Forty-three men have etched their name into football lore by being selected as Super Bowl MVP. Most have gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and become household names thanks in part to their heroics on the grand stage. Five players have won the award more than once.
From Super Bowl I's Bart Starr to this year's winner Tom Brady, here's a rundown of each Super Bowl MVP, where they went to college and where they were taken in the NFL draft.
LB Malcolm Smith
Super Bowl XLVIII MVP (Seattle Seahawks)
Drafted:2011, Round 7, Pick 242 overall
College career:Smith was a highly regarded recruit who stayed in the Los Angeles area to follow the footsteps of his brother Steve (who won a Super Bowl with the Giants) to play for powerhouse USC and his now-NFL coach Pete Carroll. He was on a pair of Rose Bowl-winning teams and ascended to a starting role his final two seasons after playing behind Clay Matthews, Rey Maualuga and others.
QB Joe Flacco
Super Bowl XLVII MVP (Baltimore Ravens)
Drafted: 2008, Round 1, Pick 18 overall
College career:The big-armed quarterback originally went to Pittsburgh, where he redshirted for a season and spent another as a backup. He eventually transferred to Delaware, where he put up big numbers in his first year as a starter and guided the Blue Hens to the FCS championship game. Following a strong showing during the run-up to the 2008 NFL Draft, Flacco was selected by the Ravens to be their franchise quarterback.
QB Eli Manning
Super Bowl XLVI MVP, Super Bowl XLII MVP (New York Giants)
Drafted: 2004, Round 1, No. 1 overall
College career:The youngest of Archie Manning's sons, Eli was a top high school recruit who broke a number of his father's school records at Ole Miss. His senior year was his most prolific with the Rebels, guiding the team to a 10-win season while being selected as SEC Offensive Player of the Year and winning the Maxwell Award as college football's top quarterback. He was drafted first overall by the Chargers but was traded to the Giants in exchange for Philip Rivers and three draft picks.
QB Aaron Rodgers
Super Bowl XLV MVP (Green Bay Packers)
Drafted: 2005, Round 1, Pick 24 overall
College career:Rodgers originally attended Butte Community College out of high school after not receiving much recruiting attention from major schools. He eventually ended up at California, where he flourished under then-coach Jeff Tedford to post a 43-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio during two seasons before heading on to the NFL.
QB Drew Brees
Super Bowl XLIV MVP (New Orleans Saints)
Drafted: 2001, Round 2, Pick 32 overall
College career:After being under-recruited at a Texas high school powerhouse, Brees made his way to Purdue and was an integral part of the Boilermakers' pass-happy spread offense. He guided the team to the 2001 Rose Bowl his senior season and also won the Maxwell Award as the nation's best quarterback to cap off a terrific career in West Lafayette. In addition, he tied the NCAA record for longest pass play and held the since-broken record of pass attempts in a game with 83.
WR Santonio Holmes
Super Bowl XLIII MVP (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Drafted: 2006, Round 1, Pick 25 overall
College career:The speedster out of South Florida made his way to Ohio State, where he was among the best deep threats in college football at the time. After a prolific career in Columbus, Holmes was picked by the then-defending champions.
QB Peyton Manning
Super Bowl XLI MVP (Indianapolis Colts)
Drafted: 1998, Round 1, No. 1 overall
College career:Manning surprised many when he elected to play at Tennessee instead of his father's alma mater of Ole Miss. He was among the most prolific quarterbacks ever to play the college game and guided the Vols to some of their most successful seasons in recent memory. Manning's senior year saw him win nearly every major quarterback award but finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Michigan's Charles Woodson.
WR Hines Ward
Super Bowl XL MVP (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Drafted: 1998, Round 3, Pick 92 overall
College career:Ward was a quarterback coming out of high school and chose to play for in-state power Georgia. While in Athens, he did just about everything for the Bulldogs, seeing time as a signal-caller, running back and receiver to earn All-SEC honors. Perhaps the highlight of his time with UGA was an outstanding game in the 1995 Peach Bowl, when he accounted for 469 yards.
WR Deion Branch
Super Bowl XXXIX MVP (New England Patriots)
Drafted: 2002, Round 2, Pick 65 overall
College career:Branch spent two seasons as an All-American for Jones County Junior College. He eventually made it to Louisville for his final two years of eligibility and became an All-Conference-USA selection thanks to a pair of 1,000-yard seasons.
QB Tom Brady
Super Bowl XXXVI MVP, Super Bowl XXXVIII MVP, Super Bowl XLIX MVP (New England Patriots)
Drafted: 2000, Round 6, Pick 199 overall
College career:Perhaps the most prolific late-round pick in NFL history, Brady had an up-and-down college career at Michigan. Arriving in Ann Arbor from Northern California, the quarterback spent his first two years at the school as a little-used backup. He eventually became the starter for the Wolverines but did so having to split time with Drew Henson before eventually securing the job for good in the middle of the 1999 season. The Patriots landed him late in the 2000 draft and the rest, as they say, is history.
S Dexter Jackson
Super Bowl XXXVII MVP
Drafted: 1999, Round 4, Pick 113 overall
College career: Jackson arrived at Florida State as a hot-shot quarterback prospect but became a key member of the Seminoles' late 1990s teams after switching to defense and becoming a contributor at safety. He picked off seven passes during his career and earned All-ACC honors for Bobby Bowden's squad.
LB Ray Lewis
Super Bowl XXXV MVP (Baltimore Ravens)
Drafted: 1996, Round 1, Pick 26 overall
College career:One of the best linebackers to ever play the game, Lewis was a hard hitter in college and turned heads during his days roaming the sidelines at Miami. He started as a true freshman and blossomed into a perennial All-American for the Hurricanes as they dominated the Big East.
QB Kurt Warner
Super Bowl XXXIV MVP (St. Louis Rams)
Drafted: Undrafted free agent in 1994
College career:Few in Hollywood could think of a story as remarkable as Warner's. He attended Northern Iowa coming out of high school but failed to start until his senior season and eventually won conference player of the year honors to make the most of his opportunity in college. Warner was cut from the Green Bay Packers in training camp and followed a twisting path to NFL glory a few years later.
QB John Elway
Super Bowl XXXIII MVP (Denver Broncos)
Drafted: 1983, Round 1, No. 1 overall
College career:Elway played both football and baseball at Stanford, starring at both to become a hot prospect in each sport come draft time. He was twice named Pac-10 Player of the Year and finished second in the Heisman voting during his senior year. However, Elway never led the Cardinal to a bowl game, in part because of "The Play" against rival California in 1982.
RB Terrell Davis
Super Bowl XXXII MVP (Denver Broncos)
Drafted: 1995, Round 6, Pick 196 overall
College career:After growing up in Southern California, Davis first attended Long Beach State. However, the 49ers eliminated the football program following the 1991 season to prompt a cross-country transfer for Davis to Georgia. He became a starter his final two seasons in Athens but battled injury issues the entire time he was in college. In most respects, Davis had a far better pro career than he did a college one.
WR/KR Desmond Howard
Super Bowl XXXI MVP (Green Bay Packers)
Drafted: 1992, Round 1, Pick 4 overall
College career:Howard was among the best college wide receivers of his generation and among the most prolific of the all-time greats to don the Maize and Blue. His prowess as a receiver and return man helped him win the 1991 Heisman, and he famously flashed the trophy's signature pose in an iconic play against rival Ohio State.
CB Larry Brown
Super Bowl XXX MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1991, Round 12, Pick 320 overall
College career:Brown stayed local coming out of high school and attended Los Angeles Southwest College, where he played both running back and corner. He transferred to TCU prior to his junior year and was a two-year starter for the Horned Frogs before earning accolades at the postseason Blue-Gray All-Star Game.
QB Steve Young
Super Bowl XXIX MVP (San Francisco 49ers)
Drafted: 1984 Supplemental Draft, Round 1
College career:The dual-threat quarterback succeeded Jim McMahon at BYU and turned in a College Football Hall of Fame career with the Cougars. He set a number of school and NCAA records and won the 1983 Davey O'Brien Award before finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
RB Emmitt Smith
Super Bowl XXVIII MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1990, Round 1, Pick 17 overall
College career:Smith was a star from the beginning at Florida, where he set numerous school and SEC records following a breakout freshman year. Despite not having much talent around him on the Gators, Smith was still able to grind out yards and show plenty of burst in the open field to earn first-team All-American honors and the SEC Player of the Year award during his final season in Gainesville.
QB Troy Aikman
Super Bowl XXVII MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1989, Round 1, No. 1 overall
College career:Aikman originally picked Oklahoma out of high school and started as a sophomore. However, the quarterback broke his ankle and the team reverted back to the wishbone offense on its way to the 1985 national title. Aikman ended up transferring to UCLA after sitting out a year and became the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the Davey O'Brien Award.
QB Mark Rypien
Super Bowl XXVI MVP (Washington Redskins)
*Drafted:1986, Round 6, Pick 146 overall*
College career:The only Canadian to win the Super Bowl MVP, Rypien starred for Washington State as a strong-armed signal-caller. The Cougars experienced several successful seasons with him under center and he left school holding a number of school records.
RB Ottis Anderson
Super Bowl XXV MVP (New York Giants)
*Drafted:1979, Round 1, Pick 8 overall*
College career:One of the best runners in the history of Miami football, Anderson was the first to crack the 1,000-yard barrier rushing for the Hurricanes and left the school holding nearly every major record for a rusher. His final season with Miami was one of his best and he was named an All-American.
QB Joe Montana
Super Bowl XVI MVP, Super Bowl XIX MVP, Super Bowl XXIV MVP (San Francisco 49ers)
*Drafted:1979, Round 3, Pick 82 overall*
College career:Montana is the only three-time Super Bowl MVP, but earned plenty of fame before the NFL as the quarterback for Notre Dame. He led several comebacks for the Irish as a sophomore and emerged as the starter for the 1977 national-title-winning squad. Montana might have saved his best for last, though, using some heroics after he fell ill to win the Cotton Bowl against Houston.
WR Jerry Rice
Super Bowl XXIII MVP (San Francisco 49ers)
Drafted: 1985, Round 1, Pick 16 overall
College career:Before turning into one of the greatest at the NFL level, Rice was a record-setting receiver at tiny Mississippi Valley State. He still holds numerous NCAA records and had a remarkable 27 touchdowns and 1,845 yards his senior year. The prolific offensive numbers didn't attract the scouts one would expect, but the 49ers put together a big trade in order to take Rice at No. 16 overall in the draft.
QB Doug Williams
Super Bowl XXII MVP (Washington Redskins)
Drafted: 1978, Round 1, Pick 17 overall
College career:Williams is the first African-American to start at quarterback in the Super Bowl and the first to be selected as Super Bowl MVP. He starred on the college gridiron at Grambling State as a prolific passer in the SWAC and eventually returned to the school as its head coach for two stints.
QB Phil Simms
Super Bowl XXI MVP (New York Giants)
Drafted: 1979, Round 1, Pick 7 overall
College career:Simms attended Morehead State and put up numbers that few could have predicted would lead to NFL success. He never had a winning season during his time with the team and failed to complete even half his passes with the Eagles but did end up getting his jersey retired at the school.
DE Richard Dent
Super Bowl XX MVP (Chicago Bears)
Drafted: 1983, Round 8, Pick 203 overall
College career:The fearsome pass rusher was an All-American for tiny Tennessee State and led the Tigers to three black college national titles. Dent finished his college career with 39 sacks.
RB Marcus Allen
Super Bowl XVIII MVP (L.A. Raiders)
Drafted: 1982, Round 1, Pick 10 overall
College career:Allen started off at USC as a little-used backup running back before moving to fullback for a season. Allen's career took off during his junior year when he became the starting running back. As a senior, he became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season and won the Heisman Trophy.
RB John Riggins
Super Bowl XVII MVP (Washington Redskins)
Drafted: 1971, Round 1, Pick 6 overall
College career:One of the most prolific rushers in the history of the old Big Eight, Riggins keyed a Kansas offense that won a conference title and narrowly lost to Penn State in the 1969 Orange Bowl.
QB Jim Plunkett
Super Bowl XV MVP (Oakland Raiders)
Drafted: 1971, Round 1, No. 1 overall
College career:Plunkett's arrival at Stanford coincided with a wide-open passing offense that turned him into a college star. He set numerous Pac-8 records and led the Cardinal to the Rose Bowl his senior season as he captured the Heisman Trophy.
QB Terry Bradshaw
Super Bowl XIII MVP, Super Bowl XIV MVP (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Drafted: 1970, Round 1, No. 1 overall
College career:Bradshaw actually sat behind Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson at Louisiana Tech for two seasons before eventually taking over as the starter and putting up big-time numbers. He led the NCAA in passing his junior year and managed to go 17-4 during his final two campaigns in Ruston.
DT Randy White
Super Bowl XII Co-MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1975, Round 1, No. 2 overall
College career:White is among the best players in Maryland history and won nearly every major defensive award during his senior season, including the Outland Trophy and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Along with teammate Harvey Martin, he is part of the only pair to be named co-MVPs of the Super Bowl.
DE Harvey Martin
Super Bowl XII Co-MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1973, Round 3, Pick 53 overall
College career:Martin blossomed into a star at East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce) as a terror off the edge while earning NAIA All-American honors and winning a national title his senior season. "Too Mean" Martin later played for his hometown team as a part of Dallas' famed Doomsday Defense.
WR Fred Biletnikoff
Super Bowl XI MVP (Oakland Raiders)
Drafted: 1965, Round 3, Pick 39 overall
College career:Biletnikoff was an All-American at Florida State, where he excelled on both sides of the ball for the Seminoles. He put up eye-popping numbers during an era when passing offenses were quite limited and even was able to set several school records as a defensive back. His lasting legacy is the Biletnikoff Award -- the annual honor presented to the nation's best collegiate receiver.
WR Lynn Swann
Super Bowl X MVP (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Drafted: 1974, Round 1, Pick 21 overall
College career:One of the greatest to catch passes at USC, Swann was a member of the 1972 national title team. He was not only a threat at wide receiver in college, but also racked up some yards rushing in the Trojans' famed student body left offense.
RB Franco Harris
Super Bowl IX MVP (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Drafted: 1972, Round 1, Pick 13 overall
College career:Harris never put up huge numbers at Penn State, but that was mostly because he split carries (and occasionally blocked for) fellow tailback Lydell Mitchell. He still managed to become one of the Nittany Lions' all-time greats and still maintains a close connection to the school.
RB Larry Csonka
Super Bowl VIII MVP (Miami Dolphins)
Drafted: 1968, Round 1, Pick 8 overall
College career:Csonka was a bruising halfback at Syracuse who set nearly every school record at the position despite some lofty names that came before him. He was named an All-American his final two years in the program and still is celebrated as one of the Orange's all-time greats.
S Jake Scott
Super Bowl VII MVP (Miami Dolphins)
Drafted: 1970, Round 7, Pick 159 overall
College career:Scott led Georgia in interceptions both seasons he played for the Bulldogs and earned All-SEC honors in 1968. The ballhawk set a number of school records when it came to picking off passes and he later left Athens for a stop in the CFL before becoming a key member of the Dolphins.
QB Roger Staubach
Super Bowl VI MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1964, Round 10, Pick 129 overall
College career:The famed signal-caller first made his name as the quarterback for powerhouse Navy back in the early 1960s. He won the Heisman Trophy his junior year. He managed to also play baseball at the Academy and served a tour of duty in Vietnam before eventually making his way to the Cowboys.
LB Chuck Howley
Super Bowl V MVP (Dallas Cowboys)
Drafted: 1958, Round 1, Pick 7 overall
College career:The only Super Bowl MVP selected from a losing team, Howley had a remarkable career at West Virginia before moving on to the NFL. He played guard and center for the Mountaineers but amazingly earned letters in five collegiate sports.
QB Len Dawson
Super Bowl IV MVP (Kansas City Chiefs)
Drafted: 1957, Round 1, Pick 5 overall
College career:Dawson played at Purdue in the 1950s, where he was coached by none other than assistant Hank Stram. He was among the most prolific passers in the Big Ten at the time, leading the nation in touchdown passes at one point, and even played both ways.
QB Joe Namath
Super Bowl III MVP (New York Jets)
Drafted: 1965, Round 1, Pick 12 overall
College career:Broadway Joe played his college football at Alabama for famed head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He posted a 29-4 record during his time as a starter and led the Crimson Tide to a national title. His numbers might not be eye-popping by today's standards, but he was among the greatest at his position back in the day.
QB Bart Starr
Super Bowl I MVP, Super Bowl II MVP (Green Bay Packers)
Drafted: 1956, Round 17, Pick 200 overall
College career:Despite being among the greatest to play quarterback at the NFL level, Starr had an unremarkable career at Alabama. He played some as a freshman and then emerged the next year as the starting signal-caller while playing in all three phases. While he had a good run early on, injuries made kept him mostly on the bench later in his career with the Crimson Tide, allowing the Packers to draft him so late in 1956.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
