7 Best Penn State Football Players Ever, Ranked

The Penn State Nittany Lions have often been an excellent addition to college football parlays, posting a winning record in 10 of former head coach James Franklin’s 11-plus seasons.  

That said, that’s not the only success the program has had: Penn State won two national titles in 1982 and 1986. 

Today, their football odds are available at BetMGM. 

Below, I’ll list the top seven players in program history. 

Who Are the Best Nittany Lions Football Players Ever?

1. John Cappelletti

In 1973, Cappelletti won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, was named the UPI Player of the Year, and was an unanimous All-American. 

During that season, Cappelletti rushed 286 times for 1,522 yards and 17 touchdowns. In two years, he compiled 2,639 yards and 29 touchdowns on 519 rushing attempts. 

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

2. LaVar Arrington

Arrington won the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Butkus Award, and the Jack Lambert Trophy and was a unanimous All-American in 1999. He was also named the Big Ten’s co-Defensive Player of the Year in 1998. 

Over his career at Penn State, he had 172 tackles, 39 for a loss, 19 sacks, and three interceptions. 

3. Shane Conlan

Conlan was a member of both Penn State national championship teams in 1982 and 1986. He was also a unanimous All-American in 1986, a first-team All-American in 1985, and was the Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP in 1987. 

Conlan is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

4. Jack Ham

A consensus All-American in 1970, Ham is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1970, Ham had 91 tackles and four interceptions.

Throughout his collegiate career, he had 251 tackles and 143 unassisted. He also blocked three punts in 1968. 

5. Saquon Barkley

Barkley is third in Penn State history in rushing yards (3,843), first in rushing touchdowns (43), is tied for the longest rushing play (92 yards),  seventh in longest touchdown reception (85), first in yards from scrimmage (5,038), sixth in touchdowns responsible for (54), and has the second-longest kickoff return (98 yards). 

As a Nittany Lion, Barkley won the Paul Hornung Award, was a consensus All-American, was a two-time Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, a two-time Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year, and also won the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year award. 

6. Kerry Collins

Collins ranks ninth in Penn State history in passing yards (5,304), ninth in passing touchdowns (39), and seventh in completion percentage (56.3%). 

He was the quarterback during the undefeated 1994 season, when Penn State also won the Rose Bowl. 

That year, he racked up several accolades: 

• Maxwell Award
• Dave O’Brien Award
• Sammy Baugh Trophy
• Quarterback of the Year
• Consensus All-American
• Chicago Tribune Silver Football
• Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
• first-team All-Big Ten

During the memorable 1994 season, Collins completed 176 of 264 passes for 2,679 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. 

7. Larry Johnson

Johnson is the only player to ever rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season for the Nittany Lions, with 2,087 in 2002, and ranks 10th all-time in the program’s history with 2,953 rushing yards. 

In 2002, he won the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award and was a consensus All-American. 

Johnson really only got to start in the 2002 season. Before that, he had fewer than 200 carries over three seasons.