We are ranking the Top 10 All-Time Best NFL Offensive Players from Texas high school football. This list is based solely on each player’s NFL career — MVPs, total stats, All-Pro teams, Super Bowl wins, and Pro Bowl selections.
Landing at #3 (Tie with Adrian Peterson) is Eric Dickerson, a Sealy, Texas native who combined breathtaking speed, power, and consistency to dominate the NFL throughout the 1980s.
Early Life and High School Career
Born Eric Demetric Dickerson in Sealy, Texas, Dickerson displayed elite athleticism early on. At Sealy High School, he was an unstoppable force at running back, rushing for over 2,600 yards his senior year. His combination of size, sprinter’s speed, and vision made him one of the most highly recruited players in Texas history.
Although initially committed to Texas A&M, Dickerson ultimately chose to stay closer to home at Southern Methodist University (SMU) after family influence and a recruiting saga that became the stuff of legend.
College Career at SMU
At SMU, Dickerson helped transform the Mustangs into a national power. Sharing carries with Craig James in the famed “Pony Express” backfield, he still managed to set Southwest Conference records for career rushing yards (4,450) and touchdowns (48).
In 1982, Dickerson earned unanimous All-American honors after rushing for 1,617 yards and 17 touchdowns. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Herschel Walker and John Elway, cementing his place among college football’s elite.
His dominance at SMU led to his #2 overall selection by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1983 NFL Draft.
NFL Career and Achievements
Dickerson’s NFL career began with a bang and never slowed down:
-
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1983)
-
NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1986)
-
5× First-Team All-Pro (1983, 1984, 1986–1988)
-
6× Pro Bowl Selection
-
4× NFL Rushing Leader (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988)
As a rookie, Dickerson set NFL records for rushing yards (1,808) and rushing touchdowns (18). In just his second season, he broke O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record with an astonishing 2,105 yards — a record that still stands nearly 40 years later, despite the league expanding to 17 games in 2021.
He wasn’t just a regular season monster. In the 1985 playoffs, he rushed for 248 yards against Dallas, setting the NFL record for most rushing yards in a playoff game — a record that also still stands.
Throughout the mid-1980s, Dickerson was the premier back in football. From 1983 to 1988, he consistently dominated defenses, leading the NFL in rushing four times.
By contrast, LaDainian Tomlinson — ranked just behind him at #4 — led the league twice. Although Tomlinson earned a league MVP award, Dickerson was often considered the rightful MVP in both 1983 and 1986, when he led the NFL in rushing and carried his teams into the playoffs.
After leaving the Rams in a blockbuster trade, Dickerson continued his excellence with the Indianapolis Colts, where he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 rushing yards, doing so in just 91 games.
Dickerson retired with:
-
13,259 rushing yards (second-most all-time when he retired)
-
90 rushing touchdowns
-
2,137 receiving yards
-
6 receiving touchdowns
Legacy
Eric Dickerson’s impact on the game was immediate and lasting:
-
Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (1999)
-
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
-
NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
-
Los Angeles Rams No. 29 retired
-
Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor
-
College Football Hall of Fame inductee (2020)
His signature look — prescription goggles, upright running style, and explosive acceleration — made him one of the most recognizable players of his era.
Even today, no player has been able to surpass his 2,105 rushing yards in a season, despite 17-game schedules and an increased emphasis on running backs in some offenses. His playoff rushing record of 248 yards remains untouched as well.
Dickerson was simply the most dominant running back in football for a five-year stretch — a sustained peak few backs have matched.
For his unmatched production, record-breaking seasons, and sustained excellence at the highest level, Eric Dickerson claims the #3 (Tie) spot among the greatest offensive players from Texas high school football.
Key Highlights:
-
Most rushing yards in a single NFL season (2,105)
-
Most rushing yards in a playoff game (248)
-
4× NFL Rushing Leader
-
Fastest player to 10,000 rushing yards
