Top 50 Great College Football Players That Didn't Pan Out

[RTR91]

The title of this thread is misleading and is not what the list is about. In the introduction, the writers who created the list state that it's about great college players who "never made an impact in the NFL". To say that Ernie Davis "didn't pan out" in pro football would be incorrect, but I think it's definitely fair to say that Ernie Davis did not make an impact in the NFL.

You are dead on about Ryan Leaf. He was a good starting quarterback for one season and an average one in his other season as a starter.

IMO if you don't make an impact in the NFL you didn't pan out. What's the difference?

 

[redspider]

3 Names Jump out me at me, that are brarely even in my memory of college football. As my 1st Alabama game was in '72 vs. Duke. 1) John Hicks OL, tOSU another 1 representing the mighty buckeys. Didn't he finish #2 in in the Heisman balloting one year.
2) Rich Glover, Nebraska NG early '70 did he not wreck our wishbone in that awful orange bowl.
3) Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska all pupose offensive athlete. Was he not also a Heisman winner.
I can't remember if any of these guys having great pro careers.
What list would be complete without pat sullivan or Steve Spurrier.

 

[Bluegrasstide]

Disappointed that my neck of the woods was not represented...Where is Tim Couch? How can he not be on the list?

 

[BigEasyTider]

Disappointed that my neck of the woods was not represented...Where is Tim Couch? How can he not be on the list?

Ah, why would he? He doesn't quite fit the definition of "great" college player in my eyes. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but looking back on it he was never so much great as just he was the first byproduct of the Air Raid. For what it's worth, I have similar objections to the Run-n-Shoot QB's being included in this list for the same reason.

 

[BigEasyTider]

Looking at all of the NFL flops on this list who were SEC quarterbacks, it's really almost amazing how few quality quarterbacks have been turned out by the SEC over the years.

You can basically take a quick overview of the 30 years between Kenny Stabler and Peyton Manning and find almost nothing of value, and frankly the returns haven't been much better after Peyton (Quincy Carter, Jason Campbell, Casey Clausen, Brodie Croyle, JaMarcus Russell, David Green, Tim Couch, Tee Martin, Matt Jones, etc.).

Off-hand Jason Campbell is the only league-average starter the SEC has put in the NFL since Peyton that I can recall (outside of Eli), and Campbell has always been just a solid cog on bad-to-middling teams. It's an indictment of evaluation and development given how many talented QB's the SEC has signed over the years. The SEC signs top flight QB's every year, and the MAC is the hotbed of NFL QB talent. Go figure.

 

[Bluegrasstide]

I agree that he wasn't a great CFP. I was thinking more along the lines of No. 1 picks who flopped.

 

[BAMA1979]

IMO if you don't make an impact in the NFL you didn't pan out. What's the difference?

IMO there can be a big difference. Not panning out to me means bust or failure. If you decide not to play in the NFL it doesn't mean you didn't pan out or that you were a bust, but you obviously wouldn't have an impact in the NFL if you decided not to play. Ernie Davis was never able to play in an NFL game because of leukemia. That doesn't make him a bust-it just means that he didn't make an impact on an NFL field. Brian Bosworth and Tony Mandarich played in the NFL and weren't any good making them busts and players who didn't make an impact.

 

[WMack4Bama]

Great points. I've thought about this a lot. My uneducated, grasping for straws excuse is that with the speed & size of SEC defenses, these guys learn how to survive instead of thrive (if that makes sense). Meanwhile, guys from the ACC (Rivers), the MAC (Big Ben), the Big 10 (Brees), PAC 10 (Rodgers), and Big 12 (Bradford) have a chance to develop confidence in a passing offense without having to face an NFL caliber defense. SEC guys never get that opportunity to get comfortable in a drop back, pro-style type offense. Exhibit A, is the most celebrated SEC QBs in recent memory, Tim Tebow and Cam Newton, being glorified fullbacks who happen to be able to hit a receiver when he's wide open by five yards.

With respect to the list of SEC QBs post-Manning, Stafford is pretty darn good when he's on the field.

Of the guys that are in the SEC now who I've seen play, I think Aaron Murray (if he can stay healthy) is going to be a great one at the next level. If you've followed my comments in the UGA game threads during last season, I'm very very high on this kid.

Looking at all of the NFL flops on this list who were SEC quarterbacks, it's really almost amazing how few quality quarterbacks have been turned out by the SEC over the years.

You can basically take a quick overview of the 30 years between Kenny Stabler and Peyton Manning and find almost nothing of value, and frankly the returns haven't been much better after Peyton (Quincy Carter, Jason Campbell, Casey Clausen, Brodie Croyle, JaMarcus Russell, David Green, Tim Couch, Tee Martin, Matt Jones, etc.).

Off-hand Jason Campbell is the only league-average starter the SEC has put in the NFL since Peyton that I can recall (outside of Eli), and Campbell has always been just a solid cog on bad-to-middling teams. It's an indictment of evaluation and development given how many talented QB's the SEC has signed over the years. The SEC signs top flight QB's every year, and the MAC is the hotbed of NFL QB talent. Go figure.