SEC Football history: 50 best players of all time

2. Best SEC football players of all time: Tim Tebow, Georgia football

One player who stands out when you think about the history of college football, whether it is in the SEC or any other conference, is former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. This is a guy who was born to play college football, as he had a perfect skill set to run Urban Meyer’s offense, and he would go on to be the most efficient signal-caller in NCAA history.

As a freshman, Tebow was a backup quarterback, but the Gators did have some packages for him, and he did play a role in them winning the national title in 2006. After his time as a backup was over, he took over the starting job in 2007, and all he did was become the first sophomore to ever win the Heisman Trophy, capping off a year that saw him win nearly every award he was eligible for.

The following season, Tebow did not repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner, though he was a finalist. He did get his team back to the mountain top, winning another BCS national championship. He was a player who could get the job done with his arm, and his legs, as was evident by him throwing 32 touchdowns and rushing for 23 more during his Heisman Trophy-winning 2007 season.

Tebow finished his career in Florida by going 13-1 in 2009, cementing his place as arguably the greatest quarterback in NCAA history. He won two titles, was SEC Player of the Year twice, won two Maxwell Awards, a Heisman, and led his team to two SEC titles. Also, he was twice named an All-American, twice a finalist for the Heisman, and finished his career with 9,000 yards passing and nearly 3,000 yards rushing to go along with 5 NCAA records, 14 SEC records, and 28 Florida records. He was inducted into Florida’s Ring of Honor in 2018.