Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Donald Penn: One of the NFL's Five Best Linemen?

(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Is Buccaneer left tackle Donald Penn one of the five best offensive linemen in the National Football League?

Former Buccaneer Warren Sapp believes Penn is among the best.

Sapp picked his five "best in the business" on the NFL Network and, lo and behold, Penn is in there.

That is high praise indeed. And Sapp has credibility, he is an eventual Hall of Fame candidate from his playing days in Tampa and "Fatso" knows offensive linemen.

Here's Sapp's list, as he presented them:

5. Mike Roos, a 6'7", 315-pound tackle for Tennessee

"He loves contact," Sapp said with a laugh.

4. Donald Penn, a 6'5", 305-pound left tackle for Tampa Bay

Sapp loves the guy, perhaps because Penn likes to get after it on the field or in practice and doesn't mind some trash talking.

3. Steve Hutchinson, a 6'5", 313-pound guard for Minnesota

This one's a no-brainer for Sapp. Hutchinson, a nine-year vet, has long been regarded one of the best in the game and is paid accordingly.

2. Bryant McKinnie, a 6'9", 335-pound tackle for Minnesota

With two Vikings on Sapp's list, you can see why Adrian Peterson racks up all those yards on the ground. No doubt Sapp also favors McKinnie, an eight-year vet, because he's a fellow Miami Hurricane.

1. Walter Jones, a 6'5", 325-pound left tackle for Seattle

Another no-brainer. This 13-year veteran out of Florida State has long been regarded the finest left tackle in the game.

There you have "Fatso's" fabulous five.

Jones and Hutchinson are the best, both future Hall of Famers.

The others, no doubt, will leave plenty of room for debate.

Warren Sapp never met a debate he didn't like.

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