5 Best Liberty Flames Football Players, Ranked

The Liberty Flames football program played at the FCS level until it announced in July 2017 that it would transition to the FBS. The program became fully bowl-eligible in 2019. 

Now, football betting is available on their NCAAF odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

I’ll rank the top five Flames below. 

5 Best Liberty Flames Football Players, Ranked

Liberty Flames All-Time Greatest Football Players

1. Rashad Jennings

Jennings played running back for three seasons at Liberty from 2006 to 2008. 

He ran for 3,633 yards (third in program history) and 42 touchdowns (first). 

All other players ranked ahead of him in rushing yards played four seasons, and the record holder, Dre Barnes, had only 402 yards more than Jennings. 

Jennings also holds single-season records in rushing yards (1,500) and rushing touchdowns (17), both marks achieved in 2008. 

He accumulated 4,155 all-purpose yards, which is the fourth-most in program history. 

Jennings was a consensus I-AA All-American, a two-time Big South Offensive Player of the Year, and a two-time first-team All-Big South selection; the school retired his No. 23. 

2. Stephen Calvert

Calvert was Liberty’s quarterback from 2016 to 2019.

He threw for 12,025 yards (first) and 93 touchdowns (first). 

He holds the single-season record in passing yards with 3,633. 

Calvert also holds the single-game passing record with 474 yards in 2019 against UMass. 

Additionally, Calvert is Liberty’s all-time leader in total yards (11,552) and total touchdowns (96). 

3. Malik Willis

Willis played quarterback at Liberty from 2019 to 2021, having transferred from Auburn. 

Over those two seasons, he threw for 5,122 yards, 47 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. 

He also added 1,822 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns. 

Willis ranks inside the top 10 in single-season passing yards, passing touchdowns, total yards, and total touchdowns. 

He holds two of the top three single-season total touchdown marks, headlined by 40 in 2021, which is the second-most. 

In just two seasons, he had 74 total touchdowns, which is tied for the third-most in program history.

Willis won the Bobby Bowden Award (given to the player who “conducts himself as a faith model in the community, in the classroom and on the field”) and the Dudley Award (top college football player in Virginia). 

4. Dre Barnes

Barnes played for Liberty from 2001 to 2004. 

He ran for 4,035 yards (first) and holds two of the top four single-season rushing yardage records. 

He finished his career with 4,461 all-purpose yards, which is the second-most in Liberty history. 

Barnes was the Big South Offensive Player of the Year, a first-team Big South selection, and set several other records at that time. 

5. Kaidon Salter

After spending 2021 with Tennessee, Salter transferred to Liberty and played there until 2024. 

He holds single-season records for passing touchdowns (32), total yards (3,965), and total touchdowns (44). 

He was the Conference USA MVP, Conference USA title game MVP, and a first-team All-Conference USA selection.