SEC Football history: 50 best players of all time

16. Best SEC football players of all time: Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M football

In the history of college football, there may not have been a player who captivated America quite like Johnny Manziel during his time at Texas A&M. After redshirting his first year on campus, Manziel tried for the starting quarterback spot, and not only did he get the job, he was a force of nature.

Stepping in as a redshirt freshman, Manziel put together one of the greatest seasons in SEC Football history. Racking up multiple 500-plus yard games, he broke Archie Manning’s single-game yards record, and then shattered his own record, as he took the college football world by storm.

Outside of statistics, Manziel also knew how to get it done in the clutch, and do it against the best of teams, going on the road and single-handedly beating then-No. 1 ranked Alabama. His magical season culminated with him becoming the first freshman to ever win the Heisman Trophy, as he was also named SEC Freshman of the Year and won the Davey O’Brien Award.

He followed up his freshman season with a solid sophomore campaign, finishing in the top-5 in the Heisman Trophy balloting. From flashing his money sign to the fans, to putting up video game statistics between the white lines, nobody left a mark on college football the way Johnny Manziel did. Sure, he may have had some serious issues after leaving the Aggies, but for a brief moment in time, he was the best football player on the planet.