Former Tar Heel Regarded as College Football All-Time Great

Here is a look at which player from North Carolina's program ranked inside the top 50 players in CFB history.

Oct 30, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; A detail view of a North Carolina Tar Heels football helmet during warmups before the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Right now, there is a bit of a lull as we await the North Carolina Tar Heels' training camp kick-off next month ahead of a monumental season in Chapel Hill.

With this stretch of voided time, Sports Illustrated released its top 50 college football players of all-time list over the weekend. You have some of the obvious names on this list, but we are going to focus on which player(s) from North Carolina's program made the cut. Just a heads up, there is only one former Tar Heel player ranked inside the 50. Here is a look at who it is.

No. 36 Doc Blanchard - RB, LB, K, P

• "The 'Mr. Inside' to Army teammate Glenn Davis’s 'Mr. Outside,' Felix 'Doc' Blanchard was also Mr. Do-It-All for the Black Knights during his three seasons at West Point, in which the program went 27-0-1 with three national titles," SI Staff wrote. "Punter, placekicker and linebacker were among Blanchard’s many duties on the football field, but his best work came as a fullback in 1945, when he rushed for 722 yards and 16 touchdowns while winning the Heisman Trophy."

• "Blanchard then eschewed an NFL career for the military, flying 113 missions during the Vietnam War. Earlier in his military career, he earned an Air Force commendation for bravery after he successfully landed a burning aircraft, preventing it from crashing into a village during a flight to a U.S. base outside of London."

Main Takeaways

Dec 28, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels helmet lays on the field prior to the start of the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It goes without saying that Blanchard is one of the most fascinating players included on this list, as he played four positions, showing his versatility and broad skill set. Obviously, you no longer see that in modern football, and the closest case in the league today is the Jacksonville Jaguars' Travis Hunter, who plays both wide receiver and cornerback.

The fact that Blanchard contributed in so many ways on the football field and was a catalyst for his team's successes is astounding. Not to mention, he flew over 100 missions during the Vietnam War, demonstrating the sacrifices he made for the country off the field.

Blanchard's profile won't catch many people's attention, but there is a reason he was ranked among the top 40 college football players of all time. These rankings highlight players who some may have forgotten or were unaware of when they played. Blanchard being ranked this high shows how impactful he was for college football.

Now, Blanchard only played on North Carolina's freshman team before enlisting in the US Army and later playing at West Point. However, he began his career in Chapel Hill.