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15 college football players whose careers ended too soon

By Connor Muldowney

Aug 30, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett (9) throws the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter of the 2014 Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 30, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett (9) throws the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter of the 2014 Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 8, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Rawleigh Williams III (22) runs after a catch during the fourth quarter of the game against Alabama Crimson Tide at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Alabama won 49-30. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Rawleigh Williams III (22) runs after a catch during the fourth quarter of the game against Alabama Crimson Tide at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Alabama won 49-30. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /

The most recent player retirement on this list is Rawleigh Williams III from Arkansas. The All-SEC caliber running back was considered one of the top rushers in 2016 and expectations were high for the 2017 campaign. However, a second neck injury forced him to pen a letter to Razorback faithful a few weeks ago.

Williams III posted on arkansasrazorbacks.com his retirement letter. He titled it “The Next Chapter.”

"An outside zone run to the left side. I’ve run that play literally hundreds of times in my college career. Maybe more. This outside zone run to the left would be my last. Not again. I remembered the feeling. It didn’t last as long so I wasn’t as nervous, but I knew something was wrong. I knew that it was similar enough to the last time."

Suffering a neck injury in spring practice, his second, was enough for the sophomore running back to call it quits. His long-term health was more important to him than being a top SEC rusher and he made the mature decision to hang up the cleats. He rushed for 1,360 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final season with the Razorbacks.

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