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Earlier this summer, we updated our NFL Triplets list, and everyone who read it agreed with the fact-based conclusions 100 percent.
As you might know, many colleges also field football teams -- the best players from which go on to the aforementioned NFL. So, with the season's kickoff drawing ever closer, it's high time we tackle the best trios of student-athletes, school by school, who are currently employed as pro football players.
Yes, like an expanded version of the CFB's fancy new bracket tournament, we've pooled all the NFL rosters to come up with the 32 best trios by university. The standards remain the same: One quarterback, one running back and one pass catcher, with more weight/credit placed on the QB than the other two spots. All players must be on active rosters -- and, for the sake of their destinies here, all are preferably good at football.
My esteemed NFL Media colleagues and I have cast our votes, and the champion has been decided. Have a different take? Let us know.
-- Dave Dameshek
No. 1 Cal defeats No. 1 Georgia -- 12-0
Michael Silver: Cal. The Bear does not quit. The Bear will not die. And the Bear will not lose to Georgia or anyone else when it comes to a discussion of transcendent trios. Cal has the NFL's best quarterback and the NFL's best running back ... and Jackson is close enough to Green to make this, too, a lopsided triumph. You know what? You're all lucky Tony Gonzalez retired; otherwise, it would have been uglier. Now, Cal fans, let's do what we do best: Meet me at Henry's -- the first round's on me.
Daniel Jeremiah: Cal. This one could go either way. I love the Georgia trio, but the Dawgs come up just a little bit short against the top quarterback in the NFL.
Gil Brandt: Cal. Stafford and Green together have accounted for fewer total offensive yards (27,169) than Rodgers has by himself (30,408).
Marc Sessler: Cal. Rodgers has accomplished plenty in his career, but this tops it all: crowned king as the quarterback of a three-on-three tournament absent defensive players. Whatever happens with the Packers this season looms as deeply underwhelming icing on the cake. This is Aa-Rod's mountaintop.
Colleen Wolfe: Cal. The favorite wins the championship! The parade will be B-A-N-A-N-A-S! Too bad for Georgia, which winds up wasting some insane catches by Green.
Charles Davis: Cal. Rodgers' accuracy and penchant for seeing and making the kinds of throws that rip the hearts out of his opponents ... that wins it for Cal. It doesn't hurt to have Lynch softening up defenses with his body-blow runs. As for Jackson? He adds spice to the Bears' win in this title tilt.
Dave Dameshek: Cal. While I might be more excited than anyone outside Georgia or St. Louis to see what Gurley can do in the NFL, I have to make the responsible choice here and go with the Cal trio. Beast Mode is one of the two or three best runners around, D-Jax is no slouch and Rodgers is the best player on the planet. Bears = Golden.
Charley Casserly: Cal. Rodgers and Lynch outweigh the edge Georgia has at receiver.
Chase Goodbread: Cal. The Bears are rock-solid across the board. Meanwhile, Georgia can only be carried so far with a running back who hasn't yet toted the football on the NFL level.
Conor Orr: Cal. I'll take Cal, because there's too much uncertainty on Georgia's side -- and because Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers.
Mike Huguenin: Cal. Green gets the nod over Jackson, but Rodgers and Lynch each win their matchups, and the Golden Bears are indeed golden.
Marcas Grant: Cal. ROLL ON YOU BEAAAAARS! The most dominant squad in this tourney dominates on the way to the title. Only the matchup between Jackson and Green is close.
