 |
|
 |
| SEASON | PLAYER | POSITION | COLLEGE |
| 2024 | Travis Hunter | WR/CB | Colorado |
| 2023 | Jayden Daniels | QB | LSU |
| 2022 | Caleb Williams | QB | USC |
| 2021 | Bryce Young | QB | Alabama |
| 2020 | DeVonta Smith | WR | Alabama |
| 2019 | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU |
| 2018 | Kyler Murray | QB | Oklahoma |
| 2017 | Baker Mayfield | QB | Oklahoma |
| 2016 | Lamar Jackson | QB | Louisville |
| 2015 | Derrick Henry | RB | Alabama |
| 2014 | Marcus Mariota | QB | Oregon |
| 2013 | Jameis Winston | QB | Florida St |
| 2012 | Johnny Manziel | QB | Texas A&M |
| 2011 | Robert Griffin III | QB | Baylor |
| 2010 | Cam Newton | QB | Auburn |
| 2009 | Mark Ingram | RB | Alabama |
| 2008 | Sam Bradford | QB | Oklahoma |
| 2007 | Tim Tebow | QB | Florida |
| 2006 | Troy Smith | QB | Ohio St |
| 2005 | Reggie Bush (vacated) | RB | USC |
| 2004 | Matt Leinart | QB | USC |
| 2003 | Jason White | QB | Oklahoma |
| 2002 | Carson Palmer | QB | USC |
| 2001 | Eric Crouch | QB | Nebraska |
| 2000 | Chris Weinke | QB | Florida St |
| 1999 | Ron Dayne | RB | Wisconsin |
| 1998 | Ricky Williams | RB | Texas |
| 1997 | Charles Woodson | DB-WR | Michigan |
| 1996 | Danny Wuerffel | QB | Florida |
| 1995 | Eddie George | RB | Ohio St |
| 1994 | Rashan Salaam | RB | Colorado |
| 1993 | Charlie Ward | QB | Florida St |
| 1992 | Gino Torretta | QB | Miami-FL |
| 1991 | Desmond Howard | WR | Michigan |
| 1990 | Ty Detmer | QB | BYU |
| 1989 | Andre Ware | QB | Houston |
| 1988 | Barry Sanders | RB | Oklahoma St |
| 1987 | Tim Brown | WR | Notre Dame |
| 1986 | Vinny Testaverde | QB | Miami-FL |
| 1985 | Bo Jackson | RB | Auburn |
| 1984 | Doug Flutie | QB | Boston College |
| 1983 | Mike Rozier | RB | Nebraska |
| 1982 | Herschel Walker | RB | Georgia |
| 1981 | Marcus Allen | RB | USC |
| 1980 | George Rogers | RB | South Carolina |
| 1979 | Charles White | RB | USC |
| 1978 | Billy Sims | RB | Oklahoma |
| 1977 | Earl Campbell | RB | Texas |
| 1976 | Tony Dorsett | RB | Pittsburgh |
| 1975 | Archie Griffin | RB | Ohio St |
| 1974 | Archie Griffin | RB | Ohio St |
| 1973 | John Cappelletti | RB | Penn St |
| 1972 | Johnny Rodgers | WR | Nebraska |
| 1971 | Pat Sullivan | QB | Auburn |
| 1970 | Jim Plunkett | QB | Stanford |
| 1969 | Steve Owens | HB | Oklahoma |
| 1968 | O.J. Simpson | HB | USC |
| 1967 | Gary Beban | QB | UCLA |
| 1966 | Steve Spurrier | QB | Florida |
| 1965 | Mike Garrett | HB | USC |
| 1964 | John Huarte | QB | Notre Dame |
| 1963 | Roger Staubach | QB | Navy |
| 1962 | Terry Baker | QB | Oregon St |
| 1961 | Ernie Davis | HB | Syracuse |
| 1960 | Joe Bellino | HB | Navy |
| 1959 | Billy Cannon | HB | LSU |
| 1958 | Pete Dawkins | HB | Army |
| 1957 | John David Crow | HB | Texas A&M |
| 1956 | Paul Hornung | QB | Notre Dame |
| 1955 | Howard Cassady | HB | Ohio St |
| 1954 | Alan Ameche | FB | Wisconsin |
| 1953 | Johnny Lattner | HB | Notre Dame |
| 1952 | Billy Vessels | HB | Oklahoma |
| 1951 | Dick Kazmaier | HB | Princeton |
| 1950 | Vic Janowicz | HB | Ohio St |
| 1949 | Leon Hart | E | Notre Dame |
| 1948 | Doak Walker | HB | SMU |
| 1947 | Johnny Lujack | QB | Notre Dame |
| 1946 | Glenn Davis | HB | Army |
| 1945 | Doc Blanchard | FB | Army |
| 1944 | Les Horvath | QB-HB | Ohio St |
| 1943 | Angelo Bertelli | QB | Notre Dame |
| 1942 | Frank Sinkwich | HB | Georgia |
| 1941 | Bruce Smith | HB | Minnesota |
| 1940 | Tom Harmon | HB | Michigan |
| 1939 | Nile Kinnick | HB | Iowa |
| 1938 | Davey O'Brien | QB | TCU |
| 1937 | Clint Frank | HB | Yale |
| 1936 | Larry Kelley | E | Yale |
| 1935 | Jay Berwanger | HB | Chicago |