Greatest college football player born in each state
John Elway was born in Washington, and spent much of his early life following his father Jack’s college coaching career that included stops at Grays Harbor Community College, Montana, Washington State, Idaho, Cal State-Northridge and San Jose State.
After attending high school in California, Elway chose to attend Stanford University, where he became one of the greatest players in school history and a College Football Hall of Famer prior to a Hall of Fame career with the Denver Broncos, which included two Super Bowl titles.
At Stanford, Elway appeared in nine games as a freshman, and completed 50 of 96 pass attempts for 544 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions. Elway was the full-time starter as a sophomore and threw for 2,889 yards and 27 TDs with only 11 interceptions and added four rushing scores, which earned him Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year honors, and posted similar numbers as a junior with 2,674 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and one TD on the ground.
Elway’s best year came during his senior campaign in 1982. Despite Stanford finishing with a 5-6 record (which gave the Cardinal three losing seasons in Elway’s four years on campus), Elway finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy on the strength of 3,242 passing yards and a nation-leading 24 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Elway won the Pac-10 Player of the Year Award as well as the Sammy Baugh Trophy and was a consensus All-American.
Other Notable College Football Players Born in Washington:
- Drew Bledsoe, QB, Washington State
- Mark Bruener, TE, Washington
- Corey Dillon, RB, Washington
- Steve Emtman, DL, Washington
- Gordon Hudson, TE, BYU
- Eric Metcalf, RB/WR, Texas
- Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
- Anthony Newman, DB, Oregon
- Marcus Trufant, DB, Washington State
- Brian Urlacher, LB, New Mexico
Next: West Virginia