7 Best Navy Midshipmen Football Players

The Navy Midshipmen started playing college football in 1879, and since then, they’ve won one national championship (1926). 

If you bet on their football odds in their most recent bowl game, the 2019 Liberty Bowl, you would’ve come out ahead as Navy beat Kansas State 20-17. 

Before examining the college football odds for the Midshipmen at the BetMGM online sportsbook, check out my list below of the top seven Navy players ever. 

7 Best Navy Midshipmen Football Players

1. Roger Staubach

Before going on to win multiple Super Bowls for the Dallas Cowboys, Staubach quarterbacked Navy from 1961 to 1964. In 1960, he played for the New Mexico Military Institute. 

While at Navy, Staubach received the following awards, accolades, and honours: 

• Heisman Trophy (1963)
• Maxwell Award (1963)
• Chic Harley Award (1963)
• UPI Player of the Year (1963)
• Sporting News Player of the Year (1963)
• Walter Camp Memorial Trophy (1963)
• Unanimous All-American (1963)
• 2× First-team All-East (1963, 1964)
• Second-team All-East (1962)

Navy also retired his No. 12.

Today, he ranks seventh in passing yards (3,571), ninth in passing touchdowns (18), and eighth in total touchdowns (36). 

Staubach almost led Navy to a national championship but lost to Texas in the 1964 Cotton Bowl. Earlier that season, though, he led the Midshipmen to a big-time win over Notre Dame, their big rival. 

He’s enshrined in the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. 

2. Joe Bellino

A Massachusetts native, Bellino won the 1960 Heisman Trophy at Navy. He played there from 1958 to 1960. That same year, he won the Maxwell Award, and Chic Harley Award, was UPI Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, was a unanimous All-American, and first-team All-Eastern. 

During his Heisman-winning season, he had 834 rushing yards and caught 15 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Bellino also threw two touchdowns and averaged 47.1 yards a punt. To top it off, Bellino returned punts and kicks, too. 

In his final game, Navy lost to Missouri in the 1961 Orange Bowl. Bellino scored his team’s final touchdown. 

Fun fact: Bellino, who was selected in the 17th round of the NFL Draft, remains the lowest-drafted Heisman winner of all time. 

Navy retired his No. 27, and he’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

3. Napoleon McCallum

A two-time consensus All-American, McCallum played for Navy from 1981 to 1985. In addition to the consensus All-American nods, he was first-team All-East, and his No. 30 was retired by the program. 

He finished his stint with 4,179 rushing yards (third), 31 rushing touchdowns (31), and 96 receptions (fifth). He held the rushing yards record until 2015. 

McCallum is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

4. Keenan Reynolds

Reynolds played for Navy from 2012 to 2015 and had 4,001 passing yards (third), 31 passing touchdowns (first), 4,559 rushing yards (first), 88 rushing touchdowns (first), 8,290 total yards (first), and 115 total touchdowns (first). 

He holds single-season records in total touchdowns (39 in 2013) and rushing touchdowns (31 in 2013). Reynolds also holds the single-game rushing touchdown record with seven in 2013 against San Jose State. 

College Football Legends: Keenan Reynolds

Navy: 2012-2015
88 Rushing Touchdowns
4,559 Rushing Yards
4-0 against Army as a starter pic.twitter.com/W6nW2tS5bh

— The Get Back Coach (@TheGBCoach) August 25, 2023

His rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and single-game rushing touchdown marks are all FBS records for quarterbacks. 

He was third-team All-American, AAC Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-AAC, won the James E. Sullivan Award, and the Midshipmen retired his No. 19. 

H2 5. Bill Ingram

Ingram played for Navy from 1916 to 1918, and while there, he was part of the 1926 national championship team and was a second-team All-Ameircan in 1917. 

6. Kyle Eckel

Eckel played fullback for Navy from 2001 to 2004, and over that time, he accumulated 2,900 rushing yards (sixth) and 25 rushing touchdowns (10th). He had two seasons with more than 1,000 rushing yards. 

7. Bob Reifsnyder

Playing defensive end for Navy from 1956 to 1958, Reifsnyder won the Maxwell Award, was first-team All-American, first-team All-Eastern, and second-team All-Eastern. 

He’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.