SEC Football history: 50 best players of all time

25. Best SEC football players of all time: Eli Manning, Ole Miss football

It is never easy taking over for a legend, as we have seen players falter in that role time and time again. It is another story to have to walk in the footsteps of a legend, which is what Eli Manning chose to do when he decided to play his college football at Ole Miss, a place where his father, Archie, was a god.

For the younger Eli, he was also entering a conference in which his brother, Peyton, become arguably the best quarterback in the history of college football. Sure, there was a lot of pressure on him, but Eli is as cool as they come, and he not only succeeded, he became one of the best quarterbacks in SEC history.

As the quarterback of Ole Miss, Manning re-wrote the record books, leading them to one of their best seasons ever. He finished in the top-3 of the Heisman Trophy voting. Manning set or tied over 40 Ole Miss records, won the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, and was named the SEC’s Player of the Year as a senior.

The first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Eli finished his career with over 10,000 passing yards, good for fifth in SEC history, and 81 touchdown passes, the third-best mark. He would go on to win two Super Bowls as the quarterback of the New York Giants, becoming a legend in both Mississippi and the Big Apple.