Wisconsin greats
44 players, ranked by what they did at Wisconsin: the Heisman, the College Football Hall of Fame, national awards, consensus All-America teams, first-round picks and leading a national champion. Before 2004 our records hold the honors and the draft; from 2004 they add season stats for most players (not linemen, and not every name before 2010, when the source’s rosters fill in).
Ron Dayne1999 Heisman
Alan Ameche1954 Heisman
Montee BallHall of Fame, 2025
Joe ThomasHall of Fame, 2019- Pat RichterHall of Fame, 1996
Jonathan Taylor2018 Doak Walker
Dave SchreinerHall of Fame, 1955
Pat HarderHall of Fame, 1993
Troy VincentHall of Fame, 2023
Bob ButlerHall of Fame, 1972
Tim KrumrieHall of Fame, 2016
Melvin Gordon2014 Doak Walker
Elroy HirschHall of Fame, 1974
Pat O’DeaHall of Fame, 1962
Gabe Carimi2010 Outland- Jamar Fletcher2000 Jim Thorpe
Tyler Biadasz2019 Rimington- Dennis LickConsensus All-American, 1975
Chris McIntoshConsensus All-American, 1999- Erasmus JamesConsensus All-American, 2004
Kevin ZeitlerConsensus All-American, 2011
Ryan RamczykConsensus All-American, 2016- Aaron GibsonConsensus All-American, 1998
Jared Abbrederis2013 Burlsworth
Lance KendricksConsensus All-American, 2010
Zack BaunConsensus All-American, 2019- Cory RaymerConsensus All-American, 1994
Scott Tolzien2010 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm
J.J. WattNo. 11 pick, 2011- Tom BurkeConsensus All-American, 1998
Beau BenzschawelConsensus All-American, 2018
Howard “Cub” BuckConsensus All-American, 1915
Charles CarpenterConsensus All-American, 1919
Ray KeelerConsensus All-American, 1913
T.J. WattNo. 30 pick, 2017
Travis FrederickNo. 31 pick, 2013- Ralph ScottConsensus All-American, 1920
- Milo LubratovichConsensus All-American, 1930
- Dan LanphearConsensus All-American, 1959
- Marty BelowConsensus All-American, 1923
Russell WilsonNinth in the 2011 Heisman vote- Howard WeissSixth in the 1938 Heisman vote
- Dale HackbartSeventh in the 1959 Heisman vote
Ron Vander KelenNinth in the 1962 Heisman vote
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.