Greatest college football player you've ever seen?

[TommyMac]

The emphasis is on "football player". Not the greatest athlete, nor the greatest skill position player, nor your favorite player, but the guy who in your estimation simply played the game of CFB better than anyone you've ever seen. For example, Bo Jackson is the greatest athlete that I've ever seen, but not the greatest CFB player I've ever seen.

My choice is Lee Roy Jordan. I realize that a lot of y'all may not have seen Lee Roy and I regret that because nobody did it better. He obviously had great physical skills, strength, quickness, etc, but he also had the greatest instincts I've ever seen. He could literally control a game from his MLB position with his nose for the ball and an uncanny ability to shed blockers and make play after play. I've often wondered what he might have looked like if he wasn't also playing center on offense, damn good one too.

Who's your choice?

 

[chris]

David Palmer............

he could it all!

 

[RollTideinGA]

Derrick Thomas

I have never seen another football player control the babalnce of a game. Defensively and on Special Teams. Look at the 1988 Penn State game as an example. Sack after sack. The safety, blocked punts and FG's. Simply awesome!

 

[bat123]

Jay Barker

Not the most gifted but he always found a way to win....

 

[NYBamaFan]

Hershel Walker, hands down...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Tm...

Before I read the rest of your post, I was about to say Joe Namath. The next name that popped in my head, before I got to your choice was Lee Roy. Everyone needs to remember the "college" criterion. DT did not have to play offense in college...

 

[NashvilleTider]

I would have to say the Italian Stallion, Johnny Musso.

 

[exiledNms]

Cornelius was up toward the top. And E.J. Junior could pretty much shut down an offense all by himself. Those are probably my top two that I saw in person.

On TV, I'd agree w/ Herschel Walker. Everybody in the house knew he'd get the ball 30+ times a game, yet pretty much nobody stopped him.

Oh, wait, I almost forgot the ultimate team player, Kelly "The Future" Washington....(sarcasm alert!)

 

[deliveryman35]

With my crimson colored glasses on, I guess I would have to say Don Hutson.
http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Top_100_Players/Top_100_Players_24_Don_Hutson.htm

 

[TommyMac]

Not the most gifted but he always found a way to win....

Do you really think Jay played the game of CFB better than anyone you've ever seen?

 

[Hawk324]

Hmm...I don't have the advantage of having ever seen Lee Roy Jordan, Don Hutson or some of those guys play (I'm 42). I've seen clips but thats all. I know my dad spoke highly of those guys as well as a lot of other stars back then.

I really don't know if we can ever agree on who was the greatest 'college player' if we don't seperate them into positions.

Derrick Thomas and Cornelius Bennett were awsome at LB. Were they the best overall? I dunno, but they were close. What about Woodrow Lowe (3 time all-American, led the team in tackles, voted to the all decade team of the 70s)? What of Lawrence Taylor? Surely he was a great college player too. Mike Singletary?

What of John Stallworth? Ozzie Newsome? Dwight Stephenson? John Hannah? Big John Hand? Eric Curry? .... Reggie White? (I know they didn't play the same position) :wink:

I loved Joe Namath (My favorite) and Ken Sabler. But were they better than Steve Young, Joe Theisman, Dan Marino or John Elway? Michael Vick could run and pass and he was...and is great.

RB is a favorite subject of mine. Who do we want to talk about? Ricky Bell? Napolean McCallum, Tony Dorsett? Lydell Mitchell? Barry Sanders? Hershell Walker? Yeah, I loved Johnny "Super Moose" Musso, Tony Nathan, Big Johnny Davis, Bobby Humphrey, Siran Stacy, Major Ogalvie, Paul Ott Carruth, and Kerry Goode. they were favorites of mine.

But (and i say this as a hard-core Bama fan), the most awsome running back, the most deserving of the Heisman trophy, I have ever seen was ... Bo Jackson. He was the fastest, most powerful, most agile, most tenacious back I have ever had the misfortune of seeing play against us. Bo Jackson was a freaking orange and blue-clad nightmare! No offense intended, but I believe he was far superior to both Hershel Walker and Emmitt Smith. Had he not been injured, i feel certain he would have shattered records in the NFL. Whole game plans were devised to stop him. Later I cheered him when he played for my NFL team. He was one of the very few rival players out there who forced me to just sit back and marvel at his ability. I was so glad when he left Auburn. Lol!

Fun topic! :biggrin2:

 

[Boclive]

Dick Butkus.

 

[FitToBeTide]

Lee Roy

We have been blessed with a herd of great players. The best that I ever SAW play was Lee Roy. The complete player, a 60-minute, 110%, focused, go-getter. Never quit. Pancake blocker at center and bust your chops LB. To see him play, you could understand why Coach loved him so.

I feel so fortunate to have been around to see him play in person, back then. Those on the board who were there in the early sixties know what I mean.

Thanks for the question Tommy.

:biga2:

 

[jdpas29]

Derrick Thomas

 

[micah_07]

1.Barry Sanders
2a.Bo Jackson
2b.Hershel Walker

 

[ihatefulmer]

Greatest College Herschel Walker not even close

Greatest Pro Lawrence Taylor



By the way Bennett was a better then DT.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Tommy Mac's premise

was greatest CFB player. There're all sorts of names of pros being thrown in who didn't amount to much in college...

 

[Bama Torch in Pcola]

Bruce Smith - He stopped offenses from the DL position.

 

[rpeastep]

Don Hutson

 

[TexasBama]

The best I ever saw live, that could dominate a game, was Brian Bosworth and Ricky "Ganja" Williams. Quite a pair :eek2:

The best Bama player I ever saw was Ozzie Newsome