2002 — Carson Palmer, Southern Cal, q-a
2001 — Eric Couch, Nebraska, q-a
2000 — Chris Weinke, Florida St., q-a
1999 — Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, do
1998 — Ricky Williams, Texas, do
1997 — Charles Woodson, Michigan, dc
1996 — Danny Wuerffel, Florida, q-a
1995 — Eddie George, Ohio St., do
1994 — Rashaan Salaam, Colorado, do
1993 — Charlie Ward, Florida State, q-a
1992 — Gino Torretta, Miami, q-a
1991 — Desmond Howard, Michigan, rec.
1990 — Ty Detmer, Brigham Young, q-a
1989 — Andre Ware, Houston, q-a
1988 — Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, do
1987 — Tim Brown, Notre Dame, rec
1986 — Vinny Testaverde, Miami, q-a
1985 — Bo Jackson, Auburn, do
1984 — Doug Flutie, Boston College, q-a
1983 — Mike Rozier, Nebraska, do
1982 — Herschel Walker, Georgia, do
1981 — Marcus Allen, Southern Cal, do
1980 — George Rogers, South Carolina, do
1979 — Charles White, Southern Cal, do
1978 — Billy Sims, Oklahoma, do
1977 — Earl Campbell, Texas, c-a
1976 — Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh, do
1975 — Archie Griffin, Ohio State, do
1974 — Archie Griffin, Ohio State, do
1973 — John Cappelletti, Penn State, do
1972 — Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska, flanqueur
1971 — Pat Sullivan, Auburn, q-a
1970 — Jim Plunkett, Stanford, q-a
1969 — Steve Owens, Oklahoma, do
1968 — O.J. Simpson, Southern Cal, do
1967 — Gary Beban, UCLA, q-a
1966 — Steve Spurrier, Florida, q-a
1965 — Mike Garrett, Southern Cal, do
1964 — John Huarte, Notre Dame, q-a
1963 — Roger Staubach, Navy, q-a
1962 — Terry Baker, Oregon State, q-a
1961 — Ernie Davis, Syracuse, do
1960 — Joe Bellino, Navy, do
1959 — Billy Cannon, LSU, do
1958 — Pete Dawkins, Army, do
1957 — John David Crow, Texas A-M, do
1956 — Paul Hornung, Notre Dame, q-a
1955 — Howard Cassady, Ohio State, do
1954 — Alan Ameche, Wisconsin, c-a
1953 — John Lattner, Notre Dame, do
1952 — Billy Vessels, Oklahoma, do
1951 — Dick Kazmaier, Princeton, do
1950 — Vic Janowicz, Ohio State, do
1949 — Leon Hart, Notre Dame, ailier
1948 — Doak Walker, SMU, do
1947 — John Lujack, Notre Dame, q-a
1946 — Glenn Davis, Army, do
1945 — Doc Blanchard, Army, do
1944 — Les Horvath, Ohio State, q-a
1943 — Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame, q-a
1942 — Frank Sinkwich, Georgia, do
1941 — Bruce Smith, Minnesota, do
1940 — Tom Harmon, Michigan, do
1939 — Nile Kinnick, Iowa, do
1938 — Davey O'Brien, Texas Christian, q-a
1937 — Clint Frank, Yale, do
1936 — Larry Kelley, Yale, ailier
1935 — Jay Berwanger, Chicago, do