7 Best LSU Football Players of All Time

Online sports betting was just becoming legal in 2019, but it was just in time for the Tigers to win their most recent national championship with Joe Burrow at the helm. 

That year, the Tigers blew everyone away, leaving no room for any college football live betting. Their closest win was against Auburn, where they won 23-20. 

Below, I ranked the top seven Tigers in program history. 

Find out where Burrow ranks in the annals of LSU history. 

7 Best LSU Football Players of All Time

1. Joe Burrow

Playing two seasons for the Tigers, Burrow will forever be remembered by that program. 

He was the starting quarterback for their most recent national title win in 2019 and holds numerous records.

Burrow ranks second in all-time passing yards (8,565), first in single-season passing yards (5,671 in 2019), first in passing touchdowns (76), first in single-season passing touchdowns (60 in 2019), first in total offence (9,332), and first in touchdowns responsible for (88).

In addition to a national title in 2019, Burrow won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, Lombardi Award, was the AP College Football Player of the Year, and was a unanimous All-American. 

2. Billy Cannon

Cannon was the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner, was part of the 1958 national title team and was a two-time recipient of the following accolades: UPI Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, unanimous All-American, first-team All-SEC. 

His No. 20 was retired by the team. He also had a legendary 89-yard punt return against Ole Miss on Halloween 1959. 

3. Patrick Peterson

Playing three seasons for the Tigers, Peterson is the most dominant defensive player in their history. 

He was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, a unanimous All-American, first-team ALL-SEC, and won the Chuck Bednarik Award and Jim Thorpe Trophy

He had seven interceptions and two kick return touchdowns. 

4. Kevin Faulk

Faulk remains the all-time leading rusher in LSU history with 4,557 yards and in rushing touchdowns with 46. Faulk also ranks sixth in touchdowns, responsible for 47. 

Faulk was a first-team All-American in 1996, third-team All-American in 1997, and received three first-team All-SEC nods.

His best season came in 1997 with 1,144 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

5. Tyrann Mathieu

The SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, Mathieu also won the Chuck Bednarik Award, was first-team All-SEC and a consensus All-American in the same year. 

Mathieu had four interceptions, six sacks, two fumbles returned for touchdowns, and 11 forced fumbles in two seasons.

Like Peterson before him, Mathieu returned kickers, returning 27 for 421 yards and two scores. 

Mathieu was also a Heisman finalist in 2011, finishing fifth. 

6. Ja’Marr Chase

Chase played little football in 2018 and opted out in 2020. So, his breakout season was in 2019, with Burrow as his quarterback. He finished with 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. Those numbers rank fourth, first, and first for single-season statistics, respectively. 

In addition to the national title in 2019, Chase was a unanimous All-American, first-team All-SEC, and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award. 

He was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and plays with Burrow now with the Cincinnati Bengals. 

7. Glenn Dorsey

The Tigers won the national title in 2007, and Dorsey was a key defensive player in that run.

That same year, he won the Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Lott Trophy, was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and was also a unanimous All-American. 

In 2007, Dorsey had 69 tackles, seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, three passes defended, and one forced fumble as a defensive tackle.