16. Babe Parilli, Kentucky
Not many people will know Parilli, but he certainly qualifies as one of the all-time SEC greats. He played at Kentucky under Bear Bryant and was magical when it came to the “T” formation Bryant ran. Parilli could hide the ball from defenders as if he were a magician. He was a consensus All-American in both 1950 and 1951, finishing fourth and third, respectively, in the Heisman voting in those years. He left Kentucky as the NCAA leader in passing touchdowns, passing yards, and completions.
After leading the Wildcats to a 28-8 record during his college years, the Packers picked him fourth overall in 1952. He played in the AFL until 1969, retiring at the age of 40 and earning a ring as Joe Namath’s backup in Super Bowl III. Parilli also had a coaching career in both the World Football League and Arena Football League. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 87.
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