Ranked primarily on what they did in college, not as pros.
1. 🏀 Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar — UCLA
Sport: Basketball Why: 3× NCAA champion, 3× Final Four MOP, 3× National Player of the Year. Years: 1966–1969
2. 🏈 Archie Griffin — Ohio State
Sport: Football Why: Only 2‑time Heisman Trophy winner in history. Years: 1972–1975
3. 🏃♂️ Jesse Owens — Ohio State
Sport: Track & Field Why: Set or tied multiple world records in one day; multiple NCAA titles. Years: 1933–1936
4. 🏀 Breanna Stewart — UConn
Sport: Basketball Why: 4× NCAA champion, 4× Final Four MOP, National POY. Years: 2012–2016
5. 🏈 Herschel Walker — Georgia
Sport: Football Why: Heisman winner, 3× All‑American, carried Georgia to a national title. Years: 1980–1982
6. 🏀 Bill Walton — UCLA
Sport: Basketball Why: 2× NCAA champion, 3× National POY, legendary title‑game performances. Years: 1971–1974
7. 🏈 Barry Sanders — Oklahoma State
Sport: Football Why: 1988 season: 2,628 rushing yards, Heisman, maybe the greatest single season ever. Years: 1986–1988
8. 🏀 Christian Laettner — Duke
Sport: Basketball Why: 2× NCAA champion, 4 straight Final Fours, iconic clutch shots. Years: 1988–1992
9. 🏀 Michael Jordan — North Carolina
Sport: Basketball Why: NCAA title (1982), Naismith winner, hit one of the most famous shots in college history. Years: 1981–1984
10. 🏈 Tim Tebow — Florida
Sport: Football Why: Heisman, 2 national titles, SEC records, face of an era. Years: 2006–2009
11. 🏀 Diana Taurasi — UConn
Sport: Basketball Why: 3× NCAA champion, Naismith winner, “best player I’ve ever coached” (Geno Auriemma). Years: 2000–2004
12. 🏀 Cheryl Miller — USC
Sport: Basketball Why: 3× Naismith winner, NCAA champion, utterly dominant scorer and rebounder. Years: 1982–1986
13. ⚽️ Mia Hamm — North Carolina
Sport: Soccer Why: 4 NCAA titles, all‑time scoring force, defined women’s college soccer. Years: 1989–1993
14. 🏈 Bo Jackson — Auburn
Sport: Football Why: Heisman winner, SEC legend, also a star in baseball. Years: 1982–1985
15. 🏀 Oscar Robertson — Cincinnati
Sport: Basketball Why: Averaged over 30 PPG for his career, 3× All‑American, National POY. Years: 1957–1960
16. 🏀 Magic Johnson — Michigan State
Sport: Basketball Why: NCAA title (1979), Final Four MOP, transformed the game. Years: 1977–1979
17. 🏀 Larry Bird — Indiana State
Sport: Basketball Why: Took a small school to the title game, Naismith winner, huge numbers. Years: 1976–1979
18. 🏈 Red Grange — Illinois
Sport: Football Why: “The Galloping Ghost,” legendary multi‑TD games, early icon of the sport. Years: 1923–1925
19. 🏈 Jim Brown — Syracuse
Sport: Football & Lacrosse Why: All‑American in football and lacrosse; dominant in both. Years: 1954–1956
20. 🏈 Earl Campbell — Texas
Sport: Football Why: Heisman, All‑American, brutal runner who defined Texas football. Years: 1974–1977
21. 🏈 Roger Staubach — Navy
Sport: Football Why: Heisman winner, Navy to national prominence, elite dual‑threat for his era. Years: 1962–1964
22. 🏈 Doug Flutie — Boston College
Sport: Football Why: Heisman, famous Hail Mary, carried BC to national relevance. Years: 1981–1984
23. 🏈 Derrick Henry — Alabama
Sport: Football Why: Heisman, SEC single‑season rushing record, national title. Years: 2013–2015
24. 🏈 Joe Burrow — LSU
Sport: Football Why: Heisman, 15–0 season, one of the greatest QB seasons ever. Years: 2018–2019
25. 🏈 Tommie Frazier — Nebraska
Sport: Football Why: 2 national titles, unstoppable option QB on a dynasty team. Years: 1992–1995
26. 🏀 Patrick Ewing — Georgetown
Sport: Basketball Why: NCAA title, 3 national title games, defensive anchor. Years: 1981–1985
27. 🏀 Wilt Chamberlain — Kansas
Sport: Basketball Why: 30+ PPG, Final Four dominance, physically unmatched. Years: 1956–1958
28. 🏀 Kemba Walker — UConn
Sport: Basketball Why: Carried UConn to Big East + NCAA titles in one insane run. Years: 2008–2011
29. 🏀 Sabrina Ionescu — Oregon
Sport: Basketball Why: All‑time triple‑double leader, Naismith winner, rewrote record books. Years: 2016–2020
30. 🏀 Breanna Stewart (already listed at #4)
(Intentionally high because her résumé is that absurd.)
31. 🥎 Cat Osterman — Texas
Sport: Softball Why: 3× National Player of the Year, one of the most dominant pitchers ever. Years: 2002–2006
32. 🥎 Jennie Finch — Arizona
Sport: Softball Why: 32–0 season, NCAA title, multiple All‑American seasons. Years: 1999–2002
33. 🏊♂️ Jenny Thompson — Stanford
Sport: Swimming Why: Multiple NCAA titles; cornerstone of a powerhouse program. Years: early 1990s
34. 🏊♂️ Caeleb Dressel — Florida
Sport: Swimming Why: Multiple NCAA titles, sprint records, utterly dominant in college meets. Years: 2014–2018
35. 🏊♂️ Ryan Lochte — Florida
Sport: Swimming Why: NCAA champion in multiple events; IM/backstroke star. Years: 2002–2006
36. 🏃♂️ Steve Prefontaine — Oregon
Sport: Track & Field Why: Multiple NCAA titles, distance‑running icon, changed the culture of the sport. Years: 1969–1973
37. 🏃♂️ Carl Lewis — Houston
Sport: Track & Field Why: NCAA champ in sprints and long jump; set the stage for his Olympic dominance. Years: late 1970s–early 1980s
38. 🏃♀️ Jackie Joyner‑Kersee — UCLA
Sport: Track & Field Why: NCAA star in heptathlon and long jump; one of the greatest all‑around athletes ever. Years: early 1980s
39. 🏃♂️ Edwin Moses — Morehouse
Sport: Track & Field Why: NCAA 400m hurdles star; later 122 straight wins as a pro. Years: 1973–1976
40. 🏃♂️ Jim Thorpe — Carlisle
Sport: Football, Track, Baseball Why: All‑American, multi‑sport legend, dominated early college sports. Years: 1907–1912
41. 🏈 Jerry Rice — Mississippi Valley State
Sport: Football Why: Ridiculous receiving stats; turned a small school into a national story. Years: 1981–1984
42. 🏈 Randy Moss — Marshall
Sport: Football Why: 54 TDs in two seasons; unstoppable deep threat. Years: 1996–1997
43. 🏈 Reggie Bush — USC
Sport: Football Why: Electrifying all‑purpose yards, Heisman‑level impact (even if vacated). Years: 2003–2005
44. 🏈 Vince Young — Texas
Sport: Football Why: One of the greatest single title‑game performances ever (2006 Rose Bowl). Years: 2002–2005
45. 🏈 Peyton Manning — Tennessee
Sport: Football Why: All‑American, SEC records, defined an era at Tennessee. Years: 1994–1997
46. 🏀 Lisa Leslie — USC
Sport: Basketball Why: All‑American, Pac‑10 POY, dominant center. Years: 1990–1994
47. 🏀 Brianna Stewart (again, as anchor of UConn dynasty)
(You could argue she’s #1 outright; she’s already placed high.)
47. 🏀 Zion Williamson — Duke
Sport: Basketball Why: Short college career, but one of the most dominant single seasons we’ve seen. Years: 2018–2019
48. 🏀 Grant Hill — Duke
Sport: Basketball Why: 2 NCAA titles, versatile star on a dynasty team. Years: 1990–1994
49. 🏀 Anthony Davis — Kentucky
Sport: Basketball Why: National title, Naismith winner, defensive monster. Years: 2011–2012
50. 🏀 Larry Johnson — UNLV
Sport: Basketball Why: National title, Naismith winner, face of one of the most dominant teams ever. Years: 1989–1991