“There’s a case to be made for Tebow as the single greatest college football player ever. There are the numbers: 145 career touchdowns, more than 13,000 career yards, an SEC-record 57 rushing touchdowns. There are the awards: He was a Heisman finalist three times and was the first sophomore ever to win it in 2007. There are the wins: Tebow was a critical part of Florida’s 2006 title as Chris Leak’s backup, then he won one of his own in 2008.<\/p>\n
“But what truly sets Tebow apart is the mythology. From his ‘promise’ speech after the 2008 loss to Ole Miss, which is now immortalized on a statue, to the legendary jump pass against LSU to the raw determination with which he led \u2014 he might not be the best to ever strap on a helmet, but there’s definitely no one else like him.”<\/p>\n
Tebow beat out Purdue Boilermakers QB Drew Brees, Nebraska Cornhuskers<\/a> QB Tommie Frazier and QB Fernando Mendoza, who played for both the Cal Golden Bears and Indiana Hoosiers.<\/p>\n Tim Tebow’s trophy case<\/p>\n Heisman Trophy, two-time Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, three-time All-American, two-time SEC Male Athlete of the Year, two-time national champion, BCS championship game MVP and College Football Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a>Other Florida football honorable mentionsSteve Spurrier (No. 11): Spurrier won the Heisman Trophy in 1966 and placed ninth the season prior, while earning a spot on the AP All-American Second Team in 1965 and was a consensus first-team All-American in 1966. He finished a 31-game Gators career with 4,848 passing yards and 37\u00a0touchdowns to set numerous school and SEC records in passing and offense.Emmitt Smith (No. 22): Smith twice finished in the top 10 of voting for the Heisman Trophy and left Florida as the Gators\u2019 all-time leading rusher, running for 3,928 yards in just three seasons, to go along with 36 rushing touchdowns. When he left for the NFL following the 1989 season, he owned 58 school records.Boston College Eagles QB Doug Flutie (1981-1984) got the nod at No. 22.Kevin Carter (No. 57): Carter was First-Team All-SEC, a consensus First-Team All-American in 1994 and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award (best lineman in football) and a finalist for the Football News Defensive Player of the Year when he helped Florida win the SEC title for a second straight season. He recorded 11.5 sacks in 1994 and 21.5 for over the course of his tenure in Gainesville.Jack Youngblood (No. 74): Youngblood was an AP Second-Team All-American in 1970 when he recorded 10 sacks and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy while being named SEC lineman of the Year that same season. Among his many memorable moments was a forced fumble and recovery to spark a win over the Georgia Bulldogs that season. He finished with 29 total sacks at Florida, which included 14 as a junior.<\/p>\n Noticeably absent from the list is QB Danny Wuerffel (No. 7), who won the Heisman Trophy in 1996 and finished third in 1995, led the Gators to the 1996 national championship, and won three SEC Championship Games as a starter. Virginia Tech Hokies QB Michael Vick was ESPN’s top choice, while Stanford Cardinals QB John Elway, Marshall Thundering Herd QB Byron Leftwich and LSU Tigers<\/a> defensive back Patrick Peterson were the top contenders with his number.<\/p>\n Follow us\u00a0@GatorsWire<\/a>\u00a0on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky<\/a>, and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators<\/a> news, notes and opinions.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/86373768007-gators-1.jpg\")