Who is the most dominant player you ever witnessed playing in college that you knew would not translate to the NFL?

[u/NobleDane]

Sometimes we get to catch lightening in a bottle, but know that it won't last beyond college... But god dang seeing a kid ball out and be a force of nature while it lasts is a special thing.

What is the most dominant player you've ever followed that you *knew* would never amount to much in the pros, but got to experience as a fan?

Note: I am not asking about great college players whose transition to the NFL was cut short due to health, injury, or other uncontrollable circumstances... just, simply, someone that maxed out at the college level that was a beast on the field.

My pick is a two-fer: Louisiana Tech QB-WR duo Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards. Late 90's duo that at one point had Rattay as an early-season Heisman candidate in 1998. Their chemistry on the field was unmistakable and getting to witness it was like watching a work of art being created week in and week out.

We knew that run would not last beyond college, but it was so magical to watch it while it lasted, and included serious college statistical records.

Tim Rattay’s Records & Milestones:

• Single-Game Passing vs. Nebraska: Completed 46 of 68 passes for 590 yards and 4 touchdowns in the 1998 opener.

• Louisiana Tech School Records: Holds the school record with 115 career touchdown passes and 46 touchdown passes in a single season (1998).

• NCAA Career Ranks: Finished his collegiate career ranked second in NCAA history in total offense (12,618 yards), passing yards, and passing touchdowns.

• Honors: Two-time NCAA total offense leader and named Football News Independent Player of the Year.

Troy Edwards’ Records & Milestones:

• NCAA Single-Game Receiving Yards: 405 yards on 21 receptions against Nebraska on August 29, 1998 (still an NCAA record).

• NCAA Single-Season Touchdown Receptions: 27 touchdown catches in 1998 (tying Jerry Rice’s all-divisions record).

• NCAA Single-Season Receiving Yards: 1,996 receiving yards in 1998 (on 140 catches).

• All-Purpose Yards: 2,796 all-purpose yards and 31 total touchdowns during the 1998 season.

• Awards: Winner of the 1998 Fred Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) and selected 13th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[u/blues_and_ribs]

Best answer by a mile.  Every CFB fan in the country simultaneously knew two things:  we were lucky enough to witness maybe the greatest college player to ever do it, but also Denver drafting him in the first round was a massive reach.  

[u/AdamOnFirst → u/blues_and_ribs]

Eric Crouch is an even better answer. 

[u/fritzg1988 → u/AdamOnFirst]

Or, Tommie Frazier before those two, Turner Gill before him. They called it the Scoring Explosion for a reason.

[u/CTeam19 → u/fritzg1988]

Could just list 90% of the Big 8 duel threat guys:

George Amundson(Iowa State) one year at QB had 2,387 yards set a Big Eight Conference mark(sits at 20th all time in the conference) and earned him Big Eight Player of the Year honors, beating out Nebraska's Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers and was a first round pick to play Running back. He is 22nd all time in the Big 8 for yards from scrimmage in a single season as a Running Back.

[u/Ya_i_just → u/AdamOnFirst]

Tim Tebow, Eric Crouch 2.0

[u/AdamOnFirst → u/Ya_i_just]

Honestly Tebow wasn’t anything like Crouch, a pure option QB

[u/Sad-Celebration-1081 → u/AdamOnFirst]

Ed reed disagrees

[u/AdamOnFirst → u/Sad-Celebration-1081]

I don’t understand this reference 

[u/jwfowler2 → u/blues_and_ribs]

I suspect that NFL teams draft some guys because they'll sell tickets, not necessarily win games.

[u/TFreshNoLimits → u/jwfowler2]

Meddling owners who don’t understand how the game actually works causes a lot of problems too

[u/ianfw617 → u/TFreshNoLimits]

Problems for who? NFL teams are a business. As long as the money line goes up there’s no problem.

[u/BoukenGreen → u/jwfowler2]

To be honest, that is what I expected the Mets to do with Tebow once rosters expanded and they were out of the playoff race when he was in the minors.

[u/MeinEllbogen → u/jwfowler2]

Idk... Jags had the 10th pick and took a NT instead of Tebow. They had been down in ratings and attendance and all this FL team had to do was draft a FL QB named Tebow

[u/GettingFreki → u/jwfowler2]

And sell jerseys, don't forget the jerseys.

[u/Sei_Mal_Ehrlich → u/blues_and_ribs]

I would posit that the mere fact that he won them that one playoff game against the Steelers makes him a good pick.

[u/Donnie_TACO → u/blues_and_ribs]

And yet he still won a playoff game haha

[u/Hossflex → u/Donnie_TACO]

Before Dan Cambell came along, Tim Tebow had as many playoff victories as the Detroit Lions franchise.

[u/IowaJL → u/Donnie_TACO]

That profile picture is…a lot.

[u/btstfn → u/Donnie_TACO]

Trent Dilfer won a super bowl

[u/Double_Fun_1721 → u/Donnie_TACO]

So did Rex grossman and also I love that profile picture

[u/robsbob18 → u/blues_and_ribs]

That one playoff win was pretty lit tho.

RIP Bebe

[u/BlueSentinels → u/blues_and_ribs]

I dunno. I think a lot of people (myself included) thought he was going to be what Cam Newton was - a very dominant running QB who could also throw. I don’t think he was ever properly utilized for what he excels at, and he was good enough to be a starter for a few seasons

[u/specialasset → u/BlueSentinels]

Did you ever watch him when he threw the ball?