Top Ten Greatest Texas A&M Aggies

One of the leaders of the Wrecking Crew defense, Holland became the program's all-time leading tackler when he ended his career with 455 total tackles (later broken). He led the team in stops twice with 155 tackles in 1984 and 147 in 1986. As a second-round pick in the 1987 NFL Draft, Holland went on to an excellent pro career with the Green Bay Packers. He was inducted into the Packers, Aggies and Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.

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Tank Lewis became only the fifth player in NCAA history to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark. His 5,012 rushing yards were a Southwest Conference record. He had two of the most consistent — and best — seasons in school history when he set the school rushing record with 1,692 yards in 1988 before coming back and rushing for 1,691 yards two years later. Lewis owns school records for rushing attempts in a season (306) and a career (909) as well as career rushing touchdowns (44). Lewis played three lackluster years for the Chicago Bears before a long line of poor decisions — and the fact that he "lost the love of the game" — caused his career to end prematurely.

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You can bet quarterbacks knew exactly where Green was lining up on every play. He set the single-season sack record when he terrorized offensive lines and passers to the tune of 20 sacks in 1979. His 37 career sacks were also a school record for more than a decade. The All-American also owns the career forced fumbles record with 12. Green was a two-time all-conference performer who was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Green went to two Pro Bowls.

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Although he played only two seasons in College Station, Glenn quickly made an enormous impact on the Aggies program. He was an two-time All-American — and All-SWC — selection in both of his seasons as the lock-down coverman. Despite playing such a short period of time, Glenn is still all over the TAMU record book. His 20 passes broken up in 1992 remain a single-season record, while his 33 career PBUs and nine career interceptions — including one massive 95-yard INT return TD against Texas — remain in the Texas A&M record books. His runner-up finish for the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back, remains the closest an Aggie has ever come to winning the award. The 1992 Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year was the 12th overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. Glenn was a three-time Pro Bowler.

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Adams started all three years of his career in College Station. As a freshman, Adams garnered freshman All-America honors to go with his SWC Newcomer of the Year award. He vaulted to first-team all-conference in his second season after 56 tackles and 4.5 sacks. However, Man Mountain's tenacity and downright nastiness got national accliam in 1993 when Adams led the Aggies in tackles for a loss (13), sacks (10.5), forced fumbles (5) and fumble recoveries (3). He also made an impressive 78 tackles from his interior line position. He was a consensus All-American and Sports Illustrated Defensive Player of the Year nationally. Adams, who also starred on the track and field squad, was inducted into A&M's Hall of Fame in 2001. He posted 169 tackles, 23 TFLs, 20.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles and was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

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Arguably the most feared and productive defensive lineman ever to play for Texas A&M, Childress is the only post-1970 Aggie to be inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame. As a junior, Childress posted 15 quarterback sacks and 117 tackles and was as a first-team All-American in 1983. As a senior in 1984 he was a consensus All-America selection. He was also a two-time All-Southwest Conference pick. As a senior, he anchored an Aggie defense that ranked No. 5 nationally in pass defense (127.5 yards per game). That year, he recorded 124 tackles and 10 sacks. His 25 career sacks were then a school record for a non-linebacker, and his 360 tackles then ranked fourth on A&M’s career list.

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As a 220-pound defensive end, Miller earned All-Big 12 Freshman honors. After nearly quitting the team after his freshman season, Miller bounced back under the new coaching regime and produced a solid season — now at weakside linebacker. As a junior, Miller was moved to the 'jack' position where his pass rushing skills shone brightly. His 17 sacks and 21.5 tackles for a loss led the nation, and Miller was named a first-team All-American. After his fourth position change in four seasons — now to outside linebacker — Miller posted 10.5 sacks and 17.5 TFLs despite being slowed early on by a minor injury. The consensus All-American was named the Butkus Award winner as the nation's best linebacker. Miller was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.

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Known better for his lock-down cover corner skills in the NFL, Hayes got his nicknames "The Judge" and "Lester the Molester" for his physical bump-and-run coverage. However, Hayes got his start on the gridiron as an elite ball-hawking safety at Texas A&M. His 14 career interceptions rank second on the all-time Aggie list, while his eight INTs during his final season in 1976 rank third all-time. Hayes was selected in the fifth round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He would go on to five Pro-Bowls, two Super Bowl Championships and the 1980 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

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The artist formerly known as "Fat" Nguyen turned his burly 5-foot-11, 240-pound freshman frame into a muscular, fercious tackling machine. Nguyen defined the terms hard-hitting and tough-nosed, leaving the A&M program with statistics that will be very difficult to ever duplicate. Nguyen won the Bednarik and Lombardi Trophies during his time in College Station as the nation's top defensive player. He also came a single vote shy of winning the Butkus Award — the closest vote in the history of the award. His 517 tackles are a school record, as are his 51 consecutive starts and 10.7 tackles per game. The four-year starter was a three-time all-conference selection and earned consensus All-America honors in 1998. Nguyen was selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and is widely considered the best defensive player in the short history of the Big 12 conference.

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As a redshirt freshman, Manziel set the college football world on fire with both his arm and legs. He led the SEC in rushing with 1,410 yards (and 21 TDs) and led the nation in total offense with 393.5 yards per game. The Texas A&M quarterback led his team to 10 wins in a new league and claimed the school's second Heisman Trophy. He accounted for 47 total touchdowns and led TAMU to the biggest win of the season by any team over No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He capped his record-setting season by posting one of the greatest bowl performances in the history of Texas A&M, Cotton Bowl, SEC and Heisman Trophy history. He threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 229 yards and two more scores in a blowout win over Oklahoma.

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