SEC Football history: 50 best players of all time

23. Best SEC football players of all time: Champ Bailey, Georgia football

In the history of SEC Football, there are not many pure talents as that of Georgia standout Champ Bailey. A dominant figure on both sides of the ball, Bailey played for the Bulldogs from 1996 through the 1998 season before leaving for the NFL, where he would go on to be named to the Pro Bowl 12 times.

During his time with the school, Bailey was an absolute freak and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of college football. A playmaker on offense and defense, Bailey was named the winner of the Bronco Nagurski Award, given to the best defensive player in college football, in the same season that saw him rack up over 1,000 yards of offense.

That was the kind of player Bailey was, able to take over a game no matter where he was on the field. He could do it all, and in his 24 starts for Georgia, he had eight interceptions and over a pass defended per start. In 1998, Bailey was named an All-American and All-SEC player, while also being a star for the school’s track team.

Bailey would go on to leave after his junior season, landing with the Washington Football Team in the first round with the No. 7 overall selection. A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Bailey is on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame this year, and will likely get in on the first ballot.