Greatest college football player you've ever seen?

[Bama-94-00]

# 55

Derrick Thomas.

He could pass rush like crazy, stopped the run and could cover on passes. Sometimes DT would just totally man handle lineman. Curry worked him at middle LB some the spring before his senior year. Definitely the best FB player I've seen play live. He ran a 4.5s 40 at the pro combine. They don't bump up numbers either. He died way before his time. Very sad..

 

[Big tide fan forever]

Payton Manning

 

[ham2265]

Athlete or Football Player

I'm going with Micheal Vick. He's prob. my favorite to watch, although he may be more athletic than football savvy. Shaun Alexander right up there too. My favorite player is Major Applewhite....how bama didn't get him, i'll never know. Roll Tide Roll

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Well...

having seen him in person, he's not even the best QB, although he may have the best footwork. He can make those little tippy-toes really blur... :biggrin2:

 

[babyray]

David Palmer. He could take over a game.

 

[Hawk324]

John Hannah, without a doubt the greatest offensive lineman to ever play the game.

Well, good choice! I'd agree that Hannah was among the best if not the best. He was widely regarded as the finest when he played in the pros too, so obviously he was fantastic in college. I'd also ask, however, your thoughts on Dwight Stephenson, who played for the Dolphins. I think he was among the best too. Big, strong, quick, smart, great technique...same as Hannah.

Is Hannah a clear-cut choice as greatest offensive lineman, even over Stephenson?

Tough call imo. Anyone would love to have either blocking for them.



The best college football player would have to also be the most important on a given team. What would be the most important position...and of those players, who was the best?

I'd say QB was (arguably) the most important position...at least these days.

How to narrow down the choices though?

Joe Montana? John Elway? Dan Marino? I love em all. Of course, a QB who could both run and pass would be even more valuable. the first to come to mind is Michael Vick. But didnt he gain fame more for scrambling at VTech, rather than passing? What about Andre Ware? Wasn't he setting records at university of Houston?

 

[MegaVars]

Forrest Gump

 

[Alabama Larry in Ky]

You said college and its Hershel Walker. I cannot stand the Bulldogs, but I've followed college football since 1964 and I have always said he was the best Running Back I've ever seen.

 

[Crimson Hawk]

The Duce!

 

[Spot Dailey]

My nominee for the quintessential football player is John Hannah. In his whole career at Bama, I never saw them run the ball up the middle behind John and not pick up yards. I don't know if there's a stat for that but I'll bet our first down ratio was quite high during his playing years. I've saw him pancake two and three guys at a time on many occasion.

 

[mdb93]

George "Excuse me but you seem to have my football. I think I'll take that back now." Teague

 

[Baldbass]

Bo Jackson. Wish he had be a bama man.

 

[drsmithofga]

Bo Jackson. Wish he had be a bama man.

Anybody know any history regarding Vincent Bo Jackson's decision to go to the barn over Bama?

 

[dayhiker]

I thought DT's career number was 27 and not his sr season. That's almost 3 a game. I'll check the numbers and report back.


UPDATE: I'll shut up now. He had 27 one season and 18 another. Career total was 52. Crow tastes good.

 

[ThePoloLounge]

My two cents...

Best Bama player: Derrick Thomas

Best non-Bama player: Lawrence Taylor

 

[ThePoloLounge]

Attn: Drsmithofga...

Anybody know any history regarding Vincent Bo Jackson's decision to go to the barn over Bama?

The way I've heard it told, Ken Donahue was in charge of recruiting Bo. Ken told Bo that if he went to auburn, he would never be on a team that beat 'Bama.

 

[Hawk324]

The way I've heard it told, Ken Donahue was in charge of recruiting Bo. Ken told Bo that if he went to auburn, he would never be on a team that beat 'Bama.

Thats the story i heard too. I wonder though....I don't know a lot about the recruiting process, but why would a defensive coach be in charge of recruiting an RB? Shouldn't the RB coach do this?

Also, I wonder if it were really a case of Jackson wanting a guarantee of starting? Didnt we have Bobby Humphrey, Murray Hill and Gene Jelks back then? Those guys did a pretty decent job I thought...especially Bobby.

 

[Reddog]

The best

offensive player was Herschel Walker. Defensive, Mr Jordan, of course.

 

[RollTideNAlbertville]

I would have to say Bo Jackson
and Hershel. As for Bama, I really liked the leadership of Jay Barker!

 

[BamaFan85]

From what i've heard, assistant coaches have a certain region that they recruit, so i guess that would be why a defensive coach was recruiting Bo Jackson.
As for the greatest college player, Archie Griffin is the only player to be able to say he's the only 2 time Heisman Winner, however, from what i've read on this board it would be Lee Roy Jordan. The greatest college player though is a hard question to answer, but i am only 19 so in my life, Peyton Manning (sad to say) would have to rank up their as one of the best. I hate him as much as anyone else because he went to Tenn, but I do have respect for the man. He did get screwed out of the Heisman his senior year.