25. Qyntel Woods, NBA Forward
After attending Carver High School in Memphis, Tennessee, and having one season each at Moberly Area Community College and Northeast Mississippi Community College, Woods was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 21st pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. Coming out of college, Woods was known to pro scouts as a player with exceptional potential (sometimes compared to Tracy McGrady), but with a history of off-court problems. He played four seasons in the NBA for Portland, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks, averaging 4.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. I have him on the list because he played at two different junior colleges and was selected into the NBA without ever attending a Division I school.
24. Chris Brown, NFL Running Back
Brown attended Fort Scott, Kansas Junior College as a freshman and impressed then-Northwestern University head coach Gary Barnett enough to be offered a scholarship there as a running back. But soon Barnett left Northwestern for the University of Colorado, and incoming Northwestern coaches felt Brown was best suited as a receiver. He then transferred to Colorado, where Barnett provided him an opportunity to become one of the school's all-time leading rushers. Brown holds some other school records as well, including the most touchdowns in a game when he ran in six against Nebraska in 2001 during his sophomore season. Brown had a successful year in 2002 also, as he had a shot at being a Heisman Trophy candidate, but his hopes were derailed when a late-season injury caused him to miss 2 and a half games. To most Colorado fans' dismay, Brown elected to skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Brown was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 3rd round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He has 2,757 yards and 16 touchdowns in his career.
23. Mitch Berger, NFL Punter
Berger attended Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas and won honorable mention All-American honors as a sophomore. He finished his college career by transferring to Colorado. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. Berger won his first Super Bowl with the Steelers this year at Super Bowl XLIII , he had 3 punts for a 46.3 of average and 1 inside the 20 yard-line at the game. In his 13-year career he has averaged 43.0 yards per punt with 31.7 percent of them downed inside the 20-yard line.
22. Duce Staley, NFL Running Back
After attending Itawamba Community College in Mississippi, Staley was ranked 13th in the nation in rushing with 1,116 rushing yards as a senior at South Carolina. In his South Carolina years, he attempted 345 rushes for 1,582 yards (4.58 per average). He also caught 59 passes for 489 yards and two touchdowns. He was drafted in the 3rd round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997, and also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who he won a Super Bowl XL with. He has 5,785 yards and 24 touchdowns in his career.
21. Keith Smart, NBA Player and Coach
Smart is best remembered for hitting the game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA championship game, giving the Indiana Hoosiers a 74–73 victory over the Syracuse Orangemen. He transferred to Indiana from Garden City Community College in Kansas where he was a two year standout and Jayhawk Conference Player of the Year. Despite having a very short NBA playing career, he has made a living coaching on the NBA sidelines.
Smart is currently in his sixth season as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, his ninth season as an NBA assistant coach. Overall, Smart owns 21 years of professional basketball experience as either a player or coach.
20. Dominic Rhodes, NFL Running Back
After attending Abilene Cooper High School, Rhodes was recruited by many major college programs including Texas Tech University and Texas Christian University. He signed instead with Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. Rhodes played two years at Tyler Junior College, where he earned All-America honors and twice was named an all-conference selection. Rhodes then attended Midwestern State University where he was a standout running back. There he was the subject of perceived racism, which is why he refuses to acknowledge his college during telecasts. We signed un-drafted with the Indianapolis Colts in 2001, and has also played with the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills. He helped win Super Bowl XLI with the Colts. He has 3,114 yards and 26 touchdowns in eight years.
19. Rudi Johnson, NFL Running Back
Johnson attended Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas for two years. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.3 yards per carry. He led Butler to two national Junior college championships one in the Dairy Bowl against Ricks College and the following year against Dixie State College in the Rotary Bowl. At Auburn University, Johnson finished his career with 324 rushing attempts for 1567 yards (4.84 yards per rush average). His 324 rushing attempts was a school single season record and his 1,567 rushing yards were the second-most in the school's history. He had ten games where he rushed for 100 yards or more. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2004. His career stats are 5,742 yards with 48 touchdowns.
18. Daron Oshay "Mookie" Blaylock, NBA Guard
A push-and-pass point guard, he was rated among the better defensive stoppers in the game. The former Garland High School, Midland College, and University of Oklahoma star is most highly regarded for his quick hands and a ball hawking defensive style that produced more than 200 steals in a season four times and two NBA All-Defensive first-team selections. He was also a capable outside shooter, a fine passer who generally ranked among the league's assist leaders, and a durable instigator of the fast break. In 1988, he (along with Stacey King) led the Sooners to the NCAA title game, where they were defeated by the Kansas Jayhawks, who were led by Danny Manning and coached by Larry Brown.
Blaylock was selected by the New Jersey Nets with the 12th overall pick of the 1989 NBA Draft and settled quickly into Nets' rotation. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks prior to the 1992–93 season, where he flourished under newly-signed coach Lenny Wilkens. He was traded to the Golden State Warriors in a trade that brought the 1999 10th overall draft pick Jason Terry to Atlanta, and finished off his career playing as a reserve for the Warriors. He finished his 13-year career averaging 13.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.
17. Jeff Feagles, NFL Punter
Following a single season at Scottsdale Community College, Feagles played college football at the University of Miami. He won a national championship with their 1987 team. Feagles was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame at its 40th Annual Banquet on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at Miami's Jungle Island. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1988. Feagles is known for utilizing the "coffin corner" punt. He earned Pro Bowl selections in 1995 and 2008 and won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
16. Marcus Pollard, NFL Tight End
Pollard played basketball as a power forward – two years starting at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kansas before transferring to Bradley University where he also started for two years Bradley did not have a football program at the time he metriculated there. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 1995. He developed in one of the better pass-catching tight ends while with the Colts. His best season was in 2001 when he totaled 47 receptions and 8 TDs including one for 86 yards. After being phased out of the Colts offense due to the emergence of Dallas Clark, Pollard would join the Detroit Lions for two seasons. Pollard has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. He has 349 receptions, 4,280 yards, and 40 touchdowns in his career. Not bad for a guy who didn't play college football.
15. Keith Traylor, NFL Defensive Tackle
Traylor began his collegiate career at Coffeyville Junior College in Coffeyville, Kansas where he played two seasons (1987-88), before transferring and playing two seasons at the University of Central Oklahoma. He was a linebacker all four years and amassed 146 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries at Central Oklahoma. He was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference selection as a senior when he posted 79 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. On October 18, 2006, Traylor was named one of the top 75 players and coaches in the history of the Lone Star Conference to commemorate the conference's 75th anniversary. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He has played for seven different teams, and has been a part of three Super Bowl winning teams. He has 215 tackles, 20 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions in his career. *Tackle data was not available before 2001.
14. Al Harris, NFL Corner Back
Harris spent two seasons (1993-94) at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas where he was a member of the 1994 national championship team. He then transferred to Texas A&M University-Kingsville where he was a two-year starter and letterman (1995-96). Harris was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference pick in 1996. Harris was drafted in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL Draft with the 169th pick overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He currently plays for the Green Bay Packers and is known throughout the league for his physical, bump-and-run coverage style. He is a two-time pro bowl, with an All-Pro selection in 2007.
13. Pat Williams, NFL Defensive Tackle
Williams attended Navarro College, where he was a two-time JUCO All-American in 1992 and 1993. He initially transferred to Texas A&M University in 1994, but failed the math portion of a junior-college exit exam and was ruled ineligible for the 1994 season. He transferred again to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, where he graduated in 1995, before returning to Texas A&M. Williams earned 2nd-team All-SWAC as a junior in 1995 in only 6 starts. He also started 8 games and appeared in 11 as a senior. He signed un-drafted with the Buffalo Bills in 1997, and is currently on the Minnesota Vikings. He is a three-time Pro Bowler, with an All-Pro selection in 2007. He has 591 tackles and 18.5 sacks in his career.
12. Jeremy Shockey, NFL Tight End
Shockey attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College before transferring to the University of Miami, where he was part of the school's long tradition of star tight ends along with teammate Kellen Winslow II. As a Hurricane, Shockey first rose to national attention as a sophomore in Miami's 2000 game versus rival Florida State, catching what proved to be the game-winning touchdown pass with :46 remaining in the fourth quarter as # 7 Miami defeated the then-top ranked Seminoles, 27–24. The Hurricanes went 11–1 and Shockey received first team All-Big East honors from the league's coaches, The Sporting News, and College Football News. In 2001, Shockey was an integral member of the national championship Miami team. Shockey led the team with 45 receptions and had 604 yards receiving and eight touchdowns (including bowl statistics). He was one of three finalists for the Mackey Award, and was named a first team All-American by CNNSI, and a second team All-American by the Associated Press, CBS Sportsline, and ABC Sports. Having reached the status of national champion and All-American, Shockey declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft following the 2001 season. He was drafted 14th overall 2002 by the New York Giants, won Rookie of the Year award, was an All-Pro selection in 2002, has played in four Pro Bowls, and was a part of the Super Bowl XLII Champion Giants. He currently plays for the New Orleans Saints and has 421 receptions, 4,711 yards, and 27 touchdowns in his career.
11. Brandon Jacobs, NFL Running Back
Jacobs enrolled at Coffeyville Community College in 2001 and rushed for 927 yards and thirteen touchdowns on 130 carries (7.1 avg) in ten regular season games, adding 422 yards and four scores in playoff action en route to being named to the All-Jayhawk Conference team. In 2002, he led the conference in rushing with 1638 yards and 17 touchdowns on 243 carries (6.7 avg), adding another 258 yards and three scores on 24 carries in the playoffs.
Jacobs enrolled at Auburn University for the 2003 season. He was part of a shuttling system at halfback, sharing time with Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams. He finished the year ranked second on the team with 72 carries for 446 yards (6.2 avg) and three touchdowns. Facing the prospect of being moved to linebacker the following year or stuck behind Brown and Williams on the depth chart, Jacobs chose to transfer out of Auburn. Jacobs decided to transfer to Southern Illinois University prior to the 2004 season. Even though he still had to split time with Terry Jackson and Arkee Whitlock, he totaled 992 yards with sixteen touchdowns on 150 carries (6.6 avg), adding 83 yards on eight receptions (10.4 avg) and 140 yards on six kickoff returns (23.3 avg). In his three collegiate stops, Brandon performed in 42 games. He gained a total of 4003 yards with 52 touchdowns on 595 carries (6.7 avg), caught twelve passes for 136 yards (11.3 avg) and returned six kickoffs for 140 yards (23.3 avg). Jacobs was eventually chosen in the 4th round (110th pick overall) of the draft by the Giants and won Super Bowl XLII with them. He has 2,620 yards and 35 touchdowns in four seasons.
10. Jamaal Tinsley, NBA Guard
Despite never playing basketball in high school, Tinsley, a high school dropout, managed to earn his GED and took his talents to Mount San Jacinto College (MSJC), where he played for the Eagles under Coach John Chambers. During the two seasons he played at MSJC, Tinsley was the two-time Foothill Conference MVP (1998 & 1999) and the Eagles' career leader in assists and steals. In two seasons, Tinsley led Iowa State, coached by Larry Eustachy, to two Big 12 Conference Championships. In his first season at Iowa State, Tinsley helped to guide the Cyclones to the Elite Eight of the 2000 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
In 2001, Tinsley received Second Team All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year honors. That season ended in disappointment for Tinsley, as Iowa State, the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament's West region, was upset by No. 15-seeded Hampton in the tournament's first round. He is a part of the only college team in history to beat Kansas four times in a row. He was selected 27th overall by Vancouver Grizzlies in 2001, and has averaged 11.9 points and 8.4 assists per game in a seven-year career for the Indian Pacers.
9. Troy Brown, NFL Wide Receiver
Brown attended Lee-McRae College in North Carolina before transferring to Marshall University. Brown was a standout wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner for Marshall University, leading the Division I-AA in both kickoff and punt return average in 1991, a year in which he and quarterback Todd Donnan tied a record by combining for a 99-yard pass play against Virginia Military Institute. The following year, Marshall claimed its first national championship with Brown as its primary wide receiver and returner. In the championship game, Brown sealed the win by intercepting a hail mary Youngstown State pass in the final seconds of the game.
His career kickoff return average (29.69 yards per return) still stands as an NCAA record, as do his four kickoff returns for touchdowns. He scored a touchdown every eight times he touched the football. In 2006, Brown was given the Distinguished Alumni award by his alma mater. Brown played his entire 15-year career with the New England Patriots. He earned three Super Bowl rings with the team and retired as the franchise leader in career receptions. He is considered one of the all-time greats in franchise history, due to his performance on the field, and his loyalty to the organization throughout his career. He had 557 receptions, 6,366 yards, and 31 touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2001.
8. Aaron Glenn, NFL Corner Back
Glenn attended Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, where as a sophomore, he won All-Conference and All-America honors, after posting two interceptions, 60 tackles, and 15 pass deflections. Glenn then played college football at Texas A&M University. As a junior he was the Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year, an All-Southwest Conference pick, and an All-American pick. As a senior, he was an All-Southwest Conference pick, and an All-American pick. He was drafted by the New York Jets with the 12th overall pick in 1994, and has also played for the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, and has 41 career interceptions.
7. Corey Dillon, NFL Running Back
Dillon played Junior College ball at Dixie State College of Utah in St. George, Utah, in 1995, and was chosen as Offensive Back of the Year by College Sports magazine after rushing 279 times for 1,899 yards and 20 touchdowns. In 1994, he rushed for 1165 yards and 16 TDs at Garden City Community College in Kansas. At the University of Washington, Dillon set the team all-time single-season records for rushing yards (1,555 yards) and touchdowns scored (22) in 1996. In the first quarter against San Jose State University, Dillon rushed for 222 yards and caught an 83 yard touchdown pass, setting NCAA records for both rushing yards and all-purpose yards (305) in one quarter. Dillon did not re-enter the game as the Washington Huskies were comfortably ahead 36-0 by the end of the first quarter. He is retired from his football career, having played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and was a part of the Super Bowl XXXIX Champion Patriots. He ranks 17th all-time with 11,241 yards, and 16th all-time with 82 touchdowns.
6. Steve Francis, NBA Guard
Francis attended the San Jacinto College of Texas in 1997, and the Allegany College of Maryland in 1998. Francis became the first player to take two unbeaten teams into the National Junior College Tournament. He then played at the University of Maryland where he finished the season averaging 17 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. He was a consensus second-team All-American and was named a finalist for the Wooden and Naismith Player of the Year Awards. Although he stated he was "99% sure" he would return to Maryland for his senior season, he opted to enter the NBA draft. Francis was drafted with the second overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets and was the co-winner of the 1999-2000 Schick Rookie of the Year Award. He is a three-time All-star, and has played for the Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks, averaging 18.1 points, 6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
5. Yolanda Griffith, WNBA Forward
Griffith's post-high school basketball career began at Palm Beach Community College (Fla.) where she led the Panthers to back-to-back Region 8 Championships in 1990 and '91. Griffith was recently voted to the NJCAA Women's Basketball All-Century team. After Palm Beach, she led the nation in NCAA Division II during the 1992-93 season averaging 28.2 points per game at Florida Atlantic University. She was named Kodak and WBCA Division II Player of the Year and Kodak First-Team All-American. While at Florida Atlantic, she established school records for points (621) and rebounds (352). The Sacramento Monarchs selected Griffith as the 2nd overall draft pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft. She is a seven-time WNBA All-Star, and won the WNBA's MVP and Defensive Player awards in 1999. In 2005, the Monarchs won their first WNBA title over the Connecticut Sun, three games to one in a Best-of-five playoff series. Griffith was named series MVP. During her 10-year WNBA career, the former first round pick out has averaged 13.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.
4. Walter Jones, NFL Offensive Lineman
Jones was a 1994 NJCAA First-Team All-American at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Miss. He was also named Mississippi Junior College Player of the Year after the '94 season by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. After his two year stint at Holmes, Jones transferred to Florida State and, after red-shirting his first year, helped lead the Seminoles to back-to-back Sugar Bowl appearances in 1996 & '97. He earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors at Florida State. After Florida State, he was the sixth-overall selection in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a six-time All-Pro. He is highly regarded as one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL. In fact, Dan Pompei of The Sporting News named Jones the No. 1 player in the NFL in 2006.
"Walter Jones may not be the most exciting player in the NFL -- he's an offensive tackle, for cryin' out loud -- but he is the most efficient. Instead of making big plays, he prevents them. Over and over and over, with the consistency of a fine timepiece. The Seahawks' left tackle makes domination so routine, he barely is noticed. But we are not taking Jones for granted. On our list of the 101 best players in the NFL, he's No. 1."
- Dan Pompei, The Sporting News (9/7/2006)
3. Tyson Gay, American Track and Field Sprinter
Before making international headlines, Gay helped lead Barton County Community College (Kan.) to back-to-back NJCAA Track and Field Championships in 2002 and 2003. He won the 100-meter title in 2002 and then placed third in the event at the national meet in 2003. He also placed second in the 200 meters in 2003. After his successful career at Barton, Gay won the 2004 100-meter NCAA Division I title for Arkansas. His primary events are the 100 meters and 200 meters. His personal bests establish him as third fastest athlete in the history of the 100 and 200 meter races, with times of 9.77 (the American record) and 19.62 seconds respectively. Gay has won numerous medals in major international competitions, highlighted by his gold medal sweep of the 100 m, 200 m and 4 x 100 meters relay at the 2007 Osaka World Championships. This made Gay the 200 meter World Championships record holder and only the second sprinter to win all three events at the same World Championships, after Maurice Greene. At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon, he clocked in a time of 9.77 secconds in the quaterfinals of the 100 meter dash. That time set a new American record in the event and was also the third-fastest time ever in the event. In the 100 meter final the following day, he finished first in a wind-aided 9.68 seconds (+4.1 m/s), which is the fastest ever 100 meter time under any conditions - better than the official 9.69 mark set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt in the 100 meter final at the Olympics in Beijing. However, Gay failed to qualify for the Olympic finals as he was suffering from a nagging hamstring injury.
2. Larry Johnson, NBA Forward
Johnson began his collegiate career at Odessa College in 1988-89 and eventually transferred to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) men's program to play under head coach Jerry Tarkanian and his Runnin' Rebels. Alongside future NBA players Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, Johnson faced legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski and his Duke University Blue Devils comprised of Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, and Alaa Abdelnaby in the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. UNLV would go on to dominate the contest by a score of 103-73, with Johnson contributing 22 points and 11 rebounds. He won the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John Wooden Award in 1991. He was the first overall draft pick in 1991 by the Charlotte Hornets and also played for the New York Knicks. He was a two-time All-star, had one All-NBA Team selection in 1993, and won the 1992 Rookie of the Year award. He averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game, and scored over 10,000 career points.
And Finally, the number 1 college transfer athlete is....
1. Mike Rozier, NFL Running Back
Rozier gets the top spot in the rankings because he won the Heisman Trophy in 1983. I don't think there is any other player who transferred schools and ended up winning the Heisman. His 1983 season at Nebraska was one of the greatest of all time as he rushed for 2,148 yards on 275 carries and scored a then school-record 29 touchdowns. Rozier averaged 179 yards per game, while rushing for over 100 yards in 11 straight games, including a career-best 285 yards against Kansas. His 2,148 yards as senior is the fifth-highest total in NCAA history, and he was the second rusher in NCAA history to surpass 2,000 yards in a season. Rozier was a 1980 NJCAA and JC Gridwire All-American after leading Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) to a 9-0 record while rushing for 1,316 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Red Ravens. He averaged 7.4 yards a carry that season and in 1999 was inducted into the Coffeyville Red Raven Hall of Fame. He was drafted by Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in 1984, and played for the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons in the NFL. He was a two-time pro bowler, and was inducted to the college football hall of fame in 2006. In 8 seasons in the NFL, Rozier rushed for 4,462 yards and 30 touchdowns.
So there is the list I have compiled. Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think or if I left anyone out that deserves to be on this list.
