Top 10 Best Penn State College Football Players of All Time

One of the oldest programs in the country, the Penn State Nittany Lions have been playing football since 1887. They have taken home the National Championship on two occasions during that time (1982, 1986). Throughout all of those seasons, they have had some incredibly talented players. The remainder of this piece will talk about the ten greatest players in program history.

Who Are the Best Penn State University Football Players of All Time?

1. Saquon Barkley
2. Bobby Engram
3. Dan Connor
4. John Cappelletti
5. Lydell Mitchell
6. Courtney Brown
7. LaVar Arington
8. Curt Warner
9. Jack Ham
10. Kerry Collins

1. Saquon Barkley

• Three-time All-Big Ten selection (2015-2017)
• Two-time All-American selection (2016, 2017)
• Two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017)

A player who currently is a star for the New York Giants in the NFL, the best player in Penn State history is Saquon Barkley. After playing three years at Penn State from 2015-2017, Barkley decided to forgo his senior season and head to the pros. In those three years, he made an All-Big Ten each season, was selected to two All-American teams (2016, 2017), and won two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Awards, among other awards.

Despite only playing three years, Barkley has the second most rushing yards (3,843) and first in rushing touchdowns (43) in program history. From 2015-2017, the Nittany Lions had an overall record of 29-11, winning the Big Ten Championship in 2016 and the Fiesta Bowl in 2017. After deciding to leave early for the NFL, the New York Giants drafted Barkley with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He is off to a great start in his NFL career, and it looks like it will be just as good, if not better, than his college one.

2. Bobby Engram

• Three-time All-American selection (1993-1995)
• Three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection (1993-1995)
• 1994 Biletnikoff Award winner

The greatest wide receiver in Penn State program history is Bobby Engram. Engram played four years for the Nittany Lions in the early 1990s (1991, 1993-1995), around a redshirt year in 1992. His awards won include being a three-time All-American (1993-1995), making three All-Big Ten First Teams (1993-1995), and winning the Biletnikoff Award in 1994.

When it comes to his career numbers, Engram comes in at number one in both receiving yards (3,026) and receiving touchdowns (31). In the four seasons that Engram played with Penn State, the team had a combined record of 43-7, winning a Bowl game each season (1991 Fiesta Bowl, 1993 Citrus Bowl, 1994 Rose Bowl, 1995 Outback Bowl). After his outstanding career, the Chicago Bears used a second round pick on Engram in the 1996 NFL Draft. He had a nice career over fourteen years for four different teams, although it did not quite amount to his incredible days with the Nittany Lions.

3. Dan Connor

• Two-time First Team All-American selection (2006, 2007)
• Two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection (2006, 2007)
• 2007 Chuck Bednarik Award Winner

Arguably the greatest defender in program history, Dan Connor was a linebacker in the early 2000s for the Nittany Lions. From 2004-2007, Connor was a key part of the Penn State defense. Throughout his career, he made two First Team All-American teams (2006, 2007), two First Team All-Big Ten teams (2006, 2007), and won the 2007 Chuck Bednarik Award. 

A terrific tackler on the football field, Connor racked up the most tackles in Penn State history with 419 of them. Additionally, the 145 he had in 2007 are the second most in a single season in program history as well. From 2004-2007, while Connor was on the team, 33-16, winning three straight Bowl games (2005 Orange Bowl, 2006 Outback Bowl, 2007 Alamo Bowl) and the 2005 Big Ten Championship. After his great collegiate career, the Carolina Panthers used a third round pick to select Connor in the 2008 NFL Draft. He bounced around for a few years in the pros, but it did not quite amount to his incredible college career. 

4. John Cappelletti

• 1973 UPI College Football Player of the Year
• 1973 Heisman Trophy Winner
• 1973 First Team All-American selection

The only Heisman Trophy winner in Penn State history is running back John Cappelletti. Cappelletti played three years for the varsity Penn State team from 1971-1973, as he was not eligible as a freshman in 1970 since freshmen were not eligible at this time. After his senior season in 1973, he was named the UPI College Player of the Year, won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and was named a First Team All-American.

As for his career numbers, despite only playing running back for two seasons (he was a defensive back in 1971), Cappelletti still has the twelfth most rushing yards (2,639) and the eighth most rushing touchdowns (29) in team history. In his three years on the varsity team, Penn State had an incredible record of 33-3, winning the Cotton Bowl in 1971 and the Orange Bowl in 1973. Fresh off his Heisman victory, Cappelletti was drafted eleventh overall in the 1974 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He went on to have a solid ten-year career for the Rams and San Diego Chargers.

5. Lydell Mitchell

• 1971 First Team All-American selection
• 2004 College Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Part of Undefeated Penn State Team in 1969

Another one of the great running backs at Penn State, Lydell Mitchell rounds out the first half of this list. After playing on the freshman team in 1968 since freshmen were not eligible for varsity at that time, Mitchell played for three years on the varsity Nittany Lions from 1969-1971. After his senior season in 1971, he was named a First-Team All-American. 

Even though he was only on the team for three years, Mitchell still scored the second most rushing touchdowns in Penn State history with 38, and his 2,934 career yards are ninth all-time at the school. During his career with the team, Penn State went 29-4, including an undefeated season in 1969 and an Orange Bowl victory, as well as a victory in the 1971 Cotton Bowl. After the latter victory, Mitchell was drafted in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. Throughout the 1970s, Mitchell had a solid NFL career with a few different teams.

6. Courtney Brown

• 1999 All-American
• 1999 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
• Two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection (1998, 1999)

Courtney Brown is the second-best defender in Penn State history. A defensive lineman, Brown played four years in the trenches for the Nittany Lions from 1996-1999. On two occasions, he was a First Team All-Big Ten selection, won the 1999 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, was a 1999 All-American Selection, and was the MVP of the 1998 Outback Bowl.

A player who knew how to get after the quarterback Brown, finished his Penn State career with a program record of 33, a mark that still stands today. His 13.5 in 1999 is the fourth most in a single season at the school. From 1996-1999, the Nittany Lions had an overall record of 39-11, winning the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, the 1998 Outback Bowl, and the 1999 Alamo Bowl. Coming off of his Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Cleveland Browns drafted Brown with the first overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Injuries hampered a career that got off to a promising start, but his time at Penn State will not soon be forgotten. 

7. LaVar Arington

• Two-time First Team All-American selection (1998, 1999)
• Two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection (1998, 1999)
• 1998 Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Courtney Brown’s teammate in the late 1990s, LaVar Arington was another defensive star for the Nittany Lions. Coming to campus a year after Brown, Arington played three years at linebacker for the team (1997-1999) before heading off to the NFL after his junior year. Brown made both First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten in 1998 and 1999, and he was the 1998 Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Year. 

Throughout his Penn State career, Arington registered 19 total sacks (the eleventh most in school history) and 39 tackles for loss (eighth most in school history). In his three years from 1997-1999, Penn State went 28-9, winning the 1998 Alamo Bowl and the 1999 Outback Bowl to cap off his career. After forgoing his senior year, the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) used the second overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft to select Arington. Thus, college teammates Brown and Arington went 1 and 2 in the same draft. This was only the third time in NFL history that this had happened, and it has not happened since.

8. Curt Warner

• Two-time Team All-American selection (1981, 1982)
• 1982 National Champion
• 2009 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee

The fourth and final running back to make this list is the great Curt Warner. Warner led the Penn State backfield for four years from 1979-1982. His junior and senior seasons, he was selected to an All-American team (1981, 1982), and he helped the team win the National Championship in 1982. 

Warner's career rushing numbers at Penn State include having the third most rushing yards (3,398) and the fourteenth most rushing touchdowns (24) in team history. Along with helping the Nittany Lions win their first ever National Championship in 1982, Warner helped Penn State to an overall record of 39-9, winning a Bowl Game all four years (1979 Liberty Bowl, 1980 and 1981 Fiesta Bowls, 1982 Sugar Bowl). After winning the National Title, Warner went third overall in the 1983 NFL Draft to the Seattle Seahawks. He made a few Pro Bowls in the 1980s and had a solid NFL career.

9. Jack Ham

• 1970 All-American selection
• 1990 College Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Led Team to Back-to-Back Undefeated Seasons (1968, 1969)

The final defensive player to make this cut is the legendary Jack Ham. Ham was a part of some great Penn State teams in the late 1960s from 1968-1970. In fact, he helped the team to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1968 and 1969, and he was an All-American selection in 1970.

Throughout his Penn State career, Ham collected 251 tackles, and he blocked three punts in the 1968 season. That single season school record stood until 1989. In all, Penn State went 29-3 from 1968-1970, going 11-0 in 1968 and 1969. They won the Orange Bowl in both of those seasons. Ham would then go on to be a second round draft pick in the 1971 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had an outstanding career with them, winning four Super Bowls in all (1975, 1976, 1979, 1980). He is a member of both the Pro Football and the College Football Hall of Fame.

10. Kerry Collins

• 1994 Maxwell Award winner
• 1994 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
• 1994 First Team All-American

The final player to make this list is the first and only quarterback in Kerry Collins. Collins led the team in the early 1990s from 1991-1994. After his senior season in 1994, Collins won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award, the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, and was a First Team All-American. 

On Penn State’s career passing lists, Collins has the ninth most passing yards (5,304) and the ninth most passing touchdowns (39), despite not playing much as a freshman. He was in third place in both of those categories when his career ended in 1994. Overall, while he was a part of the team, the Nittany Lions went 40-9 from 1991-1994, winning the 1991 Fiesta Bowl, 1993 Citrus Bowl, and the 1994 Rose Bowl. A highly regarded prospect, the Carolina Panthers took Collins with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. He went on to have a productive NFL career for six different teams over the course of sixteen seasons.

Honorable Mentions

• Ki-Jana Carter
• Shane Conlan
• Franco Harris
• Larry Johnson
• Ted Kwalick
• Richie Lucas
• Matt Millen
• Lenny Moore
• Paul Posluszny
• Mike Reid

FAQ