Lawrence Taylor, arguably the greatest defensive player of all time, raved Saturday about his heir apparent to the title: Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.

Taylor and Watt are the only players in NFL history to win Defensive Player of the Year three times, but the former New York Giants linebacker believes the 26-year-old is just getting started.

"He's going to get it a couple of more times," Taylor said, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Watt is the premier defensive force in the NFL, amassing 76 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a league-high 17.5 sacks in 2015. Unsurprisingly, Taylor views him as a generational talent.

"I think he's one of these guys that only comes around once every 20 to 30 years."

However, the Hall of Famer still believes he was a better player than Watt.

"In front of me I see Reggie White, Deacon Jones. Do I put J.J. Watt in front of me? No, but the guy's a phenomenal player," he said.

Taylor's 1986 season is considered by many to be one of the greatest individual campaigns in NFL history, as he became the second defensive player to win NFL MVP, and the Giants captured Super Bowl XXI. A transcendent year that culminates in a championship is the lone credential missing from Watt's resume, Taylor said.

"The year I won the MVP we won the Super Bowl. You've got to be able to take your team to a title," Taylor said.

It's a tricky exercise to evaluate Watt in the context of Hall of Famers, with his sublime career still reaching new heights. Nonetheless, he's won the respect of one of the best players in league history, and will continue to ascend the list of all-time greats.