re: Home Grown Players

The title of LSU's best homegrown player is often attributed to Glenn Dorsey, a defensive tackle from Gonzales, Louisiana. Dorsey was a standout at East Ascension High School and became a cornerstone of LSU's defense. In 2007, he led the Tigers to a national championship and earned numerous accolades, including the Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Lott Trophy. He was also named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American. Dorsey was drafted fifth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, making him the highest-drafted defensive player in LSU history at that time.

Another significant homegrown talent is Kevin Faulk, a running back from Carencro, Louisiana. Faulk is LSU's all-time leading rusher with 4,557 yards and 46 touchdowns. He also holds the SEC record for all-purpose yards with 6,833. Faulk was a three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Might also mention Jerry Stoval and Marcus Spears. But for my money, it’s one of the two above.

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Chad Jones (Two Sport greatness)

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Dreadlocks of Doom

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LSU has so many:

Honey badger
Leonard Fournette
Jamar chase
Justin Jefferson
Malik Nabers
Odell
Jarvis Landry
Laron Landry
Devin white
Glen Dorsey
Marcus spears
Jeremy hill
Andrew Whitworth
Corey Webster

And these are just the guys in the modern era. How could you pick just one?

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Exactly!
LSU has made a living on in state boys... who is the greatest?
Man, I don't really know!

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Georgia: Herschel Walker or Stetson Bennett (this warrants a discussion)

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Georgia expert here. I’ll help you out.

It’s Hershel and it’s not close. He’s the best to ever play college football.

Could have—should have—won 3 Heismans. Won the ‘80 natty literally by himself.

One of only 2 players in CFB history to be named 3x 1st team All-Americans. The other?

David Pollack. Who also has a better case for best homegrown player ever than Stetson.

Alabama - 2 or 3 time All Americans

- Fred Sington (OL) - Birmingham (1929, 1930) (CFB HOF)

- Johnny Cain (QB) - Montgomery (1931, 1932) (CFB HOF)

- Bobby Johns (DB) - Birmingham (1966, 1967)

- Johnny Musso (RB) - Birmingham (1970, 1971) (Heisman - 5th) (CFB HOF)

- John Hannah (OL) - Albertville (1971, 1972) (CFB HOF)

- Woodrow Lowe (LB) - Phenix City (1973, 1974, 1975) (CFB HOF)

- Leroy Cook (DE) - Abbeville (1974, 1975)

- Tom Boyd (LB) - Huntsville (1981, 1982)

- Cornelius Bennett (LB) - Birmingham (1984, 1985, 1986) (Lombardi Award) (CFB HOF)

- Antonio Langham (CB) - Town Creek (1992, 1993) (Thorpe Award) (CFB HOF)

- Michael Proctor (K) - Pelham (1993, 1994)

- Mark Barron (S) - Mobile (2010, 2011)

- CJ Mosley (LB) - Theodore (2012, 2013) (Butkus Award)



Alabama - Others

- Harry Gilmer (QB/HB) - Birmingham

- Bart Starr (QB) - Montgomery (NFL HOF)

- Ken Stabler (QB) - Foley (NFL HOF)

- Lee Roy Jordan (LB) - Excel (Heisman - 4th) (CFB HOF)

- Sly Croom (OL) - Tuscaloosa (CFB HOF)

- Ozzie Newsome (TE) - Muscle Shoals (CFB HOF) (NFL HOF)

- David Palmer (WR) - Birmingham (Heisman - 3rd)

- Chris Samuels (OL) - Mobile (Outland Trophy)

- DeMeco Ryans (LB) - Bessemer

- Andre Smith (OL) - Birmingham (Outland Trophy)

- Julio Jones (WR) - Foley

- Quinnen Williams (DL) - Birmingham (Outland Trophy)

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Stetson Bennett was a heisman finalist, SEC champion, two time natty champion, and had the best single season for a QB in UGA history maybe. It actually is kind of close I think

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It's not even remotely close.

I'll take a stab at answering for every school.

Alabama - impossibru to answer
Auburn - Bo Jackson
Arkansas - Darren McFadden
Florida - Tim Tebow
Georgia - Herschel Walker
Kentucky - Tim Couch (I wanna say tBattleship, but Couch was better)
LSU - impossibru to answer
Ole Miss - Archie Manning
Mississippi State - Fletcher Cox
Missouri - Kellen Winslow, Sr.
Oklahoma - Sam Bradford (chosen over Lee Roy Selmon because of his membership in tCherokee Nation)
South Carolina - Jadaveon Clowney
Tennessee - Reggie White
Texas - Earl Campbell
Texas A&M - John Football
Vanderbilt - Billy Wade

I will throw a curveball and suggest Champ Bailey.

I honestly think Cornelius Bennett might be the most decorated player - combining his awards in college and the NFL - of any Alabama football player from the state.

- College Football Hall of Fame
- 3x 1st team All SEC (1984, 1985, 1986)
- 3x 1st team All American (1984, 1985, 1986)
- SEC Player of the Year (1986)
- Lombardi Award (1986)

- #2 overall pick (1987)
- All-Rookie Team (1987)
- 5x Pro Bowl (1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
- 3x First Team All Pro (1988, 1991, 1992)
- NFL 1990s All Decade Team
- Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team
- 5 Super Bowl Appearances (4 Buffalo, 1 Atlanta)


Though it might be John Hannah (he did technically go to high school at Baylor School in Chattanooga, but he grew up in Albertville).

- College Football Hall of Fame
- 2x 1st team All SEC (1971, 1972)
- 2x 1st team All American (1971, 1972)
- Jacobs Blocking Trophy (1972) (best OL trophy of the time)

- NFL Hall of Fame
- #4 overall pick (1973)
- 9x Pro Bowl (1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
- 7x First Team All Pro (1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985)
- 3x Second Team All Pro (1977, 1982, 1984)
- NFL 1970s All Decade Team
- NFL 1980s All Decade Team
- NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
- SI "Best Offensive Lineman of All-Time" (1981)

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Alabama:

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Harry Gilmer

John "Hog" Hannah

Julio Jones

Ozzie Newsome

Kenny "The Snake" Stabler

Bart Starr

Cornelius Bennett