The VandySports 100: No. 35, Moses Osemwegie

Linebacker Moses Osemwegie was one of the best in Vanderbilt football history.

Honors and awards: 2002 Freshman All-Southeastern Conference (coaches, The Sporting News)

2004 fourth-team Freshman All-American (TSN)

2004 first-team All-SEC (coaches, AP)

2005 first-team All-SEC (coaches, AP)

In the VU record book: Career tackles: eighth (391)

Career tackles for loss: fifth (30.5)

Before VU: Three-year linebacker starter for Nashville's Montgomery Bell Academy, leading team to three-straight state titles. Was Tennessee D-II Mr. Football as a senior. Led MBA to consecutive basketball state titles, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds at center.

Freshman (2002): After a redshirt season, played 11 of 12 games, missing the MTSU contest with injury. Started vs. Georgia Tech and Furman. Ranked fifth on the team in tackles. Had seven solo stops against Alabama, and 10 total tackles vs. Georgia Tech. Had a sack and a forced fumble vs. Auburn.

Sophomore (2003): Named the team's linebacking MVP and started all 12 games at outside linebacker. Led the league in unassisted tackles. Averaged 10.5 total stops per game. His 10.5 tackles for loss totaled minus-34 yards. Had 10 tackles in at least seven games and had a low of seven vs. Ole Miss. Had 12 tackles, forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a loss to Tennessee.

Junior (2004): Played 10 games, starting them all, and missing the Tennessee game due to injury. Had at least 10 tackles in seven of the first eight games. Had an interception vs. Georgia. Was team Defensive Player of the Week for the Ole Miss game.

Senior (2005): Had at least eight total tackles in every game against I-A foes, with a single-game high of 16 (12 solo) vs. Tennessee. Had 13 vs. MTSU (11 solo) and Georgia (10) and added an interception in the latter. Had 11 tackles (10 solo) and a pick vs. Ole Miss and 14 (eight solo) against South Carolina.

Post-VU: Osemwegie was un-drafted and got a tryout with the Titans, but was cut before fall camp.

Final thoughts, and why I ranked him where I did: Osemwegie wasn't the biggest or most athletic guy, but few had a knack of getting to the football the way he did. It's terribly hard to earn first-team All-SEC honors on losing teams at Vanderbilt; Osemwegie did it twice. He was also shut out from any honors in 2003--statistically, his best season--in which he led the league in tackles.

Osemwegie's seasons didn't count for much in terms of wins and losses--VU went 11-35 in his career--and almost every player ahead of him in the countdown had greater team success. But that wasn't his fault and the track record of consistency and high-end honors make it hard to move him much lower than No. 35.