
With no statistical way to include offensive linemen, I'll note that Casey Wiegmann (Iowa), Eric Steinbach (Iowa) and Brad Meester (UNI) all started 16 regular-season games. But none were All-Pro or played for a playoff team, so the lone O-lineman here is someone else.
1. Kurt Warner QB (Arizona/UNI): Twenty-six TD passes in the regular-season, five more in the first-round playoff win vs. Green Bay. He got the Cardinals as far as they got.
2. Dallas Clark TE (Indianapolis/Iowa): All-Pro. 100 catches. 10 touchdowns in the regular-season, a TD in the AFC title game. Incredible season.
3. Chad Greenway LB (Minnesota/Iowa): 99 regular-season tackles, 3 interceptions. He was stellar for the NFC runner-up Vikings. He came so close to making a play for the ages when he nearly butted the ball out of New Orleans RB Pierre Thomas' hands with his helmet in overtime Sunday.
4. Shonn Greene RB (N.Y. Jets/Iowa): He had 540 rushing yards in the regular-season as he broke into the league, but went wild in the playoffs with a pair of 100-yard rushing games and the two longest TD runs in Jets playoff history. That shot him from 10th or so to fourth on this list.
5. Fred Jackson RB (Buffalo/Coe): He rushed for 1,062 yards, and had 371 more receiving.
Pretty, pretty good.
6. Nate Kaeding K (San Diego/Iowa): He had the playoff flop, but he made his second All-Pro team by making 32 of 35 field goals.
7. Jonathan Babineaux DT (Atlanta/Iowa): 16 starts, 6 sacks.
8. Charles Godfrey FS (Carolina/Iowa): 11 starts, 45 tackles, four forced fumbles, an interception.
9. Colin Cole DT (Seattle/Iowa): 15 starts, 48 tackles
10. Marshal Yanda OG (Baltimore/Iowa): Had nine regular-season starts and played in every game, but came on strong late in the year and had a terrific game in the Ravens' playoff win at New England.
Honorable mention: Aaron Kampman LB (Green Bay/Iowa): Obviously, he'd be higher had his not season been cut short by injury in his ninth game. He had 42 tackles.
Tim Dobbins (LB San Diego/Iowa State) Just two starts, but 39 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble.
Jason Baker (P Carolina/Iowa) 76 punts for a 44.1-yard average.
Benny Sapp (CB Minnesota/UNI). Played a lot because of an injury to Antoine Winfield and had 44 tackles.
What do you think? Do I have Kaeding too low, Jackson and Greene too high? Is Warner the clear-cut No. 1? Did I overlook someone altogether?
Dallas Clark: Trying to double his number of Super Bowl rings
Fred Jackson ran hard

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