16 NFL greats who never won the Heisman Trophy

The Heisman Trophy is a lot like 'American Idol': Sometimes you're better off being one of the runners-up. Right, Jennifer Hudson?

By Jonathan Anker

updated 12:20 PM EST, Mon December 10, 2012

On Saturday night, the Heisman Trophy was awarded to college football's best player -- Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Football, er, Manziel. The Aggie freshman beat out Kansas State's Collin Klein and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o for the award.

Manziel receives a rugged, iconic trophy and a place in college football history. The losers? Well, they very well may get an absurdly spectacular NFL career.

As the names and faces in the gallery above prove, the sting of losing the Heisman may only be a temporary inconvenience on the road to pro football greatness.

Follow Jonathan Anker on Twitter @JonFromHLN

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