- George Bork was the first NCAA quarterback to surpass 3,000 passing yards.
- Garrett Wolfe is the NIU all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing scores.
- Sutton Smith was the MAC MVP in 2018.
The Northern Illinois Huskies are currently part of the Mid-American Conference, but in 2026, they’ll move to the Mountain West.
With that move and before it, football betting on the Huskies’ college football odds will be available at the BetMGM online sportsbook.
Below, we’ll examine the top five players in Northern Illinois history.
5 Best Northern Illinois Huskies Football Players, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Position | Huskies Years |
| 1 | George Bork | QB | 1960-1963 |
| 2 | Garrett Wolfe | RB | 2004-2006 |
| 3 | Sutton Smith | LB/DE | 2015-2018 |
| 4 | Chandler Harnish | QB | 2007-2011 |
| 5 | Larry English | DE/LB | 2005-2008 |
Northern Illinois Huskies All-Time Greatest Football Players
1. George Bork
Bork played quarterback for Northern Illinois from 1960 to 1963.
While there, he became the first college football quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards.
He finished his career with 6,782 yards (second in program history) and 60 passing touchdowns (second). He holds the Northern Illinois single-season and single-game passing touchdown records with 32 and seven, respectively. Both feats happened in 1963.
He was a two-time first-team Little All-American and two-time IIAC Player of the Year, and his No. 11 was retired by the school.
Bork is also enshrined in the College Football and Northern Illinois University Athletics Halls of Fame.
2. Garrett Wolfe
Wolfe played just three seasons for NIU, but he ran for 5,164 yards, which is a program record.
He also had 52 rushing touchdowns, which leads the program.
He was a third-team All-American, MAC MVP, MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and three-time first-team All-MAC.
3. Sutton Smith
Smith played three seasons for the Huskies and did plenty of pass rushing.
He finished his career with 30 sacks (third) and holds the top two single-season sack records, headlined by 15 in 2018.
He was a consensus All-American, a two-time first-team All-American, a two-time first-team All-MAC recipient, a two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and the MAC MVP.
4. Chandler Harnish
Harnish was also a quarterback for the Huskies. He played from 2008 to 2011.
He broke Bork’s passing yards (8,944) and passing touchdown (68) records.
He also holds the single-season passing yards record with 3,216 in 2011.
He also did plenty of rushing, running for 2,983 yards (ninth).
Harnish is the program’s leader in total yards (11,927) and is second in total touchdowns (92).
He was the MAC MVP, MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-MAC.
5. Larry English
A first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, English was at Northern Illinois from 2004 to 2008.
He finished with 31.5 sacks (first) and holds the single-game sack record with five in 2007 against Idaho.
He was three-time All-MAC, a two-time MAC MVP, and the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
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