There will always be endless debates over who are the greatest Nebraska football players of all time, so HuskerOnline.com decided to let our members settle it for themselves.
By voting for the top Huskers at each position, we will assemble our very own All-RSS Team. Today we look at the final voting results for the fullbacks.
1. Cory Schlesinger - 785 votes (28.1%)
Cory Schlesinger became a fixture in Nebraska football lore after coming up with two of the most iconic plays in program history.
His two fourth quarter touchdown runs to help defeat Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl, giving NU its first national championship since 1971.
His career numbers were a bit more modest compared to other great Husker fullbacks, but he did rank second on the team with 456 yards on 7.2 yards per carry during that 1994 championship run.
Schlesinger went on to have a long and successful NFL career after leaving Nebraska, as he was a sixth-round draft pick and played all 12 of his professional seasons with the Detroit Lions.
Schlesinger was a Pro Bowl alternate selection for three straight seasons from 2001-03.
2. Tom Rathman - 754 votes (27.0%)
After posting one of the most productive careers by a fullback in Nebraska history, Tom Rathman's career had only just gotten started when he was eventually drafted by the San Francisco 49ers following his All-Big Eight season in 1985.
Having rushed for 1,425 career yards and 12 touchdowns as a Husker (including a fullback-record 881 yards on 7.5 yards per carry in '85), Rathman became a lynchpin in the 49ers famed West Coast offense.
Helping pave the way for former Husker running back Roger Craig, Rathman was a part of two Super Bowl teams in San Francisco during a nine-year NFL career.
Regarded as one of the best fullbacks in Nebraska history, Rathman only lost a total of four yards on 220 career carries as a Husker.
3. Joel Makovicka - 629 votes (22.5%)
One of the later pieces in an impressive line of Nebraska fullbacks during the 1990s, Joel Makovicka was front and center for one of the most successful team runs in college football history.
He holds the rare claim of being a part of three national championship teams (he was a redshirt during the 1994 title).
Eventually taking over for his brother, Jeff, as the Huskers' starting fullback from 1996-97, Makovicka rushed for 1,447 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, including 685 yards as a senior in '97.
He went on to be a fourth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals and played four seasons in the NFL.
