USC Trojans' Reggie Bush Most Dynamic College Football Player In Past 25 Years?

Former USC Trojans running back Reggie Bush, a Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick is widely considered one of the greatest college football players of all time. To some, he’s the greatest of all time. Regardless of where fans stack him up as a position player, the one thing that isn’t debatable is the moments he created and the legend that grew from watching him play. 

His incredible elusiveness and ability on the field inspired a generation of his peers and the youth alike. Reggie Bush is an icon and one of the most electrifying players to ever grace the gridiron. In a CBS Sports list ranking the most dynamic players of the past 25 years, Bush was ranked No. 1, beating out players such as quarterbacks like Auburn’s Cam Newton, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel, and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson. 

“As much of a winner as he was an unstoppable threat, Bush was a two-time national champion, an All-American, and Pac-10 Player of the Year as Pete Carroll and Matt Leinart's ultimate go-to weapon. He rushed for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior to complement his numbers as a receiving threat. Bush scored four times on special teams with the Trojans, and nearly all of his career trips to the end zone were showstoppers. His stop-and-go play against Fresno State became an eventual video game move,” CBS writer Brad Crawford said. 

Much has been made of Bush’s relationship with the NCAA and USC post playing career, as he was very publicly stripped of his Heisman Trophy and other accolades for the alleged receiving of improper benefits during his time as a Trojan, but all has been made well as his Heisman Trophy has been reinstated as well as a slew of honors that he once lost. The most dynamic player of the last 25 years spoke on those trials. 

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“Once I got the trophy back, it was the first time my kids actually saw the trophy. So that was the best part for me, being able to show that to my kids for the first time, and be able to share in that experience with my wife and my family for the first time, which they all had not seen before,” Reggie Bush said in an interview with KTLA 5. “That was the best part for me.”

Bush’s legacy is long-lasting as he’s still a reference to the younger generation and often the subject of many offseason lists and debates such as these. Bush is also still incredibly present on platforms such as YouTube, where his highlight tapes still rake in millions of hits per year. Through all the drama off the field, Bush’s legacy on the field is untouchable to the masses, and that won’t change any time soon. 

"Arguably the most electrifying player in college football history, Bush helped the Trojans win national titles in his first two seasons and then won the Heisman in his third. In 2005, he averaged 223 all-purpose yards per game, including a memorable Saturday night when he went for 513 against Fresno State. His knack for game-changing plays was uncanny," wrote The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. 

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