There are many reasons why college football has such nationwide popularity. It’s fun. It’s entertaining. It's unpredictable, yet it raises high expectations. Overall, a lot about football has immense power over us. However, there is one component to this sport that absolutely wins over others. Of course, we are speaking about football players. They are the real stars of the show. College football would have never become such a national treasure without many and many great players in it. We have been obsessing over football stars for over a century at this point. So why not do it a bit more? Here are the top ten greatest college football players of all time. Let’s see who those stars are (in no particular order).
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Barry Sanders, Oklahoma St.
Who else should start such a list if not Barry Sanders, a man who did 37 touchdowns? Yes, you read that last piece right. However, this number will rise to 109 in total touchdowns if you consider his college years, receiving touchdowns, etc. Sanders was a true hero on the field. Unfortunately, he ended his career too early to beat national records. However, there is no need for long titles when looking at the legacy he left behind.
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Dick Butkus, Illinois
This is one of a few lucky players who got an award named after him. Indeed, linebackers of all professional levels have received the Butkus award for almost fifty years now. That’s how well Dick Butkus has shown himself in the field. This college star excelled at every position and chance he’s ever gotten and was picked third in the 1965 NFL Draft.
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Herschel Walker, Georgia
Walker was the absolute football star in college. Nothing was on his way. He was destined to become a professional football player. However, first, he needed to win his Heisman Trophy (1982) and even get into the College Football Hall of Fame. In his professional career, he did 12 seasons in six different teams, being a fine addition to each one of them. He retired from the NFL with 49 touchdowns, 5,259 yards in total, and many awards.
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Jim Brown, Syracuse
Jim Brown dominated the football field in the 1950s. One of the greatest players to ever been picked by the NFL, Brown had a rather slow start in college (perhaps because he also participated in three other college sports teams at the same time!). Unlike some of the names on the list, he wasn’t the most obvious shot for greatness. Yet, here we are. Though, he still made history in football, prioritizing this sport after winning some type of award in every other team he ever played for.
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Earl Campbell, Texas
Many know Earl Campbell for his brilliant career in the NFL. However, his glory days were much earlier, when Campbell was a college player. After all, he didn’t get picked first in the draft for nothing. Campbel was already an All-American and Heisman trophy holder at the time. These records already speak for themselves.
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Archie Griffin, Ohio State
The Ohio State University has seven Heisman Trophies on its record. Two of which earned Archie Griffin. He surely made the school proud. In fact, his immense legacy still haunts the school and all its football players to this day. It’s not easy to compete with Griffin’s high performance. His speed, determination, and power made him unstoppable before his opponents.
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Bo Jackson, Auburn
Bo Jackson casts a long shadow on everyone who follows his steps. Being that good, motivated, and disciplined played a big role in his career. In fact, Bo is the only athlete to have an All-Star in two sports! His second passion was baseball, and he was able to run these two careers at the same time. Meanwhile, he was unstoppable on the football field with his 4,303 yards and 43 touchdowns.
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Tony Dorsett, Pitt
Dorsett finished college with quite a bang, which included 22 rushing touchdowns, 1 receiving touchdown, and 2,150 rushing yards! Needless to say, he earned his first Heisman that year (1976). Frankly, if you have time, you better find some old footage of this college legend and have football nights at home. You can leave your assignments with writepaperfor.me if you need some extra time.
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Marcus Allen, USC
Maybe Marcus’ career at USC wasn’t the most prominent one at first. It is true that he never played the leading role on the field in the first two years. However, such a slow start only made his breakthrough even more memorable. Who would forget a junior who finished a year with 15 touchdowns all of a sudden? By 1981 no one was surprised that he earned a Heisman trophy for his jaw-dropping results.
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Tim Tebow, Florida
Last but not least, Tim Tebow has forever carved his name in college football. One of the best quarterbacks of his time, Tebow rightfully earned not one but two Heisman Trophies during his four years of college. Plus, by this time had also played in two national championships! That’s an impressive start for a college footballer.
