The Top 10 NFL Careers of Former Heisman Trophy Winners
Submitted by podizz on Thu, 12/11/2008 - 04:20
- Barry Sanders (1988) Oklahoma State RB Jr.
- Roger Staubach (1963) Navy QB Jr.
- Marcus Allen (1981) USC RB Sr.
- Tony Dorsett (1976) Pittsburgh RB Sr.1984
- O.J. Simpson (1968) USC RB Jr.
- Earl Campbell (1977) Texas RB Sr.
- Tim Brown (1987) Notre Dame WR Sr.
- Paul Hornung (1956) Notre Dame QB Sr.
- Billy Sims (1978) Oklahoma RB Jr.
- Eddie George (1995) Ohio State RB Sr.
- The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award named after the former college football coach John Heisman, is awarded annually by the Heisman Trophy Trust to the most outstanding player in collegiate football. Only one player has ever won the Heisman twice, Archie Griffin of the Ohio State Buckeyes in 1974 and 1975. Only Tim Tebow of the Florida Gators and Sam Bradford of the Oklahoma Sooners have won the award as a Sophomore.
- The trophy itself, designed by sculptor Frank Eliscu, is modeled after Ed Smith, a leading player in 1934 for the now defunct New York University football team
- The fifty states of the United States are split into six regions, and six regional representatives are selected to appoint voters in their states (the regions include the Far West, the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, South, and Southwest). Each region has 145 media votes, for a total of 870 votes. In addition, all previous Heisman winners may vote, including those still in college, and one final vote is counted through public balloting. The Heisman ballots contain a 3-2-1 point system, in which each ballot ranks the voter's top three players and awards them three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote, and one point for a third-place vote. The points are tabulated, and the player with the highest total of points across all ballots wins the Heisman Trophy.
- The Heisman is usually awarded to a running back or a quarterback; very few players have won the trophy playing at a different position. Two tight ends have won the trophy, Larry Kelley and Leon Hart. Also, Desmond Howard and Tim Brown won as wide receivers. Charles Woodson is the only primarily defensive player to win the award, doing so as a defensive back and occasional wide receiver for University of Michigan in 1997
- The Heisman Trophy has been awarded 74 times since its creation in 1935.
- Notre Dame 7
- Ohio State 7
- USC 7
- Oklahoma 5
Author Comments:
Although this is a very solid group, the list of Heisman winners who had average and or below average NFL careers is staggering. This goes to show that more often than not, the Heisman is a poor predictor of success at the professional level.
After this year, don't you have to add Woodson?