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50 greatest college football players this century, ranked

By Jeremy Morris

Tim Tebow, #15 quarterback of the Florida Gators (Photo by Matt Marriott/University of Florida/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
Tim Tebow, #15 quarterback of the Florida Gators (Photo by Matt Marriott/University of Florida/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /
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Johnny Manziel #2 of the Texas A&M Aggies (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Johnny Manziel #2 of the Texas A&M Aggies (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /
  • Heisman Trophy (2012)
  • Davey O’Brien Award (2012)
  • AP Player of the Year (2012)
  • Consensus All-American (2012)
  • SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2012)
  • 2x First-team All-SEC (2012, 2013)

Johnny Football.

Before he dawned the mustache and wig in Vegas or signed with the CLF Hamilton Tiger-Cats, long before #ComebackSZN, Johnny Manziel was a captivating college football player.

Manziel’s 2012 season was one of the most memorable in college football history. In Kevin Sumlin’s first season at Texas A&M and the school’s first season in the SEC, an undersized, unknown freshman quarterback led the Aggies to an 11-2 record, taking down Alabama in Tuscaloosa, stomping Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, and becoming the first freshman Heisman winner in the award’s 75-year history along the way. Over the course of that magical season, Manziel completed 68-percent of his passes for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Although often overlooked, his 2013 season was almost as impressive and markedly more impressive strictly in terms of passing. After losing a pair of All-American first round picks in left tackle, Luke Joeckel and wide receiver, Mike Evans, Manziel led A&M to a 9-4 record, a second straight bowl victory and had a higher completion percentage (69.9 percent), 400 more passing yards and 11 more passing touchdowns.

Bonus Stats: Archie Manning set the SEC record most yards in a game with 540 in 1969. Manziel surpassed that number three times in two seasons. He also holds the SEC record for total yards in a season 5,116 in 2012. No. 2 on that list is his 2013 season of 4,873 yards.

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