10 biggest Heisman busts of the last 25 years

TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 29, 2008: Tim Tebow, #15 quarterback of the University of Florida Gators football team celebrates after a big play during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on November 29, 2008. The Gators won 45-15. (Photo by Jim Burgess/University of Florida/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

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7 Sep 1997: Rashaan Salaam #31 of the Chicago Bears in action during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Vikings defeated the Bears 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport /

9. Rashaan Salaam, RB, Colorado (1994)

After two seasons of playing a small role in the offense of the Colorado Buffaloes, Rashaan Salaam finally got his shot at being the No. 1 running back in the 1994 college football season. He’s shown flashes throughout his brief career to that point, including going for 844 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games during the 1993 campaign.

However, that was merely an appetizer for what ultimately happened when he was able to get things going as the top guy in the backfield for Colorado. In 11 games, Salaam was simply unstoppable. On a per-carry basis, the 6-foot-1, 214-pound running back was an absolute beast as he went for 6.9 per tote. Moreover, he finished with 2,055 rushing yards, 24 rushing touchdowns and also managed 294 receiving yards.

Following such a season, it was apparent that Salaam could be a promising player at the next level. That’s why the Chicago Bears used a first-round pick on him. Though he eclipsed 1,000 yards as a rookie, that was just about all he ever did as struggles on and off the field hurt his career in a big way. He bounced around the league, played in the XFL for a season, and then made one last try at a comeback before falling out of the limelight.

Unfortunately, Salaam died in Dec. 2016 from an apparent suicide as his body was found in Colorado. It was a tragic end to the life of a player who was absolutely electric in college, even if the pros never worked out for him.

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