50 greatest college football players this century, ranked

• Heisman Trophy (2008)
• Davey O’Brien Award (2008)
• Sammy Baugh Trophy (2008)
• AP Player of the Year (2008)
• Consensus All-American (2008)
• First-team All-Big 12 (2008)

Sam Bradford completed 67.6-percent of his passes for 8,403 yards and 88 touchdowns in two seasons and the first two games of a third. His numbers are pretty spectacular just on the surface. When you consider that he did this as a true freshman and sophomore in the Big 12, it’s hard to comprehend.

In 2007, he broke almost all of Colt McCoy’s freshman passing records and led the Big 12 in yards per pass and total passer rating.

As a sophomore in 2008, he threw fifty touchdown passes, accounted for 55 total scores, and put up a total of 4,271 yards in the air. Bradford won the Heisman Trophy and the Davey O’Brien Award over 2007 winner, Tim Tebow. Tebow would have the last laugh though as Florida beat Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS Championship game at the end of the season.

Bradford returned as a junior but suffered an AC joint injury during the season-opener, just one play after becoming the school’s all-time passing leader. He tried to return later in the season but after re-injuring the same should against Texas, he effectively retired from college football and stepped away to start focusing on his pro career. Bradford would be taken first overall by the Rams in 2010.

Key Stat: Bradford threw two or more touchdown passes in 17 straight games from the end of 2007 through the end of 2008.