The 5 Best LSU NFL Players of All Time

Joe Burrow’s 2019 season brought together prolific passing, the Heisman Trophy, and a 15–0 national championship for LSU. He threw for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns, producing an extraordinary statistical foundation for the honors that followed. His accuracy was part of that success, but the clearest account of his contribution lies in the combination of passing volume, scoring, and an unbeaten championship finish.

Burrow’s position in this ranking is powered by the completeness of that peak rather than a long accumulation of college seasons. His production was not separate from LSU’s team achievement; it was a central feature of the title campaign. The Heisman adds individual recognition to that connection, giving his school résumé a compelling alignment of performance, honors, and results.

Billy Cannon’s LSU career combined his work as a halfback with contributions on defense and in the return game. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1959, and his 89-yard punt return against Ole Miss on Halloween night became a defining highlight of his time with the Tigers. His speed was an important part of his game, but his responsibilities extended beyond carrying the ball on offense.

Cannon’s ranking gains strength from that breadth of contribution. The celebrated return provides a concrete example of his special-teams impact, while the Heisman recognizes a season rather than merely a single play. His two-way role adds another dimension to the school-focused case, making his LSU legacy broader than either a highlight-reel moment or an offensive position label.

Ja’Marr Chase made his 2019 LSU season the centerpiece of his college career, winning the Biletnikoff Award with 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. He led the country in receiving yardage and receiving touchdowns for the 15–0 Tigers. His production included deep receiving and gains after short throws, giving the season substance beyond reception volume. He sat out 2020 before being selected fifth overall.

Chase’s ranking is a peak-performance argument backed by both national receiving leadership and team success. The combination of yardage and scoring shows why his contribution mattered within LSU’s unbeaten season, while the Biletnikoff provides corresponding individual recognition. His later draft position remains secondary to what he delivered for the Tigers: a concentrated season of exceptional receiving production.

Patrick Peterson’s LSU career reached a decorated peak in 2010, when he won both the Thorpe Award and the Bednarik Award. A cornerback whose game combined size, speed, and technique, he also contributed in the return game, taking two punts back for touchdowns. Those returns added scoring to a résumé rooted in defense, giving his college contribution a clear special-teams dimension without changing his primary position.

Peterson’s place in this group rests on the combination of defensive recognition and value outside his regular assignment. The paired awards provide a strong foundation for his peak-season case, while the punt-return scores show another tangible way he helped LSU. That range makes his profile distinctive: he brought nationally recognized cornerback play and a separate source of scoring through returns.

Glenn Dorsey anchored his LSU résumé with a heavily decorated 2007 season for the national champions. The defensive tackle won the Outland, Lombardi, Nagurski, and Lott awards, collecting recognition that reflected the prominence of his interior defensive work. He dealt with double teams while still reaching the backfield, and his contribution against the run was an important part of the Tigers’ championship defense.

Dorsey’s ranking is strongest as an argument about the quality and significance of that peak. The range of honors gives his case breadth, while the national title connects his individual recognition to LSU’s larger achievement. His interior role also matters: occupying blocking attention and disrupting plays supplied value beyond a simple statistical summary, giving this school list a substantial defensive-line presence.