Greatest college football player born in each state
Though often overshadowed by the talent found in nearby Louisiana and Texas, Arkansas has also produced many great college football players over the years. The best of the best is Keith Jackson, who starred in the mid-1980s for the Oklahoma Sooners, and is one of the greatest tight ends in college football history.
Jackson was born in Little Rock, and was one of the most highly sought after high school players in the 1984 recruiting class. He signed with Oklahoma, and started as a freshman, but because the Sooners ran a powerful triple-option offense out of the wishbone, Jackson had just 15 receptions for 223 yards and three touchdowns in his first season on campus.
However, Jackson emerged as one of the team’s best offensive weapons as a sophomore by snagging a career-high 22 passes and 566 receiving yards with three scores. He also gained 153 rushing yards and a TD on seven carries, and the Sooners won the national championship.
Though his statistics took a dip in his junior season, Jackson was named a consensus All-American for the first time in 1986. He recorded 414 receiving yards on 15 catches with a career-best five touchdowns and added 107 rushing yards and three more scores on the ground.
Jackson had 13 receptions for 358 yards and four TDs as a senior, and was named an All-American for the second time, which pushed his career totals to 65 receptions for 1,561 yards – an incredible 24.0 yards per catch for a tight end – and 15 touchdowns. He also gained 298 career rushing yards on just 21 carries (14.2 yards per attempt!) and scored four TDs on the ground.
Other Notable College Football Players Born in Arkansas:
- Cortez Kennedy, DT, Miami
- Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
- Willie Roaf, OT, Louisiana Tech
- DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis
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