| Year | Finalist |
1982 | Herschel Walker, Georgia John Elway, Stanford Eric Dickerson, Southern Methodist University (SMU) |
1983 | Mike Rozier, Nebraska Steve Young, Brigham Young University (BYU) Doug Flutie, Boston College |
1984 | Doug Flutie, Boston College Keith Byars, Ohio State Robbie Bosco, Brigham Young University (BYU) Bernie Kosar, Miami |
1985 | Bo Jackson, Auburn Chuck Long, Iowa Robbie Bosco, Brigham Young University (BYU) Lorenzo White, Michigan State Vinny Testaverde, Miami |
1986 | Vinny Testaverde, Miami Paul Palmer, Temple Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma D.J. Dozier, Penn State |
1987 | Tim Brown, Notre Dame Don McPherson, Syracuse Gordon Lockbaum, Holy Cross Lorenzo White, Michigan State Craig Heyward, Pittsburgh |
1988 | Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State Rodney Peete, University of South California (USC) Troy Aikman, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Steve Walsh, Miami Major Harris, West Virginia |
1989 | Andre Ware, Houston Anthony Thompson, Indiana Major Harris, West Virginia Tony Rice, Notre Dame Darian Hagan, Colorado Dee Dowis, Air Force Emmitt Smith, Florida Blair Thomas, Penn State |
1990 | Ty Detmer, Birgham Young University (BYU) Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame Eric Bieniemy, Colorado Shawn Moore, Virginia David Klingler, Houston |
1991 | Desmond Howard, Michigan Casey Weldon, Florida State Ty Detmer, Birgham Young University (BYU) Steve Emtman, Washington |
1992 | Gino Torretta, Miami Marshall Faulk, San Diego State Garrison Hearst, Georgia |
1993 | Charlie Ward, Florida State Heath Shuler, Tennessee David Palmer, Alabama |
1994 | Rashaan Salaam, Colorado Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State Steve McNair, Alcorn State Kerry Collins, Penn State Jay Barker, Alabama Warren Sapp, Miami |
1995 | Eddie George, Ohio State Tommie Frazier, Nebraska Danny Wuerffel, Florida Darnell Autry, Northwestern Troy Davis, Iowa State |
1996 | Danny Wuerffel, Florida Troy Davis, Iowa State Jake Plummer, Arizona State Orlando Pace, Ohio State |
1997 | Charles Woodson, Michigan Peyton Manning, Tennessee Ryan Leaf, Washington State Randy Moss, Marshall |
1998 | Ricky Williams, Texas Michael Bishop, Kansas State Cade McNown, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Tim Couch, Kentucky |
1999 | Ron Dayne, Wisconsin Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech Michael Vick, Virginia Tech Drew Brees, Purdue Chad Pennington, Marshall |
2000 | Chris Weinke, Florida State Josh Heupel, Oklahoma Drew Brees, Purdue LaDainian Tomlinson, Texas Christian University (TCU) |
2001 | Eric Crouch, Nebraska Rex Grossman, Florida Ken Dorsey, Miami Joey Harrington, Oregon |
2002 | Carson Palmer, University of South California (USC) Brad Banks, Iowa Larry Johnson, Penn State Willis McGahee, Miami Ken Dorsey, Miami |
2003 | Jason White, Oklahoma Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh Eli Manning, Mississippi Chris Perry, Michigan |
2004 | Matt Leinart, University of South California (USC) Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma Jason White, Oklahoma Alex Smith, Utah Reggie Bush, University of South California (USC) |
| 2005 | Vince Young, Texas Matt Leinart, University of South California (USC) |
2006 | Troy Smith, Ohio State Darren McFadden, Arkansas Brady Quinn, Notre Dame |
2007 | Tim Tebow, Florida Darren McFadden, Arkansas Colt Brennan, Hawaii Chase Daniel, Missouri |
2008 | Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Colt McCoy, Texas Tim Tebow, Florida |
2009 | Mark Ingram, Alabama Toby Gerhart, Stanford Colt McCoy, Texas Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Tim Tebow, Florida |
2010 | Cam Newton, Auburn Andrew Luck, Stanford LaMichael James, Oregon Kellen Moore, Boise State |
2011 | Robert Griffin III Andrew Luck, Stanford Trent Richardson, Alabama Montee Ball, Wisconsin Tyrann Mathieu, Louisiana State University (LSU) |
2012 | Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Manti Te’o, Notre Dame Collin Klein, Kansas State |
2013 | Jameis Winston, Florida State AJ McCarron, Alabama Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois Andre Williams, Boston College Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Tre Mason, Auburn |
2014 | Marcus Mariota, Oregon Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin Amari Cooper, Alabama |
2015 | Derrick Henry, Alabama Christian McCaffrey, Stanford Deshaun Watson, Clemson |
2016 | Lamar Jackson, Louisville Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Jabrill Peppers, Michigan Deshaun Watson, Clemson Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma |
2017 | Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Bryce Love, Stanford Lamar Jackson, Louisville |
2018 | Kyler Murray, Oklahoma Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State |
2019 | Joe Burrow, Louisiana State University (LSU) Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma Justin Fields, Ohio State Chase Young, Ohio State |
2020 | Mac Jones, Alabama Trevor Lawrence, Clemson DeVonta Smith, Alabama Kyle Trask, Florida |
2021 | Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan Kenny Pickett, Pitt C.J. Stroud, Ohio State Bryce Young, Alabama |
2022 | Stetson Bennett, Georgia Max Duggan, Texas Christian University (TCU) C.J. Stroud, Ohio State Caleb Williams, University of South California (USC) |
| 2023 | Jayden Daniels (LSU), Marvin Harrison Jr.( Ohio), Bo Nix, (Oregon)and Michael Penix (Washington). |
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