Georgia football: 5 most underrated players in Georgia Bulldogs history

We have to believe one day Pittsburgh Steelers legendary wide receiver Hines Ward will have a bronze bust in Canton, Ohio. While he’ll never be a College Football Hall of Famer, we don’t give Ward enough credit for all the things he did for the Dawgs during his four-year run in Athens. Pass, run, catch, Ward, did it all.

The former high school quarterback predominantly played wide receiver in college. He left school with 144 career receptions for 1,965 yards and 11 touchdowns. As a ball carrier, he had 204 rushing attempts for 1,066 yards and five trips to pay dirt. And as a passer, he completed 60.6 percent of his throws for 918 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He did it all.

Ward also returned kickoffs and punts during his time in Athens. The guy was essentially positionless, but always found ways to be impactful on Ray Goff and later Jim Donnan’s football team. Incredibly coachable and incredibly reliable, no wonder Bill Cowher saw such great value in him as a third-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. He spent his entire NFL career in Pittsburgh.

Ward retired professionally in 2011 with 1,000 receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns. The two-time Super Bowl champion was a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro. The two-time All-SEC player for the Dawgs is now in his second year as an offensive assistant on Adam Gase’s New York Jets coaching staff. Ward defines football excellence at all levels.