If you ask most football card collectors to name the most popular players in the hobby from the 1998 draft, they'd probably come up with the top two - Peyton Manning and Randy Moss - with no problem. Ask them who's next after those two hobby superstars and they might be surprised to learn that it's Ahman Green.
That's lofty company for the former Nebraska Cornhusker, who played for two national championship teams but didn't come into his own until troubled star Lawrence Phillips left for the NFL. As a result, Green lasted until the third round in 1998, when he was picked by the Seattle Seahawks. Stuck behind Ricky Watters on the depth chart, he was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 2000.
Green spent the first part of the 2000's putting up big numbers. A threat running or receiving, he rushed for more yards and gained more yards from scrimmage than any NFL player from 2000 to 2004. Despite problems with fumbling and a knack for getting banged up, he was named to the Pro Bowl four consecutive times beginning in 2001.
After missing most of the 2005 season, Green eked out another 1000-yard effort in 2006, though he rushed for a lower average and fewer touchdowns than in any of his previous healthy seasons in Green Bay. Seemingly unwanted, he signed as a free agent with the Houston Texans, a team with a dismal running game in 2006.
If Green can recapture even a majority of his earlier form, he should solidify his spot behind Manning and Moss. His 31 rookie cards aren't too difficult to come by, and could turn into outright bargains if the Texans continue to toil in mediocrity.
Ahman Green 1998 Rookie Cards
- Absolute Hobby # 109
- Black Diamond Rookies # 109
- Bowman # 29
- Bowman Chrome # 29
- Collector's Edge Advantage # 195
- Collector's Edge First Place # 138
- Collector's Edge Masters # 152 - #'d to 5000
- Collector's Edge Odyssey # 136
- CE Supreme Season Review # 172A
- Crown Royale # 128
- E-X2001 # 46
- Finest # 129
- Fleer Brilliants # 101
- Fleer Tradition # 230
- Leaf Rookies and Stars # 220
- Metal Universe # 188
- Pacific # 394
- Playoff Momentum Hobby # 221
- Playoff Prestige Hobby # 192
- Revolution # 131
- Score # 247
- SkyBox Thunder # 233
- SP Authentic # 27
- Stadium Club # 187
- Topps # 350
- Topps Stars # 18 - #'d to 8799
- UD3 # 207
- UD Choice # 221
- Ultra # 404
- Upper Deck # 27
- Upper Deck Encore # 20