top 25 football players of all time

The 6-foot-6 Munoz, such a talented athlete that he pitched on the Trojan baseball team, opened holes for two future Heisman winners, Charles White and Marcus Allen. No one in that offense caught many passes; Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer didn't much like to throw the ball. As a senior, Plunkett won the 1970 Heisman. Here's our ranking of the top 25 players to call the CFL home. He is also notable for being the first-ever player inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1999 Class); 2x Super Bowl Champion; 1x MVP; 8x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 3x DPoY; DRoY. Teams: Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2019); 1x Super Bowl Champion; 1x DPoY; 5x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl. As a junior, Nobis made one of the most famous tackles in Orange Bowl history, stopping Alabama's Joe Namath at the goal line on fourth-and-inches to preserve UT's 21-17 decision. O.J. He was the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in rushing, and he led the Badgers to a co-Big Ten title and their first Rose Bowl as a sophomore. 14. Despite that, his NFL stats and influence are both undeniable. He remains a beloved figure in Wolverines football. It was Clemson's first national title in 35 years. As a senior at Grambling, he became the first quarterback from a historically black college to be named to the Associated Press All-America team. Youll find that wide receivers are rare on these types of lists. His "Bo Over the Top" touchdown leap broke a nine-game losing streak in the Iron Bowl, Bear Bryant's last. Heads you win, tails you lose." He averaged 174.6 yards per game, and he carried the ball an astounding 34 times per game over three seasons. Interceptions: 8 | Receiving yards: 978 Billy Sims (RB, Oklahoma, 1975-79) Mike Reid (DL, Penn State, 1966-69) In 30 games from 1964-66, the Irish defense had 12 shutouts and allowed only 188 points, an average of 6.3 points. Walker was a three-time All-American for the Ponies. White accounted for 70 of USC's 80 yards on the game-winning drive, including a 1-yard touchdown run with 90 seconds to play. Before White became the "Minister of Defense" and retired as the NFL's all-time sack leader, he was the most menacing pass-rusher in Tennessee history. Early in his junior season, he ran for 269 yards against Arkansas State and 300 against San Jose State. Sims didn't repeat as a Heisman winner -- he finished second -- because Charles White of USC beat him out; with 1,506 rushing yards, it's hard to say that Sims faltered. As a senior, he was a unanimous All-American and won the Heisman Trophy. Blanchard started out at North Carolina in 1942. Jim Brown (RB, Syracuse, 1954-56) 26. As a senior, he made all-state. Lewis Hamilton 'counting days' to big upcoming Mercedes upgrade, Fernando Alonso: Lance Stroll will be Aston Martin team leader for '10 or 15 years', Exclusive: NFL Academy Head Lamonte Winston outlines what 'success' would be following appointment. We ranked college football's top 31 spring transfers: Who tops the list? The 50 greatest footballers of all time 118. Michael Vick (QB, Virginia Tech, 1999-2000) Marshall Faulk (RB, San Diego State, 1991-93) He finished with five touchdowns and threw for a sixth. Blanchard ran on seven of the nine plays, for 48 of the 52 yards, including the last 10. And not just any losing team -- the Fighting Irish went 2-8 in 1956. Derrick Thomas (LB, Alabama, 1985-88) One to sit on, one to think with. At Grambling, Williams was a two-time winner of the Black College Player of the Year award. He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1965 and '66. As a senior, Dorsett led Division I-A in rushing with 1,948 yards and scoring (12.2 points per game) and won the Heisman Trophy, not to mention leading the Panthers to a 12-0 record and the 1976 national championship. We said if Messi wins the World Cup here, it might have to be him. Since 1995, the Chuck Bednarik Award has been given to college football's best defensive player. 76. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1979 Class); 4x Champion (1x Super Bowl, 3x pre-Super Bowl); 3x MVP; 1x MoY; 5x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 10x Pro Bowl. Updating and ranking the 25 greatest college football players of all time 44, he earned 10 varsity letters in four sports at Syracuse -- basketball, football, lacrosse and track. Receiving yards: 2,070 | Yards per catch: 20.3 | TD catches: 16 Grantland Rice once famously wrote, "Eleven Bronko Nagurskis could beat 11 Red Granges or 11 Jim Thorpes. An heir to the great Steelers defenses of decades past, Woodson did his part to continue that legacy before helping the Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Raiders. But Bruins coach Tommy Prothro made two comments about Beban that defined his worth: "He has no weaknesses," and "The more pressure, the better he is." 77. The centerpiece of one of the most successful Oilers eras in history, Campbell has a legitimate claim to be the greatest power runners in NFL history. Robinson started his college career as a wide receiver, but Bruins coach Dick Vermeil persuaded him to move to inside linebacker just before the Rose Bowl at the end of Robinson's freshman campaign. "He blocked out the sun," Colts general manager Ernie Accorsi said. Easily the second-greatest offensive lineman in NFL history (the greatest will make his appearance down this list), Hannah held the title himself, dubbed the lineman GOAT by Sports Illustrated in 1981. What makes Jerry Rices case unique is his longevity and extended excellence. Full disclosure: The vote had to be taken before the 2019 season was completed. He ran for 1,616 yards with 15 touchdowns as a freshman in 1980, leading the Bulldogs to a 12-0 record and national championship. 116. Listed in alphabetical order. He averaged 1.9 tackles for loss per game, which ranks second in FBS history, and finished second in UNC history with 30.5 career sacks and 53 tackles for loss. Michael Platini 12. 68. He rumbled up the right sideline, running through several Rebel tackles for the touchdown that won the game. Final score: 0-0. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1990); 4x Super Bowl Champion; 1x DPoY; 9x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl; DRoY. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time Page was a consensus All-American at Notre Dame in 1966, when he helped the Fighting Irish win a national championship. 1995 Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George recalls how his recruitment to Penn State turned into a disappointment when he was asked to play linebacker, instead of running back. The primary perimeter lynchpin of the iconic Steel Curtain Steelers, Mel Blount was as physical as his more famous NFL teammates, and feared as the prototypical secondary defender in the league. Archie Griffin (RB, Ohio State, 1972-75) Legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden coached two Heisman Trophy winners, 26 consensus All-Americans and more than 150 NFL draft choices. The 134 tackles he made as a sophomore in 1973 remain an Alabama single-season record, and 44 years later, he has slipped from first to only fourth in career tackles (315). Wide receivers are usually the lightest players in the NFL behind punters, kickers, and occasional quarterbacks, and most have had their careers but short by injury. Nearly four decades later, college football remains on a first-name basis with the 1985 Heisman winner. 96. In the next 10 minutes, he ran for scores of 67, 56 and 44 yards. This is our first signee. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1988); 1x NFL Champion; 1x MVP; 2x DPoY; 6x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl; 1x NFC PoY; 2x NFC DPoY. That said, 2019 actually is the 151st season of college football, so the likes of LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Wisconsin tailback Jonathan Taylor will have to wait for College Football 151. At 11, Dawkins contracted polio and was went through a then-unconventional treatment of aggressive physical therapy. And so very, very fast. 70. Emmitt Smith (RB, Florida, 1987-89) 132. 3. Passing yards: 3,571 | Rushing yards: 682 | TDs: 35 Former Nebraska star Johnny Rodgers recalls returning a punt for a touchdown in the 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma game. On the second Saturday night of the season, Brown returned a punt for a touchdown against Michigan State. 15. "He's so reckless and so quick," Sherrill told Sports Illustrated. The ABCs that endeared Manning to the nation through his 17 seasons in professional football first shone through his four seasons in Knoxville: his affability, his brain for football, and his commitment. Not Jerry. Peyton Manning (QB, Tennessee, 1994-97) Rushing yards: 3,928 | Rushing TDs: 36 | All-purpose yards: 4,391 Zinedine Zidane 8. Greg Pruitt (RB, Oklahoma, 1970-72) The leader of the first great Cowboys dynasty, Staubach led Dallas to five Super Bowl appearances, winning two. 112. Tony Gonzalez retired with no Super Bowl wins or appearances, paling in comparison to other greats at the position, including Gronk, Shannon Sharpe, and even Travis Kelce. In his last two seasons, the Nittany Lions went 22-0, and as a senior Reid won both the Outland Trophy, given to the national's best interior lineman, and the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's best player. Terrell Owens Played 207 games. The 1936 consensus All-American became the standard by whom passers would be judged for a generation. Charlie Ward (QB, Florida State, 1989-93) "Is there still a debate? Our panel: Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY; Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press; Christine Brennan, USA TODAY; Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer; Nate Davis, USA TODAY; Pete Dougherty Green Bay Press-Gazette; Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star; Gentry Estes, Nashville Tennessean; Doug Farrar, Touchdown Wire; Martin Frank, Wilmington (Del.) Passing yards: 3,145 | Total offense: 3,990 yards | Interceptions by: 11 Otto Graham (QB, Northwestern, 1941-43) In 1998, Arrington became the first sophomore to be named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after he totaled 65 tackles, 7 sacks and 2 interceptions. He led the Dawgs that season with 744 receiving yards. Jim Parker (OL, Ohio State, 1954-56) Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford, 2009-11) View 25 photos 1-DT Joe Greene (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) 2-QB Ben Roethlisberger. He set a BYU single-season record by completing 71.3% of his passes for 3,802 yards with 33 touchdowns. But this list also celebrates peaks, and Sayers at his peak was as good as any running back to ever play in the NFL. Mean Joe Green was the definitive defensive (some say overall) NFL player of the 1970s, and was synonymous with the Steel Curtain Steelers. The next season, in 1999, Vick led the FBS in passing efficiency and tied Herschel Walker for the highest finish in Heisman voting (third) by a freshman, behind winner Ron Dayne and runner-up Joe Hamilton. Warning: the following article will annoy you. But in a Big Ten Conference that still viewed the forward pass with a raised eyebrow, Carter wreaked havoc. But neither will anybody else." The next season, he became the first sophomore to win the Heisman, throwing for 3,286 yards with 32 touchdowns and running for 895 yards with 23 scores. Maybe his placement here is a result of recency bias, but Drew Brees is the greatest and most singular New Orleans Saint of all time, and deserves his place for what he has done and meant to his team and city. He missed three games and never showed that downhill beer-truck style that made him so dangerous. From his name, to his looks, to his stats, to nearly everything else about him, Montana has been the modern prototype for every hopeful signal caller in the NFL, and for good reason. Whatever he did worked, as the next year he ended up in his first Pro Bowl. This is a list of the most consecutive starts and games played by a player by position in the National Football League (NFL). He grew up near SMU, and as a Mustang he so captivated the city of Dallas that the Cotton Bowl, expanded twice during Walker's career, became known as The House That Doak Built. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting. 6. When Reed signed with The U in Feb. 1997, the Canes had just suffered their first losing season in 17 years. 1 in his class at Yale. 140. In one of the nail-biters, an 18-7 victory at Big East rival Boston College, Reed sealed the victory by stripping teammate Matt Walters of his interception and returning the ball 80 yards for a touchdown. 66. 36. As a senior in 1983, Rozier rewrote the school record book, with 2,148 yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging nearly 8 yards per carry. Enough said. Receiving yards: 1,565 | Return yards: 1,607 | All-purpose yards: 4,187 106. Simpson, Ricky Williams and LaDainian Tomlinson. In 30 career games with the Orange, the three-time All-American scored 46 total touchdowns and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. He had 216 rushing yards in an 18-12 loss to Tennessee in the 1966 Gator Bowl. While not as individually highlighted as some of his predecessors on this list, Lotts viciousness as a hitter on the perimeter, and his leadership of arguably the greatest core of all time earns him his spot here. 13 ranking before suffering a broken arm against Houston. As a sophomore in 1978, Lott helped the Trojans go 12-1 and win a share of a national title. The following article will trigger you. The Jordan-led defense posted six shutouts and allowed 2.3 points per game. Jerry Rice 2. As a senior, Elway threw for 265 yards and two scores in the Cardinal's 43-31 upset of No. Since 2002, the Ted Hendricks Award has been given to the best defensive end in the FBS. Smith was an All-American in 1965 and 1966. The Marine Corps intervened -- there was a war on, you know -- and away Bertelli went. List of the best NFL players of all time, including the greatest all-time football stars like Jerry Rice, Reggie White, and Barry Sanders. Dick Butkus 14. That's been the difference, that has been the splitting point. Major Achievements: 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2022 World Cup finalist, 2022 World Cup Golden Boot, 2018 World Cup Young Player Award, 2022 World Cup Silver Ball, 2018 Kopa Trophy, 2017 Golden Boy, 2x. George Gipp (B, Notre Dame, 1917-20) 90. He finished his collegiate career with 6,397 yards (7,125 including bowl stats), an NCAA record that still stands two decades later. Jim Plunkett (QB, Stanford, 1968-70) The 6-1, 186-pound Bailey remained on the field for an amazing 1,070 plays. He became the first player in FBS history to run and pass for 20 touchdowns in a season. If for nothing else, the NFLs career sack leader cant slide lower than the low 20s. PSG. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1963); 2x NFL Champion; 2x NFL PoY; 4x First-Team All-Pro; 4x Second-Team All-Pro; 6x Pro Bowl. Drew Brees (QB, Purdue, 1997-2000) Vince Young (QB, Texas, 2003-05) He ran for more than 200 yards in each of his last four regular-season games and won the Heisman Trophy. Davis was a three-time consensus All-American and won the 1946 Heisman Trophy. Tommie Frazier (QB, Nebraska, 1992-95) Maradona has won the World Cup. On the centennial of black-college football in 1993, Jones was named to the All-Time HBCU team. Nostalgia makes it tempting to have Ray Lewis lower on this list. set the NCAA record for rushing yards by a freshman with 1,932 in 1998 and finished his four-year career with 6,559, the most in Division I history. Tackles: 274 | Sacks: 8.5 | Interceptions: 5 143. Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2000 Class); 4x Super Bowl Champion; 3x Super Bowl MVP; 2x MVP; 3x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 8x Pro Bowl. Sanders, an electrifying cornerback and punt returner, snagged 14 interceptions, four of which he returned for touchdowns. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1980; 3-time Super Bowl Champion (1965, 66, 67); 1st-team All-Pro (1962, 63, 65, 66); 5-time Pro Bowler, Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts. 147. Achievements: Five pro bowls; Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP; Inducted into Pro Football HOF (1985); first to pass for more than 4,000 yards in one season; had 27,663 passing yards and 173 TDs for career. Inside for his tough running between the tackles. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1994; 1977 Super Bowl champion; 1st-team All-Pro (1981); 4-time Pro Bowler; 1977 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2004 Class); 2x Super Bowl Champion; 1x MVP; 1x Super Bowl MVP; 2x AFC OPoY; 1x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl. Ozzie Newsome (WR, Alabama, 1974-77) Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr offered Arrington perhaps the greatest compliment a linebacker can receive when he compared Arrington to Lawrence Taylor. George (6-3, 227) delivered as much punishment as he took, showing an ability to run inside the tackles and out. "Don had the most fluid motion you had ever seen when he was running," said Bear Bryant, who was the other end on the Tide team. Red Grange (RB, Illinois, 1923-25) Bo Jackson (RB, Auburn, 1982-85) Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2005); 3-time First-team All-Pro (1984-1986); 4-time second-team All-Pro; NFL MVP (1984); Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (1998); NFL Rookie of the Year (1983); NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1994); 9-time Pro Bowler; Held multiple NFL passing records that have since been broke. He missed the remainder of the regular season; surely he would have made a difference in the 21-21 tie with Stanford that prevented USC from sharing No. As a sophomore in 1979, Allen played fullback, opening holes for Charles White as he won the Heisman. That would make Cristiano Ronaldo the top player in the world, with his all-time record of more than 800 goals for club and country. He ran for 147 yards before leaving for good. In just two seasons at Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald made his mark as one of the greatest pass-catchers in FBS history. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2007; 1st-team All-Pro (1988, 89, 90, 92, 98, 99, 2000); 14-time Pro Bowler; started 293 games in career (second in NFL history). In his last two seasons there, Michigan State went 19-1-1 and gave up a total of 175 points, or 8.1 points per game. Doug Williams (QB, Grambling, 1974-77) It is difficult to remember a time when Simpson wasn't a pariah, when he was celebrated for a stunning combination of size (6-2, 205) and moves and durability. As a senior in 1938, he was named a consensus All-American, finished third in Heisman voting and made the cover of Time magazine. Electric. He was named the Big Ten's MVP in 1963 and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting the next year. Passing yards: 3,521 | Total offense: 5,476 yards | Passing TDs: 43 88. CFB150 home. Rodgers returned eight punts or kickoffs for touchdowns, which is tied for the FBS all-time lead, and averaged 13.8 yards each time he touched the ball. Deacon Jones (DE, South Carolina State/Mississippi Valley State, 1958/1960) David Jones -- his nickname in college was D.J. One of the first great mobile quarterbacks, Young was extremely efficient, and has the second-most career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, with 43. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1977); 3x Super Bowl Champion; 5x NFL Champion; 7x First-Team All-Pro 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl. He set 21 NCAA records, including all-purpose yards (7,206) and rushing touchdowns (72). Mariota began his football journey in Honolulu, where he led Saint Louis School to the state championship during his senior year. He continues the trend of definitive GOATs at their position, and only slides down to 3rd because of the insane longevity of the two players ahead of him. It is known as the Camback. Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF in 1985; NFL MVP 1971, Super Bowl VI MVP; 22,700 passing yards, 153 passing touchdowns, 20 rushing touchdowns, 2,264 rushing yards; lost statistics by delaying entry into NFL for four years because of military commitment after graduating from the Naval Academy. At Florida State, he was a two-time consensus All-American and helped lead the Seminoles to their first national championship in 1993. And he was a terrific punter in an era when that was a primary weapon. Teams: Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams. More importantly, the win sealed Cassady's victory in the Heisman vote. . 31. Bubba Smith (DE, Michigan State, 1964-66) Considered the best left winger of all time, it's not surprising that Cristiano Ronaldo has also popularized the "CR7" phrase as the No. He would be gone two years later, dying from leukemia. New QB, new coordinators, same Nick Saban: How Bama is handling its latest challenge, AAC preview, Part 2: Burning questions and players to watch, Late-round NFL draft finds for every Power 5 team, from Tom Brady to Richard Sherman. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1967); 2x NFL Champion; 10x First-Team All-Pro; 8x Pro Bowl. In a controversial 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 championship game, he recorded 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles, including seven for loss. Angelo Bertelli (QB, Notre Dame, 1941-43) Belichick was great in New England as well and was vital to Bradys growth, but all questions have been answered. Here is my guess for the 25 Top Players in NFL History, with my apologies to the hundreds of players (especially the ones I did not see play who were at a disadvantage) who could have. Roger Staubach, Herschel Walker and Jim Brown are among the greatest 11 players in college football history. Baker Mayfield (QB, Texas Tech/Oklahoma, 2013/2015-17) He is credited with pioneering the T-formation while playing quarterback for the Chicago Bears and winning four league championships. At 6-foot-4 with a lightning-quick release, Marino surely looked like an NFL quarterback. 43. Tatum was a two-time All-American and placed seventh in Heisman voting as a senior. LaDainian Tomlinson (RB, TCU, 1997-2000) He is second in the hearts of Bears lifers to only Walter Payton, and is remembered for his heart as much as his skill (RIP, Brian Piccolo). Ronaldo Nazario 7. Marcus Allen (RB, USC, 1978-81) He studied sports journalism at university and, in 2011, started writing for GiveMeSport alongside his studies. In the Game of the Century that matched Notre Dame against Army at Yankee Stadium, Black Knights fullback Doc Blanchard broke into the open field and rumbled 22 yards down the left side. Marshall Faulk 20. Calvin Johnson (WR, Georgia Tech, 2004-06) Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2016); 1x Super Bowl Champion; 3x MVP; 1x OPoY; 3x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 11x Pro Bowl. His career touchdowns remained a school record for 22 seasons. Newsome was so good that he made All-American even though he played wide receiver in a Wishbone offense, which is kind of like being a pianist in a string quartet. Woody Hayes recruited Tatum to Ohio State as a running back, but moved him to defensive back -- at the behest of assistant coach Lou Holtz -- shortly after he arrived. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2004); 1x MVP; 2x OPoY; ORoY; 6x First-Team All-Pro; 4x Second-Team All-Pro; 10x Pro Bowl. The Sooners ran 60 offensive plays in the game -- and Jordan was involved in 31 tackles (15 solo stops and 16 assists). Rushing yards: 2,091 | TDs: 26 | Interceptions by: 8 He won the Lombardi Award as a senior, when he repeated as a consensus All-American. In the 53 seasons since, the Boilermakers have returned to Pasadena once. As a senior for the Gophers in 1929, Nagurski became the only player ever named All-American at two positions: tackle on defense and fullback on offense. (Reggie Bush later gave his back.) Ed Reed (DB, Miami, 1998-2001) The shock came not because Howard won the 1991 Heisman, the first end to do so in 42 seasons. Ernie Nevers (RB, Stanford, 1923-25) While not quite as impactful as the greatest defensive player of all time, Reggie White is a clear positional GOAT, and this is the lowest he can reasonably be slotted before we start to disrespect the defensive side of the game of football. 121. He is Nebraska's all-time leader with 25 touchdown catches and 1,515 punt return yards. 98. Kylian Mbappe Lottin. Tom Brady. 9 and guard Danny Fortmann at No. Luck went 31-7 as a starter in three seasons, his teams spent 22 consecutive weeks ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll, and he played in two New Year's Six bowl games. 93. As a junior in 1996, he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting, the highest finish by a lineman since 1980, and won the Outland Trophy. That's certainly the opinion of 90 Min. He had 97 tackles as a freshman, a school-record 232 as a sophomore, 188 as a junior and 145 as a senior. Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2009); 3-time First-team All-Pro (1990-1992); 3-time Second-team All-Pro (1993, 1994, 1996); 9-time Pro Bowl selection; NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1989); holds the NFL record for sacks in a single game (7). 22. The 5-9, 177-pound Pruitt proved you can't tackle what you can't touch. All three losses came in his senior season, when the All-American made 91 tackles, intercepted four passes and blocked three kicks. As a senior in 1969, Owens carried the ball 358 times for 1,523 yards and 23 touchdowns. After being slowed by injuries in his final season, he was drafted No. 50. In his time, Lilly was the lynchpin of a defense with an iconic nickname: the Doomsday Defense. Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer thought so much of Sims that he called Sims at the Hooks, Texas, gas station where Sims worked to continue recruiting him. 64. Former Oklahoma RB and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims recalls Barry Switzer recruiting him during halftime of an Oklahoma game. The 50 greatest Man Utd players of all time have been ranked in controversial list; The 10 Greatest Footballers Of All Time Have Been Ranked By Football Fans; White's record-setting 246 all-purpose yards per game stood until Barry Sanders broke the mark in 1988. Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (2007); 3-time Super Bowl champ; First-team All-Pro (1991); Two-time Second-team All-pro (1992, 1993); five pro bowls. 1 UCLA lost to O.J. 150. Rushing yards: 3,616 | Yards per rush: 8.4 | Touchdowns: 53 Alabama went 43-5 in Lowe's four years and never finished out of the top seven. Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2010 Class); 3x Super Bowl Champion; 1x Super Bowl MVP; 1x MVP; 10x First-Team All-Pro; 1x Second-Team All-Pro; 2x OPoY; 13x Pro Bowl; All-Time Leader in touchdowns (208), receiving touchdowns (197), receptions (1,549), consecutive 1+ reception games (274). 123. 89. At such a violent position, without todays modern medicine and health solutions, imagine playing for nearly two decades, and only missing two All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods for your entire career. 38. He set a Stanford career record with 53 passing touchdowns that would stand until John Elway broke it 12 years later. Achievements: 3-time Super Bowl Champion 2015, 17, 19); 1st-team All-Pro (2011, 14, 15, 17); 5-time Pro-Bowler; 2014 AP Comeback Player of the Year. Steve Spurrier (QB, Florida, 1964-66) He completed an unheard-of 57 percent of passes as a sophomore. He was the Heisman Trophy runner-up and won the Sammy Baugh and Davey O'Brien awards. The next season, Frazier had a memorable 75-yard touchdown run in the Cornhuskers' 62-24 rout of Florida in the Fiesta Bowl to win a second straight title. As a senior, Glover had 100 tackles and nine tackles for loss. 67. His championships came before the Super Bowl era, relegating him to the prehistory of modern football. He received an appointment to West Point in 1944, part of the greatest backfield class in the history of the game. In the long line of outstanding backs who grew up in Texas and starred at Oklahoma, Peterson can make a strong case as the greatest. Merlin Olsen (DL, Utah State, 1959-61) Tackles: 374 | Interceptions: 19 "I thought he was the best football player in the United States that year, and I'll take that to my grave," said Bo Pelini, Suh's coach at Nebraska. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1977; 1st-team All-Pro (1965, 66, 67, 68, 69); 4-time Pro Bowler; four seasons in top 10 of all NFL rushers; career cut short by injuries; as a rookie scored four TDs, including 96-yard kickoff return, against Vikings, and later in season scored six touchdowns against 49ers including an 80-yard pass play, 50-yard run and 65-yard punt return. By the end of his freshman year, however, the quiet, hardworking Ham had established himself as the bell cow of the recruiting class. Graham arrived at Northwestern on a basketball scholarship but made his mark in football. Anthony Munoz (OT, USC, 1976-79) 138. List of most consecutive starts and games played by National Football One of the players who gave Penn State the name Linebacker U came to State College as an afterthought, getting a scholarship in Joe Paterno's second signing class only after a recruit who had committed to the Nittany Lions went elsewhere.
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