Top 10 Most Successful Heisman Trophy Winners in NFL History

In college football, the single best accomplishment outside of winning a national championship at your school is winning the Heisman Trophy. Notoriety is easily achieved after a college player wins the Heisman Trophy, and they are forever remembered as college football's best players. Heisman Trophy winners don't necessarily translate to great players in the NFL, but some had little trouble making an impact right away or over the course of their pro careers. Here is my top ten best Heisman Trophy winning players that were the most successful in the NFL starting with No. 10(school and year they won the Heisman are listed with them):

10. Vinny Testaverde, quarterback, Miami-FL
1986 Heisman Trophy winner

Vinny Testaverde was one of the most hyped quarterbacks to come into the NFL when he was the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This despite his disasterous showing in the 1987 Feista Bowl against Penn State where he turned the ball over multiple times while his team lost as a heavy favorite to Penn State. Nonetheless, Tampa Bay drafted him, and was set to be the cornerstone of the franchise. Instead, the Buccaneers continued play at a mediocre level because of the lack of good players around him. Testaverde did improve over the next few years, but he signed with Cleveland in 1992. The Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996 where Testaverde made the first of his two career Pro Bowls. He later signed with the Jets and made his last Pro Bowl appearance in 1998 after leading them to the AFC Championship game that year. He played for the Cowboys, then resigned with the Jets before signing with the Patriots last year. Recently, the Carolina Panthers signed him to a deal when starter Jake Delhomme went down with a season-ending injury. In his 21st year on a NFL roster, Testaverde is currently ranked sixth all-time in NFL history with 45,281 passing yards.

9. Doak Walker, halfback, Southern Methodist University(SMU)
1948 Heisman Trophy winner

If you took a poll on which guy made the most of his ability despite the lack of size, Doak Walker would receive his fair share of votes. Despite only being 175 pounds, Walker was one of the best all-around players in college football history. Not only was he their running back, defensive back, punter, place kicker, and returned punts as well. His all-around ability made him the No. 3 overall pick by the Detroit Lions in the 1949 NFL Draft. Walker was teammates with former college football rival Bobby Layne, who played for Texas. Walker was an All-Pro four times in his six year career, and helped the Lions win two NFL Championships. He led the NFL in scoring twice in his career and was the team's place kicker, too. All in all, Walker had an impressive 534 points in his career with 330 of them coming as a kicker in the form of field goals and extra points. He currently has a college award named after him which rewards the nation's best running back every year. Walker is in both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his accomplishments and impact on the game.

8. Earl Campbell, running back, Texas
1977 Heisman Trophy winner

Earl Campbell was a highly recruited prospect in college football, and rightly so. In fact, former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer once said that Campbell could have skipped college and played at the NFL level after high school and would have been successful. Campbell attended Texas, and amassed 4,444 career rushing yards and a Heisman Trophy winning season in 1977. Campbell was the first overall pick by the Houston Oilers in the 1978 NFL Draft. His punishing style immediately grabbed attention throughout the league as he won the league's rushing title in his rookie year. He would lead the league in rushing in his next two seasons and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1979. Campbell spent seven of his eight seasons with the Oilers while having to deal with teams stacking up on him on defense. He finished his last season with the New Orleans in 1985 and retired in the 1986 preseason. Campbell's punishing style as well as him taking a beating from opposing defenders caused him to have a short NFL career. Despite that, Campbell was inducted in both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his performances on the field.

7. Paul Hornung, quarterback, Notre Dame
1956 Heisman Trophy winner

In the eyes of many, Paul Hornung is the best all-around player in the rich and storied history of Notre Dame football. Hornung was originally a fullback on the Notre Dame as a sophmore, but became a running back and defensive back as a junior. In 1956, Hornung switched to quarterback and became the first and only person in NCAA history to win a Heisman Trophy for a losing team(Notre Dame finished 2-8 that year). Hornung led his team in scoring, rushing, passing, and kickoff and punt returns as well as defense so him winning the Heisman was justified. He then was selected by the Packers with their No. 1 overall choice in the 1957 NFL Draft. Hornung played running back and was the place kicker for the team for much of his tenure. In 1960, Hornung set the record with points scored in a season with 176 which has since been broken by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006. He helped the powerful Packers teams in the 1960s by winning four league championships and was on the roster when they won the first ever Super Bowl. Because of a pinched nerve in his neck, Hornung did not play in that first Super Bowl and was later taken by New Orleans in the 1967 expansion draft. He would retire after not fully recovering from the pinched nerve, but his play earned him a spot in both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

6. Tim Brown, wide receiver, Notre Dame
1987 Heisman Trophy winner

Tim Brown was a highly recruited player from Dallas, and decided to attend Notre Dame. After amassing 1,937 all-purpose yards as a junior, Brown became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy as a senior. He finished his career at Notre Dame with 5,024 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns. During his four years at Notre Dame, they never contended for a national title, but that didn't stop scouts from noticing his talent. In the 1988 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Raiders selected Brown with their No. 6 overall pick. Brown would spend the next sixteen seasons as a Raider, and become one of the best wide receivers in NFL history during his playing days as well. Brown was voted to the Pro Bowl nine times in his career, and is currently second all-time in receiving yards with 14,934 and is third in receptions with 1,094. He finished his playing days with Tampa Bay, but signed a one day contract with the Raiders in 2005 just so he could retire with the team he played for originally. Brown's play at both levels will get him into both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

5. Roger Staubach, quarterback, Navy
1963 Heisman Trophy winner

After playing at the New Mexico Military Institute, Roger Staubach became a well-known player for the Naval Academy in a game against Cornell in 1962. He came into that game and led the Midshipmen to six touchdown drives. Staubach would go on to beat Army twice when at the time, the Black Knights were the favorites to win the annual rivalry game. Staubach then led the Midshipmen to a 9-1 record and a No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press poll in 1963 which including a win against Notre Dame. Staubach's performance earned him the Heisman Trophy, and is currently the last player from a military academy to win that award. Staubach was a tenth round selection by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964, but could not play for them because of his committment to the Naval Academy. In 1969, Staubach resigned from the Navy just in time to play for the Cowboys, but would not start for them until 1971. Staubach led the Cowboys to four Super Bowls during his career, and won two of them in 1971 and 1977. Staubach was a six-time Pro Bowler in his 11-year career, and received induction into both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

4. O.J. Simpson, running back, Southern California
1968 Heisman Trophy winner

After two great seasons in junior college where he played both running back and defensive back, O.J. Simpson transferred to play football at Southern California in 1967. In his first year at USC, Simpson became a Heisman Trophy candidate after a stellar game against arch-rival UCLA and rushing for over 1,400 yards to go along with 11 touchdowns. In 1968, Simpson won the Heisman Trophy by the largest voting margin in NCAA history when he finished 1,750 points ahead of everyone in a season that saw him rush for 1,709 yards and 22 touchdowns. Simpson garnered much interest from NFL scouts, and the Buffalo Bills took him with the No. 1 overall pick in 1969 NFL Draft. Even with Simpson, the Bills had a tough time improving as a franchise during his first few years in the league. Then in 1972, Simpson had his first 1,000-yard season and it was the beginning of some solid years for him. The following year, Simpson set a then-NFL single game rushing mark of 273 yards in route to becoming the first player in league history to rush for over 2,000 yards in season. Simpson rushed for 1,000 yards in his next three seasons, then later finished his career with the San Francisco 49ers. Simpson was NFL Player of the Year in both 1972 and 1973 as well as being a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

3. Marcus Allen, running back, Southern California
1981 Heisman Trophy winner

Even though he spent his first two seasons as a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Charles White, Marcus Allen became one of the best players in NCAA history. In his junior year and first as a starter, Allen finished second in the nation in rushing. The following season, Allen became the first player in NCAA history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season and was easily the Heisman Trophy winner that year. The Oakland Raiders took Allen with their No. 10 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. He helped the Raiders to a league best 8-1 record during the strike-shortened 1982 season, but they lost in the playoffs to the New York Jets. Allen then ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns and was named Super Bowl MVP in the Raiders win over the Washington Redskins in 1983. Two years later, Allen rushed for 1,759 yards with 11 touchdowns and was named the NFL MVP for that 1985 season. Because of him and Raiders owner Al Davis not getting along as well as Bo Jackson getting more involved in the offense, Allen's numbers and playing time declined. He finally left for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993 and would remain there for five seasons. He was named to both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2. Tony Dorsett, running back, Pittsburgh
1976 Heisman Trophy winner

After his college career ended, Tony Dorsett was considered quite possibly the greatest running back ever. He was named All-American all four years in school as a running back, and capped it by not only winning the Heisman Trophy in 1976, but helped lead the Pittsburgh Panthers to a national title that year. At the time when he left school, he was the all-time leader in rushing with 6,082 yards. The Dallas Cowboys took him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1977 NFL Draft. He won NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 1977, and helped the Cowboys to a Super Bowl winning season as well. He helped the Cowboys make the Super Bowl the following season, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. His best season was 1981 when he rushed for 1,646 yards. He went on to make four Pro Bowls and also set a record for the longest rush from scrimmage when he ran for a 99-yard touchdown against Minnesota. He was traded to the Denver Broncos in 1988, but would have to retire after the season due to injuries catching up with him. All in all, Dorsett rushed for over 12,000 yards in 12 seasons, and made the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1. Barry Sanders, running back, Oklahoma State
1988 Heisman Trophy winner

After backing up Thurman Thomas during his first two years at Oklahoma State, Barry Sanders forever became a household name. He had arguably the greatest season in college football history in 1988. Sanders easily took home the Heisman Trophy which saw him score 39 touchdowns, rush for 37 touchdowns, 234 points, average 200 rushing yards per game, and finish with over 2,600 yards on the season. Sanders was taken by the Detroit Lions with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. Most were concerned about his size and after a contract holdout, Sanders' career took off. He won the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1989 and averaged 5.0 yards per carry during his career. His best season was in 1997 when he rushed for 2,053 yards in which 2,000 of them came in the last 14 games, and he was named NFL Most Valuable Player. Though Sanders had a fantastic NFL career, the Lions never reached the Super Bowl, and only had one playoff win during his time with the team. Sanders shocked everyone with early retirement after 1998 after finishing just short of the career rushing yards mark. He is currently third all-time in rushing yards and is a member of the both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Others I considered:

Herschel Walker: The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner out of Georgia was tough to leave off. In my opinion, he is the best college football running back ever. I put Testaverde in front of him because of playing longer.

Bo Jackson: Jackson was the 1986 Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn, but his solid NFL career was unfortunately cut short because of a serious hip injury.

Eddie George: The 1995 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State rushed for over 10,000 yards in his NFL career. He is another guy that is tough to leave off the list.

Charles Woodson: Besides Walker, Woodson got the most consideration from those who didn't make the top 10. Woodson, the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner out of Michigan, has had a solid NFL career.

Recent winners of the Heisman Trophy that include Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush have not played long enough for consideration on this list.

Sources: heisman.com, pro-football-reference.com, collegefootball.org, ProFootballHOF.com