Penn State Football: 30 greatest players of all-time

When Ki-Jana Carter was the featured back at Penn State, the Nittany Lions legitimately had the best player in college football, even if he did finish second in the 1994 Heisman Trophy balloting. Carter played three seasons at Penn State, including the team’s first in the Big Ten Conference in 1993, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his college career.

Carter did not play much as a freshman carrying the ball only 42 times in the 1992 season. After a breakout season in 1993, Carter absolutely tore up the college football landscape in 1994. He helped the Nittany Lions roll to an undefeated season, even if they did end up as the No. 2 team in the country.

In that 1994 season, Carter rushed for an incredible 1,539 yards, while scoring 23 rushing touchdowns for the Nittany Lions. An obvious choice for All-American status, Carter capped off his college career by winning the MVP Award in the Rose Bowl, as he rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon. He then declared a year early for the 1995 NFL Draft.

Carter was viewed as a can’t-miss prospect heading into the draft, and the Cincinnati Bengals made him the first overall selection. Unfortunately, Carter is also considered one of the biggest busts in draft history, as he just could never get it going at the NFL level.

Still, the things he accomplished during his time at Penn State will never be forgotten. His place in the history of the program is set in stone.