5. Roy Williams, Oklahoma, S
Roy Williams roamed the field for the Oklahoma Sooners and was one of the most feared presences to ever grace Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Williams was a 2001 All American and he helped lead his team to a National Championship in the 2000 season. He won the Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronko Nagurski Awards in his junior season.
Williams’s biggest play came during the Red River Showdown in 2001. Texas was taking the field looking to have a game-winning drive. Chris Simms took the snap, but in literal microseconds, Williams hit him and knocked the ball loose. Teddy Lehman walked into the endzone for a touchdown. There is a plaque at a building called the Roy Williams Speed and Strength Complex at the university. It’s a big play when it leads to a building name and ensuing plaque.
Williams was basically called the best non-quarterback in his junior year. He finished seventh in Heisman voting, and every player 1-6 was a quarterback. Williams was as dominant as any safety in the modern era. He could knock someone out and he could play the pass as well as a cornerback. Williams was one of the greats on the field, and he deserves to be in the College Football Hall of Fame.