Land of 10: Top 25 NU Players of all Time

Any listing like this can be adjusted and picked apart but I think they really screwed the pooch on some of these.

This would be my top 25 with the caveat that any specific place could be off +/- 5 spots or so.

Also I am not including guys from before 1970 because I didn't see them play.

25- Ahman Green

24- Aaron Graham

23- Neil Smith

22- Ralph Brown

21- Mike Brown

20- Scott Frost

19- Irving Fryar

18- Jerry Tagge

17- Dominic Raiola

16- Larry Jacobson

15- Aaron Taylor

14- Will Shields

13- Trev Alberts

12- Grant Wistrom

11- Lawrence Phillips

10- Rich Glover

9- Turner Gill

8- Zach Weigert

7- Dean Steinkuhler

6- Eric Crouch

5- Tommie Frazier

4- Ndamukong Suh

3- Dave Rimmington

2- Mike Rozier

1- Johnny Rodgers

Old Timer Honorable Mention-

Bob Brown

Guy Chamberlain

Bobby Reynolds

George Sauer

Tom Novak

Notable exclusions (possible last 5);

Cory Schlesinger

Lavonte David

Tom Rathman

Willie Harper

Barret Ruud

Probably don't make the list but worth mentioning; Jason Peter, Brendan Stai, Jarred Tomich, Jeff Kinney, Broderick Thomas, Roger Craig, Vince Ferragamo, a whole plethora of I-Backs....and I'm sure maybe a few others.

Anyways, I think this is a much better list than the Land of 10's. Not sure how they would explain some of their inclusions and the obvious ones that aren't going to make their list.. Sorry Brook B. fans (of which I'm one) but...

So who'd I miss?

EDIT- I've already come up with a few more that should've been mentioned somewhere in my listings; Ameer Abdullah, Alex Henery, Prince Amukamara. And No, I'm not going to revise it to get them in the right place or category. A big part of a list like this is team perception. I somewhat discount some of the guys after 2001 just because I have not been so happy with the team during that time. Also, some guys probably have an elevated place on this list due to playing in the mid 90's dynasty. That might not be fair but it is what it is.

 
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StPaulHusker said:
Fullbacks shouldn't be listed on here.

Also, a player that has never received an individual national award or been named a 1st Team All American should not be listed above someone who has. Especially at a school like NU. Lawrence Phillips maybe the exception.
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I don't think any player position should be summarily excluded from this list. We've had some fullbacks, kickers, etc. that are sure worthy of being in the discussion. But, having said that, I could not justify putting a fullback or kicker in my top 25.

I also think there can be exceptions to your national award or 1st team All American rule. As an example, Eric Crouch won the Heisman but I don't think that necessarily places him above others on a list like this. He was definitely a good player but some of it has to do with their value to their specific team, the players around them and also what other players were in college football in their era. I think if Tommie Frazier and Eric Crouch had competed at the same time that Tommie may have won the Heisman instead. Or maybe not since he would not have had the same supporting cast. If that makes sense...

 
Rich Glover at #12 is a travesty. No way he should be outside the top 5.

As much as I liked him, not sure I'd put Tom Rathman up at #13. We didn't use him much, and didn't use him in the right way when we did. Rathman is one of those rare individuals who had a better pro career than college career.

I'm guessing #1/#2 will be Tommie and Suh.

 
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NUance said:
Rich Glover at #12 is a travesty. No way he should outside the top 5.

As much as I liked him, not sure I'd put Tom Rathman up at #13. We didn't use him much, and didn't use him in the right way when we did. Rathman is one of those rare individuals who had a better pro career than college career.
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And Roger Craig says hello...

 
El Diaco said:
NUance said:
Rich Glover at #12 is a travesty. No way he should outside the top 5.

As much as I liked him, not sure I'd put Tom Rathman up at #13. We didn't use him much, and didn't use him in the right way when we did. Rathman is one of those rare individuals who had a better pro career than college career.
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And Roger Craig says hello...
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Yeah, true dat. Roger Craig's college/pro career was almost exactly the same situation as Rathman's. Better in the pros than in college. And for the same two teams! (Mostly.) Except Craig was a bit more notable at both college and in the pros. That, and Craig got eclipsed by Rozier his senior year.

 
The inclusion of Roger Craig and Tom Rathman on that list is laughable. Nothing against them and their careers at NU, but they only made the list because they had strong NFL careers. I don't like a Big Ten website making this type of list because they don't have the knowledge of NU's history.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
The inclusion of Roger Craig and Tom Rathman on that list is laughable. Nothing against them and their careers at NU, but they only made the list because they had strong NFL careers. I don't like a Big Ten website making this type of list because they don't have the knowledge of NU's history.
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I agree on all counts and the proof is in their list.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
The inclusion of Roger Craig and Tom Rathman on that list is laughable. Nothing against them and their careers at NU, but they only made the list because they had strong NFL careers. I don't like a Big Ten website making this type of list because they don't have the knowledge of NU's history.
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The thing is, is that the writers for the site both have experience/knowledge of the program. Erin Sorenson wrote for Hail Varsity, for crying out loud.

 
NUance said:
Rich Glover at #12 is a travesty. No way he should be outside the top 5.

As much as I liked him, not sure I'd put Tom Rathman up at #13. We didn't use him much, and didn't use him in the right way when we did. Rathman is one of those rare individuals who had a better pro career than college career.

I'm guessing #1/#2 will be Tommie and Suh.
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I agree. I'm not so sure that Ndamukong Suh isn't in the top 5 of best defensive players in college ever, you could atleast strongly argue it. He was just so dominant his junior and senior year.
 
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And Glover was even more so. A monster that literally beat the 1st Team all American from Oklahoma so badly it was hilarious. Tom Brahaney I think was the name. Could google it, but will let you guys figure that out.

Personally I don't think Crouch belongs in the top 10. He won the Hypsman, but really did not do what was expected against Colorado or Miami. Those were his two most important games and came up really short in those. But without him against Miami, it would have been worse. Never been a Crouch fan.

 
Jet is number 1, with glover and suh in the top 5. bob brown was an unbeatable college linemen. phillips may have been the best ever, EXCEPT. now proly not even in the top 20. Heisman trophy guys in the top 10. touchdown tommie was great but was hurt alot. probably need to pick the top 10 and have 90 guys in alphabetical order to finish out the top 100.

 
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