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Top 10 players from USC-Texas title game based on NFL careers
There will be plenty of NFL prospects on the field Saturday night when USC hosts Texas, including Longhorns LT Connor Williams and LB Malik Jefferson. There are few stars bigger, of course, than USC QB Sam Darnold.
The last time these teams hooked up (pun intended) was the 2006 Rose Bowl, an instant classic that has been dubbed by some as the greatest college football game of all-time. Then-Texas QB Vince Young was the star of the show, running for 200 yards and 3 scores, including the game-winner with 19 seconds remaining.
Young didn't make my ranking of the top 10 NFL players from that game, even though his teams won 60 percent of his 50 starts and he was voted to two Pro Bowls, as his career was too short-lived. The other QB from that game, Heisman winner Matt Leinart, didn't make my top 10, either. Of the more than 50 other future NFL players that were on the rosters of Texas and USC on Jan. 4, 2006, here's how I rank them based on their pro careers.