2017 first-round NFL draft pick Christian McCaffrey played college football at Stanford.
McCaffrey joined Stanford in 2014 and quickly became one of the most dynamic players in college football. Used as a running back, receiver, returner, and occasional passer, he became especially famous for producing yards in almost every phase of the game rather than relying only on rushing attempts.
His breakout season came in 2015, when he set the NCAA single-season all-purpose-yardage record with 3,864 yards. He won the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year award and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. Stanford reached the Rose Bowl that season, where McCaffrey was named Offensive Player of the Game after a standout performance against Iowa.
McCaffrey left Stanford after the 2016 season and entered the 2017 NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers selected him eighth overall. His college career is also part of a family football connection: his father, Ed McCaffrey, played at Stanford before a long NFL career as a wide receiver.