25 biggest villains in college football history

6

Tony Mandarich

Offensive Tackle, Michigan State

At one point in time, Tony Mandarich was the gold standard that offensive lineman coming out of college would be judged by. His Sports Illustrated cover labeled him “The Incredible Bulk” and en route to being the second overall selection in the 1989 NFL Draft. A dominating force at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, Mandarich could run a 4.6 40-yard dash, and had the strength that should have made him a Hall of Famer left tackle during his time in the NFL.

Unfortunately for Mandarich, the NFL tests for drugs, which is what he was using to become a Hulk-like figure during his time with the Michigan State Spartans. His antics on the field made him hated by his opponents, and leaving school early to go work out in Florida, skipping his senior season, made him a villain in East Lansing. He looked like a WWF star during his time with the Spartans, and even despite missing three games to a suspension, finished sixth in the 1988 Heisman race.

The things he did at Michigan State are the stuff of legend, including telling a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes that “he was going to die today.” He would fake drug tests to stay eligible to play, and when he was on the field, he was one of the more punishing offensive lineman in the history of the Big Ten. In 1988, Mandarich was an All-American, and the Big Ten Lineman of the Year, but that would pretty much be the last good season he would ever have playing organized football.

To put this guy in perspective, going into the 1989 NFL Draft, Mandarich was not only considered the best offensive lineman in the draft, but the best offensive line prospect in history. It was not until 2008 that he finally admitted to taking steroids, which was one of the worst kept secrets in college football history. He only stated he took drugs during college, and never in the NFL, where he fizzled out after a seven-year stint with the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts.