By: Ryan Moreland (@ryanmoreland)
We’re back with the Who Wore It Best series! This series will find the best player to wear every jersey number in league history. By comparing players on stats, awards, and more, we have narrowed the list to one player per number.
The list now moves into the 50s. If you missed any of the earlier articles in this series, you can find them below.
#59 – Bishop Guerrero
Outside Linebacker Bishop Guerrero was a force to be reckoned with. He started his career at Northern Illinois and finished his final three years at Clemson. In his four-year career, he finished with 243 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 8 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles. Guerrero had at least 52 tackles in each of his four seasons.
#58 – Jack Tyler
Two-time All-American Middle Linebacker Jack Tyler played three seasons from Season 4 to Season 6. Tyler spent his first season at Penn State and his final two years at Clemson. Despite only playing at Penn State for one season, Tyler set the single school tackle record with 114. That was a record that stood for 15 seasons before being surpassed by Kirby Sierra in Season 19. Tyler also had four interceptions in his final season at Clemson, which is tied for the third-best single season in school history.
#57 – Dan Stroker
Middle Linebacker Dan Stoker was a four-year player at Oklahoma University from Season 14 to Season 17. Stroker has the fourth most career tackles in Oklahoma’s history with 204. He also had at least eight TFLs in each of his seasons. Stroker lived in the backfield his entire career at Oklahoma and helped the Sooners shut down the run.
#56 – Candace Navarro
Candace Navarro joined Miami in Season 16 and immediately made an impact. She had 105 tackles, 23 TFLs, six sacks, and forced 4 turnovers as a freshman. She would continue her greatness throughout her career, earning two All-American Awards. Her 385 career tackles are the most in school history (by more than 100!) Navarro also has the second most TFLs in school history (95). She was the centerpiece of some of the best defenses in the late Steroid Era.
#55 – Jedidiah Longtree
There are very few linebackers that can claim they are in the class of Jedidiah Longtree. The four-time All-American has the second most career tackles in league history with 476. Longtree also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award twice and Defensive Player of the Week four times. He was also the first pick for the CFSL Linebackers Mount Rushmore. He also helped Oregon win the CFSL National Championship in Season 11. There is no question that he is the best #55 in league history.
#54 – Austin Whitten
Austin Whitten spent a season with Notre Dame and South Carolina, but he is best remembered for his time with Iowa. It was his first season with the Hawkeyes that he earned his lone All-American Award. The great defensive end still holds the career sack record at Iowa. Whitten finished his career with 86 TFLs and 42 sacks after Season 14. This was a closer race, but Whitten deserves to be the best 54 in league history.
#53 – Dillion LeBlanc
Many have said that Dillion LeBlanc was the prototype for the Steroid Era defensive linemen. The four-time All-American holds the LSU school records for both tackles for loss and sacks. His 123 career TFLs are the sixth most in league history. LeBlanc capped off his excellent career by winning the Most Outstanding Senior Award in Season 13.
#52 – Nate Jones
Nate Jones only spent two seasons in the league, but he dominated those two years. The Middle Linebacker played for Michigan in Seasons 2 and 3. He posted back-to-back 100 tackle seasons, which earned him two All-American Awards. He also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in Season 3. Jones still holds the first and third-best single-season tackle totals in Michigan’s history. He may have had a short career, but there is no doubt how great Nate Jones was.
#51 – Kiyoko Winter
Winter spent his entire career with Florida State and the Seminoles are happy he did. The outstanding linebacker had three straight 100-tackle seasons to end his career, winning All-American twice during that run. Winter holds the FSU career tackle record and is fifth in CFSL history. Winter played a key role in the Season 14 National Championship team. That was his senior year, so Winter went out in style. However, he will never be forgotten in the league.
#50 – Kaleb Brayden
Clemson legend Kaleb Brayden is picked for the best #50 of all time. Brayden had 216 career tackles, which still ranks fifth all-time for the Tigers. He had 66 tackles his freshman season as he helped the Tigers win their second National Championship. 50 was a tight race, but Brayden’s excellence on the field earned him the spot.
