2. Peyton Manning, Tennessee
There’s a strong argument that Manning is the best quarterback in football history. Injuries suffered by other quarterbacks got him on the field as a freshman, but once he became the starter, Manning never looked back. During his three-plus seasons as the starter at Tennessee, Manning was nothing short of masterful. He was 39-6 as a starter, breaking the SEC record for career wins by a quarterback. As a senior, Manning was a consensus First-Team All-American and won a slew of awards while leading Tennessee to an SEC title despite finishing second in the Heisman race. When all was said and done, Manning had over 11,000 passing yards and 89 touchdown passes to just 33 interceptions.
As a pro, Manning is also in an elite category that few other quarterbacks share. He was selected to 14 Pro Bowls and owns several NFL records, including most MVP awards with five and most career passing touchdowns. Even after Manning missed an entire season after undergoing several neck surgeries, he returned and had some of his best seasons. Despite being criticized for not carrying his team to enough championships, Manning won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos in his final season, allowing him to retire as a champion and finish his career with two Super Bowl rings.