During its run, Friday Night Lights covered all sorts of topics in the lives of the Dillon, Texas teenagers and their parents. However, the core focus of the series remained on football. Being among the top high school programs in the sport, the teams had some impressive players take the field.
Some were quarterbacks scouted by every major college in the nation, others were athletic running backs and receivers, and there was even a two-way player and a kicker at one point. Picking out the best football player on the series is tough given viewers didn't see every minute of every game but a few stood out regardless.
Landry Clarke
The fact that Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons) even started playing football was a weird choice by the show. He spent most of season 1 saying how much he didn't like the sport and was especially against the way the players were given preferential treatment.
Having him be part of the team in season 2 came as a surprise. Landry never really stood out on the field but ultimately found something of a calling as the series' only notable kicker. Alas, Landry's future lied outside of football since it was far from his first priority.
Hastings Ruckle
One of the latest additions to the show was Hastings Ruckle (Grey Damon). The character was somewhat interesting but he may have arrived too late to make a major impact. Although he wasn't a huge part of the series, he still proved to be a quality player.
Hastings was originally discovered by Buddy Garrity on the basketball court when they saw his impressive leaping ability. He was convinced to make the jump to football and became a top wide receiver, helping the East Dillion Lions to a state championship.
Dallas Tinker
Dallas Tinker (LaMarcus Tinker) was easily one of the show's most beloved supporting characters. He may have never been the focal point but he was always around and seemingly never shied away from helping his friends and teammates whenever they needed him.
As a lineman, Tinker played one of the positions that never really got other shine on the series, allowing him to be a unique person to watch. It was clear how good Tinker was when he stuck around to join the superteam that comprised of the best players from both the Lions and Panthers.
J.D. McCoy
In terms of pure talent, there weren't many players who could surpass J.D. McCoy (Jeremy Sumpter). Joining the show in season 3, McCoy was a freshman with an incredible arm who Dillon residents wanted to see usurp Matt Saracen for the starting quarterback position.
He eventually did and showcased his skill level but his problem came on the maturity side of things. McCoy would often get flustered easily and had a total meltdown in the state championship game, which led to him getting benched. He may have improved as he got older but that wasn't seen on the series.
Luke Cafferty
Being a two-way player is something that happens pretty often in high school but certainly not at a professional level. Still, Luke Cafferty (Matt Lauria) was the only person to pull that off on Friday Night Lights. He was initially a member of the Dillion Panthers after Coach Taylor's departure.
However, he moved to East Dillon when it was discovered that he lived in their zone. Luke went on to become a key part of the team, providing quality defense and playing the tailback position well. He was the kind of player to give it his all and compete through the pain.
Matt Saracen
When the show began, Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) was the inexperienced backup QB who got thrust into a starting job due to injury. Matt was never the most talented guy on the field but he had a heart that was unmatched by anyone in the history of the series.
He led the Panthers to a state championship in his first season but eventually lost his spot as a senior. Matt persevered, moving to wide receiver to help the team and ultimately leading a comeback in the state title game that year. He came back in as quarterback and scored three touchdowns.
Tim Riggins
If any player could rival Matt Saracen for heart, it was Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch). At first, he seemed like he focused too much on wooing girls and getting drunk to be a good player. He was also known to butt heads with teammates and get into fights that weren't worth it.
Over time, Tim overcame these issues to become a true leader of the Dillon Panthers. He won a state championship and left it all on the line in his final game where he came close to winning a second. His future lied outside of football but his skills were undeniable.
Jason Street
The show immediately made it clear how great Jason Street (Scott Porter) was. The first mention of his name on the radio discussed his incredible completion percentage and he was considered the top prospect in the entire country, not just in the state of Texas.
Unfortunately, Street suffered an injury in the pilot that leaves him paralyzed. His life was forever changed but his competitive fire still shone in quad rugby. There's a good chance that Street would be the best if he was able to get more screen time on the field.
Smash Williams
Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) was basically everything you could want in a football player. He was incredibly athletic, had a strong desire to be the best, was probably the fastest running back on the show, and carried himself like a superstar.
However, there were times when his ego got in his way, there was his steroid scandal, and he suffered a serious injury during his senior year. Even with those obstacles, Smash worked hard to find a way to get into college and was seen as a successful player at Texas A&M after leaving Dillon, proving his skills.
Vince Howard
Take what made Smash Williams great and combine it with the arm of J.D. McCoy and the heart of Matt Saracen. That recipe leads you to Vince Howard (Michael B. Jordan), who was basically the best of every possible world. He quickly became a star and made the best of it.
Vince could outrun almost anyone on the field but also was a smart quarterback. It made him come across like a high school version of Patrick Mahomes. Vince led the Lions to an unlikely state championship, was getting offers from top colleges, and was the leader of the eventual superteam.