The University of Southern California is one of the most prolific college football programs in the history of the sport. The school has 12 former players in the NFL Hall of Fame, and countless athletes who have been selected to the Pro Bowl at some point in their career. This school isn’t a shell of past accomplishments, there were 3 former Trojans selected to the 2016 Pro Bowl game, proving they are still one of the best pipeline schools to the National Football League. The methodology of my list is not based on college stats, but their NFL production throughout their career. For this reason, each player must have a Hall of Fame worthy resume to make the cut. Here is a comprehensive list of the top 10 USC players of all-time.
This was a difficult pick because Lynn Swann was inducted into the Hall of Fame because he won 4 Super Bowls with the 1970’s Pittsburgh Steelers, but his career numbers don’t warrant the honor bestowed upon him. Swann played 9 seasons and recorded 336 career catches for 5,461 yards and 51 touchdowns. For fans of the modern NFL, these numbers couldn’t possibly represent a Hall of Famer, but we must remember that the NFL didn’t become a pass heavy league until the 1980’s. Swann was a three-time All-Pro and was voted to the All-NFL team of the 1970’s. Lynn became known as a miracle worker in Pittsburgh since he always made a play in big situations. His crowning moment was being named the MVP of Super Bowl X after recording 4 catches for 161 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown reception.
