Despite missing parts of three games because of injuries in 1957, Crow ran for 562 yards with six touchdowns, caught two passes and threw five scores. It remains one of the great what-ifs in Cardinal football: What if Elway had played for Bill Walsh, the head coach who lured him to the Farm? 89. He ran for 100 or more yards in 31 games. Receptions: 45 | Receiving yards: 730 | TDs: 7 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. Mean Joe Green was the definitive defensive (some say overall) NFL player of the 1970s, and was synonymous with the Steel Curtain Steelers. There might be more iconic names to non-fans or casual fans that have already been listed, but Emmitt Smith is by far the greatest of the Cowboys offensive trio that made Dallas the juggernaut brand it is today. 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. Dan Marino 17. Rimington was not only a two-time All-American, but also a two-time Academic All-American as well. That season, he had 84 tackles; led the Hurricanes in sacks (10.5), tackles for loss (9.0) and quarterback pressures (25); was a consensus All-American; and finished sixth in the Heisman voting. What Newton's prolific numbers don't tell you is he carried Auburn to its second national title and won the Heisman Trophy in 2010, all while facing allegations that his father had tried to sell his son's talents to the highest bidder. He carried the Irish to a 9-0-1 record and took home the Heisman Trophy in 1953. As a senior, he guided UT to a 10-1 record and 27-0 shutout of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. How the Guardian ranked the 100 best male footballers in the world 2021. The 25 greatest footballers of all time have been named - Messi, Ronaldo or Maradona? 13. Two quotes from the book "The Heisman: Sixty Years of Tradition and Excellence" explain Davis' greatness. Go undefeated. He also completed 93 passes for 1,769 yards and scored 156 points. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1977); 5x First-Team All-Pro; 4x Pro Bowl. Reggie White (RIP, Minister of Defense) is the greatest edge rusher of all time. Rushing yards: 6,397 | Rushing yards per game: 148.8 | Rushing TDs: 63 1. Passing yards: 10,579 | Pass efficiency rating: 132.2 | TD passes: 67 Full disclosure: The vote had to be taken before the 2019 season was completed. In 1973, Parker became the first full-time offensive lineman inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Purdue used Keyes not only as a game-breaking back, but he also caught 80 passes in his college career at 15.1 yards per catch. NFL's best players ever at every offensive position - Is Tom Brady the GOAT quarterback? Rushing yards: 2,374 | Touchdowns: 37 | Return yards: 1,293 Manning won the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Sullivan Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award during his senior season in 1997. Having an athlete as big (6-4, 210) as Newsome on the outside made passing easier to accomplish. Rushing yards: 2,341 | Passing yards: 1,769 | Touchdowns: 21 Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1979 Class); 2x DPoY; 6x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 8x Pro Bowl. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1972); 2x NFL Champion; 9x First-Team All-Pro; 1x Second-Team All-Pro; 11x Pro Bowl. Tackles: 327 | Fumble recoveries: 12 | Interceptions: 2 That was never a problem for Ditka, who led Pitt in receptions for three straight years and was a menacing defensive lineman and punter. . 1. 36. It also overshadowed a short but game-changing college legacy. Bertelli, a first-generation American from Springfield, Massachusetts, became known as the "Springfield Rifle" for his ability to throw the ball. Tony Boselli (T, USC, 1991-94) Taylor spent his first two injury-plagued seasons at North Carolina playing inside linebacker and nose guard. RANKED: The 25 Greatest Soccer Players Ever 25. Page was a consensus All-American at Notre Dame in 1966, when he helped the Fighting Irish win a national championship. 25 jersey when he graduated. He is the first quarterback to beat all 32 teams, and his three MVP years are the most times the award was consecutively received. He led Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, to a state championship as a senior, but his only scholarship offers were from Purdue and Kentucky. 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. Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr offered Arrington perhaps the greatest compliment a linebacker can receive when he compared Arrington to Lawrence Taylor. Passing yards: 9,349 | TD passes: 77 | Pass efficiency rating: 139.3 Deion Sanders (DB, Florida State, 1985-88) When not working, Rob can be found on the M6 travelling up to watch his (not so local) side Liverpool or out on his bike for hours on end probably listening to endless football podcasts. So, without further ado, let's jump right into the top-20 countdown. Sacks: 30.5 | Tackles for loss: 53 4 player in the 2024 class and the No. Before Staubach led America's Team in the NFL, he won the Heisman Trophy as Navy's quarterback in 1963. He finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting as a senior despite playing at the Division I-AA (FCS) level. 62. He brought modern love to the less glamorous side of football, and for that alone, he belongs here. 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. Peppers was a transcendent athlete who led the FBS in sacks in 2000 and also played 56 games for North Carolina's storied basketball program. But this list also celebrates peaks, and Sayers at his peak was as good as any running back to ever play in the NFL. He holds the all-time season passer rating record with 122.5, and holds the NFLs all-time lowest career interception percentage (1.4%). Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (1990); 4-time Super Bowl champion; 4-time First-team All-Pro (1971, 1974, 1980, 1982); 2-time Second-team All-Pro (1972, 1976); 8-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1994; 1977 Super Bowl Champion; 1977 Super Bowl MVP; 1st-team All-Pro (1978, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85); 9-time Pro Bowler. Champ Bailey (DB/AP, Georgia, 1996-98) Sanders, as a sophomore, backed up Thomas and led the nation in kickoff returns (31.6-yard average), in part by returning the first kickoff of the season for a touchdown. But who else makes the top 25? Asking for a goat," he tweeted. The blue-ribbon panel of 150 media members, college administrators, and former coaches and players who accepted the responsibility of selecting the best players in the history of the game are suckers for the ball handlers. "No Sooner player cast a longer shadow over its rich tradition than Lee Roy," Switzer said after Selmon died of a stroke in 2012. Achievements: 2-time AP Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 18); 1st-team All-Pro (2015, 16, 17, 18); 5-time Pro Bowler. The 2006 Biletnikoff Award winner's speed, hands, size and work ethic made him almost impossible to cover. As a senior, Glover had 100 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Bruce Smith (DE, Virginia Tech, 1981-84) It seems almost criminal, therefore, to list him this low, but quarterbacks are generally more historically remembered, and the greatest running back in NFL history is more iconic and is statistically comparable (even better in some cases) on a per-game basis. White's mental fortitude was on display in his final college game, the 1980 Rose Bowl, in which he carried the ball 39 times for 247 yards -- while battling the flu -- in a 17-16 victory over Ohio State. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1989); 4x Super Bowl Champion; 1x DPoY; 2x First-Team All-Pro; 4x Second-Team All-Pro; 1x AFC DPoY; 5x Pro Bowl. Electric. Marshall Faulk (RB, San Diego State, 1991-93) While not as statistically brilliant as his successors, Unitas place here is not simply nostalgic. Sammy Baugh (QB, TCU, 1934-36) Flutie put the Eagles in a major bowl (Cotton) for the first time in 42 years and returned Boston College to the college football map, a map that within the decade would include the Big East Conference. There went that dream. The Crimson didn't lose another game until 1915. 12. During his senior season in 1958, after leading his team to an unbeaten campaign, he won the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Trophy and was a unanimous All-American, a Rhodes Scholar, president of his senior class, and ranking cadet officer. When Blanchard was a sophomore, Army sealed a 23-7 victory against Navy with a nine-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. When Oklahoma adopted the Wishbone offense in 1970, Pruitt's first varsity season, it became readily apparent why. Boselli made All-American twice, capping his career by being named MVP of a team that won the Cotton Bowl. 1 overall. As a freshman, he split time with Turk Schonert in a 21-21 tie at No. We all know why OJ Simpson is ranked this low. 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. Parker, a cat-quick guard and menacing blocker, was the measuring stick for any lineman under legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes. Teams: Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2009); 2x DPoY; 8x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 11x Pro Bowl; 4x AFC DPoY. Otto Graham is one of the forgotten greats of the game if youre not a huge football fan, or a proper Cleveland Browns fan. Versatile. Roger Staubach, Herschel Walker and Jim Brown are among the greatest 11 players in college football history. He bypassed pro football to play 10 seasons in the NBA. Achievements: Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973; 2-time NFL champion (1958, 59); 1st-team All-Pro (1958, 59, 60); 6-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1991; 1979 AP MVP; NFL PFWA MVP (1978, 79); AP Offensive Player of the Year (1978, 1979, 1980); 1st-team All-Pro (1978, 79, 80); 5-time Pro Bowler, Teams: San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2015); 8-time First-team All-Pro (1991-1996, 1998, 2000); 2-time Second-team All-Pro (1997, 1999); NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992); NFL Man of the Year (1994); 12-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Achievements: Super Bowl XLV champion; 2009 Defensive Player of the Year; 3-time First-team All-Pro (1999, 2009, 2011); Four-time Second-team All-Pro (2000, 2008, 2010, 2015); nine pro bowls; NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Teams: San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (1978); Super Bowl VI champion; AFL Champion (1963); AFL Player of the Year (1963); 6-time First-team All-Pro (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968); Second-team All-Pro (1969); seven pro bowls, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1977); 2-time Super Bowl champ; 2-time Super Bowl MVP; 5-time NFL champ; 4-time Pro Bowl; first-team All-Pro (1966); 3-time second-team All-Pro (1961, 1962, 1964); NFL MVP (1966); holds the NFL record for the highest postseason passer rating (104.8), Achievements: 5-time First-team All-Pro (2012-2015, 2018); 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2012, 2014, 2015); Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2017); 5-time Pro Bowler; Pro Bowl Defensive MVP (2014); Bert Bell Award (2014); first player with multiple 20-sack seasons (2012, 2014), Achievements: 1st-team All-Pro (2008); 2-time 2nd-team All-pro (2009, 2011), 11-time Pro Bowler, Pro-Bowl MVP (2008); Holds NFL record for most seasons with 90+ receptions (8); Most TD receptions in a postseason (7 in 2008); Most receptions in a postseason (30 in 2008); Most receiving yards in a postseason (546 in 2008); Third all-time in career receptions (1,303); Second all-time in career receiving yards (16,279), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (1997); 5-time First-team All-pro (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983); Second-team All-Pro (1984); nine pro bowls, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (1988); 4-time Super Bowl champ; 6-time First-team All-Pro (1974-1979); 2-time Second-team All-Pro (1973, 1980); NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1975); 8-time Pro Bowler. Rushing yards: 3,768 | Rushing TDs: 44 | Receiving yards: 516 1 USC. He was the Browns greatest leader alongside Jim Brown, and his career extends beyond that to the prehistoric AAFC. 24. Big for his day at 6-1, 195, Berwanger nonetheless had 9.9 speed. The 1934 All-American perfected catching the ball in traffic and made the end around a devastating threat. Teams: Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2018); 1x Super Bowl Champion; 3x MVP; 1x OPoY; 4x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 6x Pro Bowl. That included an upset of national champion Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl, 14-12. Raiders. 20. In his last two seasons, Ogden not only helped make a two-time 1,000-yard rusher out of Karim Abdul-Jabbar, he also allowed a total of only two sacks. As a sophomore (1.004 yards), he broke the Pitt school rushing record. 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. One to sit on, one to think with. Former Oklahoma RB and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims recalls Barry Switzer recruiting him during halftime of an Oklahoma game. Alan Page (DE, Notre Dame, 1964-66) 67. Interceptions. He was the first sophomore to win the Walter Payton Award as the FCS Player of the Year. Plus, he had five interceptions on defense. Rushing yards: 4,450 | Rushing TDs: 47 | Yards per carry: 5.6 Rushing yards: 1,928 | Total offense: 3,582 | Touchdowns: 57 Beban and No. Roger Staubach (QB, Navy, 1962-64) 8, defensive end Doug Atkins at No. Rushing yards: 724 | Total offense: 2,169 yards | Interceptions by: 18 He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting. Presumably, rushing for 1,000 yards in seven of his first eight NFL seasons answered any remaining questions. 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. During his junior season, he caused nine turnovers, and he set a Miami record with 12 fumble recoveries in his career. Nobis was the only sophomore starter on Texas' 1963 national championship team -- and he still played both ways, at linebacker and guard, after the rules were changed in 1964 to allow two-platoon football. 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. He also ran for 444 yards and eight scores. In 1993, he was named USC's athletic director, a position he held until 2010. He once punted a ball, sprinted downfield, caught it, and ran it in for a touchdown. Jordan finished fourth in Heisman voting in 1962. Tackles: 107 | Tackles for loss: 33 Former Nebraska star Johnny Rodgers recalls returning a punt for a touchdown in the 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma game. Mike Singletary (LB, Baylor, 1977-80) as his initials imply, Terrell Owens earned 6 Pro Bowl invites and 5 First-team All-Pro selections in his 16 season stint in the NFL. Smith was well aware of his father's legacy at Arkansas. Manning gained 540 yards of total offense, an SEC record that stood for more than three decades, in a 33-32 loss. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1963; 2-time NFL champion (1937, 42); 1st-team All-Pro (1937, 40, 42, 43); 6-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2018; 2-time Super Bowl champion (2001, 2013); 2003 AP Defensive Player of the Year; 2000-01 Super Bowl MVP; ranks second in league history for solo tackles; 1st-team All-Pro (1999, 2000, 01, 03, 04, 08, 09); 13-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2018); 4-time First-team All-Pro (1998, 2000, 2003, 2007); NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1998); 6-time Pro Bowler; Pro Bowl MVP (1999); Holds NFL record for most TD receptions in a season (23); Holds NFL record for most TD receptions in a rookie season (17); Only player to catch 90+ touchdown passes, return a punt for a touchdown, and throw 2 touchdown passes, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1963; 3-time NFL champion (1936, 39, 44); 2-time NFL MVP (1941, 42); 1st-team All-Pro (1938, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45); 4-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2016); Super Bowl champ; 3-time first-team All-Pro (1995-1997); 3-time second-team All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2007); 11-time Pro Bowler (1992, 1993, 1995-1997, 2001-2003, 2007-2009); 3-time AP NFL MVP; 2nd in the NFL in career passing yards (71,838); Has the most career starts of any NFL player (298, 322 including the post season); 1st player to 500 career TD passes; 1st NFL QB to defeat 32 franchises. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2010); 1x MVP; 1x Super Bowl MVP; ORoY; 4x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 8x Pro Bowl; multiple records (rushing yards, touchdowns, attempts. Hendricks tallied 26 interceptions during his career, and. At 6-8, 305 pounds, Boselli rapidly remade the prototype of the ideal offensive tackle. According to Pitt's sports information department, the Panthers devised the term "pancake block" when tallying how many times Fralic put an opponent on his back. The shock came because Howard won it so easily, receiving 85 percent of the first-place votes. Nobis was a two-time All-American in 1964 and '65, averaged nearly 20 tackles per game and won the Outland Trophy and Maxwell Award as a senior. Passing yards: 10,796 | Passing TDs: 105 | Passing efficiency: 171.8 In 1980, he won the Maxwell Award as the country's best player, won the Lombardi Award as the best lineman and won the Walter Camp as the nation's most outstanding player. There can't really be any arguments, can there? PSG. Ronnie Lott 16. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't live for these moments.". Doc Blanchard (RB, Army, 1944-46) For all that Bennett accomplished in his Hall of Fame career, he remains best known among fans of Alabama (and Notre Dame) for his blindside, first-quarter sack of Fighting Irish quarterback Steve Beuerlein in 1986. Cam Newton (QB, Florida/Auburn, 2007-08/2010) He ran for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1972 and had 1,522 yards with 17 scores as a senior. He also took home the Lombardi Award in 1982. While playing for the Minnesota Vikings, Page graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School. Rushing yards: 2,844 | Rushing TDs: 35 | All-purpose yards: 3,990 Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (1986); Started 146 of 149 regular-season games. At 11, Dawkins contracted polio and was went through a then-unconventional treatment of aggressive physical therapy. Concrete Charlie, as he was named, is distinctive as the last and greatest of the NFLs 60-minute men. Enough said. 22. Julian Fadullon is an editorial writer, script editor, and video editor for ClutchPoints, primarily covering the NBA and NFL. LaDainian Tomlinson (RB, TCU, 1997-2000) Vick became the first overall pick of the 2000 NFL draft. All-purpose yards: 5,024 | Receiving yards: 2,493 | Touchdowns: 22 Notable accolades: 1x Super Bowl Champion; 1x Super Bowl MVP; 4x MVP; 4x First-Team All-Pro; Second-Team All-Pro; 10x Pro Bowl, NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. The only difference is that he won more. It's easy to believe that if Peterson had not come along during the Trojan Dynasty, he would have been another in the long line of Sooners who won the Heisman. 5. The next player on this list is more prototypical and more iconic/nostalgic in the sport of football, but Peyton, with his huge arm (and bigger forehead), is arguably the most talented quarterback, and player, in NFL history. He scored 61 points in 1943, a Northwestern record that lasted 43 years. Davis scored two touchdowns, intercepted a pass to set up the other one, and scored two 2-point conversions. His championships came before the Super Bowl era, relegating him to the prehistory of modern football. Ferenc Puskas 6. Passing yards: 2,094 | TD passes: 18 | Total offense: 2,532 yards Lionel Messi has been named the greatest footballer of all time following his World Cup win. The Downtown Athletic Club bestowed the Heisman name to the award after John Heisman died the following year. Doug Williams (QB, Grambling, 1974-77) Charlie Ward (QB, Florida State, 1989-93) 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. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1980); 1x Super Bowl Champion; 7x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 11x Pro Bowl. As the Lions' left halfback from 1936 to '38, Luckman completed 180 passes for 2,413 yards and 20 touchdowns. Youll see a few more of these before this list is through. Teams: New England Patriots; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Notable accolades: 7x Super Bowl Champion (1st All-Time); 5x Super Bowl MVP (1st All-Time); 3x MVP; 3x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 2x OPoY; 15x Pro-Bowl; multiple Super Bowl, playoff & regular season records. Boselli made All-Pac-10 as a freshman, when the Trojans went 3-8. Olsen is tied with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Bruce Matthews and Tony Gonzalez), Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (2017); NFL Most Valuable Player (2006); NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2006); 3-time First-team All-pro (2004, 2006, 2007); 2-time Second-team All-pro (2002, 2003); five pro bowls, Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (1987); 2-time Super Bowl champion; AFL Champion; 5-time First-team All-pro (1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1977); 4- time Second-team All-pro (1972, 1973, 1975, 1976); seven pro bowls, Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers. The two-time unanimous All-American is the only player in FBS history with consecutive 300-yard rushing games. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2004; two-time Super Bowl champion (1998, 99); 1989 AP MVP; 1998 Super Bowl MVP; 1992 Walter Payton Man of the Year; 9-time Pro Bowler; Achievements: Inducted into Pro Footbal HOF 2010; 18,355 rushing yards, No. Derrick Thomas (LB, Alabama, 1985-88) The easy way to check the best players in the world . In the next 10 minutes, he ran for scores of 67, 56 and 44 yards. He ran for 147 yards before leaving for good. Carter only got better, making All-American three times and winning the Big Ten Silver Football (MVP) as a senior. Although Bo also brought Herschel to mind with his combination of speed and power, Bo, unlike Herschel, had a little shimmy when he needed it. Passing yards:3,384 | TD passes: 39 | Punting average: 40.9 | Interceptions by: 10 60. Passing yards: 9,285 | Rushing yards: 2,947 | Total TDs: 145 (88 pass/57 rush) Approximately two-thirds of the 150 greatest players took the field from the 1960s through the 1990s. 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. His name is synonymous with speed, footwork, and quickness, and he is rightfully cited as a high comp for every smaller back with turbojets in the league (re: Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey). He won the 1979 Heisman Trophy after leading the country in rushing with 1,803 yards and 18 touchdowns. Four other Trojans tailbacks would follow his path. Perhaps best known as a commentator on Monday Night Football and for his acting roles in the TV sitcom "Webster" and film "Blazing Saddles," Karras was a menacing tackle at Iowa and for the Detroit Lions. Billy Cannon (RB, LSU, 1957-59) List of the best NFL players of all time, including the greatest all-time football stars like Jerry Rice, Reggie White, and Barry Sanders. Nearly four decades later, college football remains on a first-name basis with the 1985 Heisman winner. Here's how much impact Singletary made on the Baylor program during his four seasons with the Bears: As soon as he graduated, the school created the Mike Singletary Award, which is given to the senior player who epitomizes "contribution to Baylor football while bringing honor to the school both on and off the field." Punting. Calvin Johnson (WR, Georgia Tech, 2004-06) What makes Jerry Rices case unique is his longevity and extended excellence. The shock came not because Howard won the 1991 Heisman, the first end to do so in 42 seasons. He had wanted to do a flip into the end zone to impress his girlfriend. 2 the next season. 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. He averaged nearly 7 yards per carry at Oklahoma. Four plays later, he did it again. Rushing yards: 1,666 | Touchdowns: 38 | Interceptions by: 7
