Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
BY COLIN BISH, STAFF WRITER
50. Quarterback A.J. McCarron, Alabama
Alabama hasn’t had the best success in producing quarterbacks competent at the NFL level, especially recently. But they have a long, storied history of signal callers: Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Bart Starr, etc. The most successful during their time at Tuscaloosa: A.J. McCarron. McCarron saw limited action in his redshirt freshman year in 2010, where he backed up Greg McElroy. Most of his snaps played came when he substituted for an injured McElroy in a 28-27 loss to Auburn — in a game they led 24-0. Nonetheless, this loss fueled McCarron heading into 2011, who went 11-1 with the only loss coming to #1 LSU, 9-6 in overtime. With McCarron’s help, the Crimson Tide avenged the defeat by blanking the Tigers 21-0 in the national championship. McCarron returned in his second year starting, leading Alabama to a 12-1 record with a 32-28 nailbiter victory over Georgia to clinch another spot in the BCS title game. Once again, McCarron ran wild on the biggest stage, torching unbeaten Notre Dame 42-14 behind 264 passing yards and four touchdowns. Having announced before going back-to-back he would return for his senior year, McCarron came in with aspirations of winning the Heisman and a third straight national title. However, he missed on both. The Tide were primed to make the SEC title game but lost the division and, thus, a shot at a third straight championship in the “Kick Six” game against Auburn. Although having an incredible year, McCarron lost out on the Heisman to unbeaten Florida State’s freshman quarterback (who we will name later on; no spoilers). McCarron ended his college career with a 45-31 loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl but finished as Alabama’s all-time passing leader and third in career passing touchdowns. McCarron was drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals but never found stable NFL action. He bounced around multiple teams, most recently playing for the United Football League’s St. Louis Battlehawks.
49. Quarterback Stetson Bennett, Georgia
I’ve never seen such an amazing story get blacklisted because the story’s main character “piggybacked” off of his team’s talent. So the saying went during Bennett’s final year at Georgia. Too bad I’m not here to gripe about keyboard warriors, I’m here to talk about college football! Bennett grew up in the backdrop of the University of Georgia, and although he walked on initially, he transferred to Jones College after the 2017 season. Bennett played solid enough to earn a scholarship offer from Georgia, who needed a backup quarterback following transfers. Bennett came in but saw minimal playing time from 2019 to 2020. Bennett got his shot to start when starter JT Daniels suffered an oblique injury, where he led Georgia to an unbeaten regular season. However, he struggled in the SEC Championship against Alabama, losing 41-24. This led to speculation that coach Kirby Smart would reinsert Daniels as the starter in the Playoff Semifinal game against Michigan, but he stuck with Bennett. This decision ultimately turned Georgia into a national power. Bennett dominated the Wolverines with 313 yards and three touchdowns and would get revenge over the Crimson Tide with 224 yards and two touchdowns to clinch the Bulldogs’ first national title in 42 years. Shortly after, Bennett announced he would return for his sixth and final year in 2022. He more than made the most of it, finishing as a Heisman trophy finalist with 4127 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions and 10 rushing scores. Bennett capped his career with a 15-0 campaign, beating Ohio State in a CFP semifinal thriller 42-41 and scored six total touchdowns in a dominant 65-7 national title victory over TCU. Question his team’s skill, the coaches’ ability to maximize production, the age gap, whatever. No one can question that Bennett is a proven college football legend, a proven winner and a walk-on story up there with the likes of Brandon Burlsworth.
48. Wide receiver Tavon Austin, West Virginia
Any early 2000s kids would recognize this name as a Winter Soldier flashback. Austin birthed one of the greatest highlight reels in the internet’s history, and the video couldn’t even capture his full dominance. Coming out of Baltimore, Austin was a multi-sport athlete in high school, which future head coach Dana Holgorsen utilized. Austin’s head coach, Bill Stewart, dabbled with his ability in his first two years but never truly tapped into his potential. But the talent was absolutely there. Austin caught 58 passes for 787 yards and eight touchdowns in his sophomore year. West Virginia brought in Holgorsen for 2011, who previously helped build high-octane offenses at Houston and Oklahoma State. The new addition took Austin’s career to a new stratosphere. As a junior, Austin caught 101 passes for 1186 yards and eight touchdowns. He added 19 punt returns for 268 yards 36 kick returns for 938 yards and two return touchdowns. He played his best game in the Orange Bowl against Clemson, setting a game record with four receiving touchdowns. Then came his senior year, which birthed the aforementioned highlight reel. Austin caught 114 passes for 1289 yards and 12 touchdowns, ran the ball 72 times for 643 yards and three touchdowns, returned 15 punts for 165 yards and a touchdown and returned 32 kickoffs for 813 yards and a kick return touchdown. Somehow, Austin topped his Orange Bowl performance in an electrifying showing against Oklahoma. He accumulated 572 all-purpose yards, six yards short of the NCAA record, with 344 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards and 146 kick return yards. Austin’s efforts made him a first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2013, though he could never capture that same mysticism he had in Morgantown. Was Austin lightning in a bottle? Sure. But his skill revolutionized how high school and collegiate athletes were covered, with the effects being felt (for better or worse) to this day.
47. Defensive tackle Will Sutton, Arizona State
Many of you may not remember Sutton, but looking back he was one of the fiercest and most underrated college football defenders of his era. Sutton signed to Arizona State out of the extremely loaded Centennial High in Corona, California. When he got to Tempe, he weighed around 300 pounds and was a projected backup to Lawrence Guy. It wouldn’t be until 2012 until Sutton made his name feared among Pac-12 offenses. By then, he was down over 40 pounds. The weight loss and increased playing time unleashed a monster in the trenches, as Sutton notched 63 tackles, 24 for loss, 13 sacks, five passes defended and three forced fumbles. Sutton was named a consensus All-American in 2012 while also winning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award. Sutton returned for his senior season in 2013, though his production slightly dipped. He still put up 48 tackles, 14 for loss, four sacks and three passes defended for the Pac-12 runner-up Sun Devils. He was again named first-team All-American and Pac-12 DPOY to end a dominant career. Sutton was drafted in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft but never caught the same fire he had in college. Regardless, Sutton will go down as one of the greatest interior defensive linemen in NCAA history and one of the most decorated defenders in the Pac-12’s history.
46. Linebacker C.J. Mosley, Alabama
This is likely the point in time where the rest of the list is chock-full of Alabama players. It goes to show how well Nick Saban was able to evaluate talent. Mosley, a four-star recruit in the class of 2010, made his mark the moment he stepped on campus. Mosley was named a national freshman All-American, making 67 tackles, grabbing two interceptions (both returned for scores) and adding 10 passes defended. Unfortunately, Mosley saw limited action in 2011 after dislocating his shoulder against Arkansas, giving way to Dont’a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw to fill in Mosley’s role. They did so swimmingly, and after the two declared for the 2012 Draft, the linebacker spot was all Mosley’s. And like Jay-Z, he had to reintroduce himself. Mosley dominated the 2012 season, helping the Tide to a national title over Notre Dame as the team’s top defender. Mosley notched 107 tackles, eight for loss, four sacks and two interceptions en route to a consensus All-American selection; the second-leading tackler on the team was Trey DePriest, who had 59. Like McCarron, Mosley announced he would return for one last ride in 2013. As we saw, Alabama came up short in their quest for a third straight title, but Mosley put in another dominant year. He accumulated 106 tackles, nine for loss and five passes defended. Mosley was awarded a unanimous All-American nomination and shared the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award with Missouri defensive end Michael Sam. Mosley was selected 17th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 Draft, playing for five years before signing with the New York Jets in 2019, where he remains today. Mosley has totaled over 1000 career tackles in his decade-plus-long career with five Pro Bowl selections and five second-team All-Pro nominations.
45. Wide receiver Mar qise Lee, USC
Lee seemed destined to etch his name into the halls of legendary Trojan receivers like Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett. Even while playing opposite of high school teammate and All-American Robert Woods, Lee caught 73 passes for 1143 yards and 11 touchdowns as a true freshman. USC lost out on a bowl bid due to NCAA violations, but the hype was there for 2012 with Lee and quarterback Matt Barkley. However, the Trojans disappointed, finishing 7-6. Lee did not; as a sophomore, he caught an NCAA-leading 118 passes for 1721 yards and 14 touchdowns. He earned multiple awards, including Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, a unanimous All-American selection and the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver. Much was expected of Lee in 2013, but those fell through after a bone bruise limited his abilities before the season began. Adding on shuffling from Lane Kiffin to Ed Orgeron as head coaches, and Lee could never really get going. He had a solid season, catching 57 passes for 791 yards and four touchdowns, but was a far cry from his two seasons. Lee would declare for the 2014 NFL Draft, being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round. He played until 2019, and while he had some solid seasons, he never captured that same allure from his days at USC. Nonetheless, to be regarded as one of the best offensive players for a school as storied as USC surely puts you on a high pedestal.
44. Defensive end Chase Young, Ohio State
I thought for sure Young was going to become the next great pass rusher. I would’ve bet both my kidneys on it, which spells good deeds as to why I refrain from betting. But how could anyone not think Young was next up seeing his college performance? Young, one of the most highly-touted recruits in the 2017 class, committed to Ohio State. He showed flashes, notching 19 tackles, six for a loss and 3.5 sacks. He was expected to make more of an impact the following year but was thrust into a bigger role after Nick Bosa went down with an injury. Young was ready for the limelight. Young made 34 tackles, 16 for loss, 10.5 sacks, five passes defended and two forced fumbles despite dealing with sprains in both of his ankles. In 2019, Young went from breakout contender to Buckeye legend. Young won multiple Big Ten and NCAA defensive awards, while being named a unanimous All-American after finishing with 46 tackles, 21 for loss, 16.5 sacks, three passes defended and six forced fumbles. His best performance came against Wisconsin, one of the best offensive line units in the nation, dominating the Badgers with five tackles for loss and four sacks. Unfortunately, Ohio State and Young’s quest for a national championship fell through after a 29-23 loss to Clemson. Young went on to be drafted second overall in the 2020 NFL Draft to Washington, where he played until 2023 before getting traded to the San Francisco 49ers. He now plays for the New Orleans Saints, having just signed a new contract. Young has had ups and downs, injuries not helping his cause, but maybe he can finally tap into a once-promising career for the Saints.
43. Linebacker Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
Have you ever seen a player where you thought, “He doesn’t deserve the hate?” To this day, I still can’t understand the hate that Te’o got over the catfishing debacle. The way people talked made it seem like it was his fault, not the catfisher. But that’s a story for another day (stay tuned?). On the field, Te’o was one of the most talented linebackers of the early 2010s. Though 2009 doesn’t count, he showed his skill as a freshman for the Fighting Irish, which led to a dominant sophomore campaign. In 2010, Te’o led Notre Dame with 133 tackles, adding 10 for a loss, a sack, three passes defended and a forced fumble. He followed this up with another stellar campaign in 2011, totaling 128 tackles, 14 for a loss, five sacks, two passes defended and a forced fumble. It was in 2012 where Te’o entered legendary status; as part of the undefeated Fighting Irish, Te’o notched 113 tackles, six for a loss, 1.5 sacks and seven interceptions. His seven picks were second in the nation; reminder, he was a middle linebacker competing with defensive backs for the interceptions lead. Te’o earned a massive number of accolades: unanimous All-American, the Lombardi Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lott Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award and finished second in Heisman voting. However, the season ended in shocking fashion for Te’o with the unraveling of his online “girlfriend” and Notre Dame’s subsequent loss to Alabama in the BCS title game. Te’o played professionally, mainly with the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints, but was never able to find his footing. Some speculate the catfishing scandal affected his mentality and subsequently hurt his confidence, which is huge in the NFL. We may never truly know. But Te’o’s skill and dominance in South Bend could never be taken away from the halls of college football lore.
42. Running back J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
There’s only been a handful of college running backs that were dominant from the moment they stepped on campus as a freshman. Some names that come to mind could be Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne or Texas’ Ricky Williams. Dobbins has to be a part of these legends. Dobbins captured the starting running back role in Columbus in 2017, making good on Urban Meyer’s decision by rushing 194 times for 1403 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite his great season, Dobbins split time with junior running back Mike Weber, which lowered his numbers to a more pedestrian 1053 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. His yards per carry plummeted from 7.2 to 4.6 over the two seasons, but he had a chance after Weber declared for the NFL Draft. Alongside an electric offense featuring players soon-to-be-named, Dobbins torched opposing defenses all season long. He rushed 301 times for 2003 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. His best performance came against arch-nemesis Michigan, rushing for 211 yards and scoring four touchdowns. Dobbins would forgo his senior season and would be drafted in the second round of the 2020 Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. His NFL career got off to an awful start; not through his own fault, but due to untimely, devastating injuries. Fortunately, Dobbins finally found his groove after signing with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, where he would help lead the team back to the playoffs by posting career highs in rushing attempts and yards.
41. Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
Who is the real DBU, a.k.a. Defensive Back University? Who pumps out the overall best secondary talent? Some say LSU, others say Ohio State. A select few may go outside the box and say Texas or Florida State. But with talent being produced by Alabama like Fitzpatrick, it’s hard to argue that Nick Saban isn’t a defensive back guru. From his freshman year to now, Fitzpatrick has been the definition of elite consistency. In his first year, he played a considerable role by notching 45 tackles, three for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and 11 passes defended for the national champion Tide. Fitzpatrick returned in 2016 with a fire, amassing 66 tackles, five for a loss, six interceptions and seven passes defended. He was named a consensus All-American that year. For his final year in college, Fitzpatrick didn’t blow up the stat sheet like his first two; he only had 60 tackles, eight for a loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception and eight passes defended. Only because no offense was looking his way. Fitzpatrick earned unanimous All-American honors, won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defender and won another national title in a 26-23 overtime thriller against Georgia. Fitzpatrick exited Tuscaloosa as one of its most decorated defenders, and he would go on to have a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins after being selected 11th overall in the 2018 Draft. When he was traded to Pittsburgh in 2019 and switched to safety, Fitzpatrick’s pro career took off. Since arriving in the Steel City, Fitzpatrick has made five Pro Bowls, three first-team All-Pros and tied for the NFL lead in interceptions in 2022.
