Fansided

Best college football players of all time from every state

By Nate Williamson

Longhorns QB Vince Young during Texas' 51-10 win over the Rice Rice Owls in NCAA College Football at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Karl Wright/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
Longhorns QB Vince Young during Texas' 51-10 win over the Rice Rice Owls in NCAA College Football at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Karl Wright/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – NOVEMBER 19: Mark Tucker #75, Scott Galbraith #88, Rodney Peete #16 and John Jackson #1 of the USC Trojans celebrate Peete’s one yard touchdown run against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on November 19, 1988 in Pasadena, California. USC defeated UCLA 31-22. (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – NOVEMBER 19: Mark Tucker #75, Scott Galbraith #88, Rodney Peete #16 and John Jackson #1 of the USC Trojans celebrate Peete’s one yard touchdown run against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on November 19, 1988 in Pasadena, California. USC defeated UCLA 31-22. (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images) /

Arizona – Rodney Peete

Arizona has produced a great share of prominent football talent over the years. Another former USC Trojan makes the list from the great state of Arizona. Peete was the first player ever from his college to win the Johnny Unitas award as the nation’s best senior quarterback. He was also a second-place finisher in the Heisman voting behind someone you may have heard of—Barry Sanders.

Peete, a three-year starting quarterback at USC, led the Trojans to a 10-2 record in 1988, including a perfect run of the gauntlet in the Pac-10, which led to a Rose Bowl berth and No. 2 AP ranking.  In that season Peete completed 223 of 259 passes, and contributed 18 touchdowns through the air, with five more coming on the ground.

In his four years at USC, Peete threw for 8,225 yards and 54 touchdowns, while also running for 415 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He was drafted late in the NFL Draft, reaching the sixth round, before beginning a solid 15-year career in the league with a stint with the Detroit Lions.

Peete was an electric athlete, and his contributions land him in the Arizona slot on this list.

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