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Fox Sports
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Who Wore It Best? Greatest College Football Players by Jersey Number, 51-75
Imagine this: You're at a sports bar with a group of friends when someone asks — who is the greatest college football player to ever wear No. 34? How do you decide between six Hall of Fame running backs — all of whom topped 3,500 yards and 40 touchdowns during their college careers? That's the debate our staff at FOX Sports faced when picking the greatest college football players by jersey number. This list is based on how players performed during their college careers. Factors taken into consideration include prestigious accolades, like the Heisman Trophy and All-American selections, as well as statistics and winning percentage. That said, we've already done Nos. 1-25 and Nos. 26-50 , and here's a look at the greatest players in college football history to wear Nos. 51-75. No. 51: Pat Fitzgerald, LB, Northwestern Fitzgerald starred at linebacker for Northwestern in the mid-1990s, helping lead the Wildcats to a combined 19-5 record during his junior and senior seasons. He finished with 299 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and three interceptions en route to being named a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Fitzgerald was also a two-time All-American and a two-time winner of both the Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Honorable mentions: Jim Ritcher (NC State), Brandon Spikes (Florida) No. 52: Ray Lewis, LB, Miami (Fla.) Fast, physical, intelligent, unmatched competitive nature. Those are the traits that made Lewis one of the greatest linebackers in college football history. He was the heart of one of the nation's most feared defenses during the 1990s. Lewis was a two-time All-American during his college career and finished as runner-up for the Butkus Award during his junior season after recording 160 tackles, which ranked second in program history. Honorable mentions: Harry Gilmer (Alabama) No. 53: Randy Gradishar, LB, Ohio State Another number, another Ohio State linebacker to appear on this list. Gradishar was a dominant force on the Buckeyes' defense during the early 1970s. He was a three-time all-conference performer and a two-time All-American. When he left OSU following the 1973 season, he ranked first all-time in total tackles (320). In addition to his jaw-dropping statistics, Gradishar was also a winner, posting a dominant 25-6-1 record in three seasons with OSU. Honorable mentions: Jerry Tubbs (Oklahoma), Clay Shiver (Florida State), Greg Jones (Michigan State) No. 54: Bruce Smith, HB, Minnesota Smith was the focal point for the back-to-back national champion Golden Gophers in 1940 and 1941. He was a dominant rusher, earning All-Big Ten honors both years while being named a consensus All-American in 1941 and winning the Heisman Trophy. Smith's No. 54 was the first to be officially retired by Minnesota in 1977. Honorable mentions: Lee Roy Jordan (Alabama), Dwight Freeney (Syracuse) No. 55: Derrick Thomas, LB, Alabama Thomas put together one of the greatest single seasons in college football history in 1988. That year, the Crimson Tide linebacker recorded an NCAA-record 27 sacks while being named a unanimous All-American and the winner of the Butkus Award. He finished his career with 58 total sacks, which is an unofficial school record. His combination of speed, strength and natural instincts made him one of the most dominant defensive players in college football. Honorable mentions: Junior Seau (USC), Marvin Jones (Florida State) No. 56: LaMarr Woodley, OLB/DE, Michigan Woodley was a dominant edge rusher during his time at Michigan. He totaled 24 sacks at Michigan, including 12 during his senior year, which led the Big Ten and ranked eighth nationally. Woodley was a unanimous All-American during the 2006 season, while also being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career with 147 total tackles and 47 tackles for loss, ranking among Michigan's all-time leaders. Honorable mentions: Corey Moore (Virginia Tech), Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame), Michael Barrow (Miami) No. 57: Steve Kiner, LB, Tennessee Kiner's name isn't often mentioned among college football's best linebackers, but it certainly should be. A tackling machine for the Vols during the late 1960s, Kiner helped lead the Vols to an SEC title in 1967. During his tenure, Tennessee finished with a combined record of 26-6-1. Kiner was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 1969 and a two-time All-American. Honorable mentions: Dwight Stephenson (Alabama) No. 58: Rey Maualuga, LB, USC Maualuga was a standout linebacker at USC from 2005-08, known for his hard-hitting and downfield playing style. At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, the former Trojan was the ideal size for a middle linebacker and consistently used that size to his advantage. He finished his college career with 273 tackles, nine sacks and five interceptions. Maualuga was a three-time All-Pac-10 performer and a unanimous All-American in 2008. Honorable mentions: Peter Boulware (Florida State) No. 59: Alex Agase, G, Illinois/Purdue Agase enjoyed a unique but dominant college football playing career. He began his career at Illinois, where he was named an All-American during the 1942 season. He then entered the U.S. Military the following year at Purdue, while also playing for the Boilermakers and, once again, earning All-American honors. Agase served on active duty in the war for the next two years and then returned to Illinois in 1946, leading the Illini to an impressive 8-2 record. That season, Agase was once again named an All-American and received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, which was awarded to the MVP of the Big Ten Conference. Honorable mentions: Gary Spani (Kansas State) No. 60: Chuck Bednarik, C/LB, Penn Few players in college football history have been as dominant on both sides of the ball as Bednarik — a standout at center on the offensive side of the ball and as a linebacker on the defensive side of the ball during his time at Penn. He was a two-time consensus All-American in 1947 and 1948 and finished third in the 1948 Heisman Trophy vote. In his honor, the Bednarik Award is presented annually to the best defensive player in college football. Honorable mentions: Tommy Nobis (Texas) No. 61: Greg Eslinger, C, Minnesota Eslinger was one of the most dominant interior linemen in college football history, starring for Minnesota from 2002-05. He was a four-year starter for the Gophers and a three-time All-Big Ten performer. Eslinger was also a three-time All-American and received the Jim Parker Trophy, the Rimington Trophy and the Outland Trophy during his senior year. Honorable mentions: Jim Lynch (Notre Dame), Joe Steffy (Army) No. 62: Jim Parker, G, Ohio State Parker was a star for the Buckeyes in the 1950s, starring as an offensive guard while also playing on the defensive line. During his sophomore season, he helped lead the Buckeyes to a perfect 10-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll. Parker finished his career at OSU as a two-time all-conference performer, a two-time All-American and the winner of the 1954 Outland Trophy Award. Honorable mentions: Terrence Cody (Alabama), Calvin Jones (Iowa) No. 63: Mike Singletary, LB, Baylor Singletary was a fierce competitor during his time at Baylor. He was known for his hard-hitting style and as an emotional leader for the Bears' defense. Singletary rewrote the school record books, holding the mark for most tackles in a season (232) and in a career (662). He was a two-time conference player of the year and a two-time All-American at Baylor. Honorable mentions: Justin Blalock (Texas) No. 64: Bob Brown, G, Nebraska Brown was a force on the interior of the Huskers' offensive line during the early 1960s. He was a two-time All-Big East performer and an All-American during the 1963 season after helping lead Nebraska to its first conference title since 1940. Honorable mentions: Jim Lachey (Ohio State) No. 65: Steve DeLong, DL, Tennessee DeLong was one of the most dominant defensive linemen in college football during the 1960s, starring for the Vols from 1962-64. He was a two-time all-conference performer, a two-time All-American and the winner of the 1964 Outland Trophy. Honorable mentions: Greg Roberts (Oklahoma), Pat Elflein (Ohio State) No. 66: George Gipp, RB, Notre Dame Gipp was a star at Notre Dame under Knute Rockne, who used Gipp's name in his legendary halftime speech of the 1928 Army game. The famous phrase "Win one for the Gipper" was later used by Ronald Reagan, who portrayed Gipp in "Knute Rockne, All American." The former Notre Dame standout led the Fighting Irish in passing and rushing in his final three seasons and his average of 8.1 yards per carry is still a program record. Honorable mentions: Granville Liggins (Oklahoma), Alan Faneca (LSU) No. 67: Les Richter, G/LB, Cal Richter was a two-way star for the Cal Golden Bears back in the early '50s. He was recognized as a two-time All-American in both 1951 and '52. He was known as one of the toughest players in college football during his time at Cal and was eventually selected with the No. 2 pick in the 1952 NFL Draft. Honorable mentions: Russell Maryland (Miami), Aaron Taylor (Nebraska) No. 68: Mike Reid, DT, Penn State A dominant defensive lineman for the Nittany Lions during the late 1960s, Reid was a two-time captain on both of Penn State's undefeated teams during the 1968 and 1969 seasons. During his senior season, Reid led the Nittany Lions with 89 tackles en route to being named a unanimous All-American and winning both the Outland Trophy and Maxwell Award. Honorable mentions: Tedy Bruschi (Arizona) No. 69: Jordan Gross, OT, Utah How good was Gross during his collegiate playing career? The former All-American offensive tackle was so dominant that he didn't allow a single sack in his final two seasons at Utah. His senior season was remarkable, being named first-team All-Mountain West, a consensus first-team All-American and finishing as a finalist for the Outland Trophy. Honorable mentions: Tom Brown (Minnesota) No. 70: Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama Considered one of the best centers in recent memory, Kelly enjoyed a standout collegiate career at Alabama under the great Nick Saban. He was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide from 2013-15, earning first-team All-American honors and winning the Rimington Trophy in 2015 while helping lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship. Honorable mentions: Bob Gain (Kentucky) No. 71: Tony Boselli, OT, USC There are multiple USC standouts that appear on this list, and Boselli is among the best of the group. A massive offensive tackle, Boselli was a four-year starter for the Trojans from 1991-94. He was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection and a two-time first-team All-American. His senior season was among the greatest single seasons for an offensive lineman in program history as he was awarded the Morris Trophy, given to the Pac-10's best offensive lineman. Honorable mentions: Dean Steinkuhler (Nebraska), Merlin Olsen (Utah State) No. 72: Bronko Nagurski, DT/FB, Minnesota The Bronco Nagurski Trophy is awarded annually to the top defensive player in college football, so it should serve as no surprise that Nagurski himself appears on this list. The former Minnesota standout is considered to be one of the greatest defensive players in college football history. Not only did Nagurski star on the defensive line, but he also played fullback on offense, as well as spending some time at halfback and offensive guard. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a consensus All-American in 1929. Honorable mentions: Joe Thomas (Wisconsin), Bob Lilly (TCU), Glenn Dorsey (LSU) No. 73: John Hannah, OG, Alabama When legendary coach Bear Bryant refers to you as "the finest offensive lineman I have ever been around," you rightfully deserve a spot on this list. Hannah was an exceptional offensive guard at Alabama from 1970-72, earning first-team All-American honors in 1971 and 1972. In addition to starring on the gridiron, Hannah was also a member of the wrestling team and track and field team during his college career. Honorable mentions: Mark May (Pitt) No. 74: John Hicks, Ohio State Another great Ohio State offensive lineman, Hicks was a four-year starter for the Buckeyes from 1970-73. He missed half of the 1971 campaign due to injury, but during his three healthy seasons, he helped guide OSU to a combined 28-3-1 record, which included three Big Ten championships and three Rose Bowl appearances. He became the first Buckeye to play in three Rose Bowls while being named a two-time All-American and the winner of the Outland and Lombardi Awards in 1973. He was so dominant during his senior season that he finished runner-up in the 1973 Heisman Trophy voting, becoming just the second offensive lineman to do so. Honorable mentions: Tracy Rocker (Auburn), Michael Oher (Ole Miss) No. 75: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State The trend of dominant offensive tackles from Ohio State continues here with Pace, who is considered to be one of the greatest O-linemen in college football history. Pace started as a true freshman in 1994 and was named a two-time unanimous All-American and two-time Lombardi Award winner during his collegiate career. He was so dominant that the term "pancake block" gained popularity due to his play. Honorable mentions: Joe Greene (North Texas), Aaron Taylor (Notre Dame) * Our four-part series continues on Thursday, July 24, with the greatest players in college football history to wear Nos. 76-99. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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Indianapolis Star
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Staying 'true to the process,' former IUWBB star Mackenzie Holmes gets second chance with Seattle Storm
SEATTLE – When Mackenzie Holmes decided to have major knee surgery following her illustrious five-year career at IU, she knew it came with some risks. Holmes knew she would miss all of what would've been her rookie season in 2024 with the surgery, one that became necessary after years of wear throughout her high school and college career. She knew that, despite several All-America honors and a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award under her belt, teams could shy away from her because of this major surgery. But she also knew putting this surgery off any longer would affect her career long-term. So, she took that chance. She had surgery shortly before the 2024 WNBA draft, hoping a team would take a chance on her and be willing to stash her for a year. And that team was Seattle. The Storm selected Holmes with the 26th overall pick in the third round in 2024. They did so knowing she would not be able to be a part of the team in 2024, and they were willing to stash her for a year before bringing her back for 2025. 'It was a hard decision to make, but I knew for the longevity of my career that it was the best decision for me,' Holmes told IndyStar. 'Personally, just going through what I had during my career at Indiana, it made the most sense to get the surgery done, knowing that I would miss my rookie season and risk the chance of not being drafted. But I was very grateful that the Storm saw something, took a chance on me, and gave me the opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream, which was getting drafted, then still wanting to take a chance on me a year later.' Holmes spent the 2024 WNBA season away from the Storm, working with the IU women's basketball team as a graduate assistant and rehabbing her knee. Seattle didn't sign her to her rookie scale contract in 2024, instead opting to hold onto her draft rights for a year and sign her officially in 2025. And Holmes was one of the first people to get to Seattle ahead of the season, working in early reps ahead of the team's training camp. 'Coming here early gave her an edge, because she picked up our system quite early,' Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. 'She's in amazing shape, and the best attribute, in my opinion, is the culture piece. She just fits into our locker room, and we were happy to get her back.' Holmes went through all of training camp with the Storm and impressed in the team's lone preseason game against the Connecticut Sun, playing 21 minutes with nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks. But she was still waived from the team in the final round of cuts at the end of camp in early May. It was a blip in her career, yes. But it's a blip that a lot of young WNBA players go through while they work to find their place in the league. 'I left Seattle really heartbroken, because I had grown to really love these people, love the city of Seattle, so I left really upset,' Holmes said. 'But I knew that if it was meant to be, it would happen.' And Holmes made sure that the Storm knew if they ever needed her, she was just a call away. She kept in shape, watched all of their games and kept checking in on the coaching staff. 'We were in the midst of trying to figure out who would be on our roster, and Mack was like, 'I'll ride a bike to wherever you guys are,'' Quinn said. 'That's just the type of person that she is." And Holmes was serious about that. Seattle gave her a call on June 16, asking if she could be in Los Angeles the next day for a game. Of course, she dropped everything for the chance to be on the Storm again. 'Ride my bike, roller skate, whatever she needed me to get there, I would,' Holmes said. 'They were like, 'Can you be in L.A. by Tuesday?' and I'm like, 'Yes, I'll walk there if I have to.'' Holmes' role in Seattle is very different from what her role was at IU — she's not in Seattle's rotation, and she has only played in one game for five minutes since she re-signed with the Storm. In Seattle, though, she's practicing with some of the best frontcourt players in the league, learning from 2016 MVP and perennial All-Star Nneka Ogwumike and veterans Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams. 'I feel so grateful to have vets that are great basketball players, but better people,' Holmes said. 'I mean, Nneka is a one-of-a-kind human… all of them are incredible people. I'm learning so much from them, day in and day out. Not even just the basketball piece, but how they operate as pros, it's something the rest of my life I'll take with me.' Holmes is a sponge, someone who is trusting the process as a rookie learning from a loaded frontcourt. And that's exactly the type of player Seattle wants for their final roster spot. 'Mackenzie, she has been working very hard,' Ogwumike said. 'She's someone that stays very true to the process, great teammate, great person. She very much fit all that we're about this year in Seattle.'
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pair of Nittany Lions make 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
Pair of Nittany Lions make 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot A pair of Penn State stars could soon be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Defensive end Courtney Brown and running back Ki-Jana Carter were among 79 players nominated by the NFF College Football Hall of Fame on the 2026 ballot, which was released Monday. Both players are expected to be approved after standout careers in Happy Valley. Brown, who played at Penn State from 1996-99, was viewed as one of the top players in college football during his senior season. He was named a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year en route to the No. 1 overall draft selection in 2000. He finished with 33 career sacks, setting the NCAA record at the time, which still ranks best in Penn State program history. Brown's 13.5 sacks in his senior year rank fourth among Nittany Lions all time. Carter was also a No. 1 overall pick, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995. He was a Nittany Lion from 1992-94, earning unanimous All-American honors as a junior when the Nittany Lions posted an undefeated season. He was named the Rose Bowl MVP to cap off his college career. Carter's 1994 season includes the third-most rushing yards and second-most rushing touchdowns in program history, and he currently has the fourth-most career rushing touchdowns of any Nittany Lion.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants Abdul Carter Makes Fellow Rookie Look 4 Feet Tall
The New York Giants drafted an absolute behemoth with the No.3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is listed at 6-foot-3, 251 pounds. Carter was an absolute machine in his junior season at Penn State. Carter led the nation with 24 tackles for loss, posting 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four pass deflections. Carter had 68 total tackles that season, and finished his three-year collegiate career with 12 sacks. Advertisement Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a Unanimous Consensus All-American selection, and he's expected to only get better in the pros. Big, towering brutes isn't the only type of player the Giants drafted. The Giants snagged Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round. In the grand scheme of things, Skattebo isn't a particularly small human. He stands at 5-foot-11 and 216 pounds, he's built like a cannon ball and was not an easy man to bring down in college. In his senior season at Arizona State, Skattebo led the Big 12 with 293 carries and 1,711 yards. He ran in 21 touchdowns and picked up three more in the receiving game, earning him three first place votes in the Heisman Trophy voting, finishing fifth on the ballot. The Giants landed a pair of fantastic athletes and two of college football's best players from this past season. However, when the two of them appeared together in a video from rookie minicamp, Carter appeared to tower over Skattebo, leading X user Dov Kleiman to say "Wild: Giants Abdul Carter makes Cam Skattebo look like he's 4 feet tall." Related: Giants' Dart Timeline Has Three Main Possibilities Related: Giants Welcome Back Receiver They Just Cut
New York Post
05-05-2025
- New York Post
Browns linebacker Devin Bush arrested on assault charge after incident with girlfriend
Former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, top-10 NFL draft pick and current Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush was arrested Sunday on two separate charges after allegedly smashing his girlfriend's cell phone during a dispute. According to TMZ, court records show that Bush was arrested in Allegheny County, Pa., on charges of simple assault and harassment. Bush's girlfriend reportedly told cops she began filming Bush during an argument and 'aggressively' tried to take her phone when he noticed she was recording him. Advertisement 3 Devin Bush with the Browns in September. Getty Images She alleged that Bush got the phone 'and smashed it so that she could not call for help,' cops said, per TMZ. When police officers noticed a wrist abrasion and a mark on the woman's foot, she told them that happened 'from the struggle with Bush trying to take her phone,' TMZ reported. Bush denied getting physical but admitted to smashing her phone. Advertisement The records show that Bush is due to appear in court for a preliminary case hearing on May 20. Further details of the allegations made against him are currently unavailable. According to multiple outlets, the Browns are aware of Bush's arrest and are gathering more information regarding what the alleged incident that got him arrested entailed. The 26-year-old was a standout linebacker in his collegiate career at Michigan, which led to the Pittsburgh Steelers trading up in the 2019 NFL Draft to select him 10th overall. Advertisement 3 Devin Bush with the Browns in November. Getty Images He spent three seasons with the Wolverines under now-Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Bush broke out in his sophomore season as he recorded more than 100 tackles and was the leader of Michigan's defense. In his junior year, he continued his stellar play. He was recognized with All American honors and the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award before declaring for the draft. Bush spent four seasons with the Steelers, placing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after starting 15 games and tallying 109 total tackles, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries, nine tackles for loss and a scoop-and-score touchdown. Advertisement 3 The Steelers used the 10th overall draft pick in 2019 to select Devin Bush. Getty Images In his second season, he tore his ACL after appearing in five games. The undersized linebacker who relied so heavily on his speed and athleticism has since not looked the same after his solid rookie season. He joined the Seahawks after his four-year stint in Pittsburgh and started in just three games before heading to Cleveland for this past season where he started in 10 games and had 76 total tackles.
