From 1960 to present. Active players in bold.
| YEAR | WINNER | POS. | COLLEGE | PRO CAREER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Derrick Henry | RB | Alabama | Tennessee Titans |
| 2014 | Marcus Mariota | QB | Oregon | First round pick Titans |
| 2013 | Jameis Winston | QB | FSU | First round draft pick Buccaneers |
| 2012 | Johnny Manziel | QB | Texas A&M | 22nd overall pick by the Cleveland Browns |
| 2011 | Robert Griffin III | QB | Baylor | Washington Redskins |
| 2010 | Cam Newton | QB | Auburn | Carolina Panthers |
| 2009 | Mark Ingram, Jr. | RB | Alabama | N.O. Saints |
| 2008 | Sam Bradford | QB | Oklahoma | St.Louis Rams starting QB |
| 2007 | Tim Tebow | QB | Florida | Denver Broncos, N.Y. Jets, Eagles |
| 2006 | Troy Smith | QB | Ohio State | Back-up QB Ravens, 49ers |
| 2005 | None | – | – | (Vacated) Reggie Bush |
| 2004 | Matt Leinart | QB | USC | Back-up QB Cardinals, Texans, Raiders |
| 2003 | Jason White | QB | Oklahoma | Not Drafted, Owns a shoe store |
| 2002 | Carson Palmer | QB | USC | 7 year starter Bengals, Raiders, Cardinals |
| 2001 | Eric Crouch | QB | Nebraska | Never played in the NFL, a playground equip. vendor |
| 2000 | Chris Weinke | QB | Florida St. | 2-18-0 in a 7 year NFL career |
| 1999 | Ron Dayne | RB | Wisconsin | 3,700 yards in an 8 year career |
| 1998 | Ricky Williams | RB | Texas | 9500 yds 72TDs in 12 yr career |
| 1997 | Charles Woodson | CB | Michigan | 47 INT 10 def. TD 13 yr career, back w/the Raiders in 2013. |
| 1996 | Danny Wuerffel | QB | Florida | 10 starts in 6 years |
| 1995 | Eddie George | RB | Ohio State | 10,000 yds in 10 yrs |
| 1994 | Rashaan Salaam | RB | Colorado | 4 yrs in the NFL 1,600 yds |
| 1993 | Charlie Ward | QB | Florida St. | 10 years in the NBA |
| 1992 | Gino Torretta | QB | Miami | 5 completions in 1 game in 1996 |
| 1991 | Desmond Howard | WR | Michigan | 12,000 all purpose yds in 11 yrs |
| 1990 | Ty Detmer | QB | BYU | 2 good years ’96 and ’98 |
| 1989 | Andre Ware | QB | Houston | 6 starts in 4 yrs for the Lions |
| 1988 | Barry Sanders | RB | Oklahoma St. | Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame |
| 1987 | Tim Brown | WR | Notre Dame | 101 TDs in a 17 yr career |
| 1986 | Vinny Testaverde | QB | Miami | 21 yr career, 214 starts, 46,000 yds |
| 1985 | Bo Jackson | RB | Auburn | 4 yrs with the Raiders and 7 in MLB |
| 1984 | Doug Flutie | QB | Boston College | 20 yrs in the USFL, NFL and CFL |
| 1983 | Mike Rozier | RB | Nebraska | Pro Bowler in ’87 and 88 |
| 1982 | Herschel Walker | RB | Georgia | 8,200 yds in 12 NFL yrs |
| 1981 | Marcus Allen | RB | USC | Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame |
| 1980 | George Rogers | RB | So.Carolina | 7,000 yds in 7 NFL years |
| 1979 | Charles White | RB | USC | 1,300 yds in 1987 |
| 1978 | Billy Sims | RB | Oklahoma | 5,100 yds in 5yrs with the Lions |
| 1977 | Earl Campbell | RB | Texas | 9,400 yds in 8 NFL years |
| 1976 | Tony Dorsett | RB | Pittsburgh | Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame |
| 1975 1974 | Archie Griffin | RB | Ohio St. | 7 yrs with the Bengals |
| 1973 | John Cappelletti | RB | Penn St. | Appeared 105 NFL games as a fullback in 9 years |
| 1972 | Johnny Rodgers | RB | Nebraska | CFL all-star and 1974 grey Cup champion |
| 1971 | Pat Sullivan | QB | Auburn | Started 5 games with the Falcons ’72-’75 |
| 1970 | Jim Plunkett | QB | Stanford | 2 Super Bowl Championships |
| 1969 | Steve Owens | FB | Oklahoma | 5 yrs as a FB for Detroit |
| 1968 | O. J. Simpson | RB | USC | Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame |
| 1967 | Gary Beban | QB | UCLA | Retired after 2 yrs with the Redskins |
| 1966 | Steve Spurrier | QB | Florida | Appeared in 106 NFL games in 10 years |
| 1965 | Mike Garrett | HB | USC | 7,400 all pupose yards in 8 NFL yrs |
| 1964 | John Huarte | QB | Notre Dame | 6 yrs in the NFL as a back-up |
| 1963 | Roger Staubach | QB | Navy | Inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame |
| 1962 | Terry Baker | QB | Oregon St. | 3 yrs for the Rams, 1 start |
| 1961 | Ernie Davis | RB/LB | Syracuse | Drafted but died of leukemia in 1963 |
| 1960 | Joe Bellino | HB | Navy | Appeared in 35 games for the Patriots |
