Five College Football Legends Of The Last Twenty Years You May Have Forgotten

As the years go by, our favorite college football players come and go to be replaced by new legends. Many move on to be stars in the NFL, but these players are known for their legendary play in college and didn’t have much of an NFL career.

As the years go by, our favorite college football players come and go to be replaced by new legends. Many move on to be stars in the NFL, but these players are known for their legendary play in college and didn’t have much of an NFL career.

Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC (2004-2006)

Everyone thinks about Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush when they think about those great mid-2000s USC teams. But, Dwayne Jarrett was equally dominant as those two.

The New Jersey native hit the ground running as a true freshman during USC’s perfect season in 2004, when he had nearly 850 yards and 13 touchdowns. He followed that up with back-to-back 1000-yard seasons, combining for 29 touchdowns in those two years.

Jarrett finished his USC career with 216 catches for 3138 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was a second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2007, had just 428 yards receiving in his NFL career.

Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona (2013-2015)

A casual college football fan may remember the first name on this list, but only hardcore fans will remember Scooby Wright. That’s a shame, because he could flat-out play.

Wright is remembered for his monster 2014 season that saw him named a unanimous All-American and win many notable awards, including the Nagurski Award. And, it was for good reason. He had a season unlike few others in college football history, finished with 164 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks. Yes, that’s in one season.

Sadly, an injury robbed him of most of his junior year, and he entered the NFL Draft after the season. A 4.9 40-yard-dash time tanked his draft stock, and after being selected in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL Draft, he finished with 7 tackles in his NFL career. He had a pick-six in the USFL Championship Game with the Birmingham Stallions in 2022.

Chris Leak, QB, Florida Gators (2003-2006)

This is a name you may have forgot until you saw it again, but it rang the bell in your head. Chris Leak came into college as the most prolific high school passer of all time. And, it took until his senior year, but he fulfilled that promise in a big way, leading Florida to the national title in 2006 in Urban Meyer’s second-year.

A four-year starter for the Gators, Leak tallied 11,213 yards and 88 touchdowns in his time in Gainesville. In that national title-winning senior year, he had just under 3000 yards passing and 23 touchdowns to go along with 13 interceptions. That touchdown total could have been higher, but a freshman named Tim Tebow got most of the goal line work as the year went on.

Leak went undrafted and never threw a pass in the NFL.

Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma (2008-2011)

Ryan Broyles was present for some up-and-down years for the Oklahoma Sooners. But, what wasn’t up-and-down was his incredible play throughout his storied career.

He wasn’t particularly big or particularly fast, But, he was an incredible route runner with ultra-reliable hands for Sooner quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones. And, they kept throwing to him. Broyles finished his career with an astounding 349 catches for 4,586 yards and 45 touchdowns. He was a two-time consensus All-American, and ended his career as the all-time NCAA leader in receptions, despite missing the end of his senior year with an ACL tear

Ryan Broyles was taken by the Lions in the 2nd round, but was never the same difference maker in the NFL. He tallied 32 catches for 420 yards and two touchdowns in his career.

Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia (2010-2012)

Jarvis Jones started his career at USC, and transferred to Georgia at a time when transfers were few and far between. The Bulldogs are very happy he did.

Jones had to sit out the 2010 season due to NCAA rules at the time, but he more than made up for lost time in his two seasons on the field in Athens. In 2011, Jones had 70 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 13.5 sacks, and was a consensus All-American. He followed that up with an even better season, as he had 85 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks to take home the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award.

Many had him mocked at the top of the first round, but his injury history and medicals raised flags, and he fell to the Steelers with the 17th pick. Those medical issues hampered him in the NFL, and he finished with six sacks in his career.

Collin Klein QB, Kansas State (2008-2012)

Collin Klein was, for me, the quintessential college football quarterback. The Wildcat was the engine of some really great Kansas State teams under legendary coach Bill Snyder.

After serving as a backup for two years, Klein took over as the starter in 2011 and became an instant star. Always a more effective runner than passer, he had 13 touchdowns through the air and an astounding 27 through the ground and led the Wildcats to a 10-3 season.

In his senior season, he put together arguably the greatest season in the school’s history, putting up over 3500 total yards and 39 touchdowns. At one point late in the season, Kansas State was ranked number one in the country and controlled their own destiny to reach the BCS National Championship Game. A loss to Baylor derailed those plans, and he ended up finishing third in the Heisman voting and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Klein is currently the offensive coordinator at his alma mater.