ESPN releases list of top 25 college football players of the 21st century

ESPN published a list of the top 25 college football players of the 21st century on Monday morning.

The list, compiled by ESPN’s Bill Connelly, features some of college football’s biggest stars from the past 2+ decades. Former Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh landed at No. on the list. Here’s an excerpt from Connelly’s analysis on the former Husker, who finished his collegiate career with 49.5 tackles for loss:

A four-star prospect from Oregon, Suh enjoyed three good years before posting one of the most devastating individual seasons in college football history. Suh was unblockable in 2009. Despite triple-teams, countless holding penalties (called and uncalled) and entire game plans designed to avoid the middle of the field, he made 20.5 TFLs with 12 sacks. His performance in the Big 12 championship game against Texas — seven TFLs, 4.5 sacks — was among the best ever. I realize we don’t give Heismans to defensive players, but it’s still utterly inexcusable that he didn’t win the Heisman that year. Best player of the 2000s and one of the best of all time.

Including Suh, the top 5 includes 3 players who starred in the Big 12 during their collegiate careers. Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield lands at No. 2 while Texas’ Vince Young comes in at No. 4.

Mayfield’s inclusion at No. 2 is sure to be controversial, as he’s the top-ranked QB on the list. He earned that spot over several other quarterbacks who won national championships in college, including Young, Cam Newton, Tim Tebow, Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson.

Newton comes in at No. 3 after putting together one of the best single-season performances in college football history. In 2010, Newton won the Heisman Trophy and led Auburn to a national championship victory.

Young slots in at No. 4 after also winning a national title during his time at Texas. Young was responsible for one of the most memorable plays in the sport’s recent history — his sprint to the corner of the end zone to beat USC in the 2005 Rose Bowl, which clinched the national championship for the Longhorns.

Former Miami safety Ed Reed rounds out the top 5. He’s the top-ranked defensive back on this list, and it’s not difficult to see why. He was a key part of Miami’s famous 2001 team that won the national championship and finished his collegiate career with 21 interceptions.

Tim Tebow, Reggie Bush and Joe Burrow are some of the other big-name stars who populated the top 10. Former Heisman Trophy winners such as Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray and DeVonta Smith also made the cut.

Here’s the full 25 top ranking from ESPN:

1. Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska, DL
2. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma, QB
3. Cam Newton, Auburn, QB
4. Vince Young, Texas, QB
5. Ed Reed, Miami, DB
6. Tim Tebow, Florida, QB
7. Reggie Bush, USC, RB
8. Bryan McKinnie, Miami, OL
9. Joe Burrow, LSU, QB
10. Larry Fitzgerald, Pitt, WR
11. Terrell Suggs, Arizona State, DE
12. Joe Thomas, Wisconsin, OL
13. Khalil Mack, Buffalo, LB
14. Aaron Donald, Pitt, DT
15. David Pollack, Georgia, DE
16. Deshaun Watson, Clemson, QB
17. Roy Williams, Oklahoma, DB
18. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma, QB
19. DeVonta Smith, Alabama, WR
20. Lamar Jackson, Louisville, QB
21. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, WR
22. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama, LB
23. Tyrann Mathieu, LSU, DB
24. Julius Peppers, North Carolina, DE
25. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin, RB

Former Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree, former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III and former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly are a few of the players who just missed the cut on Connelly’s list.

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Spenser Davis

Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.