Of the 15 players who have been recognized by the NCAA as "consensus" All-Americans for the 1903 season, 12 played for teams in the Ivy League, and nine played for the "Big Four" teams of the era—Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Penn. The only three consensus All-Americans from schools outside the Ivy League were tackle Fred Schacht of Minnesota, quarterback James Johnson of Carlisle, and halfback Willie Heston of Michigan.
Five players were selected as first-team All-Americans by at least four of the known selectors: guard John DeWitt of Princeton (5), center Henry Hooper of Dartmouth (5), end Charles D. Rafferty of Yale (5), halfback Willie Heston of Michigan (4), and tackle James Hogan of Yale (4). Hooper, who was a freshman in 1903, died three months after the football season ended, following an attack of appendicitis.[1][2]
In 2008, Sports Illustrated sought to answer the question, "Who would have won the Heisman from 1900-1934?"[3] Its selection for 1903 was Willie Heston of Michigan described as "the nation's finest back."[3]