How many career college second-stringers have had good pro careers?

BAMAfan777 · Mar 1, 2014

How many career college second-stringers have gone on to have good pro careers?
With all the four and five star talent that Bama is stockpiling and the superior coaching of the Crimson Tide staff, it would not surprise me to see some Tide players that were second string all their careers go into the NFL and succeed.
How often does this happen or are we possibly going to re-write the books?

RTR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WMack4Bama · Mar 1, 2014

Haven't ever been too many teams stockpiled with the talent that we have now. Miami of the late 90s - early 00s come to mind. In that span they put out a bevy of game changer type players. We are in an era of that rare air now

GreatDanish · Mar 1, 2014

I don't know how many, but Matt Cassel comes to mind.

rgw · Mar 1, 2014

Frank Gore and Najeh Davenport? I don't know if they ever started at tailback for Miami

JessN · Mar 1, 2014

Alabama's Brad Ford got drafted by Detroit despite basically losing his starting job at midseason and being the nickel CB. Didn't last long in Detroit, though.

FitToBeTide · Mar 2, 2014

Bart Starr usually comes to my mind here when I hear that question. Played well his soph season, but Ears Whitworth wouldn't play him much his senior year after being injured his junior. Think he went on to do pretty well at GB.

CoachJeff · Mar 2, 2014

Are you questioning the decision making of Coach Whitworth? The man was instrumental in getting Coach Bryant to Alabama

GreatDanish · Mar 2, 2014

rgw said:
Frank Gore and Najeh Davenport? I don't know if they ever started at tailback for Miami

I remember Frank Gore got pretty big then got injured, but I think you are right - I don't think he ever started. Davenport - I don't think he even really ever played. That era at Miami was ridiculous.

gmart74 · Mar 2, 2014

Terrell Davis (Denver RB 2000yd guy) I dont think he started at UGA(?)

Matt0424 · Mar 2, 2014

Here are a few interesting stories to chew on...

Jason Peters: Went to Arkansas as a DT, ended up playing TE (caught 21 passes), and went undrafted. He made a practice squad, and then switched to plating OT. he iss now one of the best Rt in the league.

Antonio Gates: Never played college football. Was a LB when he DID play in HS. Helped lead Kent St to the elite 8, and then realized he couldn't play PF in the NBA at 6'4". So he garnered a workout with the SD Chargers, and the rest is history.

Priest Holmes: He was never the starter, as he was sharing carries with a Heisman trophy winner (Ricky Williams), and wasn't drafted. After being picked up, he spent his first year as a special teams player...only to rush for 100o yards in his second season and have a run as one of the top backs in the NFL.

TiderJack · Mar 2, 2014

GreatDanish said:
I remember Frank Gore got pretty big then got injured, but I think you are right - I don't think he ever started. Davenport - I don't think he even really ever played. That era at Miami was ridiculous.

Gore seemed to stay injured in college but still had a pretty good college career and has had a very good NFL career. The depth chart at one time was Clinton Portis, Gore and Willis McGahee. That's strong!

CajunCrimson · Mar 2, 2014

Joe Carter ended up having a pretty good 3-year career at the Dolphins -- and I don't think he ever started for us.....at least he had one good year.

CrimsonSEC · Mar 2, 2014

gmart74 said:
Terrell Davis (Denver RB 2000yd guy) I dont think he started at UGA(?)

I was going to post him until I saw this. He started his senior year, but Goff never liked him and had a pass happy offense anyway.

Atl Joe · Mar 2, 2014

Kurt Warner.

dtgreg · Mar 2, 2014

Tom Brady! C'mon, man.

KrAzY3 · Mar 3, 2014

I think you have to draw a pretty big distinction between second string and backup. Even Barry Sanders was second string most of his college career, but when you score 9 touchdowns, backup or not you are not exactly a bench warmer.

If you go strictly by someone that never really saw the field, for me Matt Cassell if the only one I can specifically recall that didn't start, warmed the bench, and went on to a good pro career. That's the one that sticks in my mind, he was a 5th year senior, he didn't have any major injuries, he had only 20 completions in college but he's started for 3 NFL teams. I'm sure there are others, but that's hard to beat.

Catfish · Mar 3, 2014

dtgreg said:
Tom Brady! C'mon, man.

Brady started 25 games at Michigan.

dtgreg · Mar 3, 2014

Catfish said:
Brady started 25 games at Michigan.

I should have blued the post. Although, he didn't start til his senior year and even then it seemed like Carr really wanted to let Henson be QB. And then the pros, where he didn't start, until...

gtgilbert · Mar 3, 2014

Felix Jones was never really a starter behind McFadden at Arky.

Could almost make case for LeRon Mcclain. He got relegated to being FB and has had a great career in the pros as a TB now...

fralo4tide · Mar 3, 2014

The question was not who, but how many? I'll guess 46. :biggrin:

How many career college second-stringers have had good pro careers?

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