SEC Football history: 50 best players of all time

29. Best SEC football players of all time: Jack Youngblood, Florida football

For Jack Youngblood, he was not expected to be much when he arrived at the University of Florida to play football. In fact, legend has it that he was not expected to play a single significant snap for the Gators, which seems absolutely silly now that his playing career is over.

From a small recruit to a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames, it was quite a ride for Youngblood, and it started at Florida. Youngblood was a three-year letter-winner for the Gators, starting as an offensive lineman, before heading to the defensive side of the ball and becoming a dominant defensive lineman.

As a sophomore, Youngblood played defensive end and tackle for Florida, while also serving as the team’s kicker. During the 1969 season, he burst onto the map with a five-sack effort against Florida State, and his 14 sacks in 1969 were a school record. The following season, he would be named an All-American and capped off his career by being named the Most Outstanding Player in the 1971 Senior Bowl.

Considered the best defensive lineman in Gators history, and a top-5 player ever, Youngblood was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams and put together a Hall of Fame career in the NFL as well. Not bad for someone who did not have any kind of expectations when he landed in Gainesville.