The Most Notable Players By Jersey Number For USC

The USC Trojans have had plenty of great players throughout the history of USC's football program, so here are some of the top players of all time for the Trojans by jersey number.

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) during the pregame warmup before playing the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Sept. 23, 2023. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In the history of the USC Trojans’ football program, there have been several great players, with many of them carving out sustained success in the NFL as well.

Recently, ESPN ranked the best college football players of all time by jersey number, and that list included several Trojans who made their mark during their college careers.

Aug 30, 1998; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Southern California quarterback Carson Palmer (15) in action against Purdue at the Los Angeles Coliseum. USC defeated 27-17. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Most Notable USC Players By Number

On this list from ESPN, here are the USC players who were deemed one of the best in college football by each jersey number: 

• 3: Quarterback Carson Palmer
• 5: Running Back Reggie Bush
• 11: Quarterback Matt Leinart
• 13: Quarterback Caleb Williams
• 32: Running Back O.J. Simpson
• 33: Running Back Marcus Allen
• 39: Fullback Sam Cunningham
• 42: Safety Ronnie Lott
• 43: Safety Troy Polamalu
• 55: Linebacker Junior Seau
• 71: Offensive Tackle Tony Boselli and Offensive Guard Brad Budde
• 77: Offensive Tackle Anthony Munoz
• 83: Linebacker Richard Wood
• 84: Defensive Tackle Shaun Cody

When taking a step back and looking at this list, it's eye-opening that the Trojans had a total of 15 players included on this list. With the players on this ESPN ranking, it is clear that regardless of the era, it was more likely than not that the Trojans had some of the more talented players in the country.

The USC players who were ranked as the best players for their jersey numbers were quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Caleb Williams, fullback Sam Cunningham, safeties Ronnie Lott and Troy Polamalu, and linebacker Richard Wood.

Jan 2, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) in action during the game between the USC Trojans and the Tulane Green Wave in the 2023 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

All of these players definitely made an impact and are some of the best players to come out of USC. Starting with Palmer and Williams, both quarterbacks won a Heisman Trophy at USC and put the Trojans in a great position to have success throughout their time in Los Angeles. 

In the NFL, Palmer made a name for himself as one of the more reliable quarterbacks for more than a decade, with one of his highlights being during the 2015 season, when he led the Arizona Cardinals to an appearance in the NFC Championship game.

On the other hand, Williams is still forging his NFL legacy after a solid first two seasons in the league, which included leading the Chicago Bears to their first playoff win since 2010 this past season.

Cunningham also found success at USC in addition to the NFL. With the Trojans, Cunningham was a key part of the 1972 championship season with his ability to run the ball down the teeth of the defense. Then, in the 1973 NFL Draft, Cunningham was selected by the New England Patriots, where he played nine NFL seasons, which enabled him to play at the professional level and show that his physical playstyle could translate well.

Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Retired San Francisco 49ers safety Ronnie Lott smiles on the sidelines during the third quarter of the game between Stanford Cardinal and USC Trojans at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

On defense, Lott was one of the most feared defenders while he was at USC and during his time in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. As a safety, Lott showed the ability to make tackles all across the field but also make plays on the ball, which helped him lead the country in interceptions with eight in his final season at USC. Lott also was a key part of the Trojans' national championship in 1978, which showed his ability to step up when USC needed him.

Sep 28, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu (43) drops into pass coverage against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Buccaneers won 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another impressive safety for the Trojans was Polamalu, who was one of the most physical players in all of college football and eventually the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. At USC, Polamalu’s physical playstyle led him to All-America honors in 2001, and after his NFL career was over, he was later selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In the 1970’s, Wood was one of the more accomplished players as he was named an AP All-American for three seasons, helped USC win two national championships, and was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. Following Wood’s impressive college career, he played 10 seasons in the NFL for the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This list of USC players, headlined by Palmer, Williams, Cunningham, Lott, Polamalu, and Wood, is another testament to why the Trojans are one of the premier college football programs in the entire country. It seems that regardless of the era, this USC program has the ability to consistently develop talent and send top-notch players to the NFL.

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