Best college football players of all time ranked by jersey number
By John Buhler
Randy Gradishar
Linebacker, Ohio State Buckeyes
Randy Gradishar was a two-time All-American linebacker for the Ohio State Buckeyes in the early 1970s. His coach Woody Hayes would acknowledge that Gradishar was the best linebacker he ever coached at Ohio State, a program that was dominated by tailback play during that time.
In his senior season in 1973, Gradishar finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. He would go on to have a Hall of Fame-worthy career in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. Gradishar made seven Pro Bowls in Denver as the centerpiece of the famous Orange Crush defense.
Lee Roy Jordan
Linebacker, Alabama Crimson Tide
Lee Roy Jordan would eventually go on to have a great career in the NFL as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. However, he first came on the scene as a linebacker/center for Paul “Bear” Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide in the early 1960s.
Jordan was a unanimous All-American during his senior season in 1962. The Alabama Crimson Tide would win the 1961 National Championship during his junior season. Alabama came up a win shy of a repeat in 1962 if not for a one-point loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Marvin Jones
Linebacker, Florida State Seminoles
Before linebacker Marvin Jones put together a solid 11-year NFL career with the New York Jets from 1993 to 2003, he was one of the best linebackers in college football history. He starred for the Florida State Seminoles from 1990 to 1992.
Though Florida State would win its first national title during his rookie year with the Jets, Jones was a two-time All-American for the Seminoles in 1991 and 1992. He won the Lombardi Award, the Dick Butkus Award and finish fourth in the 1992 Heisman Trophy race.
Micheal Barrow
Linebacker, Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes were one of the most dominant and exciting football teams during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. It comes as no surprise that some of their best players of that era are the to have ever worn that jersey number. Linebacker Micheal Barrow is the best to wear No. 56.
He won two national titles with The U in 1989 and 1991. Barrow would be an All-American during his senior season at Miami in 1992. He would go on to play in the NFL for 13 years with mostly the Houston Oilers, the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants. Barrow is now an assistant head coach for Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks.