Tag Archives: tweener

NFL

Coleman, Marco

Cards:  Action Packed Rookies 1992, Classic 1992, SkyBox 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 11/8   Received: 11/21  (13 days)

Nice acquisition here in the form of 1992 defensive rookie of the year Marco Coleman signing 3 cards in under two weeks. The SkyBox and Classic cards were hilarious as they are taken less than 5 seconds apart. You usually see cards where it is the same photo, but not one a few seconds apart. The Action Packed 1992 Rookies card is stellar though making up for it, as it’s well known I like getting these cards autographed.

Marco Coleman was a dominant linebacker out of college from Georgia Tech. He broke the school record of sacks previously held by sackmaster Pat Swilling (28).  At 6’3, 286, Coleman was considered slow for his position but undersized for defensive end. Certainly he was a forerunner to what is referred to sometimes as a ‘tweener’. The Dolphins needing new blood at the position drafted Marco #12 overall in 1992, and he was the second linebacker off the board behind Quentin Coryatt. Coleman would start both at linebacker and defensive end in his rookie season, finishing with 6 sacks and 84 tackles but after it was all said and done, Marco really took off at defensive end. He’d start there the rest of his career primarily playing on the right side, averaging 5.5 sacks over the next three seasons.
After a 3 year stint with the Chargers from 1996-1998, where he tacked on 9.5 more sacks to his career totals, Marco signed with the Redskins in 1999. Returning to his rookie form, Coleman made 6.5 sacks, 42 tackles and recovered a fumble that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. He’d top that in 2000 lodging a career high 12 sacks and earning a Pro Bowl berth after being moved to left defensive end.  In 2002, he’d enter the journeyman phase of his career, and play for the Jaguars and Eagles one season a piece, before finishing out his career playing for the Broncos in 2004 and 2005.

G/Gs  207/185     Tac  520    Sac  65.5     Fum 18    Int 1     Yds 2     Avg 2.0      Td  0     Lg 2

 

CFL, WLAF

Ledbetter, Mark


Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Birmingham Fire

At 6-3, 239, Mark Ledbetter was a rangy tweener from Washington State who saw playing time at a variety of positions along the line in college. A jarring hitter, he once broke an opponent’s jaw during a game.

Signed as a free agent by the New Orleans Saints in 1990, Mark was eventually drafted by the Riders in 1991. Ledbetter would end up playing both outside linebacker and defensive end for San Antonio, where he’d finish third on the team on tackles with 35 solo stops, and second on the team with 6 sacks.  San Antonio coaches loved to move Mark around the Riders’ defensive alignment to create mismatches and overloads. He was considered the team’s (91) best overall defender.

In 1992, Ledbetter was named second team All World League as he made 5 sacks. Ledbetter finished as the franchise’s all time leader in sacks with 11. After the WLAF reorganized in 1992, Mark joined the Sacramento Goldminers during the CFL’s ill fated attempt to expand into the United States, and then later played with the Birmingham Barracudas in 1995 as a down lineman.

After football it appears that Mark has pursued football coaching and at last glance in 2008 he was coaching high school football on Vashon-Maury Island.

WLAF
Games 20  Tac n/a  Sac 11   FF n/a   Int 0   Yds 0  Avg -.-  Td 0