12. Para-athlete Amy Purdy (Season 18, 2nd Place)
Purdy didn’t let any disability hold her back and she put on a show. After a slow start, she peaked in the final weeks, earning the top score in Week 8. She made it to the finale but unfortunately wasn’t able to close it out.
11. Figure skater Evan Lysacek (Season 10, 2nd Place)
In any other season, Lysacek might have won the Mirrorball but he ran into a Nicole Scherzinger buzzsaw. He did have the top score four times and made it to a one-on-one finale, but came up short.
10. NFL player Warren Sapp (Season 7, 2nd Place)
You might have figured the big guy wouldn’t last long on this show, but Sapp showed off some serious athleticism. While he only got top score once, he was almost always near the top of the leaderboard and held his own against a model and a boy band member.
9. Race car driver Hélio Castroneves (Season 5, 1st Place/Season 15, 10th Place)
You could make a case that Mel B was the best dancer during this season, but Helio held his own and peaked at the right time. However, we have to dock him for coming back down to Earth during the All-Stars season (season 15).
8. NFL player Jason Taylor (Season 6, 2nd Place)
Taylor is another dancer who, in another season, might have won the whole thing. He had three top scores and brought fun and athletic ability that must have made some of those lower-seeded wide receivers jealous.
7. NFL player Hines Ward (Season 12, 1st Place)
The reason we’re expecting big things from Antonio Brown is because he has to meet the bar set by the last Steelers wide receiver on the show. Ward got better as the show went on, scoring a perfect 10 on his last dance in the finale.
6. NFL player Donald Driver (Season 14, 1st Place)
Another case where a dancer might not have been the best one overall, but peaked when he needed to. Driver was often overshadowed by singer Katherine Jenkins, but a flawless finale earned him the victory.
5. Speedskater Apolo Ohno (Season 4, 1st Place/Season 15, 5th Place)
Ohno did well early on. But once he got to Week 5, he took it to the next level, earning top score four times including in the finale. It seems like the kind of thing a speed skater would do. Ohno also had a strong effort in the All-Stars season.
4. Ice dancer Meryl Davis (Season 18, 1st Place)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TorbtHJKkA
Davis was clearly the best dancer all season long, earning top score nine times, including the finale. She made it look easy.
3. NFL player Emmitt Smith (Season 3, 1st Place/Season 15, 4th Place)
For most of the season, Mario Lopez was in the lead. But Smith kept pace and found the right moment to make his move. He matched Lopez score for score in the final two weeks and used that momentum to win. He followed it up with a very strong showing in the All-Star season.
2. Gymnast Shawn Johnson (Season 8, 1st Place/Season 15, 2nd Place)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3vXE4yM8rI
Actor Gilles Marini’s scores were subjectively better than everyone else, but Johnson stuck with it and ended up tying him score-for-score in the finale, winning out in the final vote. She came back for the All-Star season and once again made it all the way to the finale, finishing behind the No. 1 spot by mere points.
1. Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi (Season 6, 1st Place)
How good was Yamaguchi in her season? She finished with the top score in 10 of the 12 weeks, got a perfect score in Week 6 and received perfect scores in the top three and top two of the competition. That’s domination and a performance no one has duplicated since.