Emmitt Smith (RB, Florida, 1987-89) 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. 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. Those who saw him play make Mr. Outside's long list of records read like the dry text that it is. The 1934 All-American perfected catching the ball in traffic and made the end around a devastating threat. In 1937, the Heisman runner-up led the nation in four major statistical categories: scoring, rushing, total offense and all-purpose yards. In 1993, he was named USC's athletic director, a position he held until 2010. Lattner's 3,095 all-purpose yards topped Notre Dame's record book until Vagas Ferguson in 1979. 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. Hornung remains the only player to win the Heisman for a losing team. Versatile. White excelled on the field and in the classroom at Colorado. But it was about more than stats for the 2014 Heisman winner. As a senior, he made all-state. He had a Cinderella story of his own: The son of blind Mexican American parents, Plunkett became a great American success story. In a league that featured the power running of USC and the West Coast offense of Stanford, Easley brought the size and speed necessary to deal with both. Ronnie Lott (DB, USC, 1977-80) As a Navy pilot, stationed on an aircraft carrier off the Venezuelan coast, his plane developed mechanical problems on a training flight. Receiving yards: 404 | Touchdowns: 3 Tony Dorsett (RB, Pitt, 1973-76) Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2011); Super Bowl champion; 3-time First-team All-Pro (1999-2001); 3-time Second-team All-Pro (1994, 1995, 1998); NFL MVP (2000); 3-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1999-2001); NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1994); 7-time Pro Bowler; one of only 3 NFL players to amass at least 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards; only player to accumulate 12,000 rushing and 6,000 receiving yards; only NFL RB with 100+ rushing and 30+ receiving TDs; holds NFL career record for most games with a rushing and receiving TD (15). 22. 54. He set a school record by throwing 131 touchdown passes. Former Oklahoma RB and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims recalls Barry Switzer recruiting him during halftime of an Oklahoma game. Lujack, the only player between Blanchard and the end zone, made a diving tackle at the Army 36 to save the touchdown. Pittsburgh coach Jackie Sherrill once said Green had only one speed: full speed. 1 overall pick in the 1976 NFL draft. He became a Rhodes Scholar and was No. Reid also excelled as a heavyweight wrestler and shortened his NFL career in order to pursue his love of music. Barry Sanders 4. During his senior season in 1980, he set a UNC record with 16 sacks to go with six other tackles for loss and 69 tackles in total. Not many could. 13. 99. Bill Fralic (T, Pitt, 1981-84) 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 give Switzer credit; he had a 6-foot-3, 248-pound player who had the speed, the moves and the hands to play tight end. Tackles: 176 | Sacks: 19.5 Walker ran for 150 yards with two touchdowns -- after separating his shoulder -- in a 17-10 win over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. He was thought of so highly that Dallas drafted him second, ahead of Jackson State tailback Walter Payton. While not as statistically brilliant as his successors, Unitas place here is not simply nostalgic. 65. The rebuilding of USC football in the early 1990s just might have begun with the signing of Boselli, who didn't sign with his home-state, national-champion Colorado Buffaloes in order to go to USC. Hannah was also the best lineman to ever play at Alabama, earning All-America honors in 1971 and '72 and winning the Jacobs Award as the sport's best blocker as a senior. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1987 Class); 4x Super Bowl Champion; 2x DPoY; DRoY; 1x MoY; 5x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 10x Pro Bowl. Hayes used to tell his players you either get better or you get worse. Interceptions: 14 | Punt return TDs: 3 | Punt return yards: 1,429 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. 145. He could make more money in private business than he could playing for George Halas and the Chicago Bears. As Florida's quarterback, Spurrier was an All-American twice. 81. Woodson's versatility and big-play ability allowed him to become the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman since the sport moved to a two-platoon system in the early 1960s. Zico 15. "Nobody in college football can block him." "He's so fast, agile and competitive." Tackles: 251 | Blocked kicks: 4 The 50 greatest defensive NFL players of all time | Yardbarker He was the Chargers' team MVP in 1987. As a senior, he finished runner-up to Notre Dame end Leon Hart. The next season, Robinson had 28 tackles against Air Force. Even more impressive, McNair brought his team back from 11 fourth-quarter deficits to win. He was also a ball hawk in the defensive backfield, making 10 career picks. The marquee name of the Chicago Bears defense in the 1980s (known as the Monsters of the Midway), Singletary was one of the most feared and yet most respected defenders in the NFL. Eric Dickerson (RB, SMU, 1979-82) In four seasons, he ran for 2,341 yards, a school record that stood until 1978. The only reason that Dickerson never won the Heisman is that he had the misfortune of playing at the same time as Marcus Allen and Herschel Walker. He ran for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1972 and had 1,522 yards with 17 scores as a senior. 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). Faulk went a long way toward making freshmen more plausible candidates for the Heisman. 111. 36. He is Nebraska's all-time leader with 25 touchdown catches and 1,515 punt return yards. 35. Beban may be the classic example of the bromide, "All he could do was beat you." Nevers ran for 114 yards on 34 carries in the Cardinal's 27-10 loss to Notre Dame, which was only 13 fewer yards than the combined total of the famed Four Horsemen. Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2016); Super Bowl champ; 3-time First-team All-Pro (1999, 2002, 2006); 5-time Second-team All-Pro (2000, 2001, 2003-2005); 8-time Pro Bowl selection; Holds multiple NFL receiving records including most receptions in a single season (143), most consecutive seasons of 1,000+ all-purpose yards and 10+ TD receptions (8), first player to record two seasons of 1,600 yards receiving in NFL history, (1999 & 2002); also holds multiple records with Peyton Manning as a QB/WR pair. Dan Marino 17. We all know why OJ Simpson is ranked this low. Baker Mayfield (QB, Texas Tech/Oklahoma, 2013/2015-17) Tackles: 445 | Interceptions: 11 | Kickoff return yards: 1,535 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. Hart was a three-time All-American and won the Maxwell Award in his final season. Ndamukong Suh (DL, Nebraska, 2005-09) Theyll never get it, of course, but without a decent line, all the talent in the world wouldnt be able to generate quality offense. Similarly to other players at this point of the list with their own teams, the Bears wouldnt be where they are without Butkus. 37. He passed for 4,848 yards with 36 touchdowns and averaged 40.3 yards punting during his career. For two seasons, Thomas played with Cornelius Bennett. Jack Tatum (DB, Ohio State, 1968-70) 86. A Native American icon, and the AP greatest athlete from the first half of the 1900s, Thorpe is deified as one of the greatest and most versatile athletes in modern history. As a senior, Marinaro made every All-America team, won the Maxwell Award and finished second for the Heisman. Rushing yards: 1,473 | Passing yards: 2.854 | TDs responsible for: 50 He became the first African American justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1992. Ozzie Newsome (WR, Alabama, 1974-77) Click through the photo gallery below of the top 25 players in Bears history, a list that also includes Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Devin Hester, Mike . He was an All-American and won the Outland Trophy in 1995. 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. 29. Billy Sims (RB, Oklahoma, 1975-79) His school total-offense record (which doesn't include 1,794 return yards or his 42.6 punting average) stood for 45 seasons. The 50 Greatest Footballers of All Time - Sports Illustrated He finished his UCLA career with a school-record 468 tackles, which is the second-highest school total today. [3] Of special note is punter Jeff Feagles, who . Dickerson is remembered as Exhibit A for the lawlessness that ruled the Southwest Conference in the early 1980s. The 1982 consensus All-American is SMU's all-time leader in rushing yards, total TDs and 100-yard rushing games. France. Hannah played 13 seasons for the New England Patriots and was named to the all-time NFL team. 41. Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1980; Super Bowl Champion (1972); 1st-team All-Pro (1964, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71); 11-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (2019); Super Bowl Champion; 5-time First-team All-Pro (2004, 2006-2008, 2010); 3-time Second-team All-Pro (2003, 2009, 2011); 9-time Pro Bowler; NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2004); Tied for Most Career Playoff Interceptions (9); Longest Interception Return in NFL History (107 yards); Most Career Interception Return Yards (1,590); First player in NFL history to return an interception, punt, blocked punt and fumble for a TD; Holds the record for most multi-interception games in a career (12); Tied for most career blocked punts returned for TD (3), Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1974); 7-time first-team All-Pro (1956-1957, 1959-1963); 7 Pro Bowls; 4th most interceptions in NFL history (68); most interceptions in a season in NFL history (14), Teams: San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Achievements: Super Bowl XLIV champion; 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011); First-team All-pro (2006); 12 pro bowls, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1972; 2-time NFL champion (1958, 59); 1st-team All-Pro (1957, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64); 11-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons. 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. He is the only athlete to ever compete in both a Super Bowl and World Series, and it is this distinction that is a testament to his greatness. All-purpose yards: 6,987 | Rushing yards: 3,922 | Touchdowns: 33 The Lott IMPACT Trophy is given to the sport's impact defensive player each season. What is not up for debate are the numbers that illustrate his production. He had three straight 200-yard rushing games in the final month of the 1973 season, helping Penn State finish 12-0. Grange was a three-time consensus All-American and in the inaugural College Football Hall of Fame class. Keyes helped lead the Boilermakers to a share of the 1967 Big Ten title, which they have won exactly once in the 52 years since. Meanwhile while commentating on the match, Alan Shearer admitted that an Argentina victory would see Messi eclipse Maradona. After the team dropped consecutive Orange Bowls in the 1992 and '93 seasons, Frazier's junior season in 1994 was nearly derailed by blood clots. 102. "Deion Sanders, no doubt about it," Bowden says. Tim Tebow ? 128. In just two seasons at Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald made his mark as one of the greatest pass-catchers in FBS history. Rushing yards: 2,704 | Yards per carry: 5.4 | Touchdowns: 46 He was also honored by the National Football Foundation as one of the country's top scholar athletes. The story of the Cowboys scout and prospect son Dallas just drafted, 150 media members, college administrators, and former coaches and players, The 150 greatest teams in college football's 150-year history, The 150 greatest games in college football history, The 150 greatest coaches in college football's 150-year history, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 107. Rushing yards: 4,450 | Rushing TDs: 47 | Yards per carry: 5.6 He was already named to the NFL 100 in 2019, but after smashing the massively favored Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on his first try with a brand new team, he silenced all questions about his individual greatness. Reggie Bush (RB, USC, 2005) His records are very much untouched, and his production remained even with Aikman and Irvin eating up possessions. Rushing yards: 2,341 | Passing yards: 1,769 | Touchdowns: 21 Billy Cannon (RB, LSU, 1957-59) Rushing yards: 3,169 | Receiving yards: 1,301 | All-purpose yards 6,617 We have all top 25 action listed below, including links to live scores and stats, plus how to watch every game. Numbers. The two-time consensus All-American finished second and fourth in his last two Heisman races. Johan Cruyff 5. Selmon, along with his older brothers Dewey and Lucious, were among nine children raised on a farm at Eufaula, Oklahoma. That's exactly what Singletary, a menacing linebacker, did. Ryan Giggs. NFL's best players ever at every offensive position - ESPN 140. The 5-9, 169-pound McDonald made up for a lack of size with distinctive athletic skills. 34 in 1992 -- as if we didn't know no one could fill that jersey. As a junior, Walker won the 1948 Heisman Trophy by doing it all: He rushed, threw or caught 1,119 yards of total offense. In his three seasons, Army went 27-0-1 and finished No. Tackles: 229 | Tackles for loss: 63 Teams: Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians, Rock Island Independents, New York Giants, Chicago Cardinals, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1963); 1x First-Team All-Pro. He was born in the Ohio State campus hospital, within sight of the Horseshoe where he would become a Buckeyes legend. Michael Vick (QB, Virginia Tech, 1999-2000) In the era of one-platoon football, Cannon could do pretty much anything on the football field (and he wasn't bad off of it -- he could heave the shot put over 54 feet). He was at his best on the sport's biggest stage. Ranked! The 100 best football players of all time As a freshman, he caught a 45-yard touchdown as time expired to beat Indiana, 27-21. As one of OSU's "Super Sophomores" in 1968, Tatum helped lead the Buckeyes to a 10-0 record, Rose Bowl victory and national championship. 1. His ranking here is still debatable and should be a credit to those ranked above him, rather than a knock on his legacy. 3. Griffin changed his coach's mind, perhaps by rushing for a school-record 239 yards in the second game of the season. He had 216 rushing yards in an 18-12 loss to Tennessee in the 1966 Gator Bowl. 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. 1 UCLA to lead the No. 3 USC, 21-20, in 1967. 74. Robinson gave him the ball 403 times -- more than 36 carries per game -- and Allen gained nearly 6 yards per rush. Arizona basketball recruiting: Five-star SF Carter Bryant, 2024's No. 4 Sanders stayed under the radar while in Stillwater, in part because the Cowboys also had a back named Thurman Thomas. How the Guardian ranked the 100 best male footballers in the world 2021. His four-year rushing totals: 1,863 yards as a freshman, 1,421 as a sophomore, 1,279 as a junior and 1,834 as a senior. As a sophomore, he threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns to lead Stanford to a 31-14 upset win at No. "Would it put an end to the debate of Maradona or Messi? Here's how much impact Luck had on Stanford's football program: When Luck departed for the NFL draft after his junior season, an anonymous donor endowed the team's offensive coordinator and changed the job title to the Andrew Luck Director of Offense. Peyton Manning (QB, Tennessee, 1994-97) David Beckham 19. Smith, an east Texas native and an African American, came along too soon to play in the Southwest Conference. Former Pitt RB Tony Dorsett is moved when remembering the respect he was shown by Navy during a 1976 game. If youre looking for the progenitor of the modern, juggernaut Steelers, look no further. Take Munoz, for example. He is the first quarterback to beat all 32 teams, and his three MVP years are the most times the award was consecutively received. During his three-year collegiate career, Walker set 41 Georgia, 16 SEC and 11 NCAA records. Chris Spielman (LB, Ohio State, 1984-87) Cam Newton (QB, Florida/Auburn, 2007-08/2010) Deion Sanders (DB, Florida State, 1985-88) Otto Graham (QB, Northwestern, 1941-43) But Mullen is a shrewd judge of talent. By the end of his freshman year, however, the quiet, hardworking Ham had established himself as the bell cow of the recruiting class. 1 pick by the St. Louis Rams in the 1997 NFL draft. Ernie Nevers (RB, Stanford, 1923-25) Robinson was a three-time All-American, and the Downtown Athletic Club of New York named him linebacker of the year in 1977 and '78. The two-time first-team All-American helped the Irish to the 1988 national title and a 12-1 mark in 1989. 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. Randy Moss 11. Claiborne was a smart coach. 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. The. Darrell Royal won a fierce recruiting battle for the Tyler (Texas) Rose, as Campbell would become known. The 11 Nagurskis would be a mop-up. In top-level association football competitions, 24 players have scored 500 or more goals over the course of their career in both club and international football, according to research by the IFFHS, first published in 2007. 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. The reigning holder of the NFLs single-season rushing record (2,105), Eric Dickerson amassed 13,000 career rushing yards and nearly broke the 2,000 rushing-yard benchmark his rookie year, despite playing only 14 games. Saturday, Jan. 11 at 3 p.m. Now that we're a few years removed from the NFL's 100th Anniversary and the GOAT Tom Brady just recently retired, it's time to update our rankings of the 50 Greatest NFL Players of all time.. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2018); 2x Super Bowl Champion; 1x Super Bowl MVP; 2x DPoY; 7x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 13x Pro Bowl. College softball top 25 scores, schedule, TV info | NCAA.com Teams: Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1980); 2x DPoY; 5x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 8x Pro Bowl. 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. 106. His hard work and heart were famous, as he notably made a switch to OT briefly to understand how to beat blockers. When Blanchard was a sophomore, Army sealed a 23-7 victory against Navy with a nine-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (1968. With President John F. Kennedy watching from the stands, Jordan might have produced the greatest individual performance in a bowl game in Alabama's 17-0 shutout of Oklahoma in the 1963 Orange Bowl. The two-time first-team All-American leads the Yellow Jackets in eight categories, including receiving yards (2,927), touchdown passes (28) and 100-yard receiving games (13). He also played heavy minutes as a punter and DB, probably due to the relative size of the league back then. Receiving yards: 742 | TD catches: 13 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." Herschel Walker (RB, Georgia, 1980-82) Bertelli, a first-generation American from Springfield, Massachusetts, became known as the "Springfield Rifle" for his ability to throw the ball. Ray Lewis 13. Who are the best soccer players of all time? - NBC Sports Boston Lionel Messi is a football player from Argentina who plays for FC Barcelona. 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. Accolades: 3-time All-Pro Championships: 1 Red Badgro was one of a kind, he did it all way before Bo Jackson. Tommie Frazier (QB, Nebraska, 1992-95) 129. Early in his junior season, he ran for 269 yards against Arkansas State and 300 against San Jose State. But in a Big Ten Conference that still viewed the forward pass with a raised eyebrow, Carter wreaked havoc. During his three seasons, the Buckeyes won 23 of 28 games, captured back-to-back Big Ten titles in 1954 and '55 and claimed the 1954 national championship. Reggie White (DE, Tennessee, 1980-83) Tommy Nobis (LB, Texas, 1963-65) 61. Passing yards: 6,040 | Rushing yards: 3,127 | Total TDs: 81 (37 rush/44 pass) Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1985); 2x Super Bowl Champion; 1x Super Bowl MVP; 1x MVP; 1x Second-Team All-Pro; 6x Pro Bowl; MoY; Bert Bell Award.
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top 25 football players of all time