The 30 best college football quarterbacks of the 21st century

• Heisman Trophy winner (2008)
• Consensus All-American (2008)
• Davey O’Brien Award (2008)

Much like with Winston right before him, you have to wonder how high Sam Bradford would be among the greatest college football quarterbacks of the 21st century had he been the starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners longer. Unlike Winston, though, the primary reason that Bradford didn’t get more time was the fact that he suffered an injury that cut his time in Norman shorter than expected.

Before that, though, Bradford was unbelievably good for the Sooners. After redshirting the 2006 season, he won the starting quarterback job the following year and showed off his talent. Completing 69.5 percent of his passes, Bradford threw for 3,121 yards, 36 touchdowns and just eight interceptions on the year as he helped lead Oklahoma to an 11-3 record, though they lost in the Fiesta Bowl to West Virginia.

As good as Bradford was in 2007, though, his redshirt sophomore season was substantially better. The quarterback threw for an unbelievable 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions on the year — and added five rushing touchdowns for good measure. That was good enough to win him the Heisman Trophy and to lead Oklahoma to the BCS National Championship Game, a matchup they lost to Florida.

Unfortunately, Bradford suffered a shoulder injury in Oklahoma’s first game of his redshirt junior season and, when he returned later in the season, he re-injured the shoulder and missed the rest of the year.

The injury ultimately limited Bradford to just two full years as the starter for the Sooners, which knocks him down on this list. However, when you look at his success and production, you can’t argue that he was great when on the field.