Lamar Jackson Named Among College Football's Top 25 Players of the 21st Century

The former Louisville quarterback is the best player in school history.

Dec 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Lamar Jackson from the University of Louisville wins the Heisman Trophy at Playstation Theater. / Heisman Trust-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When discussing some of the greatest players in college football history, at some point in time, Lamar Jackson's name is bound to come up. The former Louisville quarterback is one of the most electrifying players in the history of the sport, dazzling fans on a weekly basis with his playmaking ability both on the ground and through the air.

The folks over at ESPN also seem to agree that Jackson is one of the best players in college football history - at least during this century.

On Monday, ESPN published their rankings of the top 25 college football players of the 21st century, and Jackson cracked the list at No. 20. Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield, Auburn QB Cam Newton, Texas QB Vince Young and Miami safety Ed Reed rounded out the top five.

Jackson is without a doubt the greatest player in Louisville football history. He set 42 school and 12 ACC records in just three years as a Cardinal, amassing 13,175 total yards of offense and 119 total touchdowns.

He officially vaulted into superstardom during his sophomore season in 2016. That year, he finished with 5,114 total yards and 51 touchdowns responsible for, winning the 2016 Heisman Trophy to become Louisville's first winner in school history and the youngest-ever recipient of the award. He also won the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards, and was named the Associated Press and ACC Player of the Year.

The Pompano Beach, Fla. native was selected by the Ravens with the final pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and has become one of the best players in the league. He's a two-time MVP, winning the award in 2019 and 2023, while also guiding Baltimore to a 58-19 record as a starter. In 86 regular season games, he has amassed 21,145 total yards of offense and 154 touchdowns.

(Photo of Lamar Jackson: Heisman Trust - USA TODAY Sports)

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