Cedric Benson – Texas
Even as “the man following the man,” University of Texas running back Cedrick Benson had four-straight seasons with 1,000 yards rushing and double-digit rushing touchdowns. In fact, his 5,540 rushing yards ranks second all-time only to his predecessor, Ricky Williams. As a senior in 2004, Benson won the Doak Walker Award, and was named an All-American.
But Benson’s NFL career basically ended before it even started. He held out for 36 days after the Chicago Bears drafted him with the 4th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and the Bears coaching staff placed him behind veteran running back Thomas Jones on the depth chart, acknowledging that the latter was a better player than him. While Benson did have three seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing, they came after the Bears parted ways with him after just three seasons.