Call him Mr. Irrelevant if you will, but Brock Purdy departed Iowa State as the most significant quarterback in school history. A four-year starter for the Cyclones, Purdy holds nearly every major program record: most passing yards (12,170), most touchdowns (81), most completions (993), and most wins by a starting QB. He guided Iowa State to its first-ever Big 12 Championship Game appearance in 2020 and a victory over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
You don’t usually see kickers receiving much college attention, but Ryan Succop was worth paying attention to. In South Carolina, he had a monster leg, making field goals from 50-plus yards and kicking kickoffs deep into the end zone. He completed his college career making 71.9% of field goals (49 of 68) and a flawless 129 for 129 on extra points.
Marty Moore didn’t merely lead Kentucky in tackles—he owned that stat for three straight seasons. From 1991 to 1993, Moore was the heartbeat of the Wildcats’ defense, earning All-SEC honors and compiling more than 400 career tackles. He possessed a football sense and a sideline-to-sideline motor that made him a fan favorite in Lexington.
At the FCS level, Michael Green was a straight-up superstar. The Northwestern State safety was a two-time FCS All-American, picking up picks, tackles, and respect from every coach he crossed. He wasn’t only a ballhawk—he could lay the wood, too. Green possessed an uncanny knack for reading quarterbacks and closing gaps in a flash.
Florida State during the late ’90s and early 2000s was a college football dynasty, and Tay Cody was one of its top lockdown corners. A 2000 First-Team All-American, Cody played in three consecutive BCS National Championship Games, including assisting the Seminoles in winning the title in 1999. He concluded his college career with nine interceptions and 150 total tackles, frequently taking the opponent’s best receiver.
