Greatest College Players to Not Make it Big in the NFL

[Boomer.....]

ESPN is has an article called Simply Saturday listing the top 50 greatest college football players that never made it big in the NFL. They are releasing 10 at a time. I'm sure a bunch of Sooners will be on the list.

So far:
45- Jason White
43 - Steve Owens

http://espn.go.com/ncf/feature/video/_/id/6681950/simply-saturday

[sooneron]

Interesting...

I would have guessed that JW would be higher. He had two monster seasons for us.

[Boomer.....]

I'm sure Boz and Dupree will be very high on the list.

[ouleaf]

Rashaan Salaam - 42
Eric Crouch -41

If those two and Jason and Steve are that far up the list, I'm really intrigued which guys they have below them....all 4 of those guys had great college careers.

[Mississippi Sooner]

We had several quarterbacks back in the wishbone days who had great college careers but had little chance of making it in the NFL. Wasn't JC Watts the Orange Bowl MVP two years in a row?

[sooneron]

I'm sure Boz may be somewhere in the top 20... Just their way at getting another dig at him.

[rekamrettuB]

Ty Detmer
Andre Ware
Tony Mandarich
Troy Davis (running back from Iowa St)
Trev Alberts
Ryan Leaf
Boz
QB of Miami Hurricanes in 2000-2002 era...Ken Drosey?

Just a few.

[bmjlr]

I'm sure Boz may be somewhere in the top 20... Just their way at getting another dig at him.

^^^this

[JLEW1818]

hope we are not getting "busts" confused with guy who just didn't have NFL talent to begin with.

J. White and Crouch never had a chance in the NFL

Boz did

[agoo758]

hope we are not getting "busts" confused with guy who just didn't have NFL talent to begin with.

J. White and Crouch never had a chance in the NFL

Boz did

BOZ had a career ending injury. Can't completely fault him on that.

[rekamrettuB]

hope we are not getting "busts" confused with guy who just didn't have NFL talent to begin with.

J. White and Crouch never had a chance in the NFL

Boz did

We aren't getting anything confused. ESPN is setting the parameters. I believe "busts" will be there too. I would say Hart Lee Dykes had NFL talent. He's on the list. It's simply the best college football players of all time that didn't have NFL success.

[rekamrettuB]

BOZ had a career ending injury. Can't completely fault him on that.

True. But the very first picture mentions that you make this list if you had injuries, military obligations, etc. It doesn't narrow its scope for any reason. I would think folks like Archie Griffin (7 seasons and less than 650 yards per season both rushing and receiving) would make the list. Billy Sims maybe. Not sure if they are taking into account where they should have ended up despite the injury. Billy had a great career while he was playing but it was shortened by the injury.

Lawrence Phillips
Ron Dayne
Danny Weurful
Charlie Ward

A lot of skill position players come to mind. I really like this list but dislike it at the same time cause these guys were fun to watch while playing college ball.

[agoo758]

Charlie Ward



Would you call someone who went to the NBA instead of the NFL "not making it in the NFL"? :P

[Breadburner]

Dupree

[Dwight]

#34- J.C. Watts

[rekamrettuB]

Would you call someone who went to the NBA instead of the NFL "not making it in the NFL"? :P

Same with players who didn't go to the NFL for military reasons I guess.

[MI Sooner]

Under Stoops, I think we've had at least six national award winners who, using the standard ESPN appears to be using, didn't "make it" in the NFL.

Thatcher (Tatupu (special teams))
Calmus (Butkus)
Lehman (Butkus)
Strait (Nagurski)
Heupel (Camp)
White (Heisman)

Any others?

[badger]

Except for the big historic franchises in huge markets with diehard fanbases, it's almost better to be a great college player because of the longevity of your "career," which will likely extend far beyond your playing days.

In the NFL, you get chewed up and spit out within three years, on average. What do you do next? Maybe some autograph sessions, but many fans will likely forget your pro days, especially if they didn't last very long.

At the college level, universities employ their alumni, fanbases remember your glory years, programs honor your legacies and proclaim your awards. Sure, you're likely only there for about four years, maybe three if you turn pro early, maybe 6 if your knees turn pro early, but having a great college career can set you for life.

[Peach Fuzz]

^^ Spot freakin on... nvm :)

[tfoolry]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2292/2385888014_b1aa7e5825.jpg

[tfoolry]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/multimedia/photo_gallery/0909/si.cover.history.september27/images/006273979.jpg

[badger]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2292/2385888014_b1aa7e5825.jpg

:mad:
http://bradlaidman.com/wp-content/uploads/bbdance571.jpg

Could have had many other good players, including Barry Sanders :mad:

[Mad Dog Madsen]

:mad:
Could have had many other good players, including Barry Sanders :mad:

I'll throw a little salt in the wound. :D 4 of those first 5 picks ended up having Hall of Fame career's... Tony Mandarich was the guy who didn't.

[Okie35]

I'll throw a little salt in the wound. :D 4 of those first 5 picks ended up having Hall of Fame career's... Tony Mandarich was the guy who didn't.

It was the roids.

[gunsalus]

Tim Tebow
Vince Young
Matt Leinart

[DenverSooner751]

Tim Tebow
Vince Young
Matt Leinart

In all fairness, Teabag hasn't had long enough yet to be declared a "bust" by these standards. By the standard of being a first round pick that Denver had to do some navigating of their strategy to move up and get him....yes, it's be an underwhelming start. However, I would contest the view that he be viewed the same as Lionfart and Wonderlic.

That being said, I think he'll fail miserably. :)

Also, the Denver lovefest with him has at times been very annoying!

[rekamrettuB]

Leinart's a good one.

[goingoneight]

hope we are not getting "busts" confused with guy who just didn't have NFL talent to begin with.

J. White and Crouch never had a chance in the NFL

Boz did

... and as stated MANY times before, Jason BARELY decided to come back and play football at OU after his history of injuries. The knees did him in. With no offense to him, USC showed that he couldn't make a living off of just pocket passing and stepping up. In fact, fan favorite Chuck Long recruited him AND convinced him NOT to quit in Spring 2003 when he said the pain in his right knee was too much to go on.

SOOOOO... maybe we can look at that bronze stiff-arm statue and think to ourselves that maybe... just maybe Chuck Long did a few good things during his time here.

It wasn't a lack of talent, he just wouldn't have held up against the thugs that no doubt would have geared for his knees from day one in the NFL.

[PLaw]

hope we are not getting "busts" confused with guy who just didn't have NFL talent to begin with.

J. White and Crouch never had a chance in the NFL

Boz did

Boz shoulder injury KO'd him.

[SoonerofAlabama]

Unfortunately for Boz, the most significant part of his career was the Monday Night Football game. Seahawks @ Raiders on the goal line. He goes against Bo Jackson and gets trucked. Just awful. And then he got hurt and his career was over.

[goingoneight]

Here's a few that I plead ignorance on.

Zac Robinson (I would have to say size and arm strength just wasn't there. Character and athleticism definitely were)
Adarius Bowman (people used to go to Canada to dodge the draft, he went to Canada because the draft dodged him)
Derrick Strait (what happened with him? Was it injury or did he just never really catch on with anybody?)
Torrance Marshall (I remember him being a buh-dass in college, and next thing I know, he's in arena ball... what was the story here?)
Rashaun Woods

Also add:
... any and all Mike Leach QBs
Heupel was an All-American, but we all knew his story and saw that one coming pretty much.
Snoop Minnis from FSU

[UncleFester]

No way he's on the list, but I thought De'Mond Parker was going to have a good NFL career. I think he left under financial hardship, but it's a shame he didn't stick around for Stoops' first year -- a fourth 1,000 season and probably a second-round pick, at worst.

[BoulderSooner79]

Unfortunately for Boz, the most significant part of his career was the Monday Night Football game. Seahawks @ Raiders on the goal line. He goes against Bo Jackson and gets trucked. Just awful. And then he got hurt and his career was over.

That play was so over-blown by the media. Boz was moving laterally to the goal line and Jackson was heading straight for it at high speed. Simple high school physics reveals no player could have stopped Jackson in that situation. In fact, it was a very good tackle as Brian met Bo at the 1 and had him on the ground about 1 yard deep. Had that not been at the goal line, it would have been considered a very good stop given the physics above. The only chances for a defender in that situation are
1) get help so the defense has the mass advantage
2) hope the runner makes a cut and loses the momentum (kinetic energy) advantage
3) try to knock the ball out

I don't say this to defend the Boz as I'm probably one of the few here that was not a big Boz fan. It just annoys me when announcers try to turn something as simple as velocity, momentum and kinetic energy into an attack on someone's manhood.

[rekamrettuB]

That play was so over-blown by the media. Boz was moving laterally to the goal line and Jackson was heading straight for it at high speed. Simple high school physics reveals no player could have stopped Jackson in that situation. In fact, it was a very good tackle as Brian met Bo at the 1 and had him on the ground about 1 yard deep. Had that not been at the goal line, it would have been considered a very good stop given the physics above. The only chances for a defender in that situation are
1) get help so the defense has the mass advantage
2) hope the runner makes a cut and loses the momentum (kinetic energy) advantage
3) try to knock the ball out

I don't say this to defend the Boz as I'm probably one of the few here that was not a big Boz fan. It just annoys me when announcers try to turn something as simple as velocity, momentum and kinetic energy into an attack on someone's manhood.

Ya it's a routine 5 yard gain if there weren't a goalline there and nobody remembers that play.

[tnraider1]

No way he's on the list, but I thought De'Mond Parker was going to have a good NFL career. I think he left under financial hardship, but it's a shame he didn't stick around for Stoops' first year -- a fourth 1,000 season and probably a second-round pick, at worst.

Good call. I remember a game he filled in at RB for the Packers. Ran for like 160 and a couple of scores. For the endzone dance after the long run he waved his hands at his feet like they were on fire. Last I ever saw of him.

[texaspokieokie]

Bo knocked the crap outta Boz.

you gotta remember tho, Bo was a freak of nature. 6'-1", 230 lbs with blinding speed. Injuries (bad hip) kept him from being a super star. maybe he shoulda stuck to baseball.

[UncleFester]

Good call. I remember a game he filled in at RB for the Packers. Ran for like 160 and a couple of scores. For the endzone dance after the long run he waved his hands at his feet like they were on fire. Last I ever saw of him.

I'll have to look for that.

I love watching these highlights, even though it is the JB era skullf*&^ period.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc_TAY44IWg

(I especially enjoy the juke move at the 57-second mark against the Pokes).

[BoulderSooner79]

Bo knocked the crap outta Boz.

you gotta remember tho, Bo was a freak of nature. 6'-1", 230 lbs with blinding speed. Injuries (bad hip) kept him from being a super star. maybe he shoulda stuck to baseball.

It was a good tackle by Brian - go watch the replay on youtube. Any player getting in the way of Bo while he is running at high speed perpendicular to the line of scrimmage is going to absorb a large impact. I think the media made such a big deal about it because of Brian's public persona, so I guess he deserved it.

That hip injury was such a freak play and Bo's own strength may have doomed him. He had broken a long play and was being chased down by a DB. He tried to stop when the guy got close so he could cut back, but the defender latched on as he went over the top of Bo. Bo still had a foot in the turf trying to stop, but he had the weight of 2 men going forward. You could see the hip pop out. Had he not been so strong, his leg might have buckled first and just gone with the tackle. We all missed out watching what he could have done on the football field.

[picasso]

Ty Detmer
Andre Ware
Tony Mandarich
Troy Davis (running back from Iowa St)
Trev Alberts
Ryan Leaf
Boz
QB of Miami Hurricanes in 2000-2002 era...Ken Drosey?

Just a few.

I hope they essplain why. Bosworth wrecked his shoulders and Rickey Brady realigned Trev Alberts' elbow.

[picasso]

Bo knocked the crap outta Boz.

you gotta remember tho, Bo was a freak of nature. 6'-1", 230 lbs with blinding speed. Injuries (bad hip) kept him from being a super star. maybe he shoulda stuck to baseball.

Watch the play again. It wasn't that bad.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Watch the play again. It wasn't that bad.

If it was on the 50-yard line it would have been 2nd and 8 next play. :D

[rekamrettuB]

39 - Chuck Long

34 - JC Watts

33 - Chris Weinke

31 - Trev Alberts

25 - Peter Warrick

[goingoneight]

Where's Bobby Reid?

Wasn't he like... "not the next Michael Vick, but the first Bobby Reid?"

:D

[Boomer.....]

He's getting fed fried chicken.

[bigfatjerk]

I think Jack Mildren will be the top Sooner on that list. I'm not sure Steve Owens should be on the list he had a decent pro career till injury ended it. That's kinda like saying Billy Sims or Gale Sayers didn't have great pro careers because injuries ended them.

Rashaun Woods for OSU will be high up there. Other Sooners, Lucious Selmon, Josh Heupel, Greg Roberts, Billy Vessels

[rekamrettuB]

I think Jack Mildren will be the top Sooner on that list. I'm not sure Steve Owens should be on the list he had a decent pro career till injury ended it. That's kinda like saying Billy Sims or Gale Sayers didn't have great pro careers because injuries ended them.

Rashaun Woods for OSU will be high up there. Other Sooners, Lucious Selmon, Josh Heupel, Greg Roberts, Billy Vessels

Again, that's one of the criteria. Doesn't matter why they didn't succeed or have long careers. Injuries, military obligations, etc...doesn't matter.

[SpankyNek]

Again, that's one of the criteria. Doesn't matter why they didn't succeed or have long careers. Injuries, military obligations, etc...doesn't matter.

This is why Bosworth will be high on the list (Along with Dupree)

[JLEW1818]

Tommie Frazier is the best college football player that never did anything in the NFL, and it's not even close.

You could argue that he is the best college football player of all time

[70sooner]

didn't Boz already have bad shoulders from his college days? I remember he used to like to arm tackle guys a lot....

[rekamrettuB]

Tommie Frazier is the best college football player that never did anything in the NFL, and it's not even close.

You could argue that he is the best college football player of all time

Good call. I love this list as it brings up some memories that are locked away from some players you never heard of again.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Tommie Frazier is the best college football player that never did anything in the NFL, and it's not even close.

You could argue that he is the best college football player of all time

Best ever??? He didn't even win a Heisman...

[SoonerofAlabama]

Tony Mandarich came in at 20. Matt Leinart 15.

[GKeeper316]

Except for the big historic franchises in huge markets with diehard fanbases, it's almost better to be a great college player because of the longevity of your "career," which will likely extend far beyond your playing days.

In the NFL, you get chewed up and spit out within three years, on average. What do you do next? Maybe some autograph sessions, but many fans will likely forget your pro days, especially if they didn't last very long.

At the college level, universities employ their alumni, fanbases remember your glory years, programs honor your legacies and proclaim your awards. Sure, you're likely only there for about four years, maybe three if you turn pro early, maybe 6 if your knees turn pro early, but having a great college career can set you for life.


reasons # 274, 392 and 457 why the college game is better than the nfl.

[BoulderSooner79]

Tommie Frazier is the best college football player that never did anything in the NFL, and it's not even close.

You could argue that he is the best college football player of all time

Excellent point. And he was the key to that '95 NU team that has been voted best CFB team of all time in some polls. I saw him in a game against CU and they could not stop him and CU was pretty good back then. He took a blind side hit when he dropped back to pass that normally would have been a sack/fumble for most QBs. The guy just bounced off Frazier! Frazier just reset his feet and fired a frozen rope for about 20 yards to convert a critical 3rd down. I couldn't believe it. We all know what he did to the gators in the bowl game.

Jamelle Holieway would be another player on this list. He was a magician at running the option and a very elusive runner himself. His record as a starter is ridiculous.

[Midtowner]

Why isn't ESPN's list's title "Overrated Notre Dame Players Who Never Amounted to Anything"?

[JLEW1818]

Best ever??? He didn't even win a Heisman...

guys like Troy Smith and Carson Palmer have won Heisman, TF was on another moon than those 2, as far as winning and college skill

you could say that Adrian Peterson was one of the best college RB's ever. he didn't win a Heisman either

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Good point J-LEWD! I couldn't agree more. I'll shut the f*ck up now... :D

[picasso]

guys like Troy Smith and Carson Palmer have won Heisman, TF was on another moon than those 2, as far as winning and college skill

you could say that Adrian Peterson was one of the best college RB's ever. he didn't win a Heisman either

Troy Smith and Palmer were pretty frickin' good. I wouldn't put puppy face quite that high on the pedestal.

[JLEW1818]

They were good, just not TF good. I'm glad that i can remember him playing.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

You could argue that he is the best college football player of all time

Tim Tebow would argue with you! :D

[JLEW1818]

Tim is def in the debate

[Mad Dog Madsen]

...AND Cam Newton!!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[JLEW1818]

Cam Newton

National Title (not the mvp of the game)
Heisman
1st pick NFL draft

[JLEW1818]

1995 Huskers vs 2001 Canes... who u got

I'll take the Huskers

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Hate it or love it, that 2001 Miami team was pretty freakin' awesome. I think their whole team got drafted! lol. I could go on for hours about this game but I won't. :D I'll just give a slight edge to the Huskers in that one.

[BoulderSooner79]

Newton, Tebow and (I think) Pat White have yet to write their complete NFL stories - they may well be on a similar list in the future. Pat White was a great college QB, but will not ever make it big in the NFL (if he is still in the league now).

[JLEW1818]

Pat White, only college QB to start and win 4 bowl games

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Pat Mother****in' White!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2008/01/02/westva-med.jpg

[SoonerofAlabama]

1995 Huskers vs 2001 Canes... who u got

I'll take the Huskers

I'll take the 2000 Sooners please. :cool:

[BoulderSooner79]

2001 Canes. Most the '95 Huskers are probably sedentary by now.

[goingoneight]

I'll take a team that can run the ball at will versus a team full of egotistical thugs who let Ohio State play them close enough to beat them. But that's just me.

Also, I'll take a defense that can hold the opponent scoreless in the MNC game over anybody the last 20 years, maybe longer.

[Sooner70]

Quinton Griffin was a great back at OU and I really thought he'd make it in pros, but I think his size worked against him & he suffered so many serious injuries early on, and seemed never to recover. Doesn't change the fact that he was a winner for the Sooners. Really a "go to" guy.

Anybody know where he's at these days & what doing?

[batonrougesooner]

I thought the Ty Detmer pick was interesting.

No he never made a Pro Bowl or anything but 14 years in the league is hardly a bust. Plus, 14 years holding a clipboard in the NFL makes for some serious money. I for one think back up qb in the NFL has to be one of the best jobs around.

[tennsooner]

I thought the Ty Detmer pick was interesting.

No he never made a Pro Bowl or anything but 14 years in the league is hardly a bust. Plus, 14 years holding a clipboard in the NFL makes for some serious money. I for one think back up qb in the NFL has to be one of the best jobs around.

That's true. I have a friend who's best friend was a 3rd string lineman for the Titans for several years. He figured he was living the dream, making more money than 98% of the people in the country and had the best seat in the house on gameday.

[goingoneight]

Maybe that's why VY sticks with the backup QB position... and we call him stupid. pfffft... :D

[Boomer.....]

Boz checked in at #6.

Archie Griffin was #1