Tim Tebow is widely considered one of the greatest college football players ever.
ESPN thinks there are a few players who were better.
Bill Connelly with ESPN.com made a list of the top 25 college football players of the 21st century. The list includes an under-appreciated player at the top in former Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. It's a bit of a surprise at the top spot, but perhaps the bigger surprise was that Tebow didn't even crack the top five.
Instead, Tebow landed at No. 6 on the list. Here's what Connelly had to say about the ranking.
"After serving as a short-yardage, red zone specialist during Florida's 2006 national title run, Tebow moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and immediately became the sport's best and most defining player," Connelly wrote. "Does your home stadium have a plaque immortalizing a postgame speech from its starting quarterback? Because Florida's does."
The low ranking for Tebow feels shocking, especially since other quarterbacks who didn't have the same kind of impact are ahead of him, including former Oklahoma Sooners Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield.
Tebow's resume stands up with just about any college football player. He set 28 school records at Florida and became the first player in NCAA history with 20 passing and rushing touchdowns in one season. He had 88 passing touchdowns compared to just 16 interceptions, while adding another 57 scores on the ground. He was a two-time SEC Offensive Player of the Year, three-time All-SEC selection, consensus All-American, Heisman Trophy winner, and two-time national champion.
Beyond his play on the field, it was his cultural impact and imprint he left on college football. Coming in at sixth on ESPN's list feels a bit absurd with all of those accolades and off-field success.
After Suh and Mayfield, the top five includes Cam Newton, Vince Young, and Ed Reed.
