The 25 greatest players in Oklahoma football history

The versatile Weatherall starred on the Sooners' offensive line and was also a successful place-kicker. A two-time All-American on the offensive line for Oklahoma, Weatherall won the Outland Trophy, honoring the nation's top interior lineman, in 1951. He also converted 76 extra points in his final two seasons. Weatherall was a big reason Oklahoma posted a 31-game winning streak during his collegiate tenure and won the 1950 national championship. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

The first of seven Oklahoma Sooners to win the Heisman Trophy. Vessels took home the coveted award in 1952 when he rushed for 1,072 yards and 17 touchdowns. That came two years after he scored 15 times to help the Sooners win the 1950 national championship. A consensus All-American and College Football Hall of Famer, Vessels made a name for himself in the Canadian Football League, where he was named Most Outstanding Player in 1953.

Burris was such a good lineman at Oklahoma that he finished second in the 1954 Heisman Trophy voting. The All-American center was a true leader on and off the field. He commanded respect at every turn, and legendary Sooners coach Bud Wilkerson considered Burris to be one of the best players he had ever coached at any position. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Burris played five seasons in the CFL, where he was part of two Grey Cup championship teams.

Throughout the storied history of Oklahoma football, McDonald just might be the best athlete ever to grace the gridiron for the program. The two-time consensus All-American helped Oklahoma win back-to-back national championships in 1955 and '56 while part of the Sooners' run of 47 straight victories. McDonald spent nearly all of his college career playing running back. In his final two seasons, he totaled more than 1,500 yards on the ground and 28 touchdowns. He was also one of the team's best receivers and even threw the football when asked. In '56, McDonald won the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's top all-around performer.

A two-way standout, Tubbs never lost a game during his time playing football at Oklahoma, which went 31-0 over those three years. During his first varsity season in 1954, Tubbs played running back, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. The following season, Tubbs was moved to center and was among the best in the country at the position. The College Hall of Famer, All-American, and UPI Lineman of the Year (1956) was also a solid linebacker for the Sooners and intercepted three passes against rival Texas in 1955.

Oklahoma's second Heisman Trophy winner, Owens still features prominently in the legacy of Sooners football. He's still the school's record holder with 57 career rushing touchdowns, and his 4,041 rushing yards are fifth most at Oklahoma. Owens won his Heisman as a senior in 1969, when he ran for 1,523 yards and 23 touchdowns — the latter is still tied for the most in school history. He was also an All-American that season and won the Walter Camp Award.

Before winning a Super Bowl and earning five Pro Bowl nods in the NFL, Pruitt proved himself to be of the great college running backs in the early 1970s. During his three-run varsity tenure for the Sooners, Pruitt totaled more than 3,100 yards on the ground and nearly 500 receiving yards out of the backfield. He was also one of the nation's top return men while at Oklahoma. A two-time consensus All-American, Pruitt finished third in the Heisman race in 1971 and second in '72. He's a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Shoate was one of the most decorated defensive players in the history of the Oklahoma program. He was a four-time All-Big 8 selection — two-time league defensive player of the year — and three-time All-American. Shoate was known for his exceptional strength and had the speed of an offensive skill player. He ranks among the Sooners' all-time leaders with 420 tackles 

Before Selmon became a Hall-of-Fame defender in the NFL, he laid the groundwork at Oklahoma. At times playing alongside his brothers Lucious and Dewey, Lee Roy Selmon helped the Sooners win back-to-back national championships in 1974 and '75. During that latter season, Selmon was named UPI Lineman of the Year and won both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. For his college career, Selmon recorded 40 sacks and more than 300 total tackles en route to a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Another in the line of great Oklahoma running backs, Washington ranks third in school history with 4,071 rushing yards — making him one of five Sooners to rush for at least 4,000 yards. He also ranks among Oklahoma's top 10 with 39 career touchdowns on the ground. A two-time consensus All-American (1974, '75) and top-five Heisman finalist, Washington is a College Hall of Famer who enjoyed a solid NFL career. He won a Super Bowl with Washington and made a Pro Bowl.

The last of Oklahoma's three Heisman Trophy-winning running backs, Sims is one of the great college football players of all time. While injuries kept Sims from hitting the ground running with the Sooners, he eventually found his footing. His 53 career rushing touchdowns also rank second in program history, as do the 1,896 yards he gained during his 1978 Heisman-winning season. After college, the two-time All-American and College of Hall of Famer ran for more than 5,000 yards and earned three Pro Bowl nods with the Detroit Lions.

Casillas' college career started rough. Injuries and illness limited his playing time. When he finally got healthy, Casillas built himself into one of the best defensive linemen during the 1980s. By the time Casillas' Oklahoma career ended, he was a two-time consensus All-American (1984, '85). In 1985, he was named UPI Lineman of the Year and won the Lombardi Award while helping the Sooners to a national championship. The College Football Hall of Famer recorded more than 15 sacks and 200 tackles at Oklahoma.

One of the great characters of the college game, "The Boz" is considered one of the biggest stars in the sport's history — for better or worse. He had crazy haircuts and a brash attitude, pushing the boundaries on and off the field. He was twice named a unanimous All-American and won the Butkus Award (1985, '86) — the only player to win it more than once. Bosworth set a single-season school record with 22 tackles in 1986 and collected nearly 400 tackles for the Sooners. Of course, he was also banned from the Orange Bowl during his junior season after testing positive for steroids. Let's not get started on his acting career.

The first Oklahoma player to win the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 1987. Only Darrell Royal has more career interceptions (19) at Oklahoma than Dixon's 17. A school-record nine of those picks came during his senior season of 1987. Perhaps best known for his two interceptions during a 1987 win over rival Nebraska, Dixon also recorded 170 tackles as a Sooner and broke up more than 20 passes in his stellar collegiate career.

During the 1980s, when the Sooners were running the wishbone to perfection, they did not entirely neglect the passing game. Not when you've got one of the great college tight ends of all time on the roster. A two-time All-American (1986 and '87) and a key part of Oklahoma's national championship-winning squad of 1985, Jackson recorded 62 receptions for 1,407 yards. He might be best known for his 71-yard TD catch from Jamelle Holieway during the Sooners' Orange Bowl victory over Penn State to win that national title. Jackson is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Heupel did not win the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, but he left his mark on the program. He was the runner-up in 2000 when he helped the Sooners win a national championship. Meanwhile, it was quite a journey for Heupel to get to Norman. Beginning at Weber State, overcoming an ACL injury, and resurfacing at a Utah community college before landing in Oklahoma. Heupel threw for 7,456 and 53 touchdowns in two seasons with the Sooners, ranking fifth in school history. Heupel, who also rushed for 12 career touchdowns, was The Associated Press Player of the Year in 2000 when he also won the Walter Camp Award.

Williams' career at Oklahoma should not be defined by one play. However, his 2021 "Superman " moment, diving over a Texas blocker and knocking the ball from the hand of Longhorns quarterback Chris Simms and into the hands of fellow Sooner Teddy Lehman for a touchdown, is one of the great single defensive plays in college football history. That same season, Williams won the Jim Thorpe Award and Nagurski Trophy and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He also helped the Sooners win the national championship to conclude the 2000 season.

The first Oklahoma quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy, White is one of three players to win the prestigious award and not get drafted by an NFL team. However, White still has a significant place in Sooners football lore. White's 7,922 passing yards rank fourth in Oklahoma history, while his 3,846 from that 2003 Heisman-winning season rank in the top 10 all-time entering the 2022 season. White ranks among Oklahoma's leaders in completion percentage (63.3) and touchdown passes (40). A part of the Sooners' 2001 national title team, White was a two-time Davey O'Brien Award winner, won the Maxwell Award, and twice took home Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors.

In just three seasons at Oklahoma, Peterson ran for 4,045 yards. That ranks fourth in school history, and his 41 touchdowns sit seventh in Sooners' program history. Peterson is likely best known by most football fans for his sensational NFL career, but his college resume was pretty unique. A three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and an All-American, Peterson's 1,925 rushing yards as a freshman in 2004 are still a single-season record at Oklahoma. 

Five years after White was awarded the Heisman Trophy, Bradford became the second sophomore in NCAA history to take home the honor. That season, Bradford threw for a school-record 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns. For his career with the Sooners, Bradford totaled 8,403 passing yards and 88 touchdowns — each third most in school history. In addition to his Heisman, Bradford was named The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year in 2008 and won the Sammy Baugh Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award.

At a school that produced star receivers like Tommy McDonald, CeeDee Lamb, and Marquis Brown, Broyles tops the charts when it comes to statistical receiving dominance at Oklahoma. Broyles is the only player in Sooners history to reach the career 300-catch (349) and 4,000-yard mark (4,586). His 45 all-time receiving touchdowns are the most in school history. A two-time consensus All-American, Broyles — at one time the all-time reception leader in FBS history — is Oklahoma's top man for single-season catches (131) and yards (1,622).

Of all the legendary running backs and Heisman winners at the position that the Sooners produced, it might surprise the casual college football fan to learn that Perine is the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,122 yards. Perhaps most impressive, Perine did it in just three seasons with the Sooners. He owns the FBS single-game record with 427 rushing yards against Kansas as a freshman in 2014. Perine was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Keith Jackson might be an Oklahoma legend, but Andrews is the only Sooners tight end to win the coveted John Mackey Award, honoring the nation's best player at that position. During Andrews' time at Oklahoma, his 1,765 receiving yards were the most by a tight end in the nation in that three-season span. His 112 receptions ranked seventh, and 22 touchdowns were second most in the country during that period. Andrews was a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and unanimous All-American (2017).

Mayfield's NFL career might not be what Sooner fans and NFL pundits thought it would be, at least so far, but that takes nothing away from his stellar career at Oklahoma. He was the best player in the country during the 2017 season when he became the sixth Sooner to win the Heisman Trophy — among other notable MVP awards. Mayfield's 4.627 passing yards from that season rank third in school history, while his 43 touchdowns against six interceptions sit second. For his Oklahoma tenure, Mayfield threw for 12,292 yards (ranked second in school history), 119 touchdowns (ranked second), and posted a 69.8 completion percentage (ranked third).

The year after Baker Mayfield became a Heisman winner, Murray was awarded the same prize in 2018 — marking the first official time since 1945-'46 that different players from the same school won the Heisman in back-to-back seasons. Murray, who began his collegiate career at Texas A&M, threw for 4,361 yards (fifth in school history for a single season) and 42 touchdowns (ranked third) in '18. He also ran for 1,001 yards with 12 touchdowns while leading the Sooners to their second straight appearance in the College Football Playoff. Murray's 4,720 passing yards in two seasons rank eighth in Oklahoma history, while his 69.8 completion percentage is tied for second.