Every young man in the Colorado State University Rams football program dreams of playing in the National Football League (NFL). Since 1943, NFL teams have drafted over 100 CSU Rams to their rosters, including Gary Glick, who remains the only defensive back to be selected first overall in the NFL Draft (1956). The following five former Rams are among the most famous in the program’s history, each revered by supporters to this day.

Jack Christiansen

Anyone who knows about CSU football knows Jack Christiansen had to be featured in this article. The word legend is banded around in football circles too freely, but Christiansen is worthy of such an accolade. Having been raised as an orphan at the Odd Fellows Orphanage, Christiansen attended Colorado A&M, where he excelled as a sportsman, graduating in 1951.

Christiansen played professional football long before the best Colorado online sports betting apps were developed. He made his NFL debut in 1951, having been drafted 69th overall by the Detroit Lions. During his illustrious career, he became a three-time NFL champion, six-time First-Team All-Pro, and led the NFL in interceptions twice before turning his hand to coaching.

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame inducted Christiansen in 1967, with the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducting him in 1970. Following his sad passing in June 1986 at the age of only 57, the Colorado State University Hall of Fame posthumously inducted Christiansen in 1988.

Joey Porter

Joey Porter began his CSU Rams career as an H-back before switching to a linebacker during his junior year. The positional switch went amazingly well, with Porter recording 22 career sacks in two seasons, including a school single-season record-tying 15 sacks for 63 yards lost during his senior season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Porter 73rd overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He spent eight seasons with the Steelers, including winning the Super Bowl in 2005. After spells with the Miami Dolphins and the Arizona Cardinals, Porter signed a one-day contract with the Steelers in August 2012 to retire as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Porter recorded 689 tackles (516 solo), 98 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, and 12 interceptions over 188 games. He returned to CSU in 2013 as part of the Rams’ coaching staff.

Michael Gallup

Michael Gallup initially played college football for Butler Community College before transferring to CSU in 2016. He finished his CSU career with 2,690 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns across 26 games and is still the only CSU player to catch three or more touchdowns in a single game three times.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Gallup as the 81st overall pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He ended his rookie season with 507 yards and two touchdowns from 33 receptions.

Gallup kicked on in the 2019 season, scoring six receiving touchdowns and 1,107 yards from 66 receptions, all career-highs. Just as he was cementing his place in the Cowboys’ starting line-up, Gallup missed eight games with a calf injury before tearing his ACL during the final game of the 2021 season.

Gallup recovered from his ACL tear and signed a five-year, $62.5 million extension with the Cowboys, but he struggled to recapture the form he enjoyed before his knee injury. In April 2024, Gallup put pen to paper on a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he announced his retirement from professional football less than two months later.

His story shows that footballers must make the most of their careers because you never know what lies around the corner.

Shaquil Barrett

Shaquil Barrett made himself eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft after an impressive CSU career that saw him record 246 tackles, 18 sacks, 32.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions in 35 starts for the Rams. After being named Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, Barrett had every right to enter the NFL Draft full of confidence. However, Barrett went undrafted.

The Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers approached Barrett as an undrafted free agent, with Barrett opting to sign with the Broncos. Although he did not play a single minute as a rookie, Barrett was part of the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning team in 2015. After struggling to force his way into the Broncos’ starting line-up, Barrett joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2019.

Barrett became a starting linebacker for the Bucs and won his second Super Bowl ring during his second season in Tampa. Disaster struck in 2022 when Barrett tore his Achilles tendon during Week 8. He recovered and started 16 games in 2023, but the Buccaneers released him during the postseason. He signed with the Miami Dolphins five days later but called time on his NFL career in July, citing he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Garrett Grayson

Every football fan knows there is a massive jump in skills from collegiate football to the NFL. Some players navigate that chasm with relative ease, others not so much. Take Garrett Grayson as an example. Grayson finished a four-year stint with CSU with almost every passing record to his name, including an impressive 9,190 yards. The New Orleans Saints selected Garrett as the 75th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, with sources stating he would become heir apparent to Drew Brees.

Unfortunately, despite his impressive college numbers, professional football didn’t work out for Grayson. The Saints waived him in 2017, and Grayson joined the Atlanta Falcons, but he was waived again 11 months later. He then signed for the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) but left to sign for the Denver Broncos before the season started. The Bronco waived Grayson seven months later, and he stepped away from professional football in August 2019 despite apparent interest from the Atlanta Falcons.

Grayson is a legendary CSU quarterback, but his story shows the importance of studying hard for a life away from football because, sometimes, things do not click into place as you may have expected them to.