The FCS has had hundreds of standout players move on to have special NFL careers, and a good number have made it to the NFL Hall of Fame. This is the Top 300 NFL careers of players who once played for current FCS schools, using the Pro Football Reference criteria for AV – "Approximate Value". Again, we only ranked individuals who played for current FCS conference schools (no Appalachian States or Marshalls, for instance … and just because the player may have actually played D-2 football when they were in college, that doesn't disqualify).
The Pro Football Reference criteria for AV – "Approximate Value" uses an algorithm that measures a player's statistics, honors, awards, you name it — on an annual basis dating back to 1960 when all of this statistical material was more easily attainable/tracked. It takes into account that an offensive lineman can't put up stats like a quarterback, obviously, but an O-lineman with Pro Bowl credentials and being a cornerstone on a Super Bowl team will be rewarded too. Then … the annual points are added up to create a "career AV" which is a total reflecting the "Approximate Value" of a player's career.
Obviously, Hall of Fame players do well in this rating, but you may be surprised at times at the rating given to a player who had a long career … with some true highlights … who did not make the Hall of Fame. It happens. See the list below.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
[divider]
TOP NFL CAREERS: Each Conference Linked
TOP NFL CAREERS – FCS
(according to Pro-Football-Reference.com – since 1960)
ABBREVIATIONS: PB — Career Pro Bowls; AV — site's "Approximate Value" point system used by Pro Football Reference to quantify a player, based on statistics, honors, etc awarded by year back to 1960 – and taking position into consideration; YRS — Total years in the league
| RK | FCS SCHOOL | CONF | POS | PLAYER | PB | AV | YRS | SPAN | CAREER NFL STATS |
| 1 | MISS. VALLEY STATE | SWAC | WR | Jerry Rice (*) | 13 | 250 | 20 | 1985-2004 | 22,895 rec. yds, 197 TDs |
| 2 | JACKSON STATE | SWAC | RB | Walter Payton (*) | 9 | 168 | 13 | 1975-1987 | 21,264 total yds, 125 TDs |
| 3 | CHATTANOOGA | SOCON | WR | Terrell Owens (*) | 6 | 165 | 15 | 1996-2010 | 15,934 rec yds, 153 TDs |
| 4 | TEXAS SOUTHERN | SWAC | DL | Michael Strahan (*) | 7 | 160 | 15 | 1993-2007 | 666 tackles, 141.5 sacks |
| 5 | GRAMBLING | SWAC | DB | Willie Brown (*) | 9 | 144 | 16 | 1963-1978 | 54 career INTs |
| 6 | SOUTHERN ILL. | MVFC | QB | Jim Hart | 4 | 136 | 19 | 1966-1984 | 34,665 yds pass, 209 TDs |
| 7 | JACKSON STATE | SWAC | WR | Jimmy Smith | 5 | 135 | 12 | 1992-2005 | 12,287 rec yds, 67 TDs |
| 8 | SOUTHERN UNIV. | SWAC | DB | Aeneas Williams (*) | 8 | 134 | 14 | 1991-2004 | 793 tackles, 55 INTs |
| 9 | SOUTHERN UNIV. | SWAC | DB | Mel Blount (*) | 5 | 134 | 14 | 1970-1983 | 57 career INTs |
| 10 | GRAMBLING | SWAC | WR | Charlie Joiner (*) | 3 | 134 | 18 | 1969-1986 | 12,168 rec. yds, 65 TDs |
| 11t | PRAIRIE VIEW | SWAC | DB | Ken Houston (*) | 12 | 130 | 14 | 1967-1980 | 49 career INTs |
| 11t | BETHUNE-COOKMAN | MEAC | OL | Larry Little (*) | 5 | 130 | 14 | 1967-1980 | 183 career games |
| 13 | TENNESSEE STATE | OVC | DL | Too Tall Jones | 3 | 129 | 15 | 1974-1989 | 57.5 sacks, 203 starts |
| 14 | DELAWARE | CAA | QB | Rich Gannon | 4 | 129 | 17 | 1987-2004 | 28,743 pass yds, 180 TDs |
| 15 | JACKSON STATE | SWAC | OL | Jackie Slater (*) | 7 | 129 | 20 | 1976-1995 | 211 caree starts |
| 16t | SOUTHERN UNIV. | SWAC | LB | Isiah Robertson | 6 | 127 | 12 | 1971-1982 | 25 career INTs |
| 16t | FLORIDA A&M | MEAC | DB | Ken Riley | 0 | 127 | 15 | 1969-1983 | 65 career INTs |
| 18 | ALCORN STATE | SWAC | QB | Steve McNair | 3 | 126 | 13 | 1995-2007 | 31,304 pass yds, 174 TDs |
| 19 | IDAHO STATE | BIG SKY | DL | Jared Allen | 5 | 125 | 12 | 2004-2015 | 643 career tackles, 136 sacks |
| 20t | COLGATE | PATRIOT | DB | Eugene Robinson | 3 | 123 | 16 | 1985-2000 | 1,413 tackles, 57 INTs |
| 20t | JACKSON STATE | SWAC | WR | Harold Jackson | 5 | 123 | 16 | 1968-1983 | 10,372 rec. yds, 76 TDs |
| 22 | GRAMBLING | SWAC | DL | Buck Buchanan (*) | 8 | 122 | 13 | 1963-1975 | 182 career games |
| 23 | JACKSON STATE | SWAC | DB | Lem Barney (*) | 7 | 121 | 11 | 1967-1977 | 56 career INTs |
| 24 | TENNESSEE STATE | OVC | DL | Richard Dent | 4 | 121 | 15 | 1983-1997 | 137.5 sacks, 677 tackles |
| 25 | S.C. STATE | MEAC | DB | Donnie Shell (*) | 5 | 120 | 14 | 1974-1987 | 51 career INTs |
| 26t | S.C. STATE | MEAC | LB | Harry Carson (*) | 9 | 119 | 13 | 1976-1988 | 173 career games |
| 26t | VILLANOVA | CAA | DL | Howie Long (*) | 8 | 119 | 13 | 1981-1993 | 84 sacks |
| 28 | MISS. VALLEY STATE | SWAC | DE | Deacon Jones (*) | 8 | 119 | 14 | 1961-1974 | 191 career games |
| 29 | DELAWARE | CAA | QB | Joe Flacco | 0 | 118 | 12 | 2008-2019 | 40,067 pass yds, 218 TDs |
| 30 | MOREHEAD ST. | PIONEER | QB | Phil Simms | 2 | 118 | 14 | 1979-1993 | 33,462 pass yds, 199 TDs |
| 31 | EASTERN ILLINOIS | OVC | QB | Tony Romo | 4 | 116 | 13 | 2004-2016 | 34,183 pass yds, 248 TDs |
| 32 | WILLIAM & MARY | CAA | DB | Darren Sharper | 5 | 116 | 14 | 1997-2010 | 63 INTs, 11 TDs, 949 tackles |
| 33 | GRAMBLING | SWAC | DL | Willie Davis (*) | 5 | 115 | 12 | 1958-1969 | 142 career starts |
| 34 | NORTH CAROLINA CENT. | MEAC | OL | Doug Wilkerson | 3 | 115 | 15 | 1970-1984 | 204 career games |
| 35 | WEST. CAROLINA | SOCON | DL | Clyde Simmons | 2 | 114 | 15 | 1986-2000 | 121.5 sacks, 966 tackles |
| 36 | NORTHERN IOWA | MVFC | QB | Kurt Warner (*) | 4 | 113 | 12 | 1998-2009 | 32,344 yds pass, 208 TDs |
| 37 | HARVARD | IVY | OL | Matt Birk | 6 | 111 | 14 | 1998-2012 | 187 career starts |
| 38 | IDAHO | BIG SKY | LB | Wayne Walker | 3 | 111 | 15 | 1958-1972 | 200 career games |
| 39 | MORGAN STATE | MEAC | LB | Willie Lanier (*) | 8 | 108 | 11 | 1967-1977 | 27 career INTs |
| 40 | GRAMBLING | SWAC | DB | Albert Lewis | 4 | 108 | 16 | 1983-1998 | 832 tackles, 42 INTs |
| 41 | JAMES MADISON | CAA | WR | Gary Clark | 4 | 107 | 11 | 1985-1995 | 10,856 rec. yds, 65 TDs |
| 42 | SDSU | MVFC | OL | Jim Langer (*) | 6 | 107 | 12 | 1970-1981 | 151 career games |
| 43 | FLORIDA A&M | MEAC | OL | Nate Newton | 6 | 107 | 14 | 1986-1999 | 198 career games |
| 44 | GRAMBLING | SWAC | DB | Everson Walls | 4 | 105 | 13 | 1981-1993 | 57 career INTs |
| 45 | TENNESSEE-MARTIN | OVC | WR-RB | Nat Moore | 1 | 103 | 13 | 1974-1986 | 7,795 total yds, 75 TDs |
| 46 | TEXAS SOUTHERN | SWAC | OL | Winston Hill (*) | 8 | 103 | 15 | 1963-1977 | 198 career games |
| 47 | MORGAN STATE | MEAC | RB | Leroy Kelly (*) |
Discussion about this post