Texas A&M football: 30 greatest players of all-time
By Jeff Shull
Stats – N/A
Accolades – All-American in 1956 and 1957, Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Team signature moment – Winning the 1956 Southwest Conference Championship, finished Top 5 in the polls.
Charlie Krueger might be the toughest guy on this list. He was a defensive lineman during the Paul “Bear” Bryant days at Texas A&M, though he luckily avoided the famous Junction training due to him being a freshman that year. Still, he was part of those mid-1950s teams that knocked the crap out of teams regularly and it started up front.
Krueger and the Junction Boys won the 1956 Southwest Conference Championship, but were not allowed to play in a bowl game. It fueled them for the 1957 season in which they allowed just 50 points in 11 games.
Krueger was a two-time All-American and co-captain of the 1957 team with Heisman Trophy winner John David Crow. They would finish in the Top 10 after both the 1956 and 1957 seasons.
The Caldwell, Texas native went on to be the No. 8 overall pick in the 1958 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played 16 seasons and was selected to the All-Pro team three times and the Pro Bowl twice. He is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his number is retired by the 49ers.