25 best college football players not in the College Football Hall of Fame (yet)

NEW YORK - DECEMBER 14: Carson Palmer of the University of Southern California speaks with the press after winning the 68th annual Heisman Trophy Award at The Yale Club December 14, 2002 in New York City. The USC quarterback became the first west coast player win the trophy since 1981. Palmer received 242 first-place votes winning by 233 over second place Iowa quarterback Brad Banks. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - DECEMBER 14: Carson Palmer of the University of Southern California speaks with the press after winning the 68th annual Heisman Trophy Award at The Yale Club December 14, 2002 in New York City. The USC quarterback became the first west coast player win the trophy since 1981. Palmer received 242 first-place votes winning by 233 over second place Iowa quarterback Brad Banks. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) /
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Florida State Seminoles
Sebastian Janikowski – Florida State Seminoles /

24. Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State, K

How does a kicker go in the first round of the NFL Draft? He has to have one of the best careers in NCAA history. Sebastian Janikowski is the only player in history to win the Lou Groza Award, awarded to the best kicker in the country, twice in a row. Kickers might not get much recognition in the overall game (there is one player who got into the Hall of Fame only being a kicker. It was Kevin Butler from Georgia.).

Janikowski helped Florida State go to the National Championship Game two years in a row. After winning the title in his second season with the Seminoles, he had an epic performance in his second-straight BCS Title Game. The undefeated Seminoles took on undefeated Virginia Tech. He forced Michael Vick’s Hokies to start basically every drive from the 20-yard line. He also hit every PAT and his only field goal attempt.

Janikowski was one of the best kickers in college history, which also led to him becoming one of the best kickers in NFL history. He helped his team win, which in recent history kickers never did. Janikowski is one of the most famous kickers in history, which will help his case. He did have some off the field incidents during his college career, including an arrest for attempting to bribe a police officer. That could hurt his candidacy, but he’s been a very good citizen for the past decade. There’s a reason he was able to make it back on the ballot.