Playing great in college is one thing. However, playing in the NFL is another. While some football stars have managed to thrive in both, that isn’t always the case. Some players struggled in college but starred in the NFL. As we all know, this is much better than thriving in college before fizzling out in the NFL. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 NFL players who only did well in college.
Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow was a star for the University of Florida. While playing for the Gators, Tebow led the team to two BCS national championships with the second one naming him the MVP. He is also a Heisman Trophy winner. However, that failed to translate into the NFL. He played for two seasons with the Denver Broncos before making his last appearance in the NFL with the New York Jets.
Tebow has struggled to return to the NFL, the most as a practice player. His three year NFL stay saw Tebow make 47.9% of his passes for 2,422 yards. He also had 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions. While he had some moments in the NFL, those fail in comparison to what Tebow achieved in the college football scene.
Art Schlichter
While playing for Ohio State, Art Schlicter was the top quarterback. In four seasons, Schlicter completed 497 passes out of 951 for 7,547 yards. He also tallied 50 touchdowns against 46 interceptions. As a result, the Indianapolis Colts selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. But in the NFL, Schlicter didn’t even make his presence felt. To make matters worse, a gambling addiction led to his NFL suspension which eventually escalated into a ban.
Lawrence Phillips
Lawrence Phillips rose to prominence after he rushed for 1,722 yards for the University of Nebraska. This also led him to earn All-Big Eight honors. The St. Louis Rams saw potential in him, drafting Phillips in the 1996 NFL Draft with the sixth overall pick. However, Phillips’ college success never translated into the NFL. In three years, Philips bounced around the league, having stopovers with the Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and the Miami Dolphins. He also only accumulated 1,453 rushing yards, a number that frails in comparison to his production in college.
Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart was one of the best quarterbacks in college football history. He is a Heisman Trophy winner and led USC to a national championship before the team was asked to vacate the title. Leinart finished with a completion rate of 64.8 for 10,693 yards. He also had 99 touchdowns against 23 interceptions. Unfortunately, his NFL career was a different story. Leinart struggled in the NFL, never truly finding his footing.
JaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Russell had a lot of potential heading into the NFL. He showcased a lot of promise during his days with LSU, even helping them win a national championship. In three years, Russell passed 493 out of 797 for 6,625 yards. He also had 52 touchdowns against 21 interceptions. With his potential, the Oakland Raiders selected him as the top overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
However, Russell’s lack of conditioning, which reflected his work ethic, ultimately hurt his NFL career. In fact, his career came to an end after only playing for 31 games. He had a career passer rating of 65.2 for 4,083 yards. Furthermore, Russell also tallied 23 interceptions, compared to only 18 touchdowns. As a result, Russell went down as one of the biggest busts in NFL history.
Archie Griffin
After becoming the only player to win two Heisman Trophy awards, football fans expected that Archie Griffin would be something special when he made the NFL jump. Coming out of Ohio State, the Cincinnati Bengals selected him with the 24th overall pick. But despite a decorated college career, Griffin’s skills never translated into the NFL, with a lot having to do with the issue of being undersized. In seven seasons, Griffin could only accumulate 2,808 rushing yards.
Ryan Leaf
Ryan Leaf had a stellar college stint at Washington State. He was a First Team All-American and Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. However, Leaf struggled at the NFL level. In a brief three year career, Leaf bounced from the San Diego Chargers to the Dallas Cowboys. He had a passer rating of 50.0 for 3,666 yards. To make matters worse, Leaf also tallied 36 interceptions while only making 14 touchdowns.
Charles Rogers
After playing for two years with Michigan State, Charles Rogers turned some heads as one of the best wide receivers. In fact, Rogers was the recipient of the Fred Biletnikoff Award. As a result, the Detroit Lions selected him with the second overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, despite being one of college’s best wide receivers, Rogers failed to live up to those expectations. Struggling with injuries and substance abuse, Rogers was limited to only 15 games across three seasons.
Matt Elam
During his senior year at the University of Florida, Matt Elam recorded 76 total tackles. As a result, Elam earned First Team All-American honors and First Team All-SEC honors. With his achievements, Elam was selected in the first round with the 32nd overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens. However, the talented safety was marred with injuries and legal troubles that ultimately ended his three year NFL career. But among his issues it was his involvement in drugs that proved to be his last straw in the NFL.
Johnny Manziel
Winning the Heisman Trophy during your freshman year is an incredible feat. In fact, Johnny Manziel was the first player to do so. But for Manziel, it was also a setup for disappointment. After starring for Texas A&M, Manziel was drafted 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns. While playing for the Browns, Manziel only lasted for two seasons. He completed only 147 of his 258 passes for 1,675 yards. Furthermore, he tallied seven interceptions with the same amount of touchdowns. Manziel’s disappointing NFL career could partially be attributed to his excessive partying habits and altercations off the field, per si.com.
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