College football players who failed in the NFL: Exploring the top 5 CFB stars who didn't make it at the pro level
College football's golden boys often go on to long and productive NFL careers. But not always. Sometimes, the Saturday star becomes the Sunday afterthought. In fact, it's really not all that uncommon.
Here are five college football superstars who had little (or no) NFL careers.
Top 5 college football players who bombed in the NFL
5. Eric Crouch, Nebraska
Crouch was a brilliant option quarterback at Nebraska. He was a two-time All-Big 12 First Team and won a bevy of awards in 2001, including the Heisman Trophy. The problem for Crouch was that the sub-6 foot QB didn't have the skill set (or size) that left NFL teams drooling.
Crouch was drafted by the Rams, who ultimately tried to convert him to a wide receiver. While he hung around the periphery of the NFL for years, Crouch appears to have never actually played in an NFL game. Sure, part of the situation is a holdover from Nebraska's option-heavy style, which had no NFL equivalent. But Crouch was an NFL flop.
4. Tim Tebow, Florida
As a college player, Tebow was a superstar. A three-time All-SEC pick, Tebow was a running and passing phenom. He won a Heisman Trophy and was part of the national championship teams with the Gators. His college resume was about as complete as was actually possible.
But then, the NFL was not kind. A first-round pick of the Broncos, Tebow struggled in the NFL. His passing motion and mechanics were not well-suited for the pro game.
Tebow started 16 games over three NFL seasons. His NFL futility is probably best illustrated by his 47.9% completion percentage. Tebow even ended up giving baseball a shot, but that ended in the minor leagues.
3. Archie Griffin, Ohio State
Modern fans will have to step into the way-back machine to get the story on Griffin. But the Ohio State star remains the only player ever to win two Heisman Trophies (in 1974 and 1975). Griffin rushed for 5,589 yards and 26 touchdowns in college.
Griffin had a mediocre pro career despite being drafted in the first round by the Bengals. He never had more than 688 rushing yards in a season and concluded his career with 2,808 yards and seven touchdowns. Not bad, but not the kind of career one would expect from one of the best college football players in history.
2. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
The guy called "Johnny Football" had a phenomenal two seasons at Texas A&M. Manziel passed for 7,820 yards and 63 touchdowns while winning a Heisman Trophy in 2012.
The NFL was different. Off-field problems clouded Manziel's future after he was an ill-advised first-round pick despite standing under 6 feet tall. The Cleveland Browns ended up giving him eight starts over two seasons. Manziel passed for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions and was out of football quicker than he'd arrived.
1. Ryan Leaf, Washington State
As a college superstar, Leaf led Washington State to the verge of a national title. A Heisman finalist, he threw for 7,433 yards and 59 touchdowns in three seasons at Washington State. At over 6-foot-5, Leaf was such a good prospect that teams were divided on whether he or Peyton Manning would be the better NFL signal caller.
Manning was chosen first and Leaf second in the 1998 NFL Draft. Leaf had one of the worst NFL careers possible, throwing 14 touchdowns to 36 interceptions over parts of three NFL seasons.
Drug issues helped end his career, but Leaf has resurfaced clean and sober, ready to admit the flaws that drove him from the NFL. At least the story has a happy ending.
Which college stars/NFL flops do you remember most? Share your thoughts below in our comments section!