My personal opinion is Herschel Walker. I wish that I could have the pleasure to watch him in his prime.

Jerry Rice holds 34 NCAA football records

http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2008/FCS%20Compiled.pdf

true, but there's always the fact that he played Div. 1AA. Not to take anything away from him, but who is to say it would have been the same had he played in Div. 1A?

Depends on the position.

Jerry Rice holds 34 NCAA football records

http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2008/FCS%20Compiled.pdf

true, but there's always the fact that he played Div. 1AA. Not to take anything away from him, but who is to say it would have been the same had he played in Div. 1A?

Yelp like RW said he was a bust in the NFL which aint as hard as Div. 1A 

Catt, using your logic wouldn't you then also have to include Steve McNair??? And if you include McNair, what about Nate Kmic? If you have never heard of him he played for Division III Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. He is college football's only 8,000 yard rusher and played for 3 national championship teams ( and played in a fourth but Mount Union lost) . He also is college football's all time single season leading rusher.

      The point I am making is it is so hard to judge players from different time periods and playing different positions in different levels of competition. Jerry Rice was outstanding in I-AA, but we justify that because he was the greatest wide receiver in NFL history. Too hard to make this anything but a popularity contest basically. I still love to discuss it though. Herschel Walker was a stud, as was some running QB back in the 60's named Roger Staubach.

I also think Tony Dorsett was right up there.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the question was "Best college football player ever" not Div. 1A or Div. 1AA or Division III. Although Rice currently only holds 34 NCAA records he did for quite sometime hold 88 NCAA records, Steve McNair currently holds 63, Tony Dorsett holds 0, & Roger Staubach holds 0.

While many people are obsessed with comparing players from "different time periods" I look at it like this could Rice or any others mentioned play today and the answer would be yes.

While many people are obsessed with comparing players from "different time periods" I look at it like this could Rice or any others mentioned play today and the answer would be yes.

Would you consider Jerry Rice out of "todays game" or from a "different time period"?

Would Jerry Rice be as good today playing with a Payton Manning or Drew Brees?

Some of us are born with itsome of us never ever, ever get it...Rice was born with it

Jerry Rice holds 34 NCAA football records

http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2008/FCS%20Compiled.pdf

true, but there's always the fact that he played Div. 1AA. Not to take anything away from him, but who is to say it would have been the same had he played in Div. 1A?

Yelp like RW said he was a bust in the NFL which aint as hard as Div. 1A

It's still impossible to tell how many records he would have had if he had played against tougher competition. Sure, he was successful in the NFL, but so are other players who were not in college ie: Tom Brady

Correct me if I'm wrong but the question was "Best college football player ever" not Div. 1A or Div. 1AA or Division III. Although Rice currently only holds 34 NCAA records he did for quite sometime hold 88 NCAA records, Steve McNair currently holds 63, Tony Dorsett holds 0, & Roger Staubach holds 0.

While many people are obsessed with comparing players from "different time periods" I look at it like this could Rice or any others mentioned play today and the answer would be yes.

But would they be as successful? Today's game is different. The players are stronger and faster. Could Jim Brown be successful against today's defenses? Impossible to say for sure. Any guess would be pure speculation.

Are you contending that because Rice was an excellent pro, hence the reference to Manning and Brees, helps his record as a college player? I thought we were only talking college and I think they are two different entities.

Lots of great college players never made it big in the nfl.

Let me pose this question to you. What about Tony Mandarich? He destroyed people while at Michigan State. Was likely the best college football player in college for two years. Completely overwhelmed his opponents.. Does he get ranked lower because he doesn't have any records?

My point is that it is impossible to say because you can never compare apples to apples.

This entire thread is pure speculation

Some atheletes are born with that something extra like a Jerry Rice, Tiger Woods, Micheal Jordan, to name just a few and regardless of which Era they would have been born in they would have still been just as successful.

One also has to keep in mind that the success of an athelete in a team sport depends highly on the team they are with, case in point Barry Sanders was still successful while playing with a mediocre Detroit Lions.