Top 50 Greatest Cyclone Football Players: 25-21

Running backs are the theme of the week as we move along with our Top 50 Greatest Cyclone Football Players of All Time list. A trio of some of the best running backs Iowa State has seen make their debut on the list, all who contributed to big time wins for Iowa State over the years, including one of the few wins that Iowa State has been able to come by in Norman, Oklahoma. We’re just five weeks away from the first game of the 2019 season, so let’s dive right into the next five on the Top 50 Greatest Cyclones Football Players.

25. Blaise Bryant (1989-1990)

Blaise Bryant not only was a great running back, but he may have had the best hair in all of college football during the late 1980’s, as he described it in our interview “a flat top and a mullet.” Bryant was named an All-American after his junior season, and is currently third all-time in Iowa State history in total touchdowns with 32, and career rushing touchdowns with 31. After his highly-successful junior campaign, Blaise set the bar even higher, as he finished his senior season with 1,516 yards rushing, and helped propel Iowa State to a victory over Oklahoma in Norman.

24. Chris Washington (1980-1983)

Many to this day rank Chris Washington as one of the most vicious defensive players in all of Iowa State football history. All Washington did during his time at Iowa State was bring down ball carrier after ball carrier on his way to 457 career tackles.

During his junior season, Washington and fellow defensive teammates Chris Boskey and Shamus McDonough helped make Iowa State one of the most dominant defenses in the country. The Cyclones allowed just 289.7 yards per game in total defense, ranking 12th nationally. Washington led the team in tackles that season with 147. During his final season in Ames, he finished the season with 134 tackles, earning all-Big Eight honors for the second consecutive year.

23. Ed Bock (1936-1938)

Ed Bock played a total of 26 games in his Cyclone gear on both offensive line and defensive lines, often for all 60 minutes of the game. In both 1937 and 1938, Bock would be honored as an All-Big Six player.

After being named Iowa State’s first consensus All-American in 1938, the Fort Dodge-native played in a few postseason all-star games, and including an outstanding defensive play in West’s 14-0 victory in the East-West Shrine Game.

In the Chicago Tribune College All-Star Game against the NFL’s New York Giants in August 1939, Bock wasn’t named to the starting lineup, even though the coaches found him to be the best guard. He sprained his ankle during the game, but Bock’s play was by far the best for the Collegiate All-Stars. He even tackled (1978 Pro Hall of Famer) Tuffy Leemans for a three yard loss.

The future Monsanto CEO was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 1970.

22. Ennis Haywood (1998-2001)

Ennis Haywood would play a limited role in his first two seasons, but burst onto the scene during his junior season. Haywood would lead the Big 12 in rushing for two straight seasons starting with the 2000 season, rushing for 1,237 yards and 8 touchdowns during his junior season, and 1,169 yards and 14 touchdowns during his senior season. Haywood would help propel Iowa State to back-to-back bowl game appearances, including their first ever bowl win at the 2000 Insight.com Bowl. Haywood ranks 7th all-time in career rushing yards for Iowa State with 2,862 yards, right behind David Montgomery. Haywood passed away suddenly in 2003 shortly after making the Dallas Cowboys roster.

21. Darren Davis (1996-1998)

Nobody in Cyclone history carried the rock more times than Darren Davis, finishing his career with a whopping 823 carries, which also puts him at 91st in NCAA history. He finished his Cyclone career second all-time in rushing and all-purpose yardage behind his brother, Cyclone legend Troy Davis, at 3,763 rushing yards and 5,008 all-purpose yards, respectively. As a sophomore, Davis rushed for a career-high 261 yards in a loss against Kansas. In his senior season, Davis led the Big 12 in rushing with 1,338 yards. and was named first team All-Big 12. He also ranks seventh on the all-time Iowa State career rushing touchdown list with 26.

After Iowa State, Davis would go on to play five seasons in the Canadian Football League.

Top 50 Greatest Cyclone Football Players of All Time recap:

50-46

50. David Hoppmann

49. Jim Doran

48. Brent Curvey

47. Tim Dobbins

46. Jason Berryman

45-41

45. Mike Busch

44. Jack Trice

43. LaMarcus Hicks

42. JaQuan Bailey

41. Tom Randall

40-36

40. Stevie Hicks

39. Alvin “Ace” Bowen

38. Nik Moser

37. Alexander Robinson

36. Ray Lima

35-31

35. J.J. Moses

34. Tracey Henderson

33. David Archer

32. E.J. Bibbs

31. Cole Netten

30-26

30. Austen Arnaud

29. Brian Peavy

28. Leonard Johnson

27. Ben Bruns

26. Luther Blue