Herschel Walker is the greatest college football player of all time. Why? Because no one ever transformed a college football program the way Herschel did for the Georgia Bulldogs. And, he did it in only three years of college play. In that relatively short time, Walker gained more yards than any other player ever at the University of Georgia – or at most other colleges for that matter.
Herschel Walker was born in Georgia, where he would rarely rule the college football world, on March 3rd, 1962. At first, you would not have thought that Walker would turn into an animal on the football field because, when he was young, he did not show any desire to play sports. Actually, Walker was an ardent reader, and he wrote poetry a lot of the time too. However, when Herschel was 12, something occurred that made him take on an unbelievable exercise program. Through the following year, Walker ran thousands of miles, and notched up 100,000 sit-ups, and 100,000 push-ups.
In 1979, years before Walker graced the field for the Georgia Bulldogs, he led Johnson County High School to the state championship game, where he was recognized by Parade magazine as the national "High School Back-of-the-Year". The University of Georgia was already monitoring its progress in the background, and they would reap the benefits of a National Championship, in 1980, with Walker as their number one freshman star. Some of Herschel's other college achievements included winning the Heisman Trophy in 1982, and three All-American awards.
Spectators accredited Walker's physical presence and football talent. By the time he was 18, he already had the physique of an NFL star. When he left the Bulldogs, in 1983, to become a professional football player, and joined the USFL team the New Jersey Generals, he had set 141 records for the University of Georgia, 6 SEC records, and 11 NCAA records.
When the USFL was disbanded, Herschel became the 114th pick in the 5th round of the 1985 NFL draft. During the 1988 season, while he was with the Dallas Cowboys, he led the league (NFL league) in rushing.
Herschel Walker's incredible athletic abilities went far beyond the football field. He ran track at UGA. He was in the 1992 Olympics – on the Bobsled team.
Amazing, simply amazing. No doubt, Herschel Walker was the best player in the history of college football.
Of course, some would vote for Red Grange as the best college football player in history.