Best college football players of all time ranked by jersey number
By John Buhler
Julius Peppers
Defensive End, North Carolina Tar Heels
While his Hall of Fame worthy NFL career is winding down now that he’s back with the team that drafted him No. 2 overall back in 2002 in the Carolina Panthers, Julius Peppers was once a two-sport star for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Peppers starred on the gridiron as a pass rusher and at forward for the men’s hoops team.
On the football field, Peppers started to refine what has he done for so many years in the NFL: wreak havoc on the opposing quarterback. His on-field versatility has helped elongate his impressive football career into his late 30s. Peppers is probably the best defensive player in North Carolina football history not named Lawrence Taylor.
Dick Butkus
Linebacker, Illinois Fighting Illini
Linebacking excellence is synonymous with one of the best to have ever done it. Dick Butkus is revered as one of the most physically imposing linebackers in NFL history for the Chicago Bears. He became the gold standard for what it takes to be one of the Monsters of the Midway.
Before starring for the Bears, Butkus thrived collegiately for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was a two-time All-American for Illinois in 1963 and 1964. The best linebacker in college strives to win the Butkus Award named in his honor. Clearly, Butkus was the best to wear No. 50 in college football.
Kurt Burris
Center, Oklahoma Sooners
When a guy can finish second in the Heisman Trophy race as a center, you know that he must have been truly remarkable at what he did on the college football gridiron. That is exactly the case for Oklahoma Sooners center Kurt Burris, who finished second in the Heisman voting in 1954.
Oklahoma dominated teams in the Big Eight with its powerful wishbone offense. While Burris was a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 1955, he opted to play in the CFL for Edmonton, Saskatchewan and Calgary. Burris did win two Grey Cups with the Edmonton Eskimos though.
Ray Lewis
Linebacker, Miami Hurricanes
In between eras of utter dominance of the college football landscape at The U, the Miami Hurricanes had two unbelievable defensive talents come through the Coral Gables campus in the mid-1990s: Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis.
Lewis would eventually become the greatest player in Baltimore Ravens history as one of the most frightening and dominating linebackers of his era. He would first strike fear in the Big East as the relentless competitor in the middle of the Hurricanes defense in 1994 and 1995.