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ESPN feature. Celebrating college legends are pointing out NFL busts? You make the call...

Campus Conquerors

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Heisman Trophy winners. All-Americans. Hall of Famers. Collectively, they were some of the greatest players in college football history. During their careers, they led their teams to titles, and had nicknames like "Mr. Inside," "Rocket" and the "Boz." They were the real big men on campus.

But once the marching bands and pep rallies stopped, they barely made a ripple in pro football. Because of injuries, military commitments and other career decisions, many of the sport's legends never made an impact in the NFL.

Once the head of the class in college football, they can simply be known for what they did on Saturdays...

29. Aundray Bruce

Linebacker | Auburn

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Opinions on the 6-foot-5, 235-pound outside linebacker varied when the Atlanta Falcons made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1988 draft. Some said he was the next Lawrence Taylor. The New York Times declared him "the least heralded No. 1 pick this decade."

Bruce played 11 seasons in the NFL, but started only 42 games and never lived up to expectations and very rarely resembled LT.

Bruce had excellent junior and senior seasons at Auburn but admitted that his effort fluctuated with the level of the opponents. He was a talented player who probably was criticized because he was tagged with the top-pick burden.

-- Pat Forde

27. Tracy Rocker

Defensive tackle | Auburn

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Few SEC defensive linemen were as decorated as Auburn's Tracy Rocker, who won both the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy as a senior in 1988, making him the first SEC player to ever take home both honors.

A 2004 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, Rocker had 354 tackles, 21 sacks and 48 tackles for loss during his college career.

A third-round pick of the Washington Redskins in the 1989 NFL draft, Rocker lasted only two seasons before finishing his pro career playing for the Orlando Thunder of the now-defunct World Football League.

-- Mark Schlabach

23. Pat Sullivan

Quarterback | Auburn

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Four decades later, "Sullivan to Beasley" is still as much a part of Auburn football lore as "Bo Knows" and Toomer's Corner. Sullivan was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner.

During his senior season in 1971, Sullivan threw for 2,012 yards with 20 touchdowns, many of them to teammate Terry Beasley. Though he was a second-round selection of the Atlanta Falcons in the 1972 NFL draft, Sullivan was considered to be too short for a pro quarterback, and retired after playing in 30 games in five seasons.

He is a cancer survivor and coach of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.

-- Mark Schlabach

http://espn.go.com/ncf/feature/video/_/id/6681950/num/22

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I guess it just proves that college football and NFL football are really two different sports. The NFL has several stars that were so so in college or at or least played on teams in division II conferences.

I think the team means much more in college too. College Players want to win as a unit. The pro's seem to care more about their individual money deals.

You can give a life long allegiance to a college team, not so in the NFL. Auburn will always be in auburn. The NFL teams move to another city at the mention of a new stadium and a better Money deal. just ask the ex fans of the Baltimore colts, st louis cardinals, etc..

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Sullivan may have been successful in the right system with the right coach. Bruce only started his SR year, I believe, but was a terror on special teams. Picking him #1 showed extremely poor judgment. Didn't Rocker's knees give him problems?

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Just wondering if any other AU players show up in numbers 1 - 20.

To answer my own question; no other AU players show up in the list.

As a matter of fact the only SEC player to make the top 20 was Danny Wuerffel at No. 16.

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Not sure that I understand this list. Is it greatest bust? If so where is Ryan Leaf?

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Anybody else surprised that Bo Jackson isn't on the list?

are you kidding???

Watch This

I just assumed from the list that the players involved were great in college, but never had long hall of fame NFL careers. There were a couple of players on that list that started off great in the NFL (rookie of the year, pro bowl, etc) but had to leave the game due to injury, wartime, etc.

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