7 College Football Legends Who Never Panned Out In The NFL

College football success can strongly indicate a long NFL career, but it’s not always the case. For these guys, the writing was on the wall: their games were better suited to college ball.

These Are 7 College Football Legends Who Never Panned Out In The NFL

College football and the NFL are two completely different sports; they even have different rules in some areas. So finding success at the college level, especially as an upperclassman, doesn’t mean you are cut out for the league.

As a college football fan, I think there is no shame in being remembered for a collegiate career rather than an NFL career.

To be clear, none of these guys are first-round draft picks, so we’re not going with guys remembered only for their college careers because they were draft busts.

Scouts get paid for a reason, and many knew these guys didn’t have the physical tools or play style to play on Sundays, but that doesn’t take away from what they did on Saturdays.

Colt Brennan: Hawaii, QB

The Rainbow Warriors then posted back-to-back 11-win seasons in Colt’s junior and senior years, including a perfect 12-0 regular season in 2007.

In three seasons at Hawaii, Brennan threw for over 14,000 yards at over 70% completion, and in his junior year he threw a record-setting 58 touchdowns. (Record now belongs to Bailey Zappe with 62.)

Colt Brennan finished 6th and 3rd in Heisman voting his junior and senior seasons but wasn’t drafted until the 6th round of the NFL draft.

Tragically, Colt Brennan passed away in 2021, but he will forever be remembered as Hawaii University’s greatest football player.

Colt McCoy: Texas, QB

Being named Colt must have translated into college football success, because Colt McCoy had a long, successful career at the University of Texas.

McCoy started 53 games for the Longhorns over his four years and won 45. The QB never had a season with fewer than 10 wins, and won all his bowl games until he lost the 2010 BCS National Championship to Alabama.

Despite the college success, McCoy was not a highly touted draft prospect and wasn’t taken until the 3rd round.

McCoy managed to play over 50 games in his NFL career but never made the impact he did at Texas.

Montee Ball: Wisconsin, RB

Montee Ball played for four years at the University of Wisconsin, but his junior and senior years were particularly dominant.

In his junior year, he totaled more yards and touchdowns than his freshman and sophomore years combined and finished 4th in Heisman voting.

He won Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year in 2011 and won the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s best running back in 2012.

Montee Ball wasn’t drafted until the second round despite the college success, and even that proved to be a reach, as the back only scored five touchdowns as a pro.

Kellen Moore: Boise State, QB

Kellen Moore posted a 50-3 record as Boise State’s starting QB; at the time, no one had ever won more games. (Jalen Hurts now has the record with 51 FBS wins)

Moore wasn’t just a winner; he threw for 14,667 yards and 142 touchdowns, threw just 28 interceptions, and finished in the top 10 in Heisman voting three times.

His college success wasn’t enough to get him on a draft board, as Moore went undrafted in 2012. Life after college wasn’t all bad, though, as he now serves as head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

Jason White: Oklahoma, QB

In 2003, Jason White had a historic season for Oklahoma. White threw for 3,800 yards and 40 passing TDs and won the Heisman Trophy.

A year later, he took a slight step back statistically, but still finished third in Heisman voting before declaring for the draft. White went completely undrafted, however, making him the only Heisman winner in the 2000s who went unselected.

In White’s defense, this was largely due to chronic knee injuries that kept him from making a single start in the NFL.

Bryce Petty: Baylor, QB

In 2013, Bryce Petty threw for 4,200 yards and 32 TDs; the following year, his numbers dipped slightly, but he led his team to an 11-1 record and just missed out on the first-ever college football playoff.

In both 2013 and 2014, Petty finished in the top 10 of Heisman voting and was an All-American. In 2014, Petty led Baylor to the nation’s No. 1 offense, scoring a whopping 48.2 PPG.

Petty was drafted in the fourth round and started only four games in the NFL, but the QB will always be a legend in Waco.

Max Duggan: TCU, QB

Max Duggan was an average QB for his first three years of college, which ultimately cost him his starting job his senior year. But an injury to Chandler Morris gave Duggan one more shot, and he never looked back.

In his senior year, Max led TCU to a perfect 12-0 regular season and their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. Duggan went from second on the quarterback depth chart to second in Heisman voting in 2022.

He went on to be drafted in the 7th round of the upcoming draft, and while he’s not in the NFL anymore, I saw him at the bar last week, and he looks great.