College football: Ranking the NFL careers of Heisman Trophy winners 1975-2005

Ranking NFL careers of Heisman winners: 7. Eddie George, RB, Ohio State

Now we are starting to get into the “franchise player” category. Eddie George was awesome in college and he was arguably even better in the NFL. He had the typical college experience for a star running back for Ohio State. He started off as a backup learning the ropes. Then, he got the starting job and had a really good season. His senior season is when he exploded, running for 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns.

He was taken in the first round by the Houston Oilers, and he would go on to be one of the franchise stars for the team’s move to Tennessee. He made an immediate impact winning the Rookie of the Year award.

George’s accolades go on for a while. He made four consecutive Pro Bowls in a really stacked era for running backs. He rushed for more than 10,000 yards in his career while never missing a start, a stat only matched by the great Jim Brown. Only Walter Payton had more consecutive starts at the running back position (George ended up with 130). In eight seasons with the Titans franchise, he missed out on a 1,000-yard season once.

George’s 2000 season was by far his best. It was the one season that he saw himself with the best in the league. He ran for north of 1,500 yards and added 14 touchdowns. He also caught 50 passes for another 453 yards and two touchdowns. George was one of the best during his tenure, but some of the names ahead of him can be considered all-time greats.