by “It’s going to be a very long time before any of us get to see a player as exciting and exciting as Reggie Bush.”
That’s FOX Sports college football analyst RJ Young on the former USC standout, who is among 18 players in the 2023 class for the College Football Hall of Fame.
Young looked at the list on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Number One College Football Show,” and counts down the top five.
Ranking of the HOF class in 2023
RJ Young shares his list of top players in the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame class.
Here’s a look at Young’s roster and an overview of each player:
5. Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
College statistics: 532 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, seven interceptions
Honors: Three-time first-team All-ACC, two-time consensus All-American, ACC Rookie of the Year (2009), ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2011), Butkus Award winner (2011), Lott Trophy winner (2011), Lombardi Award winner (2011), Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner (2011), broke ACC career tackles record (532)
Young’s view: “The man ate film. All the things you love from your favorite college football analysts, the Joel Klatts of the world, who can see the play before the play and tell exactly what’s going to happen and explain what’s going to happen. … He do it in the middle of the game and make a tackle. That’s who Luke Kuechly was. It was a lot of fun to watch that man play football.”
4. Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
College statistics: 245 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, 14 interceptions, three touchdowns
Honors: Two-time first-team All-SEC, two-time unanimous All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2008), Jim Thorpe Award winner (2009), two-time Jack Tatum Trophy (2008, 2009)
Young’s view: “Eric Berry was a no-fly zone as a safety, which was very difficult to pull off. You’re responsible for the race before you were responsible for the pass, and this man could still do both.”
3. Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas
College statistics: 458 tackles, 10.5 sacks, nine interceptions, 11 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries
Honors: Big-12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year, three-time first-team All-Big 12, two-time consensus All-American, Jack Lambert Trophy winner (2004), Bronko Nagurski Trophy (2004), Dick Butkus Award (2004)
Young’s view: “This guy was my favorite linebacker in high school. He played inside linebacker the way most people played outside linebacker. He could come off the ball, he would get into the backfield, and he would take the ball away from you.”
2. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
College statistics: 9,285 passing yards, 88 passing touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 2,947 rushing yards, 57 rushing touchdowns
Honors: Three-time first-team All-SEC, two-time SEC Offensive Player of the Year, two-time first-team All-American (2007, 2008), second-team All-American (2009), AP College Football Player of the Year (2007), winner of the Davey O ‘Brien Award (2007), two-time Maxwell Award (2007, 2008), Heisman Trophy (2007), BCS National Championship Game MVP (2008), two-time BCS National Champion (2006, 2008)
Young’s view: “He was the QB on one of the great teams in college football: the 2008 Florida Gators. He was the guy. … Heisman Trophy winner. It’s one thing to be a Heisman Trophy winner. It’s another thing to be QB on a Florida Gators team that nobody felt good about playing.”
1. Reggie Bush, RB, USC
College statistics: 3,169 rushing yards, 7.3 yards per carry, 25 rushing touchdowns, 95 receptions, 1,301 receiving yards, 13 receiving touchdowns, 1,522 kick return yards, one kick return TD, 559 punt return yards, three punt return touchdowns
Honors: Two-time consensus All-American, two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, AP Player of the Year (2005), Heisman Trophy (2005-retired), Walter Camp Award (2005-retired), Doak Walker Award (2005-retired ), two-time AP National Champion (2003, 2004), BCS National Championship (2004)
Young’s view: “He lost two football games in his entire USC career. Reggie [Bush] was closest to Deion [Sanders] in my lifetime, which is another way of saying ‘I’m going to take control of this game, because once I touch the ball, you won’t touch me.’
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