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On3 Impact Rankings: The Top Risers from Week12

wam1Wl2j_400x400by: Clark Brooks16 hours agoClarkBrooks_On3
Kip Lewis8
OU linebacker Kip Lewis. (Randy Sartin - Imagn Images)

Another fun weekend from the college football world! Crazy comebacks, indefensible chokes, sorry-ass shanks, and sensational statlines all blessed the action. And per usual, that’s only scratching the surface.

Likewise, our updated On3 College Football Rankings experienced loads of excitement and wonderment since this time last week.

So let’s checkout some of the top standouts that saw their standings improve the best from Week 12!

Impact Riser of the Week: LB Kip Lewis, Oklahoma

Previous Rank: LB 51, Outside Top300
Current Rank: LB 25, Player No. 281

For the third time this season, an Oklahoma defender is our Impact Riser of the Week. Brent Venables knows how to coach ’em up, huh? Kip Lewis had his name called plenty Saturday. In the Sooners’ 2nd-consecutive victory against Alabama and Kalen DeBoer, he totaled 6 stops, 2 sacks, and 2 hurries. Plus he only surrendered 3 yards in coverage against one of the nation’s most efficient passing attacks.

Those impact plays, along with some takeaways, were key ingredients in securing the upset. Now, Oklahoma is right where they want to be with the playoffs a few weeks away.

Lewis’ recent productivity has seen him transform into one of the most consistently disruptive backers in college football. Besides Jacob Rodriguez and Mason Poa, no other P4-er has a better Impact Rate (havocs + stops) than his 12.7% clip exiting the weekend.

No. 2: S Tae Johnson, Notre Dame

Previous Rank: S 57, Outside Top300
Current Rank: S 32, Outside Top300

Though Notre Dame had a sleepy start, a couple of impact players instantly jolted the Irish to a decisive victory. First, RB1 in the Impact Rankings Jeremiah Love did his thing. Then on the very next snap, rising safety Tae Johnson robbed a stick route for six points. Things hardly improved for the Panthers. Johnson and the rest of his defensive teammates held Pitt to a miserly -0.37 EPA/play (3rd percentile) with only a pair of allowed explosive plays.

According to Pro Football Focus, no other defender with at least 35 coverage snaps had a better such score than his 89.4 grade. On the year, Johnson’s 35% Ball Hawk Rate is now top5-worthy among high volume P4-ers at the position.

No. 3: RB Caleb Hawkins, North Texas

Previous Rank: RB 29, Outside Top300
Current Rank: RB 19, Player No. 227

Caleb Hawkins has been the worst kept secret in the minor conferences. The last couple of weeks have been something else. He’s been responsible for 416 yards and 9 TDs, while rocking a 40% Broken Tackle Rate and 23.3% Explosive Run Rate. Against South Alabama, almost 71% of his 189 rush yards came after contact. As you’d suspect, he was named the American Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week.

In terms of the old-school stats, Hawkins nationally now ranks 2nd in TDs (16), 14th in rush yards (933), and 26th in Yards/Attempt (6.4). But, the new-school metrics like him even more. He’s the only back in the nation to be top25 in YAC average (4.73), Explosive Run Rate (20.3%), First Down+TD Rate (39.2%), Broken Tackle Rate (40.5%), and yards per route run as receiver (1.92). And if you care about such things, his 92.8 PFF rush grade tops even Jeremiah Love’s.

No. 4: QB Cutter Boley, Kentucky

Previous Rank: QB 53, Outside Top300
Current Rank: QB 40, Outside Top300

Mark Stoops is the SEC’s longest-tenured head coach. But despite all the time spent in Lexington, failing to develop a worthwhile homegrown quarterback remained a bugaboo for Big Blue. NO MORE.

Cutter Boley has the goods. His play has helped cool his coach’s hot seat and given the Cats a path to the postseason — something that seemed like a mini miracle three weeks back.

Though he’s been up-and-down, as you’d expect from a redshirt freshmen playing in the hardest league in college football, the Hodgenville-native was one of PFF’s highest-graded P4 passers this weekend. Along with a money ball deep post, he produced a rousing 30-yard scramble score, 90% Adjusted Completion%, and 67% Passing Success Rate. Subsequently, Boley was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week.

On the year, his 54.8% Depth Adjusted Accuracy — that applies more weight the further passes travel downfield — is among the SEC’s best. Plus, Boley’s 36.3% First Down+TD/dropback is top20-worthy in the major conferences.

No. 5: TE Josh Cuevas, Alabama

Previous Rank: TE 40, Outside Top300
Current Rank: TE 28, Outside Top300

Alabama’s offense has plenty of star power. Heck, the Tide’s left tackle routinely gets involved in fun ways to move the ball. But despite all the bells, whistles and viral play calls, tight end Josh Cuevas has steadily improved his stock over the last month by being a dependable, reliable safety valve for his offense. Coming off his most productive game since leveling up to the P4 in 2023, he worked openings hauling in 6-of-7 targets for 80 yards and a score, against Oklahoma’s stingy defense.

No. 6: Edge Mitchell Melton, Virginia

Previous Rank: EDGE 34, Outside Top300
Current Rank: EDGE 27, Player No. 218

Mitchell Melton keeps shining as one of the ACC’s top edge defenders. In a big conference tilt at Duke, the Ohio State-transfer tallied 3 stops, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. Speaking of that strip, it occured in the red zone, saving Virginia from giving up points when the Blue Devils were conjuring up some momentum.

The Cavalier has now compiled 76 impact plays this fall — the 8th most among all edges and tied for 12th-most among all college defenders. On a per snap basis, only David Bailey and Clev Lubin boast better clips than his 16.1% figure among P4 players at the position ahead of Week 13.

No. 7: iOL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M

Previous Rank: iOL 47, Outside Top300
Current Rank: iOL 34, Outside Top300

In case you missed it, Texas A&M pulled off the SEC’s best comeback this season. Scratch that.. in 20 seasons. The turnaround could not have happened without Marcel Reed making some throws. And, that could not have happened without clean pockets and clear passing windows.

Despite a rough first half, Chase Bisontis and the rest of Joe Moore Award finalist teammates got their collective **** together and provided Reed a handful of dropbacks in the 3rd and 4th quarters with at least 3 seconds to throw. The team’s Havoc Rate allowed dropped from 40% to 19%.

The former consensus top5 iOL from the 2023 class now sits inside the top30 among P4-ers in True Pass Set Clean Rate (98.0%). Moreover, TAMU’s OL has 4 dudes inside the top55 at their respective positions in the latest Impact Rankings.

No. 8: WR Andrew Marsh, Michigan

Previous Rank: Not Ranked
Current Rank: WR 73, Outside Top300

The Wolverines might still be searching for better consistency through the air, but Michigan’s first-year connection between blue chips Bryce Underwood and Andrew Marsh remains extremely promising. The latter had second 100-yard game and the most catches in his young career versus Northwestern. No P4 pass catcher matched his output.

On the year, Marsh is now the 2025 class’s 2nd-most voluminous receiver behind Malachi Toney with 565 yards, 37 catches, and 2 TDs.

Blue Chip Shoutout: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Previous Rank: TE 1, Player No. 19
Current Rank: TE 1, Player No. 18

TE1 in this year’s class did TE1 things on Friday night vs Minnesota. Kenyon Sadiq caught all 8 of his opportunities for 96 yards and a score. And as the highlight below insists, he should have had another.

The Duck is now 1/5 TEs with at least 400 yards and 5 TDs this season.