Greatest college football player born in each state
Despite being one of the most populated states in the country, New York has not produced a large number of star college football players in recent seasons compared to other recruiting hotbeds such as Florida, Texas, California and Georgia.
Of course, because college football was developed in nearby New Jersey, and many of the early powerhouse football programs were located in the northeast, there were many New Yorkers among the first All-Americans of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.
And, over the years, the state has produced talented players such as Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Vinny Testaverde, and College Football Hall of Famers like Mark May and Art Monk, among others. However, lost in the shuffle between football’s earliest days and the stars of the 1980s was New York native and Cornell running back Ed Marinaro, who set an NCAA record with 4,715 rushing yards in just three seasons from 1969-71, which was one of 16 national records the great running back set during his collegiate career.
Because freshmen weren’t yet eligible to play varsity football, Marinaro’s first official action came as a sophomore, and he ran for 1,409 yards and 14 touchdowns, which he followed with 1,425 rushing yards and 12 TDs as a junior. In 1971, Marinaro led the nation (and set an NCAA record) with 1,881 rushing yards, which still ranks in the top 50 all-time for a single season. Mariano found the end zone 24 times as a senior, which pushed his career total to 50 rushing TDs, and made him an All-American and the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
Marinaro’s production is unique because he played only nine game per season due to Ivy League scheduling rules, which means he averaged an incredible 174.6 rushing yards per game. Despite playing only 27 games across three seasons, Marinaro still ranks No. 35 on the Division I all-time rushing list.
Other Notable College Football Players Born in New York:
- Douglass Bomeisler, Yale
- Keith Bullock, LB, Syracuse
- Boomer Esiason, QB, Maryland
- D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia
- Kevin Greene, LB, Auburn
- Mike Hart, RB Michigan
- Darryl Johnston, FB, Syracuse
- Mark May, OL, Pitt
- Art Monk, WR, Syracuse
- Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami
Next: North Carolina