The Question
A couple of days ago in our website group chat someone asked who are the best college football players we’ve seen live? Naturally, this sparked an hour or so of conversation but the content and questions were too good to not give to our readers. Take a look at our picks and tell us who the best player you’ve seen live is.
Patty Takes
Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate
Two of the best Notre Dame players of our generation. The two teammates from the forgettable Charlie Weis era. All I can say is that if they would’ve stayed for their senior years, Cam Newton would’ve been given a run for his money at the Heisman ceremony.
Jackson Fields
Cam Newton and Jadaveon Clowney
No one will ever forget Clowney’s hit against Michigan in the Outback Bowl. That will go down as one of the best defensive plays in college football history. Newton is one of the best quarterbacks the NCAA has ever seen. His 2010 season was incredible and the path he took to get there made it even better.
Anthony Ventura
Zeke Elliot. Saquon Barkly, and Baker Mayfield
Anthony is an Ohio State fan so Zeke making this list is no surprise. Taking it 86 yards right through the heart of the south is a play that all football fans smiled at. When Bama loses everyone loses. Saquan was just a generational talent and one of the best running backs we’ve seen in our generation. Let’s remind Anthony real quick of what happened when Baker came to Columbus.
Chase Swaringen
The best college football player of all time. There’s not much else to say about Tebow.
Kip Copeland
Todd Gurley and Cam Newton
Gurley was a dawg at Georgia, no pun intended. He was limited because of injuries but it looks like everything worked out for him.
Eric
Reggie Bush and Sean Taylor
That’s quite the duo. Also, Eric how old are you? Bush played for USC from 2003 to 2005 and Taylor played for Miami from 2001-2003. There’s no doubt that Bush is one of the best college running backs of all time and he’s the only player to have vacated his Heisman Trophy. Taylor was a hard-hitting linebacker for the Hurricanes and a great player for the Washington Redskins.
Cierra Loomis
Tom Brady
Before the GOAT was the GOAT, he was just a kid at the University of Michigan. We’ve all seen the draft card and combine pictures. After that the rest is history.
Kevin Redfern
Tom Brady and Calvin Johnson
It still blows my mind that Calvin Johnson was able to be so successful in an option offense. Georgia Tech basically puts a running back under center and Megatron was still able to shred defenses. I still think he’s the best wide receiver of all time and fun fact, I’ve hit golf balls next to him on a driving range.
Andrew Grimes
Todd Gurley
John
Adrian Peterson
I wish I would’ve been old enough to remember guys like Adrian Peterson and Reggie Bush when they were in college. He played in 31 games and finished only 73 yards shy of the all-time rushing record at Oklahoma. He’s up there as one of the best college running backs of all time.
Cody Goggin
Grant Delpit
The only active player on our list was thrown out here by Cody. Delpit has been rock solid for LSU in two seasons. 134 tackles, 5 sacks, 6 picks, and a fumble recovery. Watch out for Delpit in the SEC.
Jayden
Vince Young
This is all you need here.
Karsten
Dan Bailey, Dez Bryant, and Colin Klein
We’re getting some special teams love here with Dan Bailey. He lead the Big 12 and NCAA in points scored his senior year and in field goals made.
Did Dez catch it? There’s no question that he caught almost everything during his time in Stillwater.
Collin Klein might be my favorite pick here. What an incredible college quarterback that most people forget about. His Kansas State team is still one of my favorites to use in the NCAA Football video games.
Nate
Marcus Mariota
Back when Oregon was known for having electric dual-threat quarterbacks every single year. Mariota is the last of that era of Oregon football. The Heisman Trophy winner set the world on fire in 2014
Jonathan
Luke Falk and Laurence Maroney
Falk isn’t the first Washington State quarterback that comes to my mind after Gardner Minshew grabbed everyone’s attention last year, but before Minshew there was Falk. As a three year starter, he threw for over 14,000 yards and 119 touchdowns.
Maroney is a great pick here. He only started 14 of 36 games and still rushed for over 1,000 yards in his first three seasons. Did I mention he was splitting carries the whole time?
Chad
Golden Tate and Bradley Chubb
With Chad being an MSU guy I’m surprised that Le’Veon isn’t one of his picks. Bradley Chubb was my favorite player in the 2018 NFL Draft and I’m still pissed that he didn’t end up in Indianapolis. He recorded 10 sacks during his junior and senior season and finished two tackles shy of 200 for his career.
Harrison
Jordan Lynch and Corey Davis
Growing up in MAC country I was the best that the MAC had to offer every weekend in Waldo Stadium. The two that stood out the most to be were Jordan Lynch and Corey Davis.
As a dual-threat quarterback in the MAC, Lynch was able to find himself as a Heisman finalist and lead Northern Illinois to a BCS bowl. They were the UCF of my childhood and I’m convinced he’d mop the floor with the “National Champs.”
Corey Davis was the best receiver I’ve ever seen live. All you had to do was throw the ball up and he was going to catch it. He was one of the highlights of PJ Fleck’s tenure in Kalamazoo and a key contributor in Western Michigan’s undefeated regular season
Who are the best college football players you’ve seen live?
Who’s the best college football player you’ve seen live? Comment them below or send them to us on Twitter. We’d love to hear what you have to say.
