Gotta get going with Branden Ore 2004-2007 VTech and 2008 West Liberty State. Great Rb but no discipline
West Lib is 10 miles from my parents house. My sister and her husband went to college there. Ore was good at VT, but I think that he was kicked off the team for off the field problems, correct? Either way, Im sure that there are plenty of players better than him who never played a down in the NFL. I remember that there was an OT who would have been a top-10 pick out of BYU who refused to play on Sundays, and passed on going pro.
I don't think that is what the thread is asking. It is asking for the best college players that never played in the NFL. Ward was a great college player who never played in the NFL. And yes, I think he could have succeeded in the NFL if given a chance. He was 6-2 190 in the NBA and surely could have gotten himself over 200 lbs if in the NFL. That's plenty big. A few inches taller than Wilson and Brees.
Carlos Alvarez all american WR from UFlorida .Son of Cuban refugee he was drafted but he wanted to be a lawyer .It was a career choice he made .Profession over the NFL .He didnt even go for a tryout.There is not many who have made that choice.
A player who did play in the NFL, just barely (1 1/2 seasons - 17 total games), but bombed because of drugs, is, imo, the greatest college football player I ever saw play (some voted him the CFB player of the century): Johnny Rodgers.
Jeff Samardzija comes to mind and so does an Indiana Running back from the mid 90's that goes by the name of Alex Smith.
Tommie Frazier [Nebraska QB cut short by injury] Pat Fitzgerald [2x Bednarik winner, 2x Nagurski; not a single NFL tackle]
"Our" Pat White? He played in the NFL and unfortunately for the Dolphins but for sure he never completed a pass!
Troy Davis - Miami Southridge HS, Iowa State University - first Division 1-A RB to rush for 2000 yards in back to back seasons. 2 time all-american, 1996 big 12 player of the year, and two year Heisman trophy finalist. Played in NFL but only had 446 yards in three years. Had good success in CFL.
Im not sure if he was the best college player but that reminds me of Jason White. Former Sooners QB, Heisman winner.
How about Timmy Chang? QB for Hawaii. He was a great college football player for his system but had no business in the pros.
Entered the thread just to write that. Loved watching him play at Nebraska Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Eric Crouch's game was very similar to Tebow and Lynch, never would have worked in the NFL. Great player though. It's disturbing that he has yet been voted to the CFB HOF.
Ugh. I absolutely cannot stand the option. Especially the 80% run version that Nebraska ran. But, to each their own. Still, I never really considered players like Crouch to be quarterbacks. Just running backs who would occasionally throw a pass.
Adarius Bowman was a hell of a wr in college but he smoked weed the week of the draft . he went to arena League I thought his blocking and his size would get him a look.
Maurice Clarett He rushed for 1,237 yards as a freshman at Ohio State -- one of the best rookie seasons anybody has ever had for the Buckeyes -- and he was a major reason why Ohio State went undefeated and won the 2002 BCS title. He sued to get into the 2004 draft, and after that ultimately failed, he prepared himself for the 2005 combine. It was easy to figure that Clarett would have a tough time impressing, because he hadn't played football in two seasons. The problem -- which we found out later -- was that he also had developed a drug and alcohol problem. Since his contract was heavily incentivized, the Broncos wouldn't lose out on much money if they simply released him. Which they did about a month after they signed him to a contract. From there, Clarett would go on to a 3 1/2-year prison sentence on robbery charges before spending some time in the now-defunct UFL. Clarett never appeared in a regular-season NFL game. Never a preseason game. [h=2]Terry Baker, QB,Oregon State[/h]Drafted #1 in 1963 The first West Coast Heisman Trophy winner Started 1 game for the Rams threw 3 interceptions and NEVER started another game Was out of the NFL in 3 years
As a total Buckeye homer his case is just sad. He was a true football player, not just a back. In the title tame Krenzel threw a pick and Clarett chased the guy down and stripped the ball. Too bad the wheels came off, but he seems to have gotten his life together, for what it's worth.
I drove to Columbus to see the game vs Washington that year with one of my best friends from HS who was an OSU student. Unfortunately, his friend who had the tickets gave them to someone else at the last minute, and we ended up watching the game at a bar near the stadium. Four hour trip to watch on TV, lol. My one chance to see a game at "the shoe".
Oh man, what a let down. Maybe someday you'll get a chance. I get to go occasionally when my neighbor sells us his tickets, but it's always to one of the early, lame games. Still fun. They've apparently made some more changes to the Shoe, more seating.