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NFL Draft is coming up!
We are in the thick of it on the college football calendar. Spring football is finished for some teams and will wrap up in the next couple of weeks for others. The transfer portal opens April 16. The NFL Draft, our final goodbye to the college football stars of the last few seasons, looms.
There’s a sense of change in the air (and angst, for a lot of coaches and NIL collectives). It was in that spirit that we decided it was time to do some spring cleaning of the final 2023 rankings of the top 101 players in college football. A majority of those players, including nine of the top 10, are off to the NFL.
It’s time for a new era. Here’s our spring version of the top 100 college football players for the 2024 season. For the preseason lists, I keep things to a tidy top 100. Somebody will earn that 101st spot by midseason.
Former No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter leads my list as the top overall player in the country entering the 2024 season. He is a generational player and, if he took fewer snaps offensively at wide receiver, would be even more effective for Colorado’s defense. Hunter missed a handful of games after taking a cheap shot in the Colorado State game and still notched 1,044 snaps. He had seven games with more than 100 snaps, doing so as a two-way player. That is more than two seasons worth of reps for the typical defender.
A silky-smooth corner, Hunter is excellent in press coverage. In a Cover 2 scheme, he has the ability to undercut routes and make plays on the ball. Hunter has excellent hands and will sacrifice his body to make plays. He has fluid hips that allow him to trail his primary receiver, adjust to a ball thrown in his area and get involved for a PBU. Hunter shows an excellent ability to understand and match offensive patterns, as well as the make-up speed to catch up and make plays on a ball where he is slightly beaten. How will his two-way timeshare look this fall? And could it possibly continue in the NFL?
Pearce led the SEC in sacks with 10 for his second season at Tennessee, adding 53 pressures. There are makings of a dominant pass-rusher here and Pearce has the ability to be a top-10 pick. His film is a blast. Pearce routinely abuses offensive tackles with a mixture of speed, power and nice inside moves. There are so many instances where Pearce reverse-pancakes offensive tackles into the quarterback, and a handful of them are for sacks. That is every offensive lineman’s worst nightmare and the ultimate embarrassment for a highlight reel. Stay tuned for a huge season in Knoxville.
Graham was a disruptive presence in 2023, especially when it counted against the toughest competition. I fell in love with his game during Michigan’s home stretch and have him ranked as my DT1 in the 2025 NFL Draft. He finished the year with 30 generated pressures and had 7.5 TFLs. Graham excels at penetration and disruption and is at his best when he’s moving and stunting. He has a great feel for recognizing offensive blocking schemes and can slip a block with some wiggle as well. Graham was a key portal retention player for Michigan’s new-ish coaching staff.
Sanders is my current pick to go first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s also, in my opinion, the best quarterback in college football entering the 2024 season. Sanders has an excellent arm to make all the throws necessary and is an extremely accurate passer both in the pocket and on the move. Sanders does a great job keeping his eyes downfield to go through his progressions and make the high percentage completion despite the constant pressure he was under all season. Sanders threw for almost 300 yards a game and only had three interceptions in 430 attempts completing 69% of his passes while suffering 21 drops by his receivers. Sanders is an excellent post-snap processor as well and extends the plays to give his guys an extra second or two to find green grass.
Burden’s a dynamic playmaker and a blast to watch because Missouri makes a point of force-feeding him to get multiple touches per game. Burden of course is a playmaker as a traditional wideout and Missouri will travel him all over the field to try to create space and matchups. Burden is a physical receiver and is tough to tackle in the open field. He can also beat you for a contested catch and get to top speed after the catch quickly. There’s some Deebo Samuel here. Burden is tracking to be top-10 pick in 2025.
The top offensive tackle in the country, Campbell has excellent technique as a pass protector and does a nice job getting to the proper spot in protection with square shoulders. Campbell is generally a two-hand puncher, which can lead to problems if done exclusively, but generally stones his opponents and has excellent feet to recover if he slightly gets beat. He has strong hands and grip strength and if he’s able to get them on defenders, it’s over.
Milroe resurrected his career and Alabama’s title hopes last season with some incredible performances in his first season as a starter. Milroe only threw three interceptions after a rough showing vs. Texas game, amassing over 2,700 yards passing and 23 touchdown passes with 468 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Milroe is expected to be a weapon in Kalen DeBoer’s wide-open offense and would no doubt love to lead the country in passing like Michael Penix Jr. did under DeBoer.
Beck was deadly-accurate in his first year as a starter, passer hitting over 74% of his passes for over 3,700 yards and 22 touchdowns. Beck sees the field and delivers the ball with anticipation really well on the short and intermediate routes but can improve on his deep ball accuracy. Beck is not known for being a runner but can move the chains when needed in order to move the chains. Don’t be surprised if the year ends with Beck winning the Heisman Trophy and a loaded Georgia again playing for the national championship.
Gordon gets my nod as the top returning back after an incredible 2023 season where he almost single-handedly carried the Cowboys to a Big 12 Championship Game appearance. Gordon is a complete back with power, speed, and vision. Gordon had 46 explosive runs last year and averaged 3.8 yards per carry after contact.
Banks has had a solid sophomore year and is still on pace to be one of the better tackles in the country but showed a few cracks with added responsibility and a target on him after an incredible freshman year. Still, Banks allowed only one sack and 14 total pressures in 2023 and has what it takes to be one of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s tracking to be a first-round pick; Texas has not had an offensive lineman selected in that round since 2002.
Big-time No. 1 type of cornerback with range and the ability to match up vs. a No. 1 receiver. Johnson was a force last season in the playoffs when it mattered the most and will be a top draft pick after the season. Johnson has excelled in both zone and press coverage and has not only fluid hips but the ability to play the ball in the air as well as anyone in the country.
Judkins was Ole Miss’s most critical piece of an explosive offense and figures to be the bell cow for another loaded offense in Columbus. Sources I’ve talked to say he is turning heads early and often as he is not only a nice blend of speed and power but is also being used in the passing game.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder was a nightmare matchup out West as McMillian torched defenders for 93 catches for over 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns. McMillian excelled in contested catches and had 63 grabs go for a first down or longer and only two drops. McMillian has the ability to win vs. press and the speed to separate and box out with his huge catch radius. He should expect a ton of attention this season as he should be one of the first receivers off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Texas landed one of the best wide receivers in the country after losing big time playmakers Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy. Bond is a playmaker — an excellent route runner with the track speed ability to take the top off a defense. In many ways, he’s a fusion of Mitchell and Worthy. Bond led Alabama and was at his best in the clutch. He’ll be WR1 for Quinn Ewers and they’ll depart for the NFL together in 2025.
Ewers took his game to another level in 2023. There are no excuses, with a loaded offense around him, to not have one of the best seasons in the country in 2024. Ewers has all the traits you want as a quarterback as a pure drop back passer with a cannon for an arm and the ability to make the off-platform throws. I’d like to see him more consistently hit the tight windows. Could be the most important player in college football with all eyes on him as Texas enters the SEC.
Perkins is one of the nation’s most dynamic players. LSU misused him most of last season and it cost the defensive staff their jobs. It was a wasted year playing in the box for somebody who should be wreaking havoc on the edge. This is a contract year for somebody who draws Micah Parsons comps.
Can I go with back-to-back Micah Parsons comps? Abdul Carter fits the bill, too, down to the No. 11 uniform. Carter had a great start to his career with excellent production in his first two seasons at Happy Valley and is making the switch to the edge this season. Carter is a dynamic, twitched-up force who is likely to have a lot of success making the move. James Franklin has called Carter “freakishly strong, ” so you can expect he will have the ability to rush speed to power. He should have a great season in Tom Allen‘s attacking defensive scheme.
A unique talent in the secondary because of his ability to not only play center field but match up in man coverage, Starks is routinely glued to his opponent and does a nice job of playing the receiver’s hands when they touch the ball to dislodge it. The ball has to be thrown perfectly in order for it to be caught.
As a true center fielder in Georgia’s two-high look, Starks is a menace. He’s my top safety in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Alabama’s loss is Ohio State’s gain. Downs was a rare true freshman starter from the day he stepped on campus for the Crimson Tide and is already considered one of the best players in college football. Downs is not only an excellent all-around player both in coverage and in the box in run support, but plays with a ultra high intelligence. Downs will make an instant impact on a loaded Ohio State defense and figures to make an even bigger jump after a year of starting.
The talented delivered in a huge way in 2023, getting the Sooners back to their winning ways before departing to Eugene. Gabriel is an excellent deep-ball thrower that uses his legs when needed to move the chains. Gabriel threw for over 3,600 yards and 30 touchdowns this season and rushed for 373 and 12 touchdowns. Big pickup for the Ducks; they have weapons for Gabriel to throw to and he has a vast amount of experience and game reps to pick apart secondaries.
Higgins is an extremely productive player who has a nose for the ball and seems to be involved on almost every tackle. He led the country last season with 171 tackles in his first season as a true starter, including 18 against Penn State.
A good athlete who seems to always be in the right spot and is a sure tackler, Higgins only missed seven attempts on the season. He is solid in coverage as well. My hunch is the NFL takes notice in 2025.
Evan Stewart is an exceptional athlete with a ridiculous ceiling. He needs a lot more targets than what he received his first two seasons at Texas A&M, which is why he found his way to Eugene this offseason. The stats won’t blow you away, but the tape shows Stewart’s ceiling as a homerun hitter and excellent route runner. Expect a drama-free contract year from Stewart.
Harris was one of the best receivers in the country in his first year, racking up 54 catches for 985 yards and eight touchdowns. Harris is a bigger body at receiver that is an excellent route runner and has the ability to make the dynamic plays both on the outside and in the slot. Harris plays like a veteran and has the speed to separate on an Ole Miss offense that looks like it will be dynamic and a title contender in 2024.
A versatile three-down ‘backer who likes to play in the opponent’s backfield, Barrett is an explosive and high-ceiling talent who has enormous potential and upside as a former 5-star recruit. A converted high school safety prospect, Carter has the ability to match up vs. tight ends and backs in coverage and did not allow a touchdown last season. He missed too many tackles, 12, last season in the box and can do a better job of finishing in the run game. Cleaning that up is likely a big reason he returned for his senior season. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is gone, now it’s Carter’s turn to be the star of Clemon’s defense.
Morrison is one of the best returning corners in the country. He’s great in zone but excels in press coverage. Why? Morrison is not only excellent in matching routes and playing the ball in the air but does a nice job using the sideline as an extra defender. The three touchdowns he gave up last year were all in the lower red zone on scrambles where the play got extended.
Loveland is a true height, weight, speed tight end who shows an excellent awareness to be able to find green grass and read the defensive’s leverage on the short to intermediate route. Loveland tracks the ball well and despite dropping a handful of catchable balls, shows the ability to routinely catch the ball away from his body and high-point contested balls in traffic. Loveland is a fluid runner with the ball in his hands and has adequate speed to make the explosive plays.
Ole Miss got one of the most coveted defensive prospects available at a position of need, beefing up the interior of their defense. A former top recruit, Nolen is a special player when he puts it all together and has shown flashes of dominance, especially against the run. Expect him to be one of the first defensive linemen off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft if he stays healthy.
Stutsman flirted with going to the NFL but will be back and looking to improve even further on a very productive season: 100 tackles, 16 TFLs, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. He’s perfect for Brent Venables. Stutsman is an excellent box backer who has the ability to roam sideline to sideline and is solid in coverage, only allowing 21 catches for 242 yards. Oklahoma is glad to have him ahead of a brutal SEC schedule.
Booker is a powerful and explosive run blocker who plays with great leverage and hand placement. When Booker is able to get in his run fits with his hands clamped on defenders, it’s over. Booker is a good pass blocker as well but that’s an area he can definitely improve on.
Ward is an intriguing prospect that will have a chance to shine on a bigger platform. And for Miami, it’s another chance to really get right at the quarterback spot after the D’Eriq King and Tyler Van Dyke eras fizzled out. Ward flourished in Wazzu’s spread as a dual-threat throwing for over 3,700 yards and 25 touchdown passes while running for another eight touchdowns. Ward needs to protect the football better but will have the best supporting cast around him he’s had in his career.
Unless you’re addicted to MACtion, you don’t know about Howell, but the Bowling Green transfer has some ridiculous tape. Howell is explosive and has a nice toolbox of speed and counter moves to go along with a relentless motor. He will see a major uptick in competition but with Nic Scourton and Shemar Turner taking the majority of the attention, expect Howell to become a household name soon enough.
Muhammad capitalized on a big season at Washington and will take over Kyree Jackson’s spot at rival Oregon for his last season. Muhammad only allowed two touchdowns and added two interceptions last season and fills a position of need in Oregon’s title hopes in 2024. Muhammad excels in zone coverage but has the ability to play man and does a nice job locating the ball in the air and swiping it away when his receiver extends. Get your popcorn ready for when the Ducks host Ohio State.
Hurricane Bain lived up to the hype we saw last spring and had a fantastic freshman campaign. Bain had 12.5 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and was one of the most productive freshmen in the country. Bain is a powerful rusher that rarely wins on his first move but plays with a relentless effort.
Branch is a difference-maker for the Trojans and someone who could take it to the house at any moment. I’m excited to see how he develops in Year 2, but he’ll miss Caleb Williams and he also is hoping for a better bill of health than a year ago. Branch made the most noise as a freshman as a return specialist, earning All-American honors, and taking almost 800 yards of returns and two touchdowns. Branch figures to be a bigger part offensively in 2024; his 31 receptions for 320 yards and two touchdowns don’t feel indicative of his impact.
There was a bit of drama, but Payton is staying in Tallahassee, where he will see much more attention on the edge with Jarred Verse off to the NFL. Payton has excellent length and get-off and does a nice job not only getting to the quarterback but recognizing blocks. Payton can bend around the edge and can go speed to power with a nice long-arm as well. FSU is definitely glad to have one of the best edge-rushers on its roster this season.
The 5-11 Fifita burst onto the national scene in a big way in 2023. Thrust into action because of an injury to established starter Jayden de laura, Fifita made the job his. Fiftia throws his receivers open on the short/intermediate game as well as anyone. He throws the ball on the move well and can use his feet to scramble when needed, but he is generally not looking to run. Will that feature come in time?
Caldwell is going to be a huge piece for Oregon this season as not only a physical presence at the point but also as a dynamic rusher from the interior. Caldwell has more twitch than given credit for and plays extremely hard for a big man. Excellent hands that can shock and shed offensive linemen. This is the type of midway monster Dan Lanning coached at Georgia.
Sawyer had his best season as a pass rusher in 2023, racking up eight sacks and 38 pressures, but is better against the run. Sawyer has great play recognition and excellent motor; you rarely see him take a play off. He’s a real difference-maker in the run game and Ohio State is thrilled the former 5-star stayed true to his word and returned to school, even after a three-sack performance in the Cotton Bowl.
This guy would be WR1 on 99.9% of teams but OSU keeps bringing in the top talent in the country that takes away some of his touches. We figured Egbuka would finally get to be WR1 this fall, but the early returns on No. 1 recruit Jeremiah Smith have been so terrific that perhaps he’ll nab this spot by fall camp. Anyway, back to Egbuka: He’s versatile enough to play anywhere on the field, is an excellent route-runner and causes damage in the open field, despite lacking elite speed.
The All-SEC defensive tackle is a presence in the middle and has tons of game experience, starting 25 of the last 26 for the Wildcats. Walker is surprisingly quick and athletic in condensed spaces and has a knack for finding the football while he’s being double teamed. His road to 7.5 sacks last season was paved by power first, counters and hand-swipes second. Opponents want nothing to do with him, I promise you that. There are some T’Vondre Sweat vibes here.
I’m not sleeping on Rutgers and you shouldn’t, either. Especially when it comes to running backs. Monangai is the next big-time ball-carrier out of Piscataway. He led the Big Ten in rushing last season, averaged over five yards a carry last season and scored eight touchdowns. He’s a receiving threat, too. The 5-9 Monangai is certainly not a big back but runs with power and is quite explosive.
Hallman was a ballhawk for the Badgers last year, picking off seven balls (and dropping another two). Hallman is excellent at matching routes in zone and undercutting a ball thrown late. He plays almost like a free safety and can read the quarterback’s eyes as well as anyone. Hallman has excellent speed and can take it to the house if he has some green grass ahead of him.
Scourton was a force at Purdue last year and now he’s off to Aggieland to help new coach Mike Elko recreate the Wrecking Crew. Scourton abuses offensive tackles with one of the best spin moves in the nation and plays with an excellent motor. He is sudden on the edge and stunts well inside. And he can demolish zone-reads. Scourton should flourish with the noisy home field advantage at Kyle Field but needs to elevate his pass-rush moves beyond a spin.
Jeanty is a powerhouse back for the Broncos, averaging six-plus yards a carry and rushing for over 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Jeanty is also excellent in the screen and quick game as a receiver. Jeanty has great patience in tight spaces and can jump-cut it back the other way for big gainers. He also has the power to break arm tackles and can stiff arm you in space. His size and his ability to hold up in protection is really his only knock at the next level.
Watts took home the Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defender, leading the country with seven interceptions. His biggest plays (47 tackles, 11 PBUs) tended to come in the clutch, too. Watts is one of two Notre Dame defensive backs in my top 50 rankings.
Brown an explosive playmaker in multiple phases for the Wildcats. Brown doubles as a returner and has the ability to take it to the house any time he touches the ball, scoring three touchdowns on returns last year. Brown’s only knock is he suffered six drops last year and lost two fumbles. Has the ability to be one of the top receivers in the country but needs the ball more.
Part of Ole Miss’ No. 1 portal haul, Umanmielen is one of the more interesting players to keep an eye on this offseason. His position coach, Randall Joyner, is one of the best developers in the game. Umanmielen is already a talented pass rusher who had seven sacks and generated 50 pressures last season at Florida. Princely has an elite get-off and bend and could be a difference maker in Ole Miss’s loaded defense. His biggest areas of improvement are more consistency in his run defense and a better motor. Expect him to have a huge season and if he puts it all together could be a first-rounder in 2025.
Taylor had a disappointing sophomore campaign after lighting it up his freshman season and beating Alabama at the buzzer. My excuse? Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. gobbled up Taylor’s opportunities. I bet we see a big bounceback campaign. Taylor has soft hands, understands where the sticks are and has a nice field awareness.
Rising is entering his 10th 7th season of college football. After taking 2023 off to rehab his knee, I hope you didn’t forget about Rising, who will be 25-years-old when the season starts. The Utes might be my preseason pick to win the Big 12 and make the playoff and that’s thanks to Rising’s winning pedigree and playmaking ability. Rising excels on the intermediate routes and places the ball with precision both in the pocket and on the move. He’s a wizard with his feet.
Cook shows elite command of Eli Drinkwitz’s offense, always checking into the right play. From there, he makes the right reads, throws the ball on time, layers it into tight spots — and can get it to any spot on the field. The veteran has come a long way.
When healthy, he’s a problem for opposing defenses. TreVeyon Henderson is a fluid back with great vision and amazing speed that makes him a home-run hitter as both a runner and a receiver. We never thought he’d be somebody’s RB2 in college football, but the timeshare with portal addition Quinshon Judkins should do wonders for his durability. This will be one of the best thunder-and-lightning combinations we’ve seen in recent memory.
Neal is a silky-smooth back who excels in Kansas’s wide variety of ways to create space. Neal is the total package of speed, quickness, and power and has excellent vision. When he sticks his foot in the ground, he’ll make you look silly. A future NFL stud.
Williams is criminally underrated. It may be because he’s underused. The jumbo receiver has a ton of talent but only caught 41 passes last season. way under the radar receiver that is vastly underused for his ability despite hauling in 41 balls. I think Williams is a first-round talent: He has the speed, great length and is not scared to make contested catches in the middle of the field.
Grant is a force in the middle of Michigan defense. The big man plays with fanatical effort, holding offensive linemen at the point of attack and disrupting the backfield (five TFL, 3.5 sacks in 2023). Grant and Mason Graham will be a nightmare in the trenches.
Brooks is on track to break the all-time rushing record at Texas Tech this season. He’s been a workhorse for the Red Raiders, rushing for over 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Over 1,000 of those yards came after contact. Brooks is a poised runner that lets his blocks set up and then makes an enormous amount of tacklers bounce off his powerful lower half. He’s pretty explosive, too. Brooks will be a force at the next level as a cold-weather back.
Dart’s numbers don’t tell the entire story, even though they are still pretty good, as he is the lifeblood of the Ole Miss offense. Dart threw for over 3,300 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding another 389 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Dart shows excellent intangibles, leadership and command of Lane Kiffin’s offense.
The rising sophomore is an all-around talent who can beat you in a bunch of ways, but mainly as a receiver. Concepcion rushed for over 300 yards at 7.8 per carry and caught 71 balls and 10 touchdowns for the season. The true freshman lit up the ACC and did most of his damage on the intermediate part of the field but has the speed to make the explosive catches as well. In his second year of college football, I’m positioning Concepcion as a top-10 receiver in the country.
A transfer from Memphis, Prieskorn came on in the second half of the season and became a favorite target of Jaxson Dart. Prieskorn has soft hands and is a great red zone threat and a chain-mover in the short and intermediate parts of the field. He’ll be in the conversation for TE1 come the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rucker is somewhat undersized but doesn’t let that keep him from the quarterback (8.5 sacks, 15 TFL in 2023). He plays with a demonic edge and is a great team leader. North Carolina has plenty of raw talent on defense, but Rucker is one of the few who has put it all together.
Turner has primarily played the edge but has the versatility to kick inside and projects there as a pro. One of a handful of Aggies on this list, Turner has excellent power and can also turn the edge to get home. He plays the run well with violent hands and physicality.
Jones is a prototype right tackle and along with Will Campbell forms one of the best tackle combos in the country. Jones is thick and explosive. He has excellent feet — he gets to his spot in pass protection — and also has excellent power, which is an asset in the run game. He could have a dominant season.
Restrepo is a dependable and reliable slot receiver who owns the intermediate part of the field and is a hands catcher. Restrepo lacks game-breaking speed but seems to always be open and can make plays with the ball in his hands. He’ll be a favorite target of new Miami quarterback Cameron Ward.
Height, weight, speed receiver who torched most of the the Pac-12’s best corners last year including my No. 1 player in the country, Travis Hunter. Ayomanor has excellent hands and can beat you in any area of the field and has the ability to take it to the house after the catch. Excellent at the contested catches as well.
Hampton led the ACC with almost six yards a touch en route to a 1,500-yard, 15-touchdowns season. The bruising back added another 30 catches for 232 yards and a touchdown. Hampton had 36 explosive runs and excels in the zone scheme where he can cut back at the lineman’s heels. Excellent feet and tough to arm tackle. An area for improvement? He had three fumbles last season.
Ratledge was excellent in both phases last year and kept Carson Beck clean all season, not allowing a sack and very few pressures. He’s a mauler who finishes off blocks in the run game.
Daniels has been a part of KU’s climb to respectability under coach Lance Leipold. A breakout season in 2022 earned him preseason all-conference honors, but most of 2023 was ruined by a back injury. The dual-threat playmaker rebuffed portal poachers and is ready to remind everybody he’s among the best in the business.
Washington had a big season in Eugene, racking up 86 catches for almost 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. The explosive slot is an excellent route runner and a problem with the ball in his hand after the catch. He had 28 explosive catches last season.
I’m still high on Jefferson. He’s a nightmare to tackle as a runner and is an underrated passer, steadily improving his passing mechanics over the last few years. When given time, he throws dots. Jefferson had very little time to throw last year (Arkansas gave up 42 sacks) and his numbers were down, but he’s still a player. UCF and coach Gus Malzahn will be a great fit for Jefferson.
Lachey is one of the better in-line tight ends in the game, we just haven’t seen much of it as he’s coming off a shortened season where an injury held him to three contests. Lachey is a plus-blocker who can hold his own in the zone and gap schemes and is a large target to work the middle of the field in the passing game. Tight End U needs Lachey healthy. If he is, he will be a huge part of Iowa’s success.
A portal snag from Tennessee, Baron was one of the best “gets” of the offseason. He mostly played out of position at Tennessee as a 4i but should flourish on the edge opposite Ashton Gillette. Baron is extremely physical vs. the run and can win quickly with a twitchy first step.
Conerly, a former 5-star prospect, was excellent in his first season as a full-time starter, yielding one sack and 17 pressures playing the blindside and protecting Bo Nix. Conerly has excellent feet and does a nice job mixing up his hands when he punches. Despite lacking the ideal length for tackle, Conerly will have a shot at getting drafted high after the season and could be a candidate to kick inside to guard in the NFL.
Taylor was one of the best backs in the country last year but missed six games due to injury and only got one carry in the opener. He still racked up 800 yards and five touchdowns and had four games where he rushed for over 100 yards. Not a burner but a patient and methodical back who will body-blow you and wait for his opportunity for an explosive run.
Georgia’s most gifted pass-rusher generated 27 pressures and 4.5 sacks last year. Don’t focus on the numbers, as UGA loves to rotate its defensive linemen and the former 5-star recruit has natural pass rush ability and some length off the edge. Williams hits tackles with an excellent long-arm and can win inside as a defensive tackle in some of UGA’s third-down packages, too.
A Tuscaloosa mainstay at this point, Moore is a leader and high-IQ player who’s mostly played nickel at Alabama but is expected to move to strong safety this season. That’s a nice fit for him. He’s excellent in run support and routinely blows up blockers on bubble screens. Moore is solid in coverage as well and does a nice job of playing the ball in the air on contested catches.
Bell is a swiss-army knife of a player and exactly what the NFL is looking for as a hybrid tight end. Bell threw for a touchdown pass, rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 29 passes for 355 and two touchdowns. Bell can beat you a ton of different ways from the screen game to the short to intermediate zones.
The No. 1 RB signee in 2023’s class, Baxter began last as the starting running back but kept getting dinged up … and then Jonathon Brooks went off. After Brooks was lost for the season against TCU, Baxter stepped back in and was a big factor in Texas’s two-headed monster of a rushing attack (Jaydon Blue being the other) en route to a Playoff appearance. The former 5-star is a giant back with speed and power, with some slight shades of former Texas great Cedric Benson.
The No. 7-ranked defensive lineman in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings, Green played on the edge at Arizona State but built more like a hybrid defensive tackle at 6-1, 270 pounds. Green plays with a relentless motor and is twitchy with some natural pass-rush ability. Colorado’s defense needs him to be a force in 2024.
A top-50 recruit, Parker flashed on film as a freshman and delivered in the stat sheet, generating 5.5 sacks and 37 pressures. Parker wins with an explosive first step and has the power to work through tackles and finish at the quarterback. He’s solid against the run, too.
A powerful edge rusher with a variety of moves and the versatility to play inside as well. Dennis-Sutton has a nice motor and works the offensive linemen’s edges well and can convert with power. Nice length and get-off; a nasty tandem lined up opposite Adbul Carter. I’m high on Penn State’s defensive front.
This guy is an amazing story. Roberts went from third string Alabama to one of the top three guards in the country in just half a season. Roberts is freaky strong and can manhandle defensive tackles. He got better as the year progressed and has the ability to be a special player with more experience and game reps.
I’m not sure if Denzel Burke is a superstar, which is where he looked to be headed after his freshman campaign, but he put together a bounce-back junior season. He’s a nice piece on a really stingy Ohio State defense that plays well together as a unit. Burke had one interception and defended 10 passes with nine passes broken up for the Buckeyes. Can give up too much cushion at times and needs to be more of a playmaker on their backend. Better in zone coverage than man.
The twitchy Gillotte had an impressive season, leading the ACC with 11 sacks and adding 14.5 TFL’s, He also generated 65 total pressures and was a thorn in the side against every team he faced. A little undersized but a natural rusher. Louisville has a terrific pair of edges in Gillotte and Barron. paired with Tyler Baron is going to be a nightmare in the ACC.
Norman-Lott does not get enough love. A transfer from Arizona State last offseason, Norman-Lott has serious power and the ability to cave the pocket. He’s a great mover who does a nice job reading where the slide is in pass protection to defeat the double team. Norman-Lott and James Pearce Jr. should be a headache for opposing offensive linemen in the SEC this year.
Lawson is an excellent run-stuffing box ‘backer. He was dinged up by the middle of the season, which affected his ability to run full speed. He was still productive — 5.5 TFL, three sacks and four PBUs — but is in store for a national breakout this fall.
Moore was a man amongst boys at UTSA, setting the school record for sacks with 14 and earning AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. His traits, which I think are rare, will be tested in the SEC. Moore has quick hands and is sudden off the edge. He is undersized but utilizes speed and spin moves as well as a nice inside counter to affect the quarterback. Will need to prove he can hold up vs. the run consistently or Texas could use him exclusively as a pass rush specialist. The Longhorns spent a few seasons without an elite pass-rusher but suddenly have a pretty nice room, which is now headlined by Moore.
Yep. I’m a believer in Mertz. Don’t forget he profiled as an elite prospect out of high school. A change of scenery, from Madison to Gainesville, did him well in 2023. He was consistent, completing 73% of his passes for the season for 2,900 yards, and took care of the football, throwing just three picks. Florida has an unbelievably difficult schedule ahead and Mertz’s favorite target Ricky Pearsall is off to the NFL. Mertz can really silence the doubters if he delivers a good season in what will be choppy waters.
A ballyhooed high school prospect, Jackson benefited from a change of scenery, transferring from LSU to Arkansas a few seasons ago. His return for a final year was big for the Hogs. Jackson is extremely long at 6-7, but I think he has the versatility to move inside at the next level, where he could be an extremely disruptive pocket-crushing force. He’s still a little raw, but let’s see what pass-rushing moves he comes out of the offseason with.
Roberts is a productive, power-rushing edge who can get things done inside, too. Roberts 10 sacks and generated 73 pressures last year in the AAC. Has nice power and uses his hands well to work punchers hands off him. Will see a major uptick in talent in ACC as SMU hops up a level.
White dominated the Mountain West, catching 88 balls for almost 1,500 yards and eight touchdowns. Fifty-four of those were for a first down and he had 32 explosive catches.
Oben arrives from Duke this offseason. He’s got a lot of experience with him and profiles as a very useful, high-motor player for Notre Dame. Oben is an active rusher with a nice outside swat and spin move and some really nice counters as a rusher. Oben does not play with much power but pursues the ball on every snap.
A fluid playmaker and route runner who’s got game breaking speed to boot. Sturdivant is sudden and shity and can stop and start and locate the ball. Sturdivant has excellent hands and always works back to the ball when he can. UCLA needs to feed the young man (only 36 receptions a season ago).
McLaughlin was an excellent blocker over the last few seasons at Alabama but decided a change of scenery was best for him after having some snapping issues with Jalen Milroe. McLaughlin plays with a high IQ and does a nice job sorting through the protections to get everyone on the same page. Excellent in both run and pass protection.
Oliver hasn’t put up the numbers like he did as a freshman all-american but is still a productive and disruptive force off the edge. His six sacks in 2023 don’t tell the whole story as he generated 40 pressures. Oliver is undersized but is sudden and can beat you with speed from the edge.
Ott is an explosive runner who led the Pac-12 last year with 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground and chipped in 30 receptions for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns in the air. Ott has great vision and can excel both inside the box and has the ability to bounce it out and the speed to take it to the house. A lot of ACC fans will be frustrated watching their defenses try to corral him this fall.
Cross showed his stuff in helping Notre Dame close out a tight road win at Duke last season. Clutch player who’s disruptive along the interior. Cross notched 64 tackles last year, including six TFLs and 45 generated pressure. He excels in movement and has a great get-off and understanding of offensive line blocking schemes.
Horton has great length, speed, production and excels as a punt returner, too. Horton caught 98 balls for over 1,100 yards and had eight touchdowns for the season. Horton had 18 explosive catches for the year but is almost exclusively used in the short-to-intermediate quick game, where he moves the chains as well as anyone. Don’t see the game-breaking speed here but he’s a nice security blanket.
Another star back for the Cyclones. Sama made the 247Sports True Freshman All-American Team after finishing the season on a heater including 276 yards in his first career start against Kansas State — a fun, memorable game in the snow. Sama averaged 7.3 yards a carry and scored six touchdowns on the ground for the Cyclones. Sama is also a receiving threat and showed some willingness to be a solid blocker in pass protection.
It’s always tough to throw a true freshman tackle out to the wolves, but the benefits and reps will pay off this season. Mauigoa has some technical issues to clean up but showed he can hold up as a right tackle. He’s a powerful blocker when he gets his paws on you and a bright future in Year 2. The No. 6-ranked recruit in the 2023 class is easily on his way to meeting the hype.
Leonard is a dual-threat quarterback who’s better than you think (the three passing TDs in 2023 were a matter of injury and circumstance, not skill). He has a bigger spotlight on him after transferring from Duke to Notre Dame. Leonard was beat up for almost half of the season and was probably a better runner than passer when he played. He’s poised for a big season if he can stay healthy.
Milum was a dependable blind side blocker for the Mountaineers in 2023, yielding nine pressures and zero sacks. He’s a solid run blocker as well. Another good season could be his last in Morgantown.
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