The regular season ends in a few days! The opportunity, in this Christmas period, to deliver you the top 10 of the writing on each position. Between confirmation and rise in power, overview of the forces present with, for certain positions, the preferential role in parentheses.
QUARTERBACKS
1. Trevor Lawrence (Clemson)
2. Justin Fields (Ohio State)
3. Zach Wilson (BYU)
4. Kyle Trask (Florida)
5. Trey Lance (North Dakota State)
6. Mac Jones (Alabama)
7. Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
8. Shane Buechele (SMU)
9. Brock Purdy (Iowa State)
10. Sam Ehlinger (Texas)
Other players mentioned : Dustin Crum (Kent State), D’Eriq King (Miami FL), Jamie Newman (Georgia), Kellen Mond (Texas A&M).
The plebiscite remains global for Trevor Lawrence, also due to a slight slack from Justin Fields during the second half of the season. The Buckeyes quarterback remains on a sad performance in the Big Ten conference finals and will have to reassure in the playoffs, and during the draft process. Behind, the positions seem to be on stand-by, with a fairly tight gap and the emergence of Desmond Ridder, valuable quarterback in Cincinnati’s great season in 2020.
RUNNING BACKS
1. Travis Etienne (Clemson)
2. Najee Harris (Alabama)
3. Javonte Williams (North Carolina)
4. Kenny Gainwell (Memphis)
5. Chuba Hubbard (Oklahoma State)
6. Jarret Patterson (Buffalo)
7. Master Teague (Ohio State)
8. Michael Carter (North Carolina)
9. Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota)
10. Javian Hawkins (Louisville)
Other players mentioned : Kylin Hill (Mississippi State), Brenden Knox (Marshall), Trey Sermon (Ohio State), Zamir White (Georgia), CJ Marable (Coastal Carolina), Rakeem Boyd (Arkansas).
Behind Travis Etienne and Najee Harris, the chasm still looks noticeable, but North Carolina’s fine offensive season has turned heads, with the emergence of runner Javonte Williams, Michael Carter’s bigger double, and able to bounce back from leaving Ohio State. Injuries and inconsistent performances cost Chuba Hubbard points, as a dazzling Jarret Patterson swooped down on him in Buffalo.
RECIPIENTS
1. DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
2. Ja’Marr Chase (LSU)
3. Jaylen Waddle (Alabama)
4. Rashod Bateman (Minnesota)
5. Rondale Moore (Purdue)
6. Chris Olave (Ohio State)
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown (USC)
8. Terrace Marshall (LSU)
9. Kadarius Toney (Florida)
10. Tylan Wallace (Oklahoma State)
Other players mentioned : Sage Surratt (Wake Forest), Dyami Brown (North Carolina), Elijah Moore (Ole Miss), Ty Fryfogle (Indiana).
A big candidate to become the first Heisman Trophy receiver since 1991, DeVonta Smith has been a major player in Alabama’s excellent offensive season. What put a little more pressure on Ja’Marr Chase in the spring. Behind, the places from 5 to 10 are quite tight, with varied profiles, ranging from possession receiver (St Brown, Marshall, Olave) to speedster (Toney, Wallace, Moore).
TIGHT ENDS
1. Kyle Pitts (Florida)
2. Pat Freiermuth (Penn State)
3. Brevin Jordan (Miami FL)
4. Hunter Long (Boston College)
5. Charlie Kolar (Iowa State)
6. Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin)
7. Nick Eubanks (Michigan)
8. Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State)
9. Matt Bushman (BYU)
10. Kenny Yeboah (Ole Miss)
Other players mentioned : Trey McBride (Colorado State), Braden Galloway (Clemson), Tre’ McKitty (Georgia), Cary Angeline (NC State), Kylen Granson (SMU).
Kyle Pitts is of course still popular and it was not Pat Freiermuth’s premature end to the season that changed this fact. We note the good progress of Hunter Long, capable of being a major asset in the development of the aerial attack of Boston College and the nice rebound of Kenny Yeboah, weapon at the reception as formidable at Temple as at Ole Miss .
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Penei Sewell (Oregon)
2. Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)
3. Liam Eichenberg (Our Lady)
4. Samuel Cosmi (Texas)
5. Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)
6. Alex Leatherwood (Alabama)
7. Dillon Radunz (North Dakota State)
8. Jalen Mayfield (Michigan)
9. Teven Jenkins (Oklahoma State)
10. Walker Little (Stanford)
Other players mentioned : Darian Kinnard (Kentucky), Jackson Carman (Clemson).
The top 7 divides, with the exception of the first two, Penei Sewell, expected during the draft process, and Christian Darrisaw, in permanent boom in view of his performances at Virginia Tech. Rashawn Slater continues to progress and Alex Leatherwood continues to question his concrete position among the pros, within a class that could see at least 5 or 6 tackles drafted from day one.
The versatile Rashawn Slater is a true dueling rock.
GUARDS / CENTRES
1. Creed Humphrey (C, Oklahoma)
2. Wyatt Davis (G, Ohio State)
3. Trey Smith (G, Tennessee)
4. Alijah Vera-Tucker (G, USC)
5. Josh Myers (C, Ohio State)
6. Drake Jackson (C, Kentucky)
7. Deonte Brown (G, Alabama)
8. Landon Dickerson (C, Alabama)
9. Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
10. Ben Cleveland (G, Georgia)
Other players mentioned : Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa), Jack Anderson (C, Texas Tech), Nolan Laufenberg (G, Air Force), Trey Hill (C, Georgia), Aaron Banks (G, Notre Dame), Tommy Kraemer (G, Notre Dame).
Creed Humphrey and Wyatt Davis remain the two sure values, respectively at the positions of center and guard. But make no mistake about it: Trey Smith and Alijah Vera-Tucker seem to be mostly behind in their versatility. Alabama is not only represented at the playmaker level, because with Deonte Brown in guard and former Florida State Landon Dickerson, the Tide could invite two offensive linemen in the first three rounds of the 2021 draft.
EDGE RUSHERS
1. Gregory Rousseau (Miami FL)
2. Kwity Paye (Michigan)
3. Joseph Ossai (Texas)
4. Azeez Ojulari (Georgia)
5. Carlos Basham Jr. (Wake Forest)
6. Patrick Jones II (Pittsburgh)
7. Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
8. Quincy Roche (Miami FL)
9. Jaelan Phillips (Miami FL)
10. Tarron Jackson (Coastal Carolina)
Other players mentioned : Shaka Toney (Penn State), Jayson Oweh (Penn State), Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati), Patrick Johnson (Tulane), Victor Dimukeje (Duke), Joe Tryon (Washington), DeAngelo Malone (Western Kentucky).
Gregory Rousseau still holds the rope, at a time when his two Miami partners, Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche, have signed up for the draft. They still have work to do to undermine the good odds of Kwity Paye and Joseph Ossai, as well as that of Azeez Ojulari, expected as the main edge rusher 34 pure. Coastal Carolina’s great season has benefited Tarron Jackson, who was incisive in many key moments of the Chanticleers’ season.
LINEMEN DEFENSIFS
1. Jaylen Twyman (Pittsburgh)
2. Jay Tufele (USC)
3. Christian Barmore (Alabama)
4. Darius Stills (West Virginia)
5. Tyler Shelvin (LSU)
6. Jordan Davis (Georgia)
7. Marvin Wilson (Florida State)
8. Levi Onwuzurike (Washington)
9. Tedarrell Slaton (Florida)
10. Davyion Nixon (Iowa)
Other players mentioned : Alim McNeil (NC State), CJ Brewer (Coastal Carolina), Haskell Garrett (Ohio State).
The editorial team is still divided on the number 1 prospect on the position, but the ability to bring on the rush benefits Jaylen Twyman and Jay Tufele. The nose tackles (Tyler Shelvin, Jordan Davis, Tedarrell Slaton) are necessarily penalized within the current NFL but have something to impress by April.
LINEBACKERS
1. Micah Parsons (Penn State)
2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame)
3. Zaven Collins (Tulsa)
4. Dylan Moses (Alabama)
5. Nick Bolton (Missouri)
6. Gabriel Cox (LSU)
7. Chazz Surratt (North Carolina)
8. Jack Sanborn (Wisconsin)
9. Cameron McGrone (Michigan)
10. Paddy Fisher (Northwestern)
Other players mentioned : Pete Werner (Ohio State), Baron Browning (Ohio State), Amari Gainer (Florida State), Max Richardson (Boston College), Merlin Robertson (Arizona State).
Overall status quo with Micah Parsons above the rest, with his incredible athletic abilities, and the sparkling duo Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah-Zaven Collins. Promising times in their respective programs, Jack Sanborn and Paddy Fisher need to show a bigger facet than just run stopping in the pros.
Son Asante Samuel, ready to take over from the former Patriot.
CORNERBACKS
1. Patrick Surtain II (Alabama)
2. Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech)
3. Eric Stokes (Georgia)
4. Jaycee Horn (South Carolina)
5. Shaun Wade (Ohio State)
6. Asante Samuel Jr. (Florida State)
7. Paulson Adebo (Stanford)
8. Tyson Campbell (Georgia)
9. Elijah Molden (Washington)
10. Derion Kendrick (Clemson)
Other players mentioned : Shemar Jean-Charles (Appalachian State), Deommodore Lenoir (Oregon), Josh Jobe (Alabama), TJ Carter (Memphis).
Already registered for the draft, the leading quartet seems fairly well defined, even if Shaun Wade could compensate for a lackluster season with explosive training camps. A time considered in the first round, Tyson Campbell left a lot of feathers, especially during the SEC conference duel, against the offensive steamroller of Florida.
SAFETIES
1. Trevon Moehrig (TCU)
2. Paris Ford (Pittsburgh)
3. Jevon Holland (Oregon)
4. Richard LeCounte (Georgia)
5. Andre Cisco (Syracuse)
6. Bubba Bolden (Miami FL)
7. Hamsah Nasirildeen (Florida State)
8. Caden Sterns (Texas)
9. Richie Grant (UCF)
10. JaCoby Stevens (LSU)
Other players mentioned : Kolby Harvel-Peel (Oklahoma State), Ar’Darius Washington (TCU), Talanoa Hufanga (USC), Shawn Davis (Florida), Ifeatu Melifonwu (Syracuse), Tariq Thompson (San Diego State).
The season has been eventful for safeties which still do not impress, especially due to the “boycotted” seasons (Holland), shortened (Ford) or marked by injuries (LeCounte, Cisco). This little game tightens the positions and a prospect like Hamsah Nasirildeen, too often seen as a simple athletic phenomenon, showed interesting things at the end of the season, to claim to re-enter the top 60 of the final field.
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