College football is consistently ranked as one of the most popular sports in the United States, regardless of the measurement used.
They play this sport at a top level of intensity because its participants are students in higher education.
Everyone who takes part in a football game harbors the ambition of one day being the game’s most outstanding player.
College football coaches begin their search for the future best college kickers by scouting the greatest high school football players in the country to play for their college teams.
It is not unusual for a college football game to sell out in a matter of minutes, and during games, they always pack major stadiums to the brim with passionate fans and alumni who are all cheering for their team at the top of their lungs.
This article will give us a deeper insight into the best college kickers and how they are rated. So, stay with us!
Table of Contents
Who are The Best College Kickers?
The placekicker kicks field goals and kickoffs. The field goal kicker must be accurate and consistent to make a field goal.
They must cross both the uprights and the defenders for a successful field goal. As far down the field as workable must be kicked for kickoffs, especially to a point where the ball cannot be returned.
Some clubs may employ two placekickers, one for field goals and one for kickoffs.
Read this article: Top 15 Best Punters in College Football History | 2024 Ranking
What Are The Best College Kickers In The World?
Do you want to know more about the best college kickers? Here is the detailed list of the best college kickers around the globe:
#1. HERSCHEL WALKER
There is only one Herschel Walker, although there are many other great college football players.
A few of the players dominated the scene for only one or two full seasons. Walker brought the score to three. Because of this, he is currently at the very top of the list.
This sports hero was the running back for the University of Georgia and was a Bulldog among all other Bulldogs.
In 1982, when he played for the Bulldogs, he was recognized as a three-time All-American player and won the Maxwell Award and the Heisman Trophy.
He is the only athlete who has ever done it in college football, out of the hundreds of successful college football players, to finish in the top three in Heisman polls in each of his three collegiate seasons.
Additionally, he was the first athlete in the history of the NCAA to play for only three years and still in the top 10 in rushing yards. He is one of the best college kickers in the Us.
Read this also: Top 15 Best Running Backs (RB) in College Football | 2024 Ranking
#2. ARCHIE GRIFFIN
Between the years 1972 and 1975, Archie Griffin was a member of the Ohio State University Buckeyes football team.
Griffin won the starting position during his freshman year, which did not sit well with many sophomores who believed that Griffin usurped their spot because he won the starting position during his freshman year.
Griffin played the position of T-formation halfback for the school in 1972.
After waiting another year, he was eventually given the role of I-formation tailback from 1973 through 1975. When he was a freshman, he led his team in total yards with 867.
After some time, specifically, one year after their squad switched to playing in an I configuration, his number increased.
There, he finished the regular season as a sophomore with 1,428 yards rushing, then as a junior with 1,620 yards, and finally as a senior with 1,357 yards rushing.
During his four years with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Griffin amassed a total of 5,589 rushing yards on 924 carries.
At the time, it set a record for the NCAA (1972-1975). In addition, he was responsible for 6,559 total yards and 26 touchdowns.
He is also one of the top college kickers in football.
A must-read article: Top 21 Best College Football Running Backs of All Time | 2024 Ranking
#3. TOMMIE FRAZIER
As a quarterback at the University of Nebraska, Tommie Frazier was a source of great pride for the school.
He was one of only five quarterbacks since the 1950s to successfully lead his team to consecutive national championships.
His team won the national championships in 1994 and 1995. He was one of just five players in the history of the sport to win back-to-back national titles with no losses or ties in between.
He is the only known athlete who has ever accomplished such a feat, and as a result, he was awarded Most Valuable Player honors for leading his club to three national championships.
When he was the quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, they became one of the most dominant teams in the history of collegiate football in the United States.
Tommie Frazier is also one of the top college kickers in 2024.
Check this article out Top 15 Best Defensive Coordinators in College Football in 2024
#4. HUGH GREEN
Hugh Green was a defensive end for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers between the years 1977 to 1980 when he was a player for the team.
When he was younger, he played on a squad with future NFL players Rickey Jackson (defensive end), Russ Grimm (center), and Dan Marino (quarterback).
Green was selected for the All-American second team in 1977 and was a member of the first team on three separate occasions (1978, 1979, and 1980).
He played for the Pittsburgh Panthers for four years and finished with a record of 39-8-1 for the team.
In addition to that, he won three bowl games (one Fiesta Bowl and two Gator Bowls).
Green finished his time at the university with a total of 460 tackles and 53 career sacks to his name. He then went on to play professionally.
In 1996, the publication Sports Illustrated ranked Green as the fifth best college football player of all time.
Additionally, in the same year, he was honored with a trophy from the College Football Hall of Fame.
In 2007, ESPN placed Green at position number 14 on their list of the Top 25 Players in the History of College Football.
This article might help: The 25 Best College Football Teams of All-Time | 2024 Rankings
#5. BARRY SANDERS
Barry Sanders is one of the best college kickers in Oklahoma.
Sanders is a professional football player who currently plays for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. Sanders was born on July 16, 1968.
During his time at Oklahoma State University, he was a standout for the Cowboys football team, who competed in the Big 12 Conference.
In 1988, when he was a junior at the college, he had what is considered one of the best individual seasons in the school’s history.
He rushed for 2,850 yards and scored 42 touchdowns in 12 games.
He was determined to be the best collegiate athlete in the country, so he was awarded the Heisman Trophy.
It wasn’t until 2003 that he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, but in 1998, he was already a part of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Sanders was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in the same year he won the award.
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#6. DICK BUTKUS
Dick Butkus attended the University of Illinois and was a member of the Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 1962 until 1964.
He played linebacker and center for the Fighting Illini.
The Associated Press recognized Butkus as the third-term center for the 1962 All-Big Ten Conference football team, and the United Press International selected him as the second-team center.
Both of these honors came during his freshman season. Illinois finished the 1964 season with a record of 8-1-1 and won the Rose Bowl against Washington.
The most valuable player award for the season was given to him by his squad, and the Chicago Tribune Silver Football was given to him as the Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten.
In 1963, he was selected for the College Football All-America team by a vote of a hundred percent of the coaches.
Butkus assumed the role of co-captain of the team in 1963, the year of his senior season, along with George Donnelly.
In 1964, he was honored by UPI as Lineman of the Year, and the following year, the Sporting News and the American Football Coaches Association named him Player of the Year.
Butkus also ranks among the top college kickers in the world.
Don’t skip this article: What are the Best College Football Mascots in 2024?
#7. HOWARD CASSADY
Another one of the top college kickers is Howard Cassady.
Cassady, Howard Albert “Hopalong,” was an accomplished American professional football player. His nickname was “Hopalong.”
He was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 1955. In 1979, after more than two decades had passed since his retirement, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
During his time as a student at Ohio State University, he was a member of the Buckeyes football team from 1952 through 1955.
As a running back, he participated in 36 games and scored 37 touchdowns. During his four years at the university, he never allowed a pass to be completed, although he also played defensive back.
During the 1954–1955 season, he was selected by a majority vote as an All-American.
Additionally, in 1954, their team finished the season undefeated, going a perfect 10-0, and went on to win the national championship.
During that season, Cassady finished in third place for the Heisman Trophy, behind Alan Ameche of Wisconsin.
After waiting another year, he was eventually victorious and took home the Heisman Trophy for the best college athlete.
In addition to that, the Maxwell Award and the Associated Press Athlete of the Year Award were both bestowed upon him.
During his freshman season playing for Ohio State, he established himself as a player worthy of the “Hopalong” nickname.
According to some sportswriters from Columbus who watched him play, Cassady “hopped” all over the field like he was a performing cowboy.
This is a reference to Hopalong Cassidy, who was a famous performing cowboy.
Check this out also: The 50 Best College Football Players of All Time | 2024 Ranking
#8. MARCUS ALLEN
Between the years 1978 and 1981, Marcus Allen played running back for the University of Southern California Trojans football team.
After being recruited by head coach John Robinson initially for his defensive back position, he was ultimately moved to the running back position.
When he was a freshman at the University of Southern California in 1978, he was a member of the Trojans team that won the National Championship.
He served as a backup quarterback to Charles White, who would go on to win the Heisman Trophy.
After another year, Allen was shifted to the fullback position. In 1980, Allen was the starting tailback and carried for 1,563 yards when he was in that role.
During that time, it was the third-most in the country, barely behind George Rogers of South Carolina, who had 1,781 yards, and Herschel Walker of Georgia, who had 1,616 yards.
The following year, he carried for 2,342 yards, making him only the second player in the whole history of the NCAA to run for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.
In addition, he has 2,683 yards on the offensive side of the ball and has ultimately earned the Maxwell Award, the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Award, and the Player of the Year award for the Pac-10.
After finishing his four years of college, his record revealed that he had 4,664 yards rushing, 5,232 yards overall, 46 touchdowns, and an average of 5.2 yards per carrying. He is among the top college kickers in 2024.
You can read this also: The 50 Best College Football Coaches of All Time | 2024 Ranking
#9. TIM TEBOW
As a quarterback in the NFL, Tim Tebow is now a professional baseball player in the United States.
In 2007, he was the quarterback for the University of Florida and won the Heisman Trophy.
From 2006 to 2009, he was a member of the University of Florida’s Florida Gators Football team after accepting a sports scholarship to the school.
While he was still a freshman, his primary role was that of a backup. Finally, in 2008, he guided his team to the BCS championship.
In 2009, the Gators went 13-1 and won the national championship. Gator coaches selected him as a team captain for the 2008 season.
In 2009, he became the first Gator to win the MVP award three times.
To kick off the season, he threw for a touchdown and ran for another one the next year.
They beat Troy and Charleston Southern in the process. They beat Tennessee again in the third game.
He attempted to throw for a touchdown for the first time since his rookie season, but he was unsuccessful.
There were 28 University of Florida records to his name, 14 SEC, and 5 NCAA after he graduated college.
When it came to passing efficiency (170.8), completion percentage (67.1), rushing yards (2947), and rushing touchdowns (57), he was the SEC’s all-time leader.
He also had a total touchdown of 145. He is also one of the best college kickers in the world.
#10. VINCE YOUNG
Vincent Paul Young was a member of Coach Mack Brown’s Texas Longhorns football team from 2002-2005 before becoming a pro quarterback.
In his junior year, he was awarded the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s top college quarterback each year.
He was runner-up in the Heisman race to Reggie Bush. After winning the Heisman Trophy, Young led his team to the 2006 Rose Bowl BCS National Championship, where they faced the defending BCS National Champions, the USC Trojans.
There were four rushing touchdowns and two receiving scores in his total of 467 yards (267 passing and 200 runnings).
This resulted in a 41-38 victory for their squad. This victory earned him the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player honor.
Despite being dubbed a “wonderful runner but an average thrower” early in his college career because of his unusual throwing action, which was dubbed a “side-arm,”
Young managed to compile a win-loss record of 30-2 as a starter, making him the school’s all-time winningest quarterback.
#11. TOMMY NOBIS
Thomas Henry Nobis Jr. played college football at the University of Texas before turning professional as a linebacker in the National Football League, where he spent 11 seasons.
He was one of college football’s top linebackers during his illustrious career. He averaged roughly 20 tackles per game during the 1963-1965 season for the Texas Longhorns.
During the 1964 national championship squad, captained by Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach, he was a key player.
Nobis made the All-Southwest Conference team three times and was a two-time All-American in his career.
During the 1965 Orange Bowl, he made one of the most memorable tackles in football history.
He rallied his entire squad to stop Alabama’s top-ranked Joe Namath with just a 21-17 advantage in the second quarter.
Tommy Nobis earned the moniker “Iron Man” during his college career for his ability to play both attack and defense.
Despite his position, the linebacker played guard on the offensive side and frequently blocked for touchdown runs.
#12. DEION SANDERS
Deion Sanders as a cornerback, is also one of the top college kickers in the world. He is a first-generation American.
Athlete Luwynn Sanders, also known as “Prime Time,” has been a coach in the NFL for 14 seasons and a sports analyst. He played football, baseball, and track & field at Florida State University.
When he was a freshman, he played outfield for the Seminoles’ baseball team.
Under Bobby Bowden, Sanders was a third-team All-American cornerback in 1986 and a two-time All-American cornerback in 1987 and 1988 under his guidance.
He intercepted 14 passes during his college football career, including three in bowl games.
As if that wasn’t spectacular enough, he also broke Fred Biletnikoff’s one-yard interception return record by returning an interception over 100 yards.
Sanders received the Kim Thorpe Award in 1988. In addition, he was hailed as an outstanding punt returner at Florida State.
His late interception sealed a 13-7 victory for Florida State over Auburn in the 1989 Sugar Bowl.
He has a total of 1,429 yards and 126 punt return yards throughout his career. Regarding athleticism, coach Bowden later remarked that Sanders was his benchmark.
#13. EARL CAMPBELL
Former American football player Earl Christian Campbell, better known as The Tyler Rose, is a member of the Hall of Fame.
From 1974 through 1977, he was a member of the Texas Longhorns football team at the University of Texas.
In addition to his many other awards, he was named to the All-America team and won the Heisman Trophy.
He rushed for 928 yards and six touchdowns in all 11 games he played as a freshman in 1974 when he was just 16 years old.
The American Football Coaches Association named him to its first-team All-America team a year later.
He rushed for 1,118 yards, 78 points, and 13 rushing touchdowns as the Longhorns won the Southwest Conference.
Due to leg issues, he was forced to miss four games during his junior season. He set a record of 19 touchdowns and 1,744 yards in 1977.
He scored four touchdowns in a 72-15 triumph over Rice in the third game of the season when Texas kicker Russell Erxleben set a new NCAA record with a 67-yard field goal.
Campbell rushed for a career-high 222 yards in his final regular season game, defeating Texas A&M 57-28.
Their season finished without a loss. First University of Texas athlete to get Heisman Trophy.
#14. PEYTON MANNING
Peyton Williams Manning, a former National Football League quarterback, suited up for the league for 18 seasons.
Manning began his career as a quarterback for the University of Tennessee Volunteers under the guidance of Phillip Fulmer, the team’s head coach. He was the third-string quarterback his first year in 1994.
When starting quarterback Jerry Colquitt went down on the seventh play of the season opener against UCLA, he was one of three quarterbacks the team had to fall back on to win.
Manning, on the other hand, did not score a single point. He only had three touches of the ball, and as a result, he was eventually removed from the game.
In 1995, Manning and his team beat Georgia and East Carolina in their first two games of the season.
Next, they travel to Gainsville, Florida, to face the Gators in a college football matchup.
Manning led their side to a 30-21 halftime lead against Florida with two touchdowns and 326 yards gained through the air.
Despite this, the Gators finally outscored them 41-7 in the second half and triumphed 62-37, despite their best efforts. The Vols’ lone defeat came in that particular season.
They went on to win the final eight games in the regular season.
The Maxwell Award, the first-team All-American honor, the Davey O’Brien Award, and the Johnny Unitas Award were just some of the accolades Manning garnered.
In 1997, he came in second place to Charles Woodson for the Heisman Trophy. He was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society and Omicron Delta Kappa while he was a student at the university.
Finally, the National Football Association once recognized him with a national scholar-athlete award. Peyton also ranks among the top college kickers in the world.
#15. OJ SIMPSON
Former NFL running back James Simpson, better known as “The Juice,” also worked as an actor, ambassador for many companies, and broadcaster.
OJ Simpson is one of the greatest football players of all time, regardless of his criminal record.
Simpson was an All-City Galileo football player back then. However, he was unable to attract the eye of college recruiters because of his below-average high school scores.
Simpson was a standout defensive back and running back at City College of San Francisco in 1965.
He guided his squad to a thrilling victory over Long Beach State in the Prune Bowl. Simpson was thrown into the public eye after the aforementioned win.
Conclusion
Here we have! The 15 best college kickers of all time. All the college kickers presented in this article have often performed excellently in many games and added many trophies to their collection.
That is why they are among the list of the best college kickers of all time!
Frequently Asked Questions
These are college kickers, both past and present who have won most major trophies and individual awards.
Not all of them have won all the trophies in college football. Perhaps, most trophies have been won by a good number of them.
Before a player can be added to the list of the best college lickers of all time, he must win at least four major trophies and individual awards and have an excellent record.
References
- collegecliffs. com—15 Best College Football Players of All Time
- stayaliveinpower5. com—College Football’s 15 best place kickers
- syndication. bleachereport. com—Ranking the Top 25 Clutch Kickers in College Football History
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