| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Lng | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | DeMarco Murray (23) | 91 | DAL |
| 2010 | Adrian Peterson (25) | 80 | MIN |
| Tim Hightower (24) | 80 | ARI | |
| Jamaal Charles (24) | 80 | KAN | |
| 2009 | Chris Johnson (24) | 91 | TEN |
| 2008 | Le'Ron McClain (24) | 82 | BAL |
| 2007 | Ahmad Bradshaw (21) | 88 | NYG |
| 2006 | Chester Taylor (27) | 95 | MIN |
| 2005 | Tiki Barber (30) | 95 | NYG |
| 2004 | Ahman Green (27) | 90 | GNB |
| 2003 | Ahman Green (26) | 98 | GNB |
| 2002 | Michael Bennett (24) | 85 | MIN |
| 2001 | Corey Dillon (27) | 96 | CIN |
| 2000 | Brian Mitchell (32) | 85 | PHI |
| 1999 | Derrick Alexander (28) | 82 | KAN |
| 1998 | Garrison Hearst (27) | 96 | SFO |
| 1997 | Napoleon Kaufman (24) | 83 | OAK |
| 1996 | Kordell Stewart (24) | 80 | PIT |
| 1995 | Joey Galloway (24) | 86 | SEA |
| 1994 | Herschel Walker (32) | 91 | PHI |
| 1993 | Reggie Brooks (22) | 85 | WAS |
| 1992 | David Lang (25) | 71 | RAM |
| 1991 | Kenneth Davis (29) | 78 | BUF |
| 1990 | Bo Jackson (28) | 88 | RAI |
| 1989 | Bo Jackson (27) | 92 | RAI |
| 1988 | Neal Anderson (24) | 80 | CHI |
| 1987 | Bo Jackson (25) | 91 | RAI |
| 1986 | Herschel Walker (24) | 84 | DAL |
| 1985 | Jessie Clark (25) | 80 | GNB |
| 1984 | Greg Bell (22) | 85 | BUF |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson+ (23) | 85 | RAM |
| 1982 | Tony Dorsett+ (28) | 99 | DAL |
| 1981 | Joe Delaney (23) | 82 | KAN |
| 1980 | Kenny King (23) | 89 | OAK |
| 1979 | Ted McKnight (25) | 84 | KAN |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell+ (23) | 81 | HOU |
| 1977 | Tony Dorsett+ (23) | 84 | DAL |
| 1976 | Delvin Williams (25) | 80 | SFO |
| 1975 | O.J. Simpson+ (28) | 88 | BUF |
| 1974 | Sam Cunningham (24) | 75 | NWE |
| Terry Metcalf (23) | 75 | STL | |
| 1973 | O.J. Simpson+ (26) | 80 | BUF |
| 1972 | O.J. Simpson+ (25) | 94 | BUF |
| 1971 | Essex Johnson (25) | 86 | CIN |
| 1970 | John Fuqua (24) | 85 | PIT |
| 1969 | Jess Phillips (22) | 83 | CIN |
| Clint Jones (24) | 80 | MIN | |
| 1968 | Paul Robinson (24) | 87 | CIN |
| Dick Hoak (29) | 77 | PIT | |
| 1967 | Brad Hubbert (26) | 80 | SDG |
| Dave Osborn (24) | 73 | MIN | |
| Willie Asbury (24) | 73 | PIT | |
| 1966 | Mike Garrett (22) | 77 | KAN |
| Leroy Kelly+ (24) | 70 | CLE | |
| 1965 | Wray Carlton (28) | 80 | BUF |
| Jim Brown+ (29) | 67 | CLE | |
| 1964 | Sid Blanks (24) | 91 | HOU |
| Jim Taylor+ (29) | 84 | GNB | |
| 1963 | Jim Brown+ (27) | 80 | CLE |
| Keith Lincoln (24) | 76 | SDG | |
| 1962 | Keith Lincoln (23) | 86 | SDG |
| Willie Galimore (27) | 77 | CHI | |
| 1961 | Paul Lowe (25) | 87 | SDG |
| Dick Bass (24) | 73 | RAM | |
| 1960 | John Henry Johnson+ (31) | 87 | PIT |
| Jack Larscheid (27) | 87 | OAK | |
| 1959 | Bobby Mitchell+ (24) | 90 | CLE |
| 1958 | John David Crow (23) | 83 | CRD |
| 1957 | Ron Waller (24) | 76 | RAM |
| 1956 | Hugh McElhenny+ (28) | 86 | SFO |
| 1955 | Rick Casares (24) | 81 | CHI |
| 1954 | Billy Wells (23) | 88 | WAS |
| 1953 | Skeet Quinlan (25) | 74 | RAM |
| 1952 | Hugh McElhenny+ (24) | 89 | SFO |
| 1951 | Bob Hoernschemeyer (26) | 85 | DET |
| 1950 | Jim Spavital (24) | 96 | BAL |
| Bob Hoernschemeyer (25) | 96 | DET | |
| 1949 | Bob Gage (21) | 97 | PIT |
| Sherman Howard (25) | 79 | NYY | |
| 1948 | Noah Mullins (30) | 74 | CHI |
| Chet Mutryn (27) | 68 | BUF | |
| 1947 | Kenny Washington (29) | 92 | RAM |
| Bob Hoernschemeyer (22) | 84 | 2TM | |
| 1946 | Tom Harmon (27) | 84 | RAM |
| Marion Motley+ (26) | 76 | CLE | |
| 1945 | Bill Paschal (24) | 77 | NYG |
| 1944 | Bob Davis (30) | 80 | BOS |
| 1943 | Dante Magnani (26) | 79 | CHI |
| 1942 | Lloyd Cardwell (29) | 80 | DET |
| 1941 | George McAfee+ (23) | 70 | CHI |
| 1940 | Banks McFadden (23) | 75 | BKN |
| 1939 | Andy Uram (24) | 97 | GNB |
| 1938 | Whizzer White (21) | 79 | PIT |
| 1937 | Cliff Battles+ (27) | 75 | WAS |
| 1936 | Ike Peterson (27) | 84 | DET |
| 1935 | Al Arndt (24) | 21 | PIT |
| 1934 | Beattie Feathers (26) | 82 | CHI |
| 1933 | Rabbit Weller (29) | 50 | BOS |
| 1932 | Bill Hewitt+ (23) | 29 | CHI |