Who are the top 10 NCAA Football cover athletes of all-time?

Fox Sports

6 days ago

EA Sports brought back its college football video game series in 2024, creating a lot of buzz and excitement. Just as big as the actual game itself, though, is finding out which players will get to be on the cover of the latest edition of the game.
For the second year in a row, EA opted to have current college stars appear on the cover of the "College Football" video game. It announced that Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams will appear on the standard version of "College Football 26."
As Smith and Williams are coming off strong freshmen seasons, it's too early to debate whether they're among the best players to ever appear on the cover of one of EA Sports' college football video games. But we still determined the top 10 players to ever appear on the cover of one of the college football video games. 10 best NCAA Football cover athletes of all-time 10. Michigan WR Desmond Howard (NCAA Football 06)
Well over a decade after his career at Michigan ended, Howard got the opportunity to grace the cover of "NCAA Football 2006." The former Wolverines wide receiver was one of the most explosive players in the sport during the early 1990s, putting up a season for the ages in 1991. He recorded 61 receptions for 950 yards and an FBS-leading 19 touchdowns that year, adding two rushing scores and two return touchdowns. One of those return touchdowns was arguably one of the most iconic plays in the history of the sport, with Howard returning a punt for a touchdown before striking the Heisman pose in Michigan's win over Ohio State that year. That pose also made its way into the game, with users being able to strike the Heisman after scoring a touchdown. 9. Florida QB Danny Wuerffel (NCAA Football 98)
Wuerffel was arguably the best quarterback in the nation in the mid-90s, winning the Davey O'Brien Award in back-to-back seasons (1995, 1996). In the latter of those two seasons, Wuerffel threw for an impressive 3,625 yards, 39 touchdowns and 13 interceptions to win the Heisman. He also quarterbacked Florida to a national championship that year, avenging the Gators' only loss when he threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-20 win over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. 8. Alabama RB Mark Ingram II (NCAA Football 12)
Surprisingly, Ingram became the first Alabama player to win the Heisman when he did so in 2009. That year, Ingram ran for an SEC-leading 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns, with 116 of those yards and two of those touchdowns coming in Alabama's national championship game victory over Texas. Ingram wasn't as dominant in 2010, but he was still highly effective as he rushed for 875 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 games. 7. Baylor QB Robert Griffin III (NCAA Football 13)
Griffin emerged as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in college football history during his four-year stint at Baylor (2008-11), consistently making high-level plays as a passer and runner. A few years after winning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2008), Griffin had a season for the ages in 2011. He threw for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with 699 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns that year, taking Baylor to new heights as he led the Bears to a 10-3 record. He won the Heisman as a result. 6. Texas RB Ricky Williams (NCAA Football 2000)
There was a reason why Mike Ditka wanted the New Orleans Saints to trade a whole draft class worth of picks (and then some) for Williams in 1999. Williams was one of the best running backs in the nation during the late 1990s, rushing for at least 1,000 yards in all four seasons he was at Texas. In those last two years, Williams scored a combined 55 touchdowns and put up over 1,800 rushing yards in each season. He ran for 2,327 yards on six yards per carry and 29 touchdowns in 1998, winning the Heisman and his second straight Doak Walker Award that year. 5. Michigan CB Charles Woodson (NCAA Football 99)
A few years after Desmond Howard's memorable run to a Heisman, Woodson had a similar campaign in 1997. Widely viewed as the nation's top corner, Woodson had seven interceptions that season. But he also contributed as a receiver (11 receptions, 231 yards, two touchdowns) and a returner (one punt return touchdown) that year, helping him win the Heisman Trophy over Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf and Randy Moss in one of the most memorable Heisman races of all time. Woodson also helped Michigan win the national championship that year, and recorded a pivotal red zone interception in its Rose Bowl victory over Washington State. 4. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter (College Football 25)
Nearly 30 years after Woodson showcased his talents on both sides of the ball, Hunter took two-way stardom to another level. After an injury-plagued freshman season at Jackson State in 2022, Hunter instantly became one of the nation's best wide receivers and cornerbacks when he transferred to Colorado in 2023. He recorded 57 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns to go with three interceptions in nine games that year.
This past season, after becoming one of the first three active college players to appear on the cover of the video game, Hunter arguably had the best season for a non-quarterback or running back in college football history. The two-way star played the vast majority of Colorado's snaps from scrimmage in 2024, recording 1,360 of them before Colorado's bowl game. Hunter didn't just play often, but also put up elite production on both sides of the ball. He recorded 94 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns to go with a rushing score over the course of the season, including Colorado's bowl game. Defensively, Hunter had 35 total tackles, 11 passes defended, four interceptions and a forced fumble. While those stats might not be eye-popping, quarterbacks didn't throw Hunter's way much. He allowed 22 receptions on 40 targets for just 212 yards and a touchdown, per Pro Football Focus. 3. USC RB Reggie Bush (NCAA Football 07)
If there were any one player who was made for a video game, the USC iteration of Bush might have fit that bill. Bush used his speed to make electric plays throughout the course of his three years at Southern California, helping the Trojans win a national championship in his first two seasons. In his third, Bush had one of the best seasons ever for a running back. He rushed for 1,740 yards on 8.7 yards per carry and 16 touchdowns to go with 37 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns. While USC fell just short of a three-peat that year, Bush won the Heisman. 2. Florida QB Tim Tebow (NCAA Football 2011)
You could make the case that Tebow had the best overall career of any player in college football history. He was a two-time national champion, going 34-6 as a starter. He won the Heisman in 2007 after throwing for 3,286 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with 895 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns. He won the Maxwell Award for a second straight season in 2008, scoring 42 total touchdowns en route to winning a national championship. He held five NCAA and 14 SEC records by the time he left Florida at the end of 2009. 1. Oklahoma State RB Barry Sanders (NCAA Football 13)
While Tebow might have the greatest career, Sanders might have the best season in the history of the sport. His 1988 campaign was one for the ages. The then-Oklahoma State running back rushed for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in his final season at Stillwater, which remain NCAA records. He also did it while averaging 7.6 yards per carry.
Even more impressive about Sanders' 1988 season is that he put up those numbers in just 11 games – at the time, the NCAA didn't count stats from bowl games in its official records. Sanders rushed for 222 yards and five touchdowns in Oklahoma State's bowl win that year, giving him 2,850 yards and 42 touchdowns on the season.
So, it makes sense why EA Sports allowed Sanders to grace the cover of a video game over two decades after his final college game.
Honorable mention USC QB Carson Palmer (NCAA Football 2004)
Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree (NCAA Football 2010)
Pitt WR Larry Fitzgerald (NCAA 2005)
Arkansas RB Darren McFadden (NCAA Football 2009)
Nebraska QB Tommie Frazier (College Football USA 1997)
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