| Year | Name | School | Position |
| 2021 | Alex Leatherwood | Alabama | OT |
| 2020 | Henry Ruggs | Alabama | WR |
| 2019 | Clelin Ferrell | Clemson | DE |
| 2018 | Kolton Miller | UCLA | OT |
| 2017 | Gareon Conley | Ohio State | CB |
| 2016 | Karl Joseph | West Virginia | S |
| 2015 | Amari Cooper | Alabama | WR |
| 2014 | Khalil Mack | Buffalo | OLB |
| 2013 | D.J. Hayden | Houton | CB |
| 2012 | Tony Bergstrom | Utah | G |
| 2011 | Stefen Wisniewski | Penn State | C |
| 2010 | Rolando McClain | Alabama | LB |
| 2009 | Darius Heyward-Bey | Maryland | WR |
| 2008 | Darren McFadden | Arkansas | RB |
| 2007 | JaMarcus Russell | LSU | QB |
| 2006 | Michael Huff | Texas | S |
| 2005 | Fabian Washington | Nebraska | CB |
| 2004 | Robert Gallery | Iowa | T |
| 2003 | Nnamdi Asomugha | California | CB |
| 2002 | Phillip Buchannon | Miami | CB |
| 2001 | Derrick Gibson | Florida State | S |
| 2000 | Sebastion Janikowski | Florida State | K |
| 1999 | Matt Stinchcomb | Georgia | T |
| 1998 | Charles Woodson | Michigan | CB |
| 1997 | Darrell Russell | USC | DT |
| 1996 | Rickey Dudley | Ohio State | TE |
| 1995 | Napoleon Kaufman | Washington | RB |
| 1994 | Rob Fredrickson | Michigan State | LB |
| 1993 | Patrick Bates | Texas A and M | DB |
| 1992 | Chester McGlockton | Clemson | DE |
| 1991 | Todd Marinovich | USC | QB |
| 1990 | Anthony Smith | Arizona | DE |
| 1989 | Steve Wisniewski | Penn State | G |
| 1988 | Tim Brown | Notre Dame | WR |
| 1987 | John Clay | Missouri | T |
| 1986 | Bob Buczkowski | Pittsburgh | DE |
| 1985 | Jessie Hester | Florida State | WR |
| 1984 | Sean Jones | Northeastern | DE |
| 1983 | Don Mosebar | USC | T |
| 1982 | Marcus Allen | USC | RB |
| 1981 | Ted Watts | Texas Tech | DB |
| 1980 | Marc Wilson | Brigham Young | QB |
| 1979 | Willie Jones | Florida State | DE |
| 1978 | Dave Browning | Washington | DE |
| 1977 | Mike Davis | Colorado | DB |
| 1976 | Charles Philyaw | Texas Southern | DT |
| 1975 | Neal Colzie | Ohio State | DB |
| 1974 | Henry Lawrence | Florida A and M | T |
| 1973 | Ray Guy | South Mississippi | P |
| 1972 | Mike Siani | Villanova | WR |
| 1971 | Jack Tatum | Ohio State | S |
| 1970 | Raymond Chester | Morgan State | TE |
| 1969 | Art Thomas | Syracuse | DT |
| 1968 | Eldridge Dickey | Tennessee State | QB |
| 1967 | Gene Upshaw | Texas A and I | G |
| 1966 | Rodger Bird | Kentucky | HB |
| 1965 | Harry Schuh | Memphis State | T |
| 1964 | Tony Lorick | Arizona State | HB |
| 1963 | Butch Wilson | Alabama | HB |
| 1962 | Roman Gabriel | North Carolina State | QB |
| 1961 | Joe Rutgens | Illinois | DT |
| 1960 | Dale Hackbart | Wisconsin | CB |
