Oakland Raiders legend Charles Woodson was one of the toughest defensive backs of his generation.
Many young defensive backs will say they study Woodson’s game in order to be successful. He is the model for the position because of his elite technique and unwavering competitiveness.
Woodson battled some of the best wide receivers of his time during his years in the NFL, often shutting down some of the game’s best. But occasionally, a few receivers would give him trouble.
So, who were the toughest receivers Woodson faced in the league? He joined Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby on the latest episode of his podcast, The Rush, to discuss.
Woodson listed Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Calvin Johnson as his ‘Mount Rushmore’ of talented receivers.
Of those four, Woodson said Harrison was the toughest to defend.
“Marvin, to me, was the hardest guy I covered,” he said. “I caught him when I first got into the league, so I was young. A couple times I played him, we went to Indianapolis, and so, we’re playing in Indy. I hated the turf over there. Of course, he had a young Peyton Manning throwing it to him, too. They had good teams. Marvin, I think he’s a Hall of Famer, but I think he’s a guy that could have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
What made Harrison so difficult to defend? A lot of things, according to Woodson.
“He had everything. He was fast, he was quick, he ran great routes. The thing I always tell people is, he didn’t move around much. He wasn’t a guy that started over here and motioned over there. His a– was going to be right here and you had to deal with him. So, I would say Marvin. I always tell people he was the toughest for me.”
In his career against the Raiders, Harrison caught 21 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns in three career games. He was 1-2 in his career against the Silver and Black.
Woodson had the fortune of facing so many elite wide receivers during his time in the NFL. While he shut down many, a few, like Harrison, gave him plenty to talk about to this day.
