The Elite Four: Ranking the Most Legendary College Football Players to Wear Jersey Number 4

Introduction

In the brutal, high-stakes world of college football, a jersey number is more than just an identifier—it’s a symbol. Some numbers are synonymous with brute force; others, with sheer speed. But the number 4? Among all numbers, it stands out for being worn by elite difference-makers. This article will rank the top four most legendary college football players to ever wear number 4, examining how they rose above fierce competition to set the standard for greatness. Prepare to explore the storied careers of the gridiron giants who made this simple digit a symbol of college football royalty.

Significant Jersey Number 4 Wearers

• Champ Baileywas a rare two-way superstar at the University of Georgia, excelling as a cornerback and wide receiver and even playing on special teams. He was recognized as a consensus All-American in 1998 and earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player before becoming a top-ten NFL Draft pick.
• Steve Walshwas one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in University of Miami history during the late 1980s. As the Hurricanes’ starter in 1988, he led the team to an undefeated season and a national championship, earning consensus All-American honors in the process. Walsh also finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting that year and was a finalist for the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien Awards, cementing his legacy as an elite college football player.
• QuarterbackJim Harbaughstarred for Michigan, finishing third in 1986 Heisman voting and setting the school's passing efficiency record while wearing No. 4.
• Terence Newman -As a dominant cornerback for Kansas State, Terence Newman was recognized as the nation's top defensive back, earning the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award and unanimous first-team All-American honors in 2002.
• Deshaun Watson (Clemson):Wearing jersey 4 was a special honor, as former Tiger legend Steve Fuller allowed Clemson to un-retire the number specifically for Watson. Watson became a Clemson icon by leading the Tigers to their first national championship since 1981, capping his career with a dramatic victory over Alabama in 2017. During his prolific tenure, he achieved a stunning 32-3 record as a starter while accumulating over 10,000 passing yards and 161 total touchdowns.
• Dalvin Cook (Florida State):An electrifying running back who wore #4 despite it often being a QB number, breaking records for the Seminoles. Cook was one of the most accomplished running backs inFlorida State Seminoles history. During his collegiate career, he earned consensus All-American honors and was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2016 after leading the nation in yards from scrimmage. Cook also won the Jim Brown Award as the nation’s top running back and set multiple school records, including career rushing yards and touchdowns, cementing his legacy as one of Florida State’s all-time greats.
• Jeremiyah Lovewas a running back for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He had a stellar junior season in 2025, culminating in several major accolades. Love was named theDoak Walker Award Winneras the nation's top running back, becoming the first player in Notre Dame program history to receive the honor. In 2025, he was also recognized as aUnanimous All-Americanand aConsensus All-Americanand was aHeisman Finalist. That year, he set a program record for total touchdowns in a season with 21 and tied the program record for rushing touchdowns with 18. He finished the season with 1,372 rushing yards on 199 carries and 27 receptions for 280 receiving yards, totaling 1,652 yards from scrimmage.
• Brett Favre (Southern Miss):The Hall of Famer started his college career wearing #4, a number he stuck with in the NFL. Favre played quarterback at Southern Miss from 1987 to 1990, capping his collegiate career with a senior-year completion percentage of 54.5% before being selected in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Though an NFL legend, he narrowly misses the elite college #4 list due to competition at the position.
• Plaxico Burress (Michigan State):A standout receiver who had dominant seasons as #4 with the Spartans.
• David Anderson (Colorado State):A record-setting receiver, ranking second in CSU history for career receptions and yards.

Number 4 Jerseys Retired in College Football

Clemson

• Steve Fullerwas a legendary Clemson quarterback, earning consensus All-American honors in 1978 and becoming the first Clemson player to win ACC Player of the Year honors twice (1977 and 1978), helping re-establish the Tigers as a national power. As mentioned earlier, Clemson also holds Deshaun Watson’s career in high regard for the number 4.

Fresno State

• Derek Carrset school and conference passing records at Fresno State. In his senior season, he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy and was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.

Number 4 Wearers in the College Football Hall of Fame

• Charles Alexander:LSU running back, consensus All-American in 1977 and 1978, and fifth in 1978 Heisman voting. Later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Vic Hansonwas a phenomenal college athlete at Syracuse University in the 1920s, earning 9 varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. As a basketball player, he was a three-time All-American (1925, 1926, and 1927) and was named theHelms Foundation Player of the Yearfor his senior season in 1927. He led the Syracuse basketball team to a 48-7 record over three varsity seasons, highlighted by the1925-26 team, which went 19-1 and was recognized as national championsby the Helms Foundation.
• Hanson holds the unique distinction of being the only person to be inducted into both theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame(1960) and theCollege Football Hall of Fame(1973).
• Jason Hanson:Kicker and punter for Washington State, named a consensus All-American four times (1988–1991), considered one of the NCAA's most accurate kickers.
• Bert Metzger:Bertram "Bert" Metzger was a notable guard for theUniversity of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football teamfrom 1928 to 1930 under legendary coach Knute Rockne. Despite his relatively small stature, which earned him the nickname the "watch-charm guard," Metzger was an aggressive and highly effective player. His final two seasons, 1929 and 1930, saw the Fighting Irish achieve undefeated records and capturetwo recognized National Championships(1929 and 1930). Metzger's collegiate accolades include being named aFirst-team All-American in 1930, and his career was later honored with an induction into theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
• Ed Tryon:Versatile Colgate running back and quarterback, consensus All-American in 1925, and one of the school's most decorated players.
• Adam Walsh:Walsh was anAll-Americancenter and thecaptainof the 1924 University of Notre Dame football team under coach Knute Rockne. He anchored the offensive line, known as the "Seven Mules," who blocked for the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield. The 1924 team completed an undefeated season, securing aNational Championshipwith a victory in the Rose Bowl. For his distinguished playing career, Walsh was laterinducted into the College Football Hall of Famein 1968 and was also named to the All-time Notre Dame Team.

Despite these legendary players, no Heisman winner has worn number 4.

Alabama All-Time Greats Who Wore Jersey 4

• Jerry Jeudy(WR): A phenomenal wide receiver, National Champion, and first-round NFL draft pick who made big plays in #4.
• Jalen Milroe (Alabama):A recent standout QB who picked #4 for personal reasons (his birthday) and led Alabama to success.
• Eddie Jackson(S): A key defensive leader and playmaker during the championship era, earning All-American honors in #4.
• Mark Barron(S): A highly decorated safety and multiple national champion, also wore #4 during his impactful career.
• T.J. Yeldon- a solid running back who helped the Tide Roll to the 2012 National Championship.
• Brian Robinson Jr. (RB): Wore #4 during the 2021 season, a crucial year where he had a breakout year, rushing for nearly 900 yards.

Notre Dame All-Time Greats Who Wore Jersey 4

So we have mentioned a couple of Fighting Irish legends who sported the number 4 on their jerseys in College Hall of Famers Bert Metzger and Adam Walsh, and recent stud Jeremiyah Love. Here is a short list of other outstanding Notre Dame alums who proudly wore the 4.

• Lee Becton- RB - 1991-94
• Kory Minor- LB - 1995-98
• Ryan Grant- RB - 2001-04

Ohio State All-Time Greats Who Wore Jersey 4

• Kirk Herbstreit(QB, 1990-93):A team MVP and captain, Herbstreit led the Buckeyes as starting QB in 1992 and became a prominent ESPN analyst.
• Kurt Coleman(S, 2006-09): An All-American, Big Ten First Team selection, and team captain, Coleman capped his career with a Rose Bowl win.
• Curtis Samuel(RB/WR, 2014-16): An All-American and All-Big Ten performer known for his versatility and big-play ability.
• Jeremiah Smith(WR, 2024-2025): A highly touted young receiver building a strong legacy early in his career.
• Jordan Fuller(S, 2016-18): A key defensive player, Fuller earned All-Big Ten honors and captained the team.
• Santonio Holmes(WR, 2003-05): A first-round NFL Draft pick who wore #4 during his impactful Buckeyes career.

Miami Hurricane All-Time Greats Who Wore Jersey 4

In addition to the aforementioned Steve Walsh, here are some other Jersey number 4 Canes’ standouts.

• Devin Hesterwas a dynamic all-purpose player who earnedFirst-team All-Americanhonors in 2004 as a kick returner. He set a school record for return touchdowns in a season (4) and was namedFirst-team All-ACCas a kick returner in 2004.
• Earl Littlewas a safety for the Hurricanes who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997. Specific national or conference-wide college accolades are not widely listed for him; however, he was a defensive back for the program. (Note: His son, Earl Little Jr., played for Alabama and FSU.
• Rodney Bellingerwas a defensive back who was a key member of the Hurricanes' firstNational Championshipteam in 1983. He also earnedSecond-team All-South Independenthonors in 1983.
• Phillip Dorsettwas a speedy wide receiver who was namedSecond-team All-ACCin 2014 after recording 36 receptions for 871 yards (a remarkable 24.2 yards per reception average) and 10 touchdowns in his senior season. He finished his career with 2,132 receiving yards.
• Najeh Davenportwas a versatile running back and offensive captain who was a member of the2001 BCS National Championshipteam. He rushed for 830 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career and won the team's Unsung Hero Award in 2001 for his dedication.

Our Top 5 College Football Players Who Wore Jersey 4

1. Deshaun Watson (Clemson):Widely considered the best #4 ever, he led the Tigers to a National Championship with incredible stats and clutch performances.
2. Jeremiyah Loveof Notre Dame is a close second. Love collected plenty of hardware, including the Doak Walker Award and All-American accolades, and helped the Irish reach the National Championship game in the 2024 season, where they fell to Ohio State.
3. Terrence Newman’s dominance and accolades in the backend of the Kansas State secondary earn him the second spot among all-time number 4s.
4. Dalvin Cookedges out others for this spot due to his record-breaking performances and game-changing ability.
5. Champ Baileyclaimed his place among the top 4 through his versatility and impact on both sides of the ball.

Conclusion

Whether delivering a game-winning pass, breaking tackles on a run, or shutting down an opposing receiver, the top four—Deshaun Watson, Terence Newman, Dalvin Cook, and Champ Bailey—demonstrated why the number 4 holds such weight in college football lore. Their impact went beyond statistics—they were cultural icons, record-breakers, and pillars of championship teams. As new players step onto the field, only time will tell who is worthy to join this elite group, but the standard set by these athletes remains the benchmark for greatness.

Special thanks to the following sources: Sports-reference.com, Fox-Sports.com, NCAA.com, State of the U, One Foot Down, Tide1009.com

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Who are the top players in college football history that wore the jersey number four?

We're going to attempt to answer that with some great candidates and come up with the top five of all time.

Number four Wears in college football history.

Hello my football friends.

This is Darren Hayes of pigskindispatch.com welcome once again to the Pig Pen, your portal to positive football history.

And in this brutal high stakes world of college football, a jersey number is more than just an identifier.

It's a symbol.

Some numbers are synonymous with brute force, others are sheer speed.

But the number four among all numbers, it stands out for being worn by elite difference makers.

This article will rank the top five of college football players in history that wore the number four jersey.

And we're going all the way.

Not just running backs, not just receivers, not just quarterbacks, but we're going to talk about some linemen as well.

In the hundred some years of college football wearing jersey numbers.

We got some good ones for you.

And where we start off, we're going to start off with some of the most significant wearers of number four jerseys.

How about Champ Bailey?

He was a rare two way superstar for the University of Georgia, excelling as both a cornerback and a wide receiver, even playing on special teams.

Then there's Steve Walsh, who's one of the most accomplished quarterbacks ever in the University of Miami's great history of quarterbacks.

Waltz also finished fourth in the Heisman voting that year and was a finalist for the Maxwell and the Davey o' Brien awards, cementing his legacy as an elite college football player.

Quarterback Jim Harbaugh.

Then there's Terence Newman, a dominant cornerback of for Kansas State.

How about DeSean Watson?

Wearing that number four jersey was a special honor for this Clemson player because former quarterback Steve Fuller had had the had the number retired for him when he played.

During his prolific tenure, he achieved a stunning 323 record as a starter while accumulating over 10,000 yards passing and 161 touchdowns through the air Dalvin Cook what a great running back he was for Florida State.

An electrifying running back who wore the number four despite often being a quarterback's number.

Breaking records for the Seminoles, Cook was one of the most accomplished running backs in Florida State Seminoles history during his collegiate clear.

Cook also won the Jim Brown Award as a nation's top running back and set multiple school records including career rushing yards and touchdowns, cementing his legacy as one of Florida State's all time greats.

More recently we've had Jeremiah Love of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

What a special runner he was.

Lord Love was named the Doke Walker Award winner as the nation's top running back, becoming the first player in Notre Dame history program history to receive that honor.

Think about all the great backs that they've had over the years.

He set a program record for total touchdowns this season with 21 and tied the program for rushing touchdowns with 18.

Who knows what would have happened if the college football playoffs would have invited Notre Dame in.

Brett Favre not only wore number four in the NFL, but he wore it when he played for Southern Miss.

The hall of Famer started his college career wearing number 4A struck with through that his playing career in the NFL.

How about Plaxico Burris?

We know him as a stellar wide receiver for both the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Great super bowl run he had for the Giants, but he was a standout wide receiver for Michigan State and during his playing days where he wore the jersey number four for the Spartans.

Dave Anderson played for Colorado State, a record setting receiver ranking second in CSU history for career receptions and yards.

Those are some tremendous names, but those aren't even some of the biggest names.

We have some numbers that have been retired previously.

He remember he unretired his number to let DeSean Watson where later in the 19 in the new millennium Derek Carr had his number four retired for Fresno State.

He set a school and conference passing records at Fresno and his senior citizen he won the Sammy Bott Trophy and was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year before he went on to a nice NFL career.

Now we have multiple players that are in a College Football hall of Fame that were the number four jersey that we haven't haven't mentioned yet.

So these are some guys that the National Football foundation has recognized as some top stellar athletes.

What a stud he must have been as a basketball player.

He led the Syracuse basketball team to a 487 record over three varsity seasons.

Now we have another Hansen and Jason Hansen, a kicker and punter for the Washington State Cougars.

Now let's go in the wayback machine again.

How about Bert Metzger?

Despite his relatively small stature, which earned him the nickname of Watch Charm Guard, Metzger was an aggressive and highly effective player.

His final two seasons in 29 and 30 saw the Fighting Irish achieve undefeated records and capture two recognized national championships.

He anchored the offensive line known as the seven mules who blocked for the legendary Four Horsemen backfield.

So pretty prestigious honors there for these College Football hall of Famers.

So we could have a first the next time there is a number four that gets it could win it.

And we've had some good ones that we've talked about already, but there's some schools have had some brilliant players playing for them.

How about the University of Alabama who has had stars such as Jerry Judy, Jalen Milro just a couple years ago.

Eddie Jackson, the great safety Mark Baron, another stud safety for the Crimson Tide.

Also a good ground gainer for the Crimson Tide that year.

Notre Dame also had their share number fours.

You know, besides Burt Metzger and Adam Walsh and Jeremiah Love that we've already talked about.

Ohio State is another school that's had some brilliant number four wares.

Herb street led the Buckeyes as a starting quarterback in 92 and became prominent as an ESPN analyst, which we've talked about.

Big first team selections for the Buckeyes.

Great defensive player and Curtis Samuel.

How about running back, wide receiver, All American Big Ten performer known for his versatility and big play this past season.

Highly touted young receiver building a strong legacy in his career.

Where's number four?

During his impactful Buckeyes career, the Miami Hurricanes they have had some true legends to the game, but none, none better than some of these number fours.

Devin Hester, the dynamic all purpose return man and wide receiver.

Set school record for touchdowns in a season four and first team all ACC as a kick returner that same year.

Won some great awards for him.

He also had a son that played for Alabama and for FSU later on.

Rodney Bellinger was a defensive back for the Hurricanes.

Great job by Philip Dorsett and Najee Davenport.

You remember that name from some great times in the NFL for both the Green Bay packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now it's time for us to select out of those great candidates our top five all time number fours in college football history.

We'll start with number five.

We've selected Champ Bailey.

He claimed his piece place among the top five with his versatility and impact on both sides of the ball and took that right into the National Football League.

Delvin Cook edges out the others for the number four spot due to his record breaking performances and game changing ability.

At number three we have Terence Newman.

A dominant in accolades in the back end of the Kansas State secondary earned him the second third spot.

Deshaun Watson comes in as our number one pick, widely considered the best ever.

Led the Tigers to a national championship with incredible stats and clutch performances at that number four spot and you know, brilliant college careers for all those gentlemen.

Hope you like what we had to talk about.

Is there any candidates that we may have missed?

Do you not agree with our top five?

You can go certainly go comments here and on YouTube or on our website pigskindispatch.com or you can email us at gmail pigskindispatchmail.com and we'd love to hear from you about who you think the number fours are and what do you think about our selections.

Until next time everybody have a great, great Iron Day.

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