Greatest USC Football Players of All Time

It’s not easy to pick the greatest players in USC history. No college has produced more NFL players in the last 50 years, more than 400 at last count. And none claims more Heisman Trophy-winners (seven) in that span, either. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody sorted them out? Well, don’t worry. We got you covered.

First, a few ground rules. Only the true greats excelled at the college and pro levels, so these rankings reflect a combination of both. Members of the College and/or Pro Football Hall of Fames have been moved to the head of the class.

Other criteria include individual statistics and major awards as well as historical significance, not necessarily in that order.

Lame-brained feedback is encouraged, but profanity is strictly prohibited.

NCAA career: 1987-89

NCAA stats: 36 G, 13 INT, FR N/A, 0 TD

All-American selections: 1989

NCAA championships: None

College Football Hall of Fame: None

NFL career: 1990-2000

NFL teams: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins

NFL stats: 168 G, 32 INT, 8 FR, 1 TD

Pro Bowls: 1990-91, 1993

Super Bowl championships: None

Pro Football Hall of Fame: None

Bottom line: The ball hawk replaced All-America Tim McDonald and didn’t miss a beat.

In 1989, Mark Carrier, as a senior, picked off seven passes and became the first Jim Thorpe Award-winner in USC history. Only five Trojans had more interceptions (13) in their careers.

In the pros, the three-time Pro Bowler turned in one of the best rookie performances ever with a league-high 10 interceptions and two fumble recoveries with the Bears.

NCAA career: 1970-72

NCAA stats: 34 G, 10.9 RUN-PASS TOUCHES/G, 5.0 RUN-PASS YDS/TOUCH, 0.7 TD/G

All-American selections: None

NCAA championships: 1972

College Football Hall of Fame: 2010

NFL career: 1973-82

NFL teams: New England Patriots

NFL stats: 107G, 14.9 RUN-PASS TOUCHES/G, 4.6 RUN-PASS YDS/TOUCH, 0.5 TD/G

Pro Bowls: None

Super Bowl championships: None

Pro Football Hall of Fame: None

Bottom line: On third-and-short, gimme some “Sam Bam,” the 226-pound bruiser whose trademark over-the-top move was the scourge of defenses everywhere.

He was part of the all-black backfield that thrashed Alabama 42-21 down South early in the 1970 season. As Crimson Tide assistant Jerry Claiborne famously said, “Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes that night than Martin Luther King had accomplished in 20 years.”

Two years later, he was the Rose Bowl MVP with the best team in the land.

NCAA career: 1979-82

NCAA stats: 46  G, 9 INT, FR N/A, 3 TD

All-American selections: None

NCAA championships: None

College Football Hall of Fame: None

NFL career: 1983-92

NFL teams: Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL stats: 145G, 37 INT, 17 FR, 4 TD

Pro Bowls: 1985-90

Super Bowl championships: None

Pro Football Hall of Fame: None

Bottom line: Along with Jeff Fisher, Dennis Smith and Ronnie Lott, this Browner brother was part of the most talented secondary in USC history.

That partly explains why he’s also among the best Trojans players never to be a consensus All-American pick.

In his final season, the team MVP picked off a half-dozen passes and scored three touchdowns.

The first-rounder went onto a stellar NFL career, which included three All-Pro selections.

NCAA career: 1976-79

NCAA stats: 49G

All-American selections: 1979 

NCAA championships: None

College Football Hall of Fame: 1998

NFL career: 1980-86

NFL teams: Kansas City Chiefs 

NFL stats: 92G, 0 FR

Pro Bowls: None

Super Bowl championships: None

Pro Football Hall of Fame: None

Bottom line: The son of a one-time AFL great paved the way for Charles White in his momentous 1979 season.

That year, Brad Budde, a four-time bowl winner, became the first and only Trojan to win the Lombardi Award, given to the best lineman or linebacker in the country (starting in 2017, the award now is given to the best player at any position).

He was a four-year starter in college and for a half-dozen more in the pros.