Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Begging the publication's pardon, but... if "The Moving Van" wore the same number in college as he did in the pros, the "Cover Boy"
of this article does not approach the pinnacle he has been assigned.

What say you one; what say you all?

GREATEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS BY JERSEY NUMBER

Jersey numbers are oftentimes an afterthought, arbitrarily handed out to a player with little rhyme or reason. For the greats of the game, though, those numbers can become part of their identity—a characteristic every bit as recognizable as a running style or throwing motion. Here are the greatest college football players to wear jersey numbers 1-99, in accordance with the NCAA rule book's SECTION 4, ARTICLE 2. a. All players shall be numbered 1 through 99. Any number preceded by zero (“0’’) is illegal.

http://www.si.com/college-football/phot ... -645773088

Not too many choices I'd disagree with. Although I would've taken Charles Woodson over Deion Sanders at jersey No. 2.

I stopped at #4 because I can't stand 'slideshow' articles and I could see where they were going in terms of selections.

Seems like it was/was going to be a list that was more about fame/hype, modern, and/or who the better pro player was instead of best in college.

AC was great but Nevers at one time was considered the greatest college football player ever, period. Lot of great players wore #1 so it's debatable but I expected to see Nevers.

Then, I have a hard time believing Favre is the best college football player to ever wear #4. Steve Walsh was a better and more accomplished college QB, Terence Newman and Champ Bailey were better college football players, too. I'm sure some greats of the earlier eras wore #4, also.

Joe Montana is more legend at the college level, than great. His time at Notre Dame is significantly viewed differently because of what he was in the NFL. There's probably multiple choices better for the #3, in terms of greatest COLLEGE football players.

I assumed Montana would be #3 but #2 is the only one I picked myself while clicking through. Deion was excellent in college, though there's acceptable other choices (Woodson, for one.)

Reaser wrote:Then, I have a hard time believing Favre is the best college football player to ever wear #4. Steve Walsh was a better and more accomplished college QB, Terence Newman and Champ Bailey were better college football players, too. I'm sure some greats of the earlier eras wore #4, also.

Favre was so great in college, no one knew how to pronounce his name and Browning Nagle was the bigger name going into the draft.

Agreed that Sports Illustrated has once again crapped the bed when it comes to their online content...just give me a listing...not a 100 photo slideshow that stops loading every third slide.

Jersey numeral #2 is interesting...I'd put Charles Woodson in, but Deion was great and also might consider Cam Newton because he kind of single-handedly won Auburn a title.

I guess #15 has to go to Tebow, but Tommie Frazier was great as well.

#7 I'd have Eric Crouch or maybe even Elway over Wuerffel.

#16 I'd have Jim Plunkett over Peyton Manning

Rod Woodson was the greatest Big10 player I've ever seen, so I have to put him at #26 over Riley Smith.

Ronnie Lott over Marshall Goldberg for #42.

Tony Mandarich over Jonathan Ogden at #79.

I love Tim Brown, but has there ever been a better college WR than Howard Twilley at #81?

But really, all of these are nitpicks, and the list Sports Illustrated came up with was excellent.