25 biggest villains in college football history

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Johnny Manziel

Quarterback, Texas A&M

It was very hard not to put Johnny Manziel at the top of this list, as he is one of the more controversial players in recent memory. An absolute star during his time with the Texas A&M Aggies, Manziel rubbed everybody he came across the wrong way, including fans of his alma mater. He would go on to put together some magical seasons in College Station, but the way he left the school, and his legacy in college football has been cloudy at best.

Manziel’s career got off to a blazing start. As a redshirt freshman, Manziel broke all kinds of records, becoming the first freshman to throw for 3,000 yards, while rushing for 1,000 more. He would go on to win the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first freshman to do so. He led the Aggies to a stunning victory over Alabama, and became known to the world as “Johnny Football.” While he was a magician on the field, he was an enigma off of it, finding himself in trouble more times than not.

For some, he was seen as snobbish, someone who grew up with everything he wanted. For others, he was seen as a punk, somebody who could do whatever they wanted and not get in trouble for it. Whatever side of the fence you were on, Manziel was a lightning rod, and was loved, and hated by not only his opposition, but by Aggies fans as well. Flashing his “Money” sign after touchdowns only led to his hated legacy, but there is no denying that he was one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the history of the sport.

Despite being the life of the party in college, and saying he could not wait to leave school, Manziel still ended up being a first-round draft pick in the NFL. In the pro ranks, he quickly flamed out, as he let his demons off the field get the best of him. There are still people hoping he turns his life around, but at the current time, it looks like the only good memories we will have of Manziel on the football field will be the highlight reel performances he had as a member of the Aggies.