Ricky Williams: Running Back from San Diego
When it comes to top recruits in Texas history of any time period, it is hard to not list Ricky Williams. He became the all-time leading rusher in NCAA history only to watch his record broken a year later by Ron Dayne of Wisconsin.
When it comes to rushing records at the University of Texas, more often than not Williams owns it. He is the all-time leading rusher in yards (6,279) and touchdowns (72). There hasn’t been a running back of his caliber at Texas since his time ended in 1998. That year he became the second-ever Longhorn to bring home the Heisman Memorial Trophy as the top player in college football.
Williams was a top-five back in the 1995 recruiting class. In 1994, he was named the San Diego Union-Tribune’s player of the year. He was also a highly touted baseball prospect who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth round. He played four years of minor league baseball but opted to chase his NFL dreams.