9 Best SMU Mustangs Football Players

The SMU Mustangs football program was established in 1915, winning three national championships and going 7-11-1 in bowl games. Since 2018, SMU has been to three bowl games, and if you bet on the moneyline football odds in those, you’d have lost each wager. 

Today, you can bet on the college football odds for all of the Mustangs’ games and more at the BetMGM online sportsbook. As of the 2024 season, the Mustangs are members of the ACC. 

Here, you’ll find my top nine Mustangs players of all time: 

9 Best SMU Mustangs Football Players

1. Doak Walker

Walker played at SMU in 1945 and again from 1947 to 1949. During that time, he won several awards, including the Heisman Trophy in 1948. 

Additionally, he won the Maxwell Award, was the Sporting News Player of the Year, was a unanimous All-American, two-time consensus All-American, and four-time first-team ALL-SWC, and the team retired his No. 37. 

Today, he ranks fifth in program history in rushing touchdowns (31), tied for first in total points scored (288), sixth in total touchdowns (sixth), and sixth in total touchdowns (38). 

He’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Doak Walker Award is awarded yearly to the best running back in college football. 

Walker became the No. 3 overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft. 

2. Eric Dickerson

Dickerson played at SMU from 1979 to 1982, and over that time, he racked up 4,450 rushing yards (first), 47 rushing touchdowns (first), 288 total points scored (tied for first), and 48 total touchdowns (tied for first). 

He was a unanimous All-American, second-team All-American, two-time first-team All-SWC, and two-time SWC Offensive Player of the Year, and his No. 19 was retired. 

Dickerson is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft. 

3. Jerry Levias

LeVias played at SMU from 1966 to 1968, where he scored 22 receiving touchdowns (eighth) and had 155 receptions for 2,275 yards. 

He was a consensus All-American in 1968 and was a three-time first-team All-SWC. Levias was also the first African American scholarship athlete for the team.

While playing, he led the country in receiving twice and also held several SMU records. He held the single-game record in receiving yards with 213 in 1968. That record held until 2013. His 1,131 yards as a senior was a single-season record until 2009. 

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

4. James Proche

Proche was a second-team All-American and two-time first-team All-AAC while playing at SMU. While there, he became the Mustangs’ all-time leader in receptions (301), receiving yards (3,949), and receiving touchdowns (39). He also holds the single-season record in receiving touchdowns with 15 in 2019. 

5. Kyle Padron

Padron didn’t win any awards or accolades while at SMU, but he played a vital role in turning the program around. He quarterbacked them to their first bowl game appearance and win in 25 years. In 2009, SMU beat Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. Before that, their last bowl game appearance was the 1984 Aloha Bowl. 

In their win, Padron completed 78% of his passes for 460 yards and two touchdowns. They took down Colin Kaepernick’s Wolfpack. 

Playing at SMU from 2009 to 2011, Padron finished with 5,902 yards (eighth) and 41 passing touchdowns (fifth). 

6. Russell Carter

Carter played cornerback at SMU, where he was a unanimous All-American, SWC Defensive Player of the Year, and two-time first-team All-SWC. 

He’s SMU’s all-time leader in interceptions (18) and had seven interceptions in 1981 and 1983. 

7. Courtland Sutton

Sutton played at SMU from 2014 to 2017. He caught just two passes in his first season, but from there, he went on to have 195 catches for 3,220 yards (fourth), 31 touchdowns (third) and averaged 16.5 yards per catch. 

Sutton also holds single-game records in receiving touchdowns with four in 2017 and receiving yards with 252 in 2016. 

He was a two-time first-team All-AAC. 

8. Tanner Mordecai

Mordecai played at SMU for just two seasons but finished with 7,152 passing yards (third), 72 passing touchdowns (first), 7,454 total yards (second), and 76 total touchdowns (first). He holds the single-season passing touchdown record with 39. He also holds the single-game record with nine against Houston in 2022. 

He was second-team All-AAC in 2021. 

9. Craig James

James played at SMU from 1979 to 1982, and he had 3,743 rushing yards (fourth). He was third-team All-American, SWC Offensive Newcomer of the Year, and three-time first-team All-SWC. 

He ran alongside Dickerson in the Pony Express backfield.