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U.S. States to Produce the Most NFL Players with 10 or More Sacks in a Season: Installment 2, States 6-11

Updated on February 6, 2018
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Larry Rankin
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Larry Rankin is a sports analyst with an especially strong penchant for statistical breakdowns.

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Installment 2 of our database includes states ranking 6-11 in per capita production of NFL players to have had 10 or more sacks in a season.

If you are interested in an overview of the findings, this information can be found by clicking on the link for installment 1 in the upper right-hand corner. If you are interested in seeing other state lists, they can be found via the links in the upper right-hand corner or at the end of this page.

If you are interested in other state production rankings presented by Larry Rankin, they can be found by clicking the Larry Rankin profile in the upper right-hand corner or via links at the bottom of the page.

Source

6. Louisiana

Per Capita Score: 346

10 Sack Performances: 16

Louisiana has produced several solid QB rushers over the years. Among the most notable name s on their list: former Giants great Leonard Marshall and standout Kansas City Chief Neil Smith.

Louisiana 10 Sack Performances

Year
Team
Pos
Name
Sacks
Tackles
1983
SF 49ers
DE
Fred Dean
17.5
--
1985
NY Giants
DE
Leonard Marshall
15.5
99
1993
KC Chiefs
DE
Neil Smith
15.0
55
1983
GB Packers
DE
Ezra Johnson
14.5
--
1992
KC Chiefs
DE
Neil Smith
14.5
77
1986
NY Giants
DE
Leonard Marshall
12.0
63
1995
KC Chiefs
DE
Neil Smith
12.0
42
2004
Det Lions
DE
James Hall
11.5
38
1994
KC Chiefs
DE
Neil Smith
11.5
42
2013
Dal Cowboys
DT
Jason Hatcher
11.0
34
1991
NY Giants
DE
Leonard Marshall
11.0
80
2010
Stl Rams
DE
James Hall
10.5
48
1989
Sea Seahawks
LB
Rufus Porter
10.5
49
2013
Buf Bills
DT
Kyle Williams
10.5
42
1992
TB Bucs
DT
Santana Dotson
10.0
71
1991
Sea Seahawks
LB
Rufus Porter
10.0
85
Source

7. Oklahoma

Per Capita Score: 338

10 Sack Performances: 13

Coming in at 7th on our per capita list is the state of Oklahoma.

Among the state of Oklahoma’s most memorable is Mark Gastineau. His 22 sacks in 1984 stood as the NFL high mark for the better part of 2 decades, but he is perhaps best known for his off-field antics and alleged substance abuse problems, likely a contributing factor to why he has yet to even sniff a Hall of Fame nomination.

Perhaps the most deserving of notoriety on Oklahoma’s list, Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon, who would no doubt be on our list more if he hadn’t played the most productive part of his career before the sack was kept as an official statistic, and Hall of Famer Dan Hampton, who was a key cog on the Bears’ most celebrated defenses of the 1980s.

Oklahoma 10 Sack Performances

Year
Team
Pos
Name
Sacks
Tackles
1984
NY Jets
DE
Mark Gastineau
22.0
--
1983
NY Jets
DE
Mark Gastineau
19.0
--
1985
NY Jets
DE
Mark Gastineau
13.5
--
2000
Pit Steelers
LB
Jason Gildon
13.5
58
1990
NY Jets
DT
Dennis Byrd
13.0
--
2006
Chi Bears
DE
Mark Anderson
12.0
23
2001
Pit Steelers
LB
Jason Gildon
12.0
42
1984
Chi Bears
DT
Dan Hampton
11.5
--
1985
Cle Browns
LB
Chip Banks
11.0
--
1998
Pit Steelers
LB
Jason Gildon
11.0
42
1983
TB Bucs
DE
Lee Roy Selmon
11.0
--
2011
NE Patriots
DE
Mark Anderson
10.0
18
1986
Chi Bears
DE
Dan Hampton
10.0
--
Source

8. Alabama

Per Capita Score: 331

10 Sack Performances: 16

Alabama comes in 8th on our per capita list. Of note on their list, former New England Patriot and Hall of Famer Andre Tippett.

Tim Harris had a short-lived reign of supremacy, but when he was at his best, he was one of the more dominant sack artists to ever play the game.

Alabama 10 Sack Performances

Year
Team
Pos
Name
Sacks
Tackles
1989
GB Packers
LB
Tim Harris
19.5
86
1984
NE Patriots
LB
Andre Tippett
18.5
--
1992
SF 49ers
LB
Tim Harris
17.0
64
1985
NE Patriots
LB
Andre Tippett
16.5
--
1988
GB Packers
LB
Tim Harris
13.5
110
1987
NE Patriots
LB
Andre Tippett
12.5
--
1996
Dal Cowboys
DE
Tony Tolbert
12.0
45
2008
NY Giants
DE
Justin Tuck
12.0
52
1983
Was Redskin
DT
Dave Butz
11.5
--
2012
Cin Bengals
DE
Michael Johnson
11.5
35
2010
NY Giants
DE
Justin Tuck
11.5
48
1983
Bal Colts
LB
Vernon Maxwell
11.0
--
2006
Bal Ravens
LB
Adalius Thomas
11.0
64
2013
NY Giants
DE
Justin Tuck
11.0
41
1989
Ind Colts
DE
Jon Hand
10.0
85
2007
NY Giants
DE
Justin Tuck
10.0
48
Source

9. Tennessee

Per Capita Score: 262

10 Sack Performances: 17

Reggie White’s 198 career sacks ranks 2nd only to Bruce Smith’s 200. White’s 12 career seasons with 10 or more sacks ranks 2nd only to Smith’s 13. Bruce Smith played 19 seasons in the NFL. Reggie White played just 15, and had White not spent 2 seasons in the USFL, he surely would have bested Smith.

Reggie White is arguably the best DE to ever play the game. He dominated not just in the pass rush, but in every facet of defense. At 6’6” and 290 lbs, he had the ability to run like a gazelle and hit like a rhino. There has never been a player like him before or since.

Other Tennessee players of note: though more of a run stopper than a pass rusher, Ray Childress was a quality DT throughout his career. ED “Too Tall” Jones was a rare talent for the Dallas Cowboys for many years.

Obscure Stat: Reggie White’s 21 sacks in 1987 puts him in elite company, but what many don’t realize is White recorded those 21 sacks in a 12 game strike shortened season.

Obscure Stat: Reggie White primarily played DE throughout his career, but when he recorded 18 sacks in 1986, his main position was DT. White’s 18 sacks at DT ties Keith Millard for most by a DT in a single season, though Millard is probably more deserving of the record because White did spend some time at DE that season.

Tennessee 10 Sack Performances

Year
Team
Pos
Name
Sacks
Tackles
1987
Phi Eagles
DE
Reggie White
21.0
76
1986
Phi Eagles
DT
Reggie White
18.0
98
1988
Phi Eagles
DE
Reggie White
18.0
133
1998
GB Packers
DE
Reggie White
16.0
33
2013
Car Panthers
DE
Greg Hardy
15.0
40
1991
Phi Eagles
DE
Reggie White
15.0
100
1990
Phi Eagles
DE
ReggieWhite
14.0
83
1992
Phi Eagles
DE
Reggie White
14.0
81
1992
Hou Oilers
DT
Ray Childress
13.0
90
1985
Dal Cowboys
DE
Ed Jones
13.0
--
1985
Phi Eagles
DE
Reggie White
13.0
100
1993
GB Packers
DE
Reggie White
13.0
79
1995
GB Packers
DE
Reggie White
12.0
31
2012
Car Panthers
DE
Greg Hardy
11.0
41
1989
Phi Eagles
DE
Reggie White
11.0
123
1997
GB Packers
DE
Reggie White
11.0
31
1987
Dal Cowboys
DE
Ed Jones
10.0
--
Source

10. Florida

Per Capita Score: 261

10 Sack Performances: 51

Florida has a rich history of producing defensive stars. Among them, Hall of Famers Derrick Thomas, Rickey Jackson, and Warren Sapp.

Derrick Thomas would break the 10 sack mark 7 times over the course of his career, but he is perhaps most renowned for having had 7 sacks in a single game, an NFL record.

Rickey Jackson is a former linebacker who had a long lived career. Jackson would surpass the 10 sack mark 6 times and would finish his career with well over 100 sacks.

Warren Sapp is arguably the best defensive tackle to ever play the game. His 96.5 career sacks at the DT position ranks behind only John Randle’s 98.5, but Sapp excelled at run stopping as well as bothering the QB, a rare combination of skills at DT.

Florida 10 Sack Performances

Year
Team
Pos
Name
Sacks
Tackles
1990
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
20.0
63
1999
Stl Rams
DE
Kevin Carter
17.0
30
2009
Den Broncos
LB
Elvis Dumervil
17.0
42
2011
NY Giants
DE
Jason Pierre-Paul
16.5
72
2000
TB Bucs
DT
Warren Sapp
16.5
43
1986
SD Chargers
DE
Lee Williams
15.0
--
1999
Ten Titans
DE
Jevon Kearse
14.5
48
1992
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
14.5
67
1989
SD Chargers
DE
Lee Williams
14.0
--
1992
NO Saints
LB
Rickey Jackson
13.5
66
1991
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
13.5
79
1983
Stl Cardinals
DE
Al Baker
13.0
--
1996
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
13.0
47
2012
Cin Bengals
DT
Geno Atkins
12.5
39
2007
Den Broncos
DE
Elvis Dumervil
12.5
34
1999
TB Bucs
DT
Warren Sapp
12.5
27
1998
Stl Rams
DE
Kevin Carter
12.0
49
1983
Stl Cardinals
DT
David Galloway
12.0
--
1983
NO Saints
LB
Rickey Jackson
12.0
102
1984
NO Saints
LB
Rickey Jackson
12.0
124
1998
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
12.0
33
1991
NO Saints
LB
Rickey Jackson
11.5
59
1993
NO Saints
LB
Rickey Jackson
11.5
79
2000
Ten Titans
DE
Jevon Kearse
11.5
37
2013
Mia Dolphins
DE
Olivier Vernon
11.5
46
2011
Det Lions
DE
Cliff Avril
11.0
30
2011
SD Chargers
LB
Antwan Barnes
11.0
34
2012
Den Broncos
DE
Elvis Dumervil
11.0
32
2000
NO Saints
DE
Darren Howard
11.0
37
2004
NO Saints
DE
Darren Howard
11.0
36
1985
NO Saints
LB
Rickey Jackson
11.0
107
1993
Cle Browns
DE
Anthony Pleasant
11.0
66
1994
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
11.0
65
1988
SD Charrgers
DE
Lee Williams
11.0
--
1992
Hou Oilers
DT
Lee Williams
11.0
--
1986
Stl Cardinals
DE
Al Baker
10.5
--
1989
Phi Eagles
DT
Jerome Brown
10.5
--
2000
Stl Rams
DE
Kevin Carter
10.5
31
1997
Ind Colts
DE
Dan Footman
10.5
36
1997
TB Bucs
DT
Warren Sapp
10.5
47
1983
LA Rams
DE
Jack Youngblood
10.5
--
1984
Stl Cardinals
DE
Al Baker
10.0
--
2002
Ten Titans
DE
Kevin Carter
10.0
27
1997
NY Giants
DT
Robert Harris
10.0
38
2008
Phi Eagles
DE
Darren Howard
10.0
21
2001
Ten Titans
DE
Jevon Kearse
10.0
25
1994
Pit Steelers
LB
Greg Lloyd
10.0
69
2006
Jax Jaguars
DE
Bobby McCray
10.0
30
1998
Oak Raiders
DT
Darrell Russell
10.0
56
2006
Oak Raiders
DT
Warren Sapp
10.0
32
1989
KC Chiefs
LB
Derrick Thomas
10.0
75
Source

11. Texas

Per Capita Score: 250

10 Sack Performances: 66

Texas born players have accounted for 66 ten sack performances, by far the most of any state in number.

When summarizing the performances of Texas born pass rushers, the question becomes, “Where to start?” We have Hall of Famers like Michael Strahan and John Randle.

We have players who arguably should be in the Hall of Fame, like Simon Fletcher. We have current players who are still adding to their career totals, like Von Miller and Jared Allen.

Stat: Defensive end Michael Strahan had 22.5 sacks in 2001, the NFL record for sacks by any defensive player.

Obscure Stat: The Tackle stat did not become official until 2001, though many teams kept the stat before this at varying degrees of accuracy. The most unofficial tackles claimed for a player finishing a season with 10 or more sacks was 174 by Tampa Bay’s Broderick Thomas in 1991

Obscure Stat: John Randle played both DT and DE over the course of his career. He went over 10 sacks in 9 seasons. 7 of those seasons his primary position was DT, the most times for any DT to go over 10 sacks.

Obscure Stat: 98.5 of John Randle’s 137.5 career sacks were made during seasons in which DT was his primary position, the most of any DT.

Texas 10 Sack Performances

Year
Team
Pos
Name
Sacks
Tackles
2001
NY Giants
DE
Michael Strahan
22.5
60
2011
Min Vikings
DE
Jared Allen
22.0
48
1986
Was Redskins
DE
Dexter Manley
18.5
--
2012
Den Broncos
LB
Von Miller
18.5
55
2003
NY Giants
DE
Michael Strahan
18.5
61
1998
Sea Seahawks
DE
Michael Sinclair
16.5
42
1992
Den Broncos
LB
Simon Fletcher
16.0
99
1983
Sea Seahawks
DE
Jacob Green
16.0
--
2007
KC Chiefs
DE
Jared Allen
15.5
55
1997
Min Vikings
DT
John Randle
15.5
47
1985
Was Redskins
DE
Dexter Manley
15.0
--
1998
NY Giants
DE
Michael Strahan
15.0
53
2008
Min Vikings
DE
Jared Allen
14.5
41
2009
Min Vikings
DE
Jared Allen
14.5
43
2004
Ari Cardinals
DE
Bertrand Berry
14.5
39
2006
Buf Bills
DE
Aaron Schobel
14.0
35
1997
NY Giants
DE
Michael Strahan
14.0
49
1991
Den Broncos
LB
Simon Fletcher
13.5
89
1993
Den Broncos
LB
Simon Fletcher
13.5
99
1985
Sea Seahawks
DE
Jacob Green
13.5
--
1994
Was Redskins
LB
Ken Harvey
13.5
80
1996
Car Panthers
LB
Lamar Lathon
13.5
54
1984
Was Redskins
DE
Dexter Manley
13.5
--
1994
Min Vikings
DT
John Randle
13.5
30
1983
Det Lions
DT
Doug English
13.0
--
1984
Sea Seahawks
DE
Jacob Green
13.0
--
1996
Sea Seahawks
DE
Michael Sinclair
13.0
39
1996
Den Broncos
DE
Alfred Williams
13.0
45
1990
Sea Seahawks
DE
Jacob Green
12.5
--
1993
Min Vikings
DT
John Randle
12.5
59
2012
Min Vikings
DE
Jared Allen
12.0
35
1999
Jax Jaguars
DE
Tony Brackens
12.0
55
1989
Den Broncos
LB
Simon Fletcher
12.0
100
1986
Sea Seahawks
DE
Jacob Green
12.0
--
2005
Buf Bills
DE
Aaron Schobel
12.0
54
1997
Sea Seahawks
DE
Michael Sinclair
12.0
35
2013
Min Vikings
DE
Jared Allen
11.5
33
2003
Den Broncos
DE
Bertrand Berry
11.5
24
1988
Chi Bears
DT
Steve McMichael
11.5
88
2011
Den Broncos
LB
Von Miller
11.5
50
1992
Min Vikings
DT
John Randle
11.5
56
1996
Min Vikings
DT
John Randle
11.5
35
2003
Buf Bills
DE
Aaron Schobel
11.5
37
2005
NY Giants
DE
Michael Strahan
11.5
59
2005
KC Chiefs
DE
Jared Allen
11.0
48
2010
Min Vikings
DE
Jared Allen
11.0
45
2001
Jax Jaguars
DE
Tony Brackens
11.0
39
1990
Den Broncos
LB
Simon Fletcher
11.0
97
1983
Was Redskins
DE
Dexter Manley
11.0
--
2009
Was Redskins
LB
Brian Orakpo
11.0
38
2001
Sea Seahawks
DT
John Randle
11.0
26
2002
NY Giants
DE
Michael Strahan
11.0
55
1991
TB Bucs
LB
Broderick Thomas
11.0
174
1983
Dal Cowboys
LB
Anthony Dickerson
10.5
--
1989
SF 49ers
DE
Pierce Holt
10.5
48
1992
Chi Bears
DT
Steve McMichael
10.5
89
1995
Min Vikings
DT
John Randle
10.5
33
1998
Min Vikings
DE
John Randle
10.5
27
1995
Det Lions
DT
Henry Thomas
10.5
45
1990
Pho Cardinals
LB
Ken Harvey
10.0
99
2013
Buff Bills
LB
Jerry Hughes
10.0
32
1984
Chi Bears
DT
Steve McMichael
10.0
42
2013
Was Redskins
LB
Brian Orakpo
10.0
43
1999
Min Vikings
DE
John Randle
10.0
29
2009
Buf Bills
DE
Aaron Schobel
10.0
34
1992
Cin Bengals
LB
Alfred Williams
10.0
43

Sources:

The information on this database has been compiled through reference of the following websites: Profootballreference.com, NFL.com, and Wikipedia.

If you believe any of the information in this database to be inaccurate, the author would appreciate your feedback.

© 2014 Larry Rankin

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