Stanford quarterbacks Jim Plunkett, John Elway and Andrew Luck each were selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. That's something for a school to brag about. They're our top three in our list of the 10 greatest Cardinal players.
1. Andrew Luck, QB
Like Plunkett and Elway, Luck enjoyed a banner career that led to him being selected with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. From 2009-11, Luck passed for 9,430 yards and a school-record 82 TD passes. Luck went 31-8 as a starter, including a 23-3 mark in his last two seasons. He earned first-team All-American honors twice, and the Cardinal made two BCS appearances with Luck (2010 Orange Bowl, 2011 Fiesta Bowl). Luck also finished second in the Heisman voting in both 2010 and 2011.
2. John Elway, QB
Despite never playing in a bowl game, Elway put up numbers as a four-year starter at Stanford from 1979-82. Elway threw for 27 TDs in 1980 — including a six-TD masterpiece against Oregon State. He finished his career with 9,349 passing yards and 77 TDs. Elway finished second to Herschel Walker in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1982. Elway also starred on the baseball team. He was chosen with the No. 1 pick in the 1983 NFL Draft and later led the Broncos to five Super Bowl appearances and two championships.
3. Jim Plunkett, QB
Plunkett ranks fourth in school history in career passing yards (7,809) and TDs (53). He started from 1968-70, and he set then-Pac-10 record with 2,980 passing yards and 19 TDs in 1970, which was good enough to win the Heisman Trophy. Plunkett closed his college career by throwing for 265 yards and a TD in a 27-17 win against Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl. Plunkett was the No. 1 pick in the 1971 NFL Draft and later won two Super Bowls with the Oakland Raiders.
4. Ernie Nevers, FB
Nevers inherited the nickname "Big Dog" on Stanford's campus, and he had the bite to back that up. He played multiple positions en route to leading Stanford to a 22-5-1 record from 1923-25. He handled 34 carries for 114 yards in a loss to Notre Dame in the 1925 Rose Bowl. Nevers' senior season highlight entailed leading the school to its first win over Cal in 11 seasons. Nevers finished with 117 yards and two TDs against the Golden Bears. He is a member of both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
5. Toby Gerhart, RB
Jim Harbaugh helped revive Stanford's football program, and he used Gerhart as the battering ram to do it in 2008-09. Gerhart rushed for 1,136 yards and 15 TDs as a junior before a terrific senior season that included 1,871 rushing yards and 28 TDs. Gerhart rushed for more than 200 yards in wins against Washington, Oregon and Notre Dame. Gerhart won the Doak Walker Award and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
6. Bob Whitfield, T
Whitfield — a 6-5, 318-pound tackle — didn't take long to make an impact with coach Dennis Green. Whitfield earned a starting job as a freshman and proceeded to start every game for the next three years. He earned All-American honors in 1990-91. Whitfield was the No. 8 pick in the 1992 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons in the NFL.
7. Troy Walters, WR
As a freshman, Walters caught eight passes for 144 yards and a TD against UCLA, which kick-started a prolific career that included school records in receptions (244) and receiving yards (3,986). Walters won the Biletnikoff Award as a senior and closed his career in style. In his final home game, Walters had eight catches for 183 yards and two TDs in a 40-37 shootout against Notre Dame.
8. Jeff Siemon, LB
Siemon served as the cornerstone of Stanford's defense and helped the team reach the 1971 and 1972 Rose Bowls. A tough, instinctive linebacker, Siemon totaled 219 tackles over those two seasons. He earned first-team All-America honors as a senior and closed his career with 15 tackles in the 1972 Rose Bowl win against Michigan. Siemon went on to an 11-year career with the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL.
9. James Lofton, WR
A 6-3, 187-pound wide receiver, Lofton emerged as a graceful vertical threat at Stanford. He broke out as a senior in 1977 with 57 catches for 1,010 yards — including a 192-yard effort against Washington. Lofton averaged 18.0 yards per catch for his career and gained more attention after winning the NCAA long jump championship with a leap of 26 feet, 11 3/4 inches. Lofton finished with eight Pro Bowl selections in the NFL from 1978-93.
10. Glyn Milburn, RB
Milburn didn't have size, but the 5-8 multi-purpose back made plays from all angles from 1989-92. He finished with 5,857 all-purpose yards and earned first-team All-American honors in 1992. That monster senior season included 851 rushing yards and eight TDs, 37 catches for 405 receiving yards and two TDs and 573 punt return yards and three TDs.
