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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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Jan 5, 2014; Mobile, AL, USA; Ball State Cardinals wide receiver Willie Snead (3) celebrates with wide receiver Jamill Smith (2) after catching a pass in front of Arkansas State Red Wolves linebacker Qushaun Lee (not pictured) for a touchdown in the first quarter at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 5, 2014; Mobile, AL, USA; Ball State Cardinals wide receiver Willie Snead (3) celebrates with wide receiver Jamill Smith (2) after catching a pass in front of Arkansas State Red Wolves linebacker Qushaun Lee (not pictured) for a touchdown in the first quarter at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports /

Leading the nation in receiving, Dante Love looked to be one of the next small school stars to make it to the NFL. The year was 2008 and he had just dominated college football the year before, albeit at Ball State, catching 100 passes for 1,398 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Love was on every scout’s radar heading into his senior season, but he needed another big showing to earn himself NFL Draft consideration. He was averaging 144.3 yards per game through his first three and everything was on schedule to get him a draft selection. However, his final career college game came far too soon.

Ball State traveled to Indiana in the fourth game of 2008 and Love was looking to lead his Cardinals to an upset, but he was more worried about if he would ever walk again than anything else in the second quarter. He was running downfield when two Indiana defenders made a play on him and he went down awkwardly. He didn’t get up.

In fact, he suffered a broken neck and it happened to be one of the scariest moments of the season. Everyone in the stadium fell silent as Love was taken out on a stretcher. He was told by doctors that he would never be able to play football again and later returned to the team as more of an assistant coach that year.

Love finished his college career with 199 catches for 2,778 yards and 20 touchdowns.

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