The greatest players in Georgia football history

McWhorter, a College Football Hall of Famer, has the distinction of being the University of Georgia’s first All-American football player. Though the Bulldogs began playing college football in the 1890s, the school did not keep complete statistics for the program before 1950. So, McWhorter’s reported 61 career touchdowns are not recognized by the school. Still, McWhorter’s accomplishments have not been lost within the legacy of Georgia football.

A three-sport athlete at Georgia, Smith was a three-time All-Southern pick and All-American in 1931. He is probably best known for his performance during a 1929 game against Yale when he scored all 15 of Georgia’s points during the victory. As legend has it, Smith earned his famous nickname after biting the head off a catfish to win a bet while in high school. He’s also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

When it comes to overall athletic talent on the football field, Hartman is one of the best. He stood out on both sides of the ball during his time with the Bulldogs and even enjoyed notable success when asked to kick the ball. In 1937, he unleashed an 82-yard punt against Tulane. An All-American in 1937, Hartman is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

When Sinkwich won the Heisman Trophy in 1942, he not only became the first player in Georgia football history to achieve the feat but the first athlete from the Southeastern Conference. In 1941, Sinkwich was the nation’s leading rusher with 1,103 yards and set an NCAA record with 2,187 yards of total offense. For this three-season career, the College Football Hall of Famer ran for 2,271 yards, threw for 2,331, and totaled 60 touchdowns. He’s one of four Georgia players to have his football jersey retired. (He also reportedly played a game for the Bulldogs with a broken jaw.)

A teammate of Frank Sinkwich, Trippi was a national champion (1942), an All-American (1946), SEC Player of the year (1946), Maxwell Award (1946) winner, and also managed to serve in World War II. His 239 rushing yards against Florida in 1945 still rank among the top five in school history. During that special 1946 season, the versatile Trippi, essentially the team’s quarterback and principal return man, helped the Bulldogs to an undefeated season. Against rival Georgia Tech that season, Trippi recorded 544 total yards and three touchdowns. His jersey is retired at Georgia.

Georgia has produced some stellar quarterbacks over the decades, but Rauch might be at the top of the list. He started for the Bulldogs as a true freshman, and his 4,044 career passing yards, an NCAA record at the time, still rank among the school’s all-time leaders, along with his 33 career touchdown passes. Rauch helped the Bulldogs to two SEC championships (1946, ’48) and was named an All-American in his final season.

Another Georgia football player to have his jersey (No. 40) retired. Sapp dealt with injuries during his time with the Bulldogs but still earned All-SEC recognition in 1957 when he rushed for 599 yards with five touchdowns. He was also a key contributor on offense and defense during a ’57 win over Georgia Tech, which snapped the Bulldogs’ eight-game losing streak in the series. Thus, earning him the nickname “The Drought Breaker.” One year later, Sapp rushed for 635 yards and averaged 5.6 per carry.

To the casual football fan over 50, Tarkenton was known for his success with the Minnesota Vikings, which led to a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tarkenton laid that foundation for professional success at Georgia, where he threw for 2,100 yards with 18 touchdowns in three seasons. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but Tarkenton also rushed for more than 200 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career. A two-time All-SEC pick, Tarkenton helped the Bulldogs to the league title and an Orange Bowl victory during the 1959 season.

Stanfill was the first Bulldog to win the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best interior lineman. He accomplished the feat in 1968 and was known for his fierce combination of strength, speed, and intelligence in the trenches. During his time at Georgia, Stanfill helped the Bulldogs post a 25-7-1 record and won two SEC championships. Legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley told The Associated Press of Stanfill: “Bill was probably the greatest athlete as a lineman I ever coached.”

Entering the 2022 season, Scott is one of three Georgia players sharing the school record with 16 career interceptions. The impressive part about Scott’s achievement is that he did it in just two seasons. In 1968, Scott picked off 10 passes (second-most by a Georgia player for a single season) while also leading the SEC with 440 punt return yards en route to winning the league’s player of the year award. Scott might be best known for winning a pair of Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins and being named MVP of Super Bowl VII.

Woerner certainly left his mark on the Georgia program, whether on defense or special teams. He earned All-American status as a star on both units. His 13 interceptions are tied for sixth all-time in school history, entering the 2022 campaign. Meanwhile, Woerner’s 303 interception return yards rank among the top five at Georgia. Woerner, who helped Georgia to the 1980 national title, will also go down as one of the school’s elite return men, ranking No. 1 in punt return yards for a season (488 in 1980) and second for a career (1,077).

We’re not here to talk about the person Walker has become off the field. It’s about what he did on it at Georgia, where he’s considered by most to be the greatest football player in school history. Walker joins Frank Sinkwich as the only Bulldogs to win the Heisman Trophy (1982). A three-time consensus All-American, Walker helped the Bulldogs win that 1980 national championship and remains the program’s leader in several categories. Including rushing yards for a career (5,259, also an SEC record), season (1,891 from 1981) and game (283), plus career rushing touchdowns (49) and average yards per game for a career (159.4) and season (171.9 in 1981).

Though Hoage is tied for fifth in school history with 14 career interceptions, the 12 he recorded in 1982 remain a school and SEC record for a season. The three passes he picked off against Vanderbilt in ’82 are tied for a program record. Hoage was a consensus All-American in 1982 and again in ’83 when he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He’s a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Georgia kickers have posted better career numbers over the years, but Butler’s legacy within the program arguably remains the gold standard. A four-time All-SEC selection and two-time All-American (1983, ’84), Butler was the first kicker to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Entering the 2022 season, Butler ranks within the top five in school history for career made field goals (77), field-goal percentage (78.6), and kicking points (353). His legendary 60-yard field goal in a 1984 win over Clemson is a school record and tied for the longest in SEC history.

The SEC Player of the Year and Doak Walker Award winner in 1992 when he rushed for 1,547 yards and totaled 21 touchdowns. Hearst’s 3,232 career rushing yards rank fifth in school history, and his 33 touchdowns on the ground are tied for fifth. Hearst’s 246 rushing yards against Vanderbilt in 1992 is the fourth-highest rushing game by any Bulldog. Meanwhile, the All-American’s 1,910 all-purpose yards recorded in 1992 ranks second in program history. 

Ward’s versatility and tremendous athletic ability earned him a spot on our list. Ward earned most of his recognition as a receiver, ranking among the school’s career leaders in receptions (144) while posting more than nearly receiving 2,000 yards. Ward, though, also ranks among Georgia’s career leaders with more than 3,000 all-purpose yards. He even threw a touchdown during his career. It set him up for an even more successful NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stinchcomb is arguably the greatest offensive lineman in the history of the program. He’s a two-time All-American (1997 and ’98) who won the SEC’s 1998 Draddy Award, given to the league’s most outstanding blocker. Stinchcomb is a member of the prestigious University of Georgia Circle of Honor and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018, following a seven-year NFL career with the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During the early portion of his Georgia career, Bailey was known for his defensive excellence. That remained the case the rest of his run with the Bulldogs, but he also became one of the most versatile talents in the college game by the time he left Athens. In his final college season in 1998, Bailey posted 52 tackles (four for loss), intercepted three passes for a second straight season, and broke up 10. That was on defense. He also caught 47 passes and led the team with 744 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and he averaged 21.8 yards per kick return en route to earning All-American status and winning the Nagurski Trophy.

While not the marquee name like Hines Ward, Edwards is worthy of celebrating. Edwards is the school’s all-time leader in receptions (204), receiving yards (3,093), and receiving touchdowns (30). His 1,004 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 2002 are both single-season records for a Bulldog. (His older brother Robert starred as a running back for the Bulldogs.)

Pollack joins Herschel Walker as the only three Georgia football players named a three-time first-team All-American. A two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2002, ’04), Pollack is the school’s all-time sacks leader with 36. He recorded 14 in 2002 and 12.5 during the 2004 campaign. In 2004, Pollack pretty much cleaned house when it came to winning the major national defensive honors by taking home the Bednarik, Hendricks, and Lombardi Awards, plus the Lott Trophy. 

Jones’ college career began at USC, but after a diagnosis of spinal stenosis that the program felt would keep him from playing football again, Jones transferred to Georgia. Jones blossomed into one of the nation’s best defensive players with the Bulldogs. In his first season on the field at Georgia, Jones recorded 70 tackles, including 19.5 for a loss and 13.5 sacks, to earn some All-American recognition. In 2012, Jones was named SEC Defensive Player of Year and became a Jack Lambert Trophy winner after posting 85 tackles, an NCAA-leading 24.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles over 12 games.

Following up the stellar play of Matthew Stafford at Georgia and a 2009 injury, Murray not only took the field for the Bulldogs in 2010, but he was also good enough to make school and SEC history. Though Murray has not been consistently celebrated like Stafford, he certainly left his mark with the Bulldogs. Murray’s 13,166 career passing yards and 121 touchdowns are both school and SEC records. He’s also Georgia’s leader in single-season passing yards (3,893 from 2012) and touchdowns (36 from 2012), as well as total offensive yards (13,554). 

As already stated, Georgia has produced some stellar linebackers, including the school’s all-time leading tackler and underrated Canadian Football Hall of Famer Ben Zambiasi (467 tackles), but Smith is the first Bulldog to win the Butkus Award that honors the country’s best player at the position. Smith won the award and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, recording 137 tackles, 14 for loss, and 6.5 sacks. That came after Smith compiled a team-leading 95 tackles.

When it comes to Georgia defensive tackles, nobody’s done it better than Davis. Checking in at 6-foot-6 and more than 330 pounds, Davis joined Bill Stanfill as the only Bulldogs to win the Outland Trophy (2021). He joined David Pollack as Georgia’s winners of the Bednarik Award (2021) while also helping the program win the 2021 national championship. Davis totaled 91 tackles for his collegiate career, including 12.5 for loss, seven sacks (5.5 during his stellar 2021 senior season), and 26 quarterback hits.

Jordan Davis’ teammate in college, and at least to begin their NFL careers with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2021, Dean followed Roquan Smith as a winner of the Butkus Award, when he totaled 72 tackles, a team-leading 10.5 sacks, and six sacks for the national-champion Bulldogs. For his three-year career at Georgia, Dean totaled 168 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and 7.5 sacks. Not to mention two interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles to add to his college legacy.