Speak of the Devils Podcast Sun Devil Football All-Quarter Century Team: Offense
Before the 2025 season kicks off for Arizona State, Brad Denny and I recently took a comprehensive look back at the first 25 years of the 21st century for Sun Devil football and named our All-Quarter Century Team.
This list includes a variety of program legends and Hall of Famers, but compiling the team also required some extremely difficult—and in some cases, controversial —decisions.
Note: To qualify for selection to the team, players must have made at least 15 game appearances for Arizona State between the 2000-24 seasons.
Quarterback: Taylor Kelly (2010-14)
Things begin with a little controversy and a very difficult decision of whether to opt for a cannon-armed record book writer or the versatile, pristinely efficient maestro of ASU’s most successful multi-season run since the early 1970s.
In the end, Taylor Kelly was the unanimous pick for the Speak of the Devils Podcast All-Quarter Century Team quarterback.
Since our All-Quarter Century Team was released, I’ve received a lot of feedback to the tune of, ‘how can you leave off ASU’s all-time leading passer?” and yes, of course, Walter tops several Sun Devil charts and deservedly was inducted into Arizona State’s Sports Hall of Fame, but when it comes to quarterback statistics, he’s not the only career leader.
I’ll make it clear from the beginning that I’ve always been a huge Andrew Walter fan, as any Sun Devil fan who saw him play should be, but I also believe Taylor Kelly remains unappreciated or, at a minimum, underappreciated when the overall body of his work is considered.
Though Walter is the program king in hugely popular categories like passing yards and touchdowns, Kelly is ASU’s all-time leader in completion percentage (minimum 500 career passing attempts) at .633, while he also tops the Sun Devil career charts in rushing yards by a quarterback (1,404), passing efficiency (401 or more career attempts) with 147.69, and also set the school’s single-season completion percentage record (301 or more attempts) with .671 in 2012.
The Idahoan is far from a system QB who completed a high rate of his passes and was able to scramble, as he is tied for the second and third-highest single-season passing touchdown marks in ASU history with 29 in 2012 and 28 in 2013. Walter is tied with Mike Bercovici with the school’s single-season record of 30 touchdown passes, so Kelly finished right at the doorstep of that mark on two occasions.
Furthermore, Kelly has the second-lowest career interception percentage (750 or more career passing attempts) behind Manny Wilkins with .0248, or 21 interceptions in 847 attempts, while also ranking third all-time at ASU in career passing touchdowns (79) and fourth in passing yards (8,819), despite missing three starts of his senior season and having most of that year noticeably impacted due to an early foot injury.
Lastly, though “Quarterback Wins” is a statistic with debated validity, ASU was 26-11 in the games Kelly started through the 2012-14 seasons, as he was a key component in the first back-to-back double-digit win totals Arizona State has had since the early 1970s.
Just Missed the Cut: Andrew Walter (2000-04); Notable Ineligible Player (did not play at least 15 games from 2000-24): Sam Leavitt.
Sacramento State Vs Arizona State 2019
Running Back: Eno Benjamin (2017-19), Cam Skattebo (2023-24)
Although there is a long list of highly qualified candidates behind the two selected, narrowing the team down to two tailbacks doesn’t leave much debate against siding with the pairing of Benjamin and Skattebo.
Benjamin made his way to ASU by way of the state of Texas as a four-star prospect in 2017, and after reserve and special teams duty as a true freshman and the graduation of tenured runners Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage, the 2018 season presented an open opportunity for Benjamin to be the team’s primary rusher and to say the very least, he took that opportunity the distance.
In just his fifth career collegiate start, Benjamin shattered a 45-year-old single-game school record by rushing for 312 yards against Oregon State on Sept 29, passing Benny Malone’s 251-yard performance in 1973. That effort was far from a one-hit wonder, as Benjamin would go on to total 1,642 rushing yards on 300 carries for the season – also a school single-season record – to pass Woody Green’s previous single-season school record of 1,565 set in 1972.
Benjamin followed his breakout sophomore season with a 1,083-yard rushing total in 2019, making him the first Sun Devil since Freddie Williams in 1974-75 to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Across his Sun Devil career, Benjamin was a Second-Team All-American and Doak Walker Award semifinalist, a two-time First-Team All-Pac-12 selection, while he also ranks seventh all-time at ASU in rushing yards and fourth all-time with 15 career 100-yard rushing games.
Moving on to Skattebo, the indelible mark he left on the Sun Devil program likely places his name in the top tier of reverence among the Arizona State fan base, similar to the unforgettable 1996 season engineered by Jake Plummer.
After transferring to ASU from Sacramento State following the 2022 season, Skattebo totaled over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2023 with 10 touchdowns while also punting and starting at quarterback.
Though the former FCS standout and perennial overachiever was generally expected to excel in his leap to the FBS level, no one could have predicted the program-shifting season he would compose as a senior in 2024.
On the field, Skatt generated one of the most star-studded seasons in ASU history as he broke Benjamin’s single-season rushing record by posting 1,711 yards on 293 carries (5.8 avg.) with 21 touchdowns in addition to 45 receptions for 605 yards with three scores – his 24 total touchdowns topping what seemed like an unbreakable school record of 22 total touchdowns scored by program patriarch Wilford “Whizzer” White in 1950.
The only FBS player in the country with over 1,000 rushing yards and 400 or more receiving yards in 2024, Skattebo also became the first FBS player since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 to compile at least 1,500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season.
A first-team All-American and a no-brainer pick for the All-Big 12 first-team in 2024 – though many would agree that it remains a tremendous miscarriage of justice that he wasn’t named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year – Skattebo finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting, making him the first Sun Devil to finish among the top-10 vote recipients since Plummer placed third in 1996.
Aside from the hardware he earned and the statistics he compiled, Skattebo showed a generational ability to be the team’s gritty emotional leader and showcased levels of resilience and toughness that garnered the attention and admiration of the entire college football world and sparked passion within the Sun Devil community that had been dormant for several years.
Just Missed the Cut: Ryan Torain (2006-07), Cameron Marshall (2009-12), Demario Richard (2014-17), Rachaad White (2020-21)
Marshall and Richard, both of whom reside inside the program’s top-10 list of career rushing leaders, were tremendously consistent four-year rushers but didn’t quite reach the peaks of Benjamin or Skattebo – but then again, very few in Arizona State history have.
Although both Torain and White had sensational Sun Devil careers after coming up from the JUCO ranks, both had limited tenures at ASU, as Torain’s senior season was cut short due to a foot injury, and White’s first year on campus was the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
Fullback: Mike Karney (2000-03)
The fullback position hasn’t been represented on the field for the entirety of the quarter century, but the bruising Karney is a no-doubter to be included on this list.
A two-time Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 pick – a recognition that alone is quite an accomplishment for a fullback – Karney paved the way with ferocity for several Sun Devil rushers.
In total, he caught 37 passes with a touchdown and added 23 carries in his four seasons, but the throwback, blue collar fan-favorite had the Sun Devil faithful wanting much more as signs of “Give Karney the Damn Ball!” were seen in the stands just about every Saturday during his time in Tempe.
Wide Receiver: Shaun McDonald (1999-2002), Derek Hagan (2002-05), Jaelen Strong (2013-14), N’Keal Harry (2016-18)
A dynamic playmaker from Phoenix’s Shadow Mountain High School, McDonald rose to prominence in 2001 and ’02, becoming the first player in school history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including what remain program single-season records of 87 receptions for 1,405 yards in 2002.
A Third-Team All-American, First-Team All-Pac-10 and Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2002, McDonald was also an Honorable Mention All-American and First-Team All-Pac-10 pick in 2001.
At the time his college career ended, he ranked second all-time at ASU in career receiving yards (2,867) and third in career receptions (156) and touchdown catches (24). A lethal downfield threat, McDonald remains ASU’s all-time leader in yards per catch (minimum 151 career receptions) at 18.4.
Ironically, as McDonald completed his career, his final season coincided with the start of what would statistically become the best in school history, as Derek Hagan, a true freshman on the 2002 roster alongside McDonald, would take the proverbial baton from McDonald to become ASU’s all-time leading receiver ultimately.
To this day, the only player in program history with three 1,000-yard receiving seasons, Hagan remains ASU’s all-time leader in career receptions (258), receiving yards (3,939), and touchdown catches (27).
A 2015 inductee into ASU’s Sports Hall of Fame, the former two-star recruit was a Third-Team All-American in 2005, a Second-Team All-American in 2004, and a First-Team All-Pac-10 selection both seasons.
Few junior college products in the history of Sun Devil football have made an impact anywhere near that of Jaelen Strong, who immediately asserted himself as one of the nation’s most talented pass-catchers upon his arrival at ASU.
Despite only playing two years in Tempe, Strong stands eighth all-time at ASU in career receptions (157) and ninth in receiving yards (2,287), while standing as Arizona State’s all-time career leader in receptions per game (6.04) and receiving yards per game (87.9).
Strong, co-author of the unforgettable “Jael Mary” game-winner at USC in 2014, was a First-Team All-American and a First-Team All-Pac-12 pick in 2014 after being named a Second-Team All-Pac-12 selection in 2013.
A local legend as a five-star prospect out of Chandler High School, N’Keal Harry came to Arizona State with tremendous expectations and succeeded wonderfully in proving why he earned such high praise as a high school recruit.
A two-time first-team All-Pac-12 pick, despite playing just three seasons, Harry ranks third all-time at ASU in career receptions (213) and receiving yards (2,889) and fourth in career touchdown catches (22). He also places second behind Strong in career receptions per game (5.76).
The eventual first-round pick quickly opened eyes as a Sun Devil as he broke ASU’s freshman receptions record by snagging 58 catches as a rookie in 2016, and he would make superhuman athletic moves and unfathomable catches appear routine over his three-year tenure.
Just Missed the Cut: Brandon Aiyuk (2018-19); Notable Ineligible Player (did not play at least 15 games from 2000-24): Jordyn Tyson.
Though he had a spectacular 2019 season and became a first-round NFL Draft pick, Aiyuk’s career contributions compared to the others listed keep him just slightly on the outside.
Former ASU RB DJ Foster (Rob Schumacher/Arizona Republic)
All-Purpose: D.J. Foster (2012-15)
One of the most heralded high school football players in Arizona history, it provided a massive boost in the early months of Todd Graham’s tenure at ASU to secure a commitment from Foster after his legendary career at Scottsdale’s Saguaro High School.
Foster was an incredible and versatile athlete from day one, and from the start of his Sun Devil playing career in 2012 to his current role in the football program, he has always been the ideal representative of Arizona State University and Sun Devil athletics.
As an athlete, Foster stands in categories that no other Sun Devil in program history can match. At the end of his college career, he was one of only five Division I players in college football history to rush and catch for at least 2,000 yards, and he compiled 4,829 career all-purpose yards.
Primarily a running back before moving to wide receiver as a senior, he still ranks second all-time in Sun Devil history with 222 receptions and ranks second all-time with 2,458 receiving yards, while he also topped 1,000 rushing yards in 2014 on his way to Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors.
He also recorded an incredible 53-game streak with at least one reception, and in this case, that’s every game he played at Arizona State from 2012-15.
Just Missed the Cut: Rudy Burgess (2003-07), Marion Grice (2012-13)
A jack-of-all-trades fan favorite who played tailback, wide receiver, returned kicks and punts and had a brief stint at defensive back in Burgess along with a rushing, receiving and returns threat with an innate knack for finding the end zone in Grice, though neither of the two was selected for the team, both deserve to be mentioned.
Tight End: Zach Miller (2004-06)
To begin, I will reiterate the 15-game rule that was set for this list, which automatically excludes Todd Heap from consideration, as his final season as a Sun Devil came in 2000.
That said, even if Heap were eligible for selection, it would still be a difficult decision as he and Miller are widely regarded as the top two tight ends in Sun Devil history.
The only Consensus All-American in Arizona State history, Miller achieved that feat in 2006 when he was also tabbed as a John Mackey Award finalist and a first-team All-Pac-10 selection after leading ASU with 50 receptions for 484 yards with four touchdowns in what would be his final collegiate campaign.
The graduate of Phoenix’s Desert Vista High School remains ASU’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (144) and touchdown catches by a tight end (14), while ranking second behind Heap in receiving yards by a tight end (1,512).
A 2016 inductee to ASU’s Sports Hall of Fame, Miller’s 56 catches as a true freshman in 2004 at the time set both the freshman receptions record by a player at any position and marked the most receptions by a tight end in ASU football history.
Notable Ineligible Player (did not play at least 15 games from 2000-24): Todd Heap
Offensive Tackle: Levi Jones (1997-2001), Evan Finkenberg (2009-13)
It is far from an exact science to use all-conference honors as the only measuring stick for player selection, but Jones and Finkenberg are the only “full-time” offensive tackles – meaning, most if not all the action they saw on the offensive line was at left or right tackle – to have earned first-team all-conference recognition.
Initially a walk-on defensive lineman from Eloy, Ariz., Jones evolved into a dominant offensive tackle. After earning Second-Team All-Pac-10 recognition in 2000, he earned accolades including First-Team All-Pac-10, Second-Team All-America, and the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10’s top offensive lineman in 2001.
The 10th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, in 2016, Jones was inducted into ASU’s Sports Hall of Fame.
A multi-year starter at offensive tackle, Finkenberg earned First-Team All-Pac-12 recognition as a key contributor on ASU’s Pac-12 South division champion team in 2013. He also earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 accolades earlier in his career.
Interior Offensive Line: Scott Peters (1997-2001), Mike Pollak (2003-07), Leif Fautanu (2023-24)
The only Sun Devil offensive lineman to have played between 2000-24 to notch multiple first-team all-conference honors, Peters gained those accolades in both 2000 and 2001 before moving on to an NFL career.
Pollak, a local product from Tempe’s Corona del Sol High School, was a stalwart of the Sun Devil line during his time there as he posted 36 career starts and was a First-Team All-Pac-10 pick in 2007 after earning second-team honors the year before.
What might come as a bit of a surprise is the third interior offensive line entry in recent standout Leif Fautanu. A vastly experienced lineman from his time at both UNLV and Arizona State, Fautanu was a rare bright spot on ASU’s 2023 roster as he was named Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 in his first season with the program.
A greatly underrated but absolutely integral part of ASU’s incomprehensible turnaround last fall, Fautanu was a key locker room leader and a bruising force helping to protect star quarterback Sam Leavitt and make holes for unforgettable rusher Cam Skattebo. For his efforts, Fautanu was named First-Team All-Big 12 for his play at center in 2024.
Just Missed the Cut: Shaun Lauvao (2005-09), Christian Westerman (2013-15), Dohnovan West (2019-21)
Lauvao was an outstanding lineman prior to embarking on a lengthy NFL career, while Westerman, a former five-star recruit from Chandler’s Hamilton High School, excelled for his two seasons on the field for ASU after transferring home from Auburn. West’s career highlights include a First-Team All-Pac-12 selection, though it was in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign in which ASU only played four total games.
Swing Offensive Lineman: Grayling Love (2001-05)
An incredibly consistent and versatile performer of the early years of this quarter century, Love notched 31 career starts across his Sun Devil career with games started at center, left tackle, right tackle, and right guard.
Not only did he have the ability to play a multitude of line positions, he did so with impressive results as he was named a First-Team All-Pac-10 pick in 2004 and a second-team selection in 2004 and 2005, making him the only Sun Devil offensive lineman to play from 2000-24 to on three occasions earn second-team all-conference (or higher) honors.
An elite student-athlete, Love earned academic all-conference honors all four years he played at ASU, as he was a first-team selection in 2004 and 2005 and an honorable mention choice in 2002 and 2003.
Just Missed the Cut: Jamil Douglas (2010-14), Cohl Cabral (2016-19)
Douglas was a tremendously difficult player to exclude, likely one of the top two or three toughest exclusions to make and plausibly the most difficult one to have made on offense. A highly capable interior offensive lineman for most of his career, Douglas earned his highest accolades at the position he played for the shortest amount of time, as he was a First-Team All-Pac-12 pick at tackle in 2014.
Cabral’s career at ASU was an excellent one, which included the rare pairing of starting at left tackle in his early years before a move to center for his final two seasons.
