Fifth Annual All-Old School Team!
Who reminds us most of the game we love? Our annual submissions are inside.
We love football. You love football. Here are the badasses that remind us of everything the sport should be.
This is our fifth class. From Cam Skattebo to Marcus Jones, I think it may be our strongest yet.
Have your own list? Let us know in the comments.
Thanks, all!
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Tyler Dunne
WILL ANDERSON, DE, TEXANS
He’s been on this Old School team before. He’s on this team today. One day, we’ll enshrine Will Anderson Jr. into the Go Long Old School Hall of Fame. Don’t just watch a Houston Texans game. Turn the volume up and listen to the violence. It’s different. This defense doesn’t follow some cockamamie bend-but-don’t-break philosophy — they get after your ass. They hurt you. And the leader of the group is a player we’ve profiled before. He might be afraid of the dark. He might’ve been relentlessly bullied by his sisters growing up. Anderson, “The Terminator,” sees red on gameday and doesn’t give a damn if it offends those trying to bastardize the sport on Park Avenue. “What makes me different is my mentality and my mindset,” Anderson told us. “I’m going to go out there and strike you in your shoulder pads and your helmet and your chest every time I line up across from you. … I’m going to keep going — 24/7, all… game… long.” Twelve games in, Anderson is up to 10.5 sacks and 19 QB hits. With Danielle Hunter howling off the other edge, there’s no reason for Houston to blitz and DC Matt Burke’s jackals at linebacker and defensive back all follow Anderson’s lead. I’ve never seen a defense get after Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen like this group did two weeks ago. The AFC is wide open. More than any individual quarterback or coach, what should scare all title hopefuls the most is this Houston defense. This unit is as close as we’ve seen to the 2015 Broncos and Legion of Boom Seahawks. Anderson sets the tone.
CAM SKATTEBO, RB, NY GIANTS
OK, so his season ended in horrific fashion. At Philadelphia, Skattebo dislocated his right ankle with a tibia fracture and ruptured deltoid ligament. But the Giants’ fearless, bruising, hell-on-wheels running back secured this honor when this wound was fresh. With his right foot cranked at a grisly 90-degree right angle, Skattebo initially held his arms out to a teammate as if suggesting he could simply walk this off. Imagine what’s going through his mind in that moment. He takes a look at his mangled leg and still thinks it’s possible to hobble off. Let us all pray to the football gods that we get Cam Skattebo in full ASAP. This is someone who’d put his brother’s shoulder pads on and run into telephone poles as a kid. “Once he got onto the field, says his mother, Becky, “it was no surprise the punishment he inflicted on his own body and everybody else.” His rookie season only lasted 101 carries through eight glorious games. But we can expect Skattebo to bring the same energy whenever he returns. The 5-foot-11, 215-pounder treats NFL Sundays like a production of Jackass — there’s zero safety measures taken. When the ball is in his hands, he’s Johnny Knoxville getting shot with a riot gun one movie and taking on a Yak blindfolded the next. Who knows how long his career lasts? Let’s all enjoy Skattebo while he lasts. He seeks contact. He never goes down easy. All opposing linebackers live in fear that they’ll get embarrassed. The Eagles linebacker who ended his season — All Pro Zack Baun — got Skattebo’d 17 days prior at MetLife Stadium. In today’s NFL, most running backs justifiably do everything possible to preserve their bodies. They already occupy a disposable position. Skattebo doesn’t seem to care at all. The closest comp I think can up here is a Faster Mike Alstott. Hilarious that the Giants got a better running back at No. 105 overall than the Las Vegas Raiders did at No. 6.
CARSON SCHWESINGER, LB, CLEVELAND
If nothing else, pay attention to the Cleveland Browns to watch Schwesinger. The former UCLA walk-on should win defensive rookie of the year. He ranks eighth in tackles (106), and these aren’t empty calories. Amongst the top 30 tacklers in the NFL, the second-round pick is the only one with double-digit TFLs (10). He also has two interceptions. Schwesinger was born to play in Jim Schwartz’s defense. Cleveland’s quarterback odyssey remains a maze with no discernible destination but credit to GM Andrew Berry and his staff for finding a new core in the 2025 draft. Don’t be surprised if these Browns play spoiler to someone’s playoff hopes the final month of the season. In last week’s loss to San Francisco, Schwesinger displayed the speed and toughness to shed blocks and chase down Christian McCaffrey. On one tackle, he shucked away future Hall of Famer Trent Williams. And the Packers fans here at Go Long certainly recall his third-and-1 sack of Jordan Love before halftime of a Browns upset — Schwesinger triggered and smacked the Green Bay QB. His instincts for a rookie are jarring. Best of all? This Luke Kuechly-like throwback hasn’t even tweeted since Feb. 3, 2020. He was in high school, sharing his 11th grade highlights on Hudl to prospective colleges. Now, that is old school.
JACKSON HAWES, TE, BUFFALO
At one point in conversation with this wild man of a tight end, I jokingly asked if Hawes jumps off cliffs for fun. Hawes didn’t hesitate. Yes, he enjoys doing 50-foot gainers into Lake Powell out west. The 6-foot-4, 253-pounder is a daredevil. On the ski slopes, he’ll “full send” down the hill as fast as possible. And on the football field? All Hawes did last week was seal off one of the best players in the sport — Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt — to spark a 249-yard day on the ground. Hawes is a major reason why Buffalo boasts the No. 1-ranked rushing attack in the NFL. Last year, Buffalo needed to bring in swing tackle Alec Anderson for its jumbo packages. Now, Hawes is more than capable of bodying defenders of any size on the D-Line and defenses must respect him as a receiver. This layer of subtle unpredictability has helped Buffalo’s offense evolve. GM Brandon Beane has gotten plenty of flak for the Keon Coleman pick but he uncovered a hidden gem in Hawes. He approaches each snap like a tight end from any era, Mike Ditka to George Kittle. “It’s the only time that you can fight someone,” Hawes said. “You can use that inner aggression: ‘Man, I hate that guy!’ You’re able to just let it shine in a controlled violent way.”
EVAN WILLIAMS, S, GREEN BAY
One year ago, we brokered a meeting between the Green Bay Packers rookie and Pro Football Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler. The two hit it off immediately. (You can listen to parts of our dinner here, too.) Butler saw himself in Williams. “Your instincts,” he said at one point, “are amazing.” Rare is the safety willing to creep into the box and get physical — Butler evolved this position more than anyone through the 1990s. Williams also knows exactly what he’s seeing… and attacks. In Year 2, Williams is bringing a Butler-like abandon to Green Bay’s defense. Rewind to Thanksgiving Day. When Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa tried to pancake the safety on a crack-back block, Williams drilled TeSlaa to the turf. Perhaps most importantly, the 2024 fourth-round pick learned all about the Packers-Bears rivalry from Butler. Chicago was in the midst of a nightmare season then, but Butler assured the rook you can throw all the records out. He still remembers the sage words bestowed upon him by ex-Packer linebacker Brian Noble. This Sunday, the sport’s oldest rivalry is renewed. Head coach Ben Johnson has created quite a smashmouth rushing attack. Both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai rank in the top 10 of Yards Before Contact for running backs. Defenses need a safety willing to drop into the box and inflict punishment when one gets to the second level. Finally, the Packers have found that presence.
Bob McGinn
JAXSON DART, QB, NY GIANTS
Evidently, he just doesn’t care. He had plenty of time to get out of bounds Monday night in Foxborough. A linebacker, Christian Elliss, was chasing hard toward Dart as he scrambled on second down and 13 yards to go. The first-down marker looked out of reach before Elliss’ path would intersect with his. So Dart stepped OB, right? Wrong. He continued tight-roping before Elliss sent him flying into next week with a smashing and perfectly legal hit. It mattered not at all that Dart had to sit out the previous two games because of a concussion. Moreover, he had been checked for a concussion in four of the previous eight games. Fortunately for the 2-11 Giants, Dart was none the worse for wear, jogged back to the huddle and finished the 33-15 defeat without incident. Later, Dart rejected any suggestion that it was time for him to start slipping and sliding. “This is football,” he said. “I’m going to get hit if I’m in the pocket or outside the pocket. I feel like I played this way my whole entire life. We’re not playing soccer out here. You’re going to get hit. Things happen. It’s just part of the game.” Watching Dart run around reminded me of Joe Kapp, the Vikings’ all-time tough guy who spent most of his career north of the border in the CFL. From 1967-’70, Kapp became the perfect quarterback for Bud Grant, Metropolitan Stadium and blizzards. Wearing a single-bar face mask and bare arms, Kapp was bloodied more than once on his madcap jaunts. Among many others, Bobby Douglass, Jim Harbaugh and Randall Cunningham were rugged runners from yesteryear. At 6-2 and 225, Dart can absorb punishment. He rushed for 1,541 and 14 touchdowns in one season for USC and three for Ole Miss. Before the draft one scout compared him to Drew Lock and Gardner Minshew. Ouch.
KEVIN DOTSON, G, LA RAMS
Playing for the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana and coach Billy Napier in the Sun Belt Conference, he wasn’t offered an invitation to the Senior Bowl or the NFL Combine in 2020. He was a 52-game starter at right guard. The Steelers saw him at the East-West Game. He also made impact as a bouncer for two years in college. So the Steelers took a shot in the fourth round. After starting four games as a rookie, nine in an injury-shortened second season and all 17 at left guard in a penalty-ridden (11) third season, Dotson was traded to the Rams in late August 2023 for a fourth-round choice and an exchange of fifths. Quickly becoming a starter in LA, he has played almost every snap at right guard for three years. Dotson is high-energy with a mauling, brawling style. He’s huge (6-4, 330) and has large hands (10 ¾), gets after people in the run game and has become consistent as a pass blocker. He comes from a football family. Father, Kelcy, was a high-school coach. Two uncles, defensive tackle Alvin McKinley and fullback Dennis McKinley, enjoyed substantial careers in the NFL. In March 2024, the Rams paid him $48 million over three years ($32M guaranteed). A big personality, he brings energy to the locker room every day. It could be argued that Dotson is the Rams’ top offensive lineman. It also could be argued that he turned out to be the best guard in the 2020 draft.
MARCUS JONES, CB-KR, NEW ENGLAND
He has had to fight the stigma forever associated with being small. At the combine four years ago, the scale read 174 pounds. The Patriots list him now at 188, which is a significant jump for someone who measured 5-8. But size only means what you want it to mean, and in Jones’ case it’s part of his all-time exploits as a punt returner. On Monday night, he finally surpassed the qualifying standard of 75 attempts for inclusion in the record book for career punt-return average. His 77 returns have gone for a 14.6 mark, obliterating the former record of 12.8 fashioned by Chicago’s George McAfee from 1940-’50 and Detroit’s Jack Christiansen from 1951-’58. It gets harder every year to do much on punt returns. Advances in punting (length, hang time, placement) have seen to that. But Jones is the exception. Of the other top eight punt returners the only player whose career even touched the past 25 years was Desmond Howard (11.9), whose final season was 2002. Jones already has three touchdowns in four seasons, including a 94-yard score against the Giants Monday night. But that’s small potatoes compared to his nine touchdown returns (six kickoffs, three punts) during four seasons at Houston. Jones made All-Pro first team as a rookie after leading the league in punt returns (12.5) and also bringing back 27 kickoffs for 23.9. He hasn’t handled kickoffs since. “I think it’s a mentality, it’s a mindset to be able to run through the smoke ‘Days of Thunder’ style,” Pats coach Mike Vrabel said. “I mean, he thinks he’s 6-4 and 250.” Jones doubles as the nickel back. In 44 games (21 starts) he has intercepted six passes, returning two for touchdowns, broken up 28 passes and made 152 tackles. Before the 2022 draft (the Patriots took him in the third round), an NFL special-teams coach said, “The biggest issue I have with him is he’s just not a big guy. It’s difficult to win with little guys.” Undoubtedly that is true, but Jones stands alone.
QUINYON MITCHELL, CB, PHILADELPHIA
Before the 2024 draft, an executive in personnel said to me, “Oakland Raider kind of corner.” Truer words have seldom been spoken. Every time that I watch the Eagles, Mitchell reminds of the lithe Mike Haynes and the crouching, confrontational Lester Hayes jamming Washington’s corps of wide receivers into submission throughout the 18th Super Bowl in Tampa. That’s the style and type of ability Mitchell already has shown in his second season. Granted, he’s yet to come up with his first interception. Those should come, although scouts questioned his hands pre-draft. He did have four (of his six career picks) in a game for Toledo in 2022. Mitchell currently is tied for third in passes defensed with 14 after posting 12 in making the all-rookie team. Rams edge Jared Verse was a deserving selection as defensive rookie of the year but it just as easily could have been Mitchell. At 6-foot and 193, he has long arms and great strength; his 20 reps on the bench press led corners at the ’24 combine. With 4.30 speed, he can run with the racehorses. Mitchell is the epitome of a shutdown corner. There are traces of Deion Sanders.
GROVER STEWART, NT, INDIANAPOLIS
Nolan Nawrocki, one of the two or three finest independent scouts/draftniks ever, maintained an exceptional track record in his 15-year run (2003-’17) writing Pro Football Weekly’s NFL Draft Preview. One player he did miss on was Stewart, a big man from Albany (Ga.) State who ranked No. 35 among his defensive tackles. The problem for Nawrocki was his March 1 deadline. He had no idea that Stewart would become the darling of the pre-draft visit. At the conclusion of the visitation period one NFL executive said Stewart had been to 22 teams. “He’s getting drafted,” one scout said about 10 days before. “I could see him going fourth or fifth round. He’s gotten hot.” Stewart would be selected in the fourth by the Colts, whose general manager, Chris Ballard, said before the draft: “I’m not gonna lie. I love him. He’s gonna be really good.” Ballard remains calling the shots in Indy just as Stewart remains the team’s nose tackle. He won a starting job in his third season and has been in the lineup for almost every game since. “Excellent player,” an AFC South scout said last month. “Pretty good pass rusher, too.” Stewart made a name for himself at the NFLPA all-star game that January. “He played hard once this year and that was in the NFLPA game,” an NFC scout said. “In the game, not at practice. He showed up and knocked a couple people back. Not much tape-wise. I think he was an all-conference player but I wouldn’t say he dominated. He’s pretty late. He is huge, though.” A non-invitee to the combine, Stewart was 6-4 ½, 334 at pro day. He ran fast (5.17) and had 33 ¼ arms to go with 30 reps on the bench. Today, the Colts list him at 314. “Big kid – a giant,” another NFC personnel man said before that draft. “Big, raw athlete. Needs time. He’s got power. Interesting guy. He can move.” Stewart could fit any era or scheme. He has 396 tackles, 13 sacks and 14 passes defensed.
Jim Monos
MASON RUDOLPH, QB, PITTSBURGH
Comp: Derek Anderson. Back-up quarterbacks are crucial to maintain regular-season success. The Carolina Panthers respected Anderson enough to be their replacement if Cam Newton went down. Rudolph has been valued by the Steelers in the same way.
TYLER WARREN, TE, INDIANAPOLIS
Comp: Jeremy Shockey The tight ends that do it all as a blocker and receiver are rare. Jeremy Shockey was a do-everything tight end every down. Warren has been key for the Colts success as a reliable receiver as well as tough productive blocker.
CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ, CB, NEW ENGLAND
Comp: Champ Bailey. Ultimate comparison respect! “Lockdown” corners are basically a myth until you see one. Gonzalez has the same impact Bailey provided with dominant sticky coverage and ball skills that strike fear in opposing quarterbacks looking their way.
DOMINICK PUNI, G, SAN FRANCISCO
Comp: Steve Hutchinson. Puni has been a plug-and-play guard from Day 1 for the Niners much like Hutchinson was for Seattle and Minnesota. They dominate 1-on-1 matchups in the run game and do not give ground in pass protection.
ASHTON JEANTY, RB, LAS VEGAS
Comp: Trent Richardson. Top 10 running backs need to be dominant to warrant that selection. Richardson had a bruising style that dominated the SEC much like Jeanty dominated the Mountain West. That pounding style did not translate to success for Richardson professionally. Jeanty is averaging 3.5 yards per attempt which matches Richardson’s rookie season of 3.6.