Number two
These players were compiled based on contributions to ASU while also taking statistics and success at the next level into account. One player will be released until the start of the season. It is also important to note that this list is completely subjective.
No. 10 Brock Osweiler
No. 9 Randall McDaniel
No. 8 Charley Taylor
No. 7 John Jefferson
No. 6 Darren Woodson
No. 5 Danny White
No. 4 Mike Haynes
No. 3 Terrell Suggs
And on to the final two…
No. 2: Jake Plummer
Jake “The Snake” Plummer is the best quarterback Arizona State has seen. His immaculate campaign began when he was named starter his freshman year, and the rest is history. In 1993, Plummer tossed 199 times for 1,650 yards off 102 completions with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. In 1994, Plummer surpassed 2,000 yards passing and 15 scores.
However, in his junior year, Plummer began to build a dedicated and beloved fan base due to his ability to come in the clutch, including wins against No. 10 Oregon and No. 22 UCLA. Despite this, the Devils finished 6-5 and finished seventh in the Pac-10 conference and faced a crushing loss to the top-ranked Cornhuskers, 77-28, which included a long touchdown pass from Nebraska late in the game.
During Plummers senior season, he led the Devils to an 11-1 season record highlighted by an astounding 19-0 beating over the No. 1 ranked, two-time defending national champions Nebraska Cornhuskers. That game snapped Nebraska’s 26-game win streak while also earning pay back for the previous season’s thrashing.
Plummer led the Devils to the Rose Bowl where ASU fell short to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 20-17. The loss was Arizona State’s only loss of the season and had the Devil’s won, they would have been the only 12-0 team in college football during 1996.
Arizona State finished the season No. 4 in the AP polls and top of the Pac-10 conference.
After entering the 1997 draft, Plummer was selected 42nd overall in the second round by the hometown Arizona Cardinals. However, Plummer did not see any action until late in the fourth quarter in week seven where he led a 98-yard scoring drive against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cardinals lost the matchup, 13-10, but Plummer showed a glimpse of his college days and what the future could hold for him as the franchise guy.
In fact, Plummer led Arizona to three of its four wins in 1997.
In 1998, the Cardinals drafted fellow Sun Devil Pat Tillman and the pair led the Cardinals to a 9-7 record, which included a playoff berth and win over the Dallas Cowboys. Earlier that season, Plummer threw for 465 and three scores against Dallas, then upset Dallas again in the post season, earning Arizona its first playoff win since 1947. Arizona eventually fell to Minnesota in the second round.
Plummer, who was already hailed a hometown hero from his time at ASU, showed promising signs in his rookie year, but his production dropped the following season. He went 3-8 as a starter and threw only nine touchdowns to his 24 interceptions.
Looking to get back on track, Plummer returned for the 2000 season and improved his game. He threw for 3,653 yards with 18 scores and 14 interceptions. He also led the league in yards in the fourth quarter with 1,227, and the Cardinals went 7-9. His last season with the Cardinals was in 2002 when he threw for 2,972 yards with 18 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Plummer moved to Denver and played for the Broncos from 2003-2006. In his first season in Denver, Plummer led the Broncos to a playoff berth were they were beaten 41-10 by the Indianapolis Colts. 2004 proved to be another fickle year for the now veteran as he threw for 499 yards and four scores against the Atlanta Falcons one game, but also led the league in interceptions with 20.
In 2005, Plummer helped the Broncos secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC behind a 13-3 record. He managed to snap the New England Patriots 11-game post season win streak and advance to the AFC Championship. The Broncos ultimately fell to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. He was responsible for four turnovers in that match.
His fickle performance carried into 2006 before he was benched for rookie quarterback Jay Cutler. The move to bench him was controversial as he led the Broncos to the AFC Championship just a season ago. However, he remained and was eventually traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March of 2007.
Plummer was a Buccaneer for six days before retiring.
Also in 2007, Plummer was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame.
His college resume includes third in career passing yards with 8,827, fourth in touchdown passes (65), and fifth in completions (632) and with yards of total offense (8,711). He also set a Sun Devil record of 34 games of either throwing or rushing for a touchdown.
In 2019, Plummer was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame.
He finished his pro career with 29,253 yards, a 161-161 touchdown to interception split, and a single Pro Bowl bid in 2005.