Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Top 50 College Players?

The top 50 college football players of all time, according to Jason Fletcher of www.RantSports.com
 
You see so few lists of college football players that I had to study this one. There are numerous questionable selections though the top 25 is relatively solid. A year or two ago ESPN ranked John Hannah in the top five, yet he is not mentioned by Fletcher. Just because a receiver or quarterback recently broke college records playing for a pass happy school doesn’t mean he was a better college player than Jerry Rice or Anthony Carter, two of several notable omissions. Several recent players were listed with notations that their records have already been broken. Were the players really that good?
 
50. Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech 5
49. David Klingler QB Houston 7 1990
48. Brian Bosworth LB Oklahoma 44 1986
47. Howard Twilley WR Tulsa 81 1965
46. Reggie Bush RB Southern Cal 5 2005
45. OJ Simpson RB Southern Cal 32 1968
44. Derrick Thomas LB Alabama 55 1988
43. Ty Detmer QB Brigham Young 14 1991
42. Trevor Insley WR Nevada 87
41. LaDainian Tomlinson RB Texas Christian 5 2000
40. Billy Sims RB Oklahoma 20 1978
39. Leon Hart DE Notre Dame 82 1949
38. Merlin Olsen 71 Utah State 71 1961
37. Hugh Green DE Pittsburgh 99 1980
36. Orlando Pace OT Ohio State 1996
35. Ryan Broyles WR Oklahoma 85
34. Case Keenum QB Houston 7
33. Mike Singletary LB Baylor 63
32. Lee Roy Selmon DT Oklahoma 93 1988
31. Marcus Allen RB Southern Cal 33 1981
30. Chuck Bednarik C/LB Penn 60 1948
29. Tommy Nobis LB Texas 60 1965
28. Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska 93 2009
27. Ron Dayne RB Wisconsin 33 1999
26. Charles Woodson DB Michigan 2 1997
25. Deion Sanders DB Florida State 2 1988
24. Ernie Davis RB Syracuse 44 1961
23. Dave Rimington C Nebraska 50 1982
22. Ronnie Lott S Southern Cal 42 1979
21. Vince Young QB Texas 10 2005
20. Al Brosky DB Illinois
19. Randy Moss WR Marshall 88 1997
18. Bronko Nagurski RB/DT Minnesota 1929
17. Howard Hopalong Cassady RB/DB Ohio State 40 1955
16. Glenn Davis RB Army 41 1946
15. Dick Butkus LB Illinois 1964
14. Doc Blanchard FB Army 35 1945
13. Earl Campbell RB Texas 20 1977
12. Bo Jackson RB Auburn 34 1985
11. Sammy Baugh QB/P Texas Christian 33 1936
10. Tony Dorsett RB Pittsburgh 33 1976
9. Jim Thorpe RB/DB/K/P Carlisle 1912
8. Tommie Frazier QB Nebraska 15 1995
7. Tim Tebow QB Florida 15 2008
6. Doak Walker RB Southern Methodist 1948
5. Red Grange RB Illinois
4. Archie Griffin RB Ohio State
3. Roger Staubach QB Navy 12 1963 (above)
2. Barry Sanders RB Oklahoma State 21 1988
1. Herschel Walker RB Georgia 34 1982
 
Fletcher correctly notes that Barry Sanders' second place ranking could be a stretch, since he only had one great season.

Notable omissions: Jim Brown, Mike Ditka, Tom Harmon, Paul Hornung, Sam Huff, Calvin Johnson, Archie Manning, Peyton Manning, Marcus Mariota, Tommy McDonald, Jim Parker, Walter Payton, Johnny Rodgers, Gale Sayers, Lawrence Taylor, Norm Van Brocklin, Pat White, Doug Williams, Ricky Williams.  

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