Players like Brian Bosworth are what make college football so special. Colorful characters who speak their minds and whose outrageous acts of rebellion are part passion and part arrogance.

Deion Sanders was the same way coming out of Florida State. A player who thought so highly of himself and did such a good job marketing himself and creating his character that he was able to introduce his new persona, "Primetime," by the time he was ready for the NFL.

Bosworth was similar to Sanders in some ways and on the opposite side of the spectrum in others.

Sanders was a highly skilled, fragile, and speedy corner back who danced and showed off all the way to the end zone on his interceptions. He was someone who loved his persona and fan adoration more than he loved football.

Bosworth loved his persona and fan adoration just as much as Sanders did, but he loved football just as much. As the brash middle linebacker for Barry Switzer's Oklahoma teams, he was a strong, fast, and fearless player who was most likely to show off only after he hit the guy in the mouth.

Bosworth came to the University of Oklahoma in 1984 from Texas, the place where Oklahoma seems to find all of their linebackers. Although his arrogance and cocky attitude grated on some, his play on the field more than made up for it.

He led the team in tackles as a freshman with 133 as he led the Sooners to a 9-2 record. His penchant for playing his best in big games endeared him to his teammates and fans at Oklahoma, but his mouth alienated him from the media, who labeled him as a bad boy and a cocky thug.

Never one to shy away from criticism, he said whatever he thought whenever a microphone was in front of him. His love for media attention led to his ever-changing and popular haircuts.

Bosworth almost transcended football itself and made his play and antics more  sports entertainment than anything else. But despite his colorful off-the-field actions, his talent on the field could not be denied.

An incredibly intelligent player, Bosworth was the epitome of a great middle linebacker. Not only did he always follow the play with a never-ending motor, but once he found the ball he made sure he threw all his strength into the tackles.

He was also a fantastic blitzer. He went through his assigned blitz hole with unrivaled intensity, and his ability to hide his movements allowed him to come through unblocked a lot, nightmarish stuff for opposing quarterbacks.

He built on his fantastic freshman campaign with an even better sophomore season. He once again led the team in tackles with 144. Bosworth was the vocal leader on a fearsome defense that was forced to carry the team when Troy Aikman went down with an injury against Miami.

In the Red River Rivalry against No. 17 Texas, Bosworth finished with 14 tackles (11 unassisted) and an acrobatic interception of quarterback Todd Dodge, the current head coach for North Texas.

After losing Aikman, the Sooners went on a rampage led by the defense and Bosworth. When No. 2 Nebraska came to Norman sporting the nation's best running game at 395 yards per game, it was up to Bosworth and the rest of the defense to win the game.

The final score was 27-7 in favor of the Sooners, and Nebraska's touchdown was scored by the defense. Led by Bosworth's nine tackles, Oklahoma held the nation's top offense to 161 yards on 46 carries, more than 200 yards below their season average.

Oklahoma won the national championship by beating Penn State. Bosworth was a consensus All-American in addition to the first winner of the Dick Butkus award given to the best college linebacker.

His ego only swelled with the accolades and success he was encountering. His off-the-field interviews were always colorful and full of controversy, and his celebrations after big plays became more pronounced and flashy.

In 1986, Oklahoma was the prohibitive favorite to repeat as national champions. Bosworth once again led the team with 136 tackles, including a school record 22 against Miami. He was once again named an All-American and won his second consecutive Butkus award; he remains the only player to ever win the award twice.

Bosworth's senior season was supposed to be a foregone conclusion, merely the coronation of the nation's best linebacker. But the controversial linebacker apparently had used more than just the weight room to add muscle to his frame.

During the 1987 season he was suspended for testing positive for steroids, and eventually the normally lenient Switzer was forced to kick his star linebacker off the team for use of the performance-enhancers, something Bosworth wasn't prepared for but certainly didn't mind.

What sometimes goes unnoticed when people remember Bosworth is that while in front of the cameras and the people, he was a meathead footballer. But in the classroom and when the cameras weren't rolling, he was a personable guy and a very good student.

His B-average in Business Management helped him not only earn academic All-American honors, but it also helped him graduate a year ahead of his class and thus allow him to enter the NFL supplemental draft.

He was "The Boz." He didn't need college football anymore; he would just move on and continue his dominance and over-the-top antics in the pros.

As he prepared for the supplemental draft, it was rumored that Bosworth sent letters to some NFL teams stating he wouldn't play if they drafted him. This media flurry caused a team from Major League Indoor Soccer to draft him as a joke saying, "Well, we didn't receive a letter saying he wouldn't play for us."

He was drafted by the Seahawks and signed a large rookie contract to play in Seattle. He was moved to outside linebacker to utilize his speed and his pass-rushing skills. He played well his rookie year and was named to the 1987 All-Rookie team. For the most part he was a solid player in his short career, but unspectacular to say the least.

On Monday Night Football he was run over at the goal line by Bo Jackson on a short touchdown. Watching the replay, it was not that spectacular of a shoulder charge. Bo Jackson was a big man, and he only carried Bosworth for a yard before falling albeit into the end zone.

A normal player would have been able to live that down. But when you are "The Boz," fans and media members alike see that and immediately exploit it, turning into a battle of Bo v. Boz—with Bo clearly winning.

Bosworth's career was curtailed after just three seasons thanks to a shoulder injury that limited his effectiveness.

He has been immortalized on pretty much every pundit's list of Biggest Flops in NFL Draft history. ESPN listed him as the Fourth Biggest Flop in history, and The Sporting News listed him sixth.

Remembered fairly for his antics on and off the field in the NFL that didn't match the production. He should be remembered in a different way.

In three seasons with Oklahoma he helped revolutionize the linebacker position, making teams value speed over size. He was one of the greatest college football players in history, and his colorful behavior helped make him famous.

But what should really be remembered is the 413 tackles in three seasons, two national championships, and two Butkus awards—that's one heck of a legacy to leave behind.