Best college football players of all time ranked by jersey number
By John Buhler
John Hannah
Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide
Before he became the greatest New England Patriot before Tom Brady, John Hannah started to cement a reputation as the best guard football has ever known. Hannah was a 10-time All-Pro in New England but might have been the best offensive lineman Paul “Bear” Bryant ever coached.
At Alabama, Hannah was a two-time All-American playing guard and tackle for the Crimson Tide. They won the SEC in 1972 before Hannah would be the No. 4 overall pick by the Patriots in the 1973 NFL Draft. He is one of the best players to play football, period.
Tracy Rocker
Defensive Tackle, Auburn Tigers
The Auburn Tigers have three Heisman Trophy winners in Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Cam Newton. However, there is no debate who the best defensive player in Auburn football history is. It is defensive tackle Tracy Rocker.
Rocker was a two-time All-American and three-time All-SEC while at Auburn. In 1988, he became the first SEC player to win both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy. He would win SEC Player of the Year that season before a brief NFL career with the Washington Redskins.
Orlando Pace
Offensive Tackle, Ohio State Buckeyes
Orlando Pace was the gold standard for playing offensive tackle in the NFL. He would earn Canton enshrinement as the star left tackle for the St. Louis Rams in the late 1990s and 2000s. Before that, he was a dominating tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Pace was a two-time unanimous All-American for the Buckeyes, winning the Lombardi Award in 1995 and 1996 and the Outland Trophy in 1996. He would finish fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1996. The term pancake block stems from Pace’s ability to routinely knock defensive linemen on their back and squash them.
Warren Sapp
Defensive Tackle, Miami Hurricanes
In the wake of star defensive linemen at The U like Cortez Kennedy and Russell Maryland, defensive tackle Warren Sapp emerged as the best defensive tackle in Miami Hurricanes football history. He would earn All-American honors in 1994, as well as win the Lombardi Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Sapp would put together a hall of fame career in the NFL as the driving emotional force for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would do things as an interior pass rusher we may never see happen in the NFL again. Sapp learned his prowess along the defensive line while at Miami.