Top 100 Players in College Football for the 2024 Season
College football season is getting closer, and there are officially 100 days left until the 2024 campaign gets underway. To celebrate, On3’s Clark Brooks broke down the Top 100 Players in College Football for the 2024 season.
“If the 2023 class was all about stout offensive tackles, 2024 will be about the return of the big uglies on defense,” said Brooks. “A quarter of the initial Top 100 Impact Players are defensive linemen, with six of the nine five-stars on the interior. In April’s draft, half the first round went by before a defender went off the board. That will not happen next spring with Tennessee’s terrific edge, James Pearce, headlining the crop, and a half-dozen impact four-stars at these spots also have first-round upside.
“While there are a handful of Impact five-star QBs, there aren’t any slam dunks and this class simply isn’t as talented as last year’s. Though it’s not uncommon for a passing crop to have flaws, this group features more offensive executives and distributors enhanced by their environment. There’s a ripe opportunity for a young-gun or overlooked veteran to take the sport by storm. That could be one of the known commodities, but the upper echelon of the position remains a big question mark.
“Taking a step back and looking at the Impact Top300, wide receiver is well-represented once again. The recent influx of talented pass catchers is not going away. At least 10 WRs have been drafted in the first two rounds over the last five cycles with a record-tying seven taken in the Top 32 picks last month in the 2024 NFL Draft. Right now, our current crop tracks to have nine, but that number can quickly grow.
“With nickel defenses becoming more commonplace in the college game over the last decade, linebackers have to cover more ground and affect pass games more than ever. The NFL’s desire for more speed on the field has been satisfied by this evolution, but professional football still needs players who can play in a phone booth, deliver blows and hold up against the built-in wear and tear. April’s draft didn’t see any linebackers go in the first round, and only three linebackers sit inside the initial Top 50 rankings.”
With 100 days left until kickoff, here’s the full breakdown of the Top 100 players in college football this coming year.
Top 100 Players in College Football 1-32: The 5-Stars
1. James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee
Clark Brooks: “James Pearce is simply a defender who you need to know where he aligns on any given snap. He launches like a rocket and has great B-gap rip/swim counters to keep tackles stressing. Coming off a season where he tallied 13 sacks, no returner defender is better at snatching impact plays (17.1%).”
2. Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
Brooks: “Unequivocally one of the most eclectic players in college football. Whether off a jet sweep, end around, screen, or downfield target, Luther Burden can score anytime he touches the ball.”
3. Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
Brooks: “On3’s OT1 from the 2022 recruiting class is on track to be OT1 for the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s one of college football’s premier pass blockers, and his 98.9% pass block win percentage is the best of all returning Core 4 tackles.”
4. Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
Brooks: “A smooth passer who finds key completions with ease, Carson Beck can set and fire with haste as well as layer throws with desirable touch. He boasts high-level efficiency, along with a high rate of catchable passes, that make him QB1 and a Heisman Trophy frontrunner.”
5. Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Brooks: “At 6’6, 325, Will Campbell is college football’s most well-rounded offensive lineman. It says a lot about a player when he can pull scouts’ attention away from their assigned target when charting. That happened plenty this last draft cycle when folks were impressed by the Bayou Bengals’ left tackle while scouting Jayden Daniels.”
6. Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
Brooks: “Michigan’s big, mean, tough, nasty, pocket collapser headlines a very talented crop of defensive interiors. While winning over a quarter of his true pass rushes last year, Mason Graham’s 13% Impact Play Rate cracks the position’s top five ahead of this fall.”
7. Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky
Brooks: “Deone Walker is an absolute freak at 6’6, 350 who cannot be moved off his spot and adds serious pass rush juice for his defense. No returning Core 4 interior lineman topped his 78 impact plays last year. And aesthetically, seeing a man of his size rock No. 0 just warms my heart.”
8. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Brooks: “With great size and length, Will Johnson tallied 7 picks and held opposing QBs to a stingy 48.5 rating over the last two years being a key player for one of the nation’s best teams. He’s largely expected to keep the good times rolling in Ann Arbor as one of the nation’s marquee coverage men.”
9. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Brooks: “Along with notching 17 defended passes as an underclassman starting in the SEC, Malaki Starks is simply one of the best tacklers at the safety position.”
10. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Brooks: “Good luck trying to bottle this guy up. With a great combination of size and burst, no returning pass catcher was as prolific versus man coverage last year than Tetairoa McMillan (29 catches, 500 yards, 25 first downs + touchdowns). Overall, no returning Core 4 player outdid his 107.4 Yards/Game or 90 receptions.”
11. Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
Brooks: “Totaling over 2000 yards from scrimmage on a 6.2 Yards/Opportunity, Ollie Gordon isn’t just a compiler chugging through a cloud of dust. He had just as many multi-TD games as ones with over 100 rush yards after contact (5).”
12. Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Brooks: “Quinn Ewers is one of college football’s chief offensive executives. Deadly off play action and carving up opponents in the midrange, he can fire passes from a bevy of platforms and use a variety of speeds to find his targets downfield.”
13. Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Brooks: “Jaxson Dart has a lot of the tools you want in a college QB. As a passer, he has quick eyes and a feathery operation that can take care of business on strikes over the middle or nail contested targets outside the numbers. As a rusher, he has nice vision, a strong lower body and isn’t afraid to get his jersey dirty.”
14. Wyatt Milum, OL, West Virginia
Brooks: “Wyatt Milum is, bar none, one of the nation’s most dependable blockers. He has not missed a game over the two years and has not allowed a single sack across his last 800 pass sets. A nice frame and a game that’s oozing with first-round potential.”
15. Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Brooks: “Benjamin Morrison hawked a pass on nearly 22% of his opportunities last fall while allowing a catch on less than half of his targets. Plus, none of the Golden Domer’s 8 key defensive metrics fell under the national average.”
16. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Brooks: “The former 4-star has seen his PFF coverage grade improve for 3 straight years and is coming off a season where he beat the national average in Ball Hawk Rate, yards per target and Catch Rate Allowed.”
17. Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
Brooks: “While the debate will rage on the proper way to utilize Harold Perkins’ talents, there’s no denying his motor, zeal or tenacity in the box. His havoc rate as an underclassman is just under 6% (a mark no college LB topped last fall). Additionally, he’s becoming one of the position’s top options in coverage.”
18. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Brooks: “It’s easy to forget that Emeka Egbuka had a top-8 yards per route run among Core 4 WRs in 2022. In fact, half of his targets resulted in either a conversion or in points. He’s poised to put last year’s disappointment behind him, and the Buckeye is primed to play up to his 5-star pedigree with a quarterback upgrade.”
19. Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Brooks: “Abdul Carter, the college linebacker with the position’s top havoc rate last year, will now get to focus on dismantling fronts full-time in 2024. Hinting the best is yet to come operating as an edge, half of his pass production came over his last four games.”
20. Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Brooks: “America’s favorite two-way player, Travis Hunter averaged 80 yards per game and didn’t drop a single target as a WR. He also beat the national average in ball hawk rate as a cornerback. They don’t make many like this guy.
21. Howard Cross III, DL, Notre Dame
Brooks: “A top-notch three-technique built to clash with guards. Howard Cross III is the lone returning college interior who placed inside the nation’s top 10 in both impact plays by volume and by rate.”
22. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Brooks: “The 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year was this transfer portal cycle’s top prize. As a freshman, he logged 35 impact plays and placed inside the position’s top 10 in PFF defensive grade. Jim Knowles’ mind is aglow, contemplating ways to unleash Downs’ full potential over the next couple of years.”
23. Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
Brooks: “This former consensus top-three recruit is coming off a year where he boasted a top-six sack rate among college interiors. For good measure, both Nolen’s 5.8% Stop Rate and 10.7% Impact Rate placed inside the Core 4’s top 16.”
24. Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State
Brooks: “No returning Core 4 interior totaled more than Tyleik Williams’ 33 defensive stops last fall. On top of that, he was one of only a handful that averaged more impact plays/game (4.6).”
25. Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
Brooks: “It was impossible to watch last year’s postseason and not notice Kenneth Grant’s destructive style. He secured a pressure on nearly 21% of his rushes over his last 3 games including a pair of sacks in the CFP.”
26. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Brooks: “A voluminous, high-floor passer with tight mechanics and ability to flip the ball vertically with little trouble. There are areas in Shedeur Sanders’ game to iron out, but he’s on everyone’s radar as a player to watch this fall – for a variety of reasons.”
27. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Brooks: “While being the position’s most productive returner, no Core 4 TE can challenge Colston Loveland’s efficient 2.4 Yards/Route Run.”
28. Sebastian Castro, CB, Iowa
Brooks: “Sebastian Castro’s 54 impact plays were the most among Core 4 defenders last year. He also sported the top returning PFF coverage grade (91.2), and his yards allowed per target was among the 5-best in the power conferences.”
29. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
Brooks: “As a true freshman, Reuben Bain Jr. finished inside the position’s top 40 in total impact plays and earned a top 25 Pass Rush Win Rate on true dropbacks. He’s just getting started.”
30. Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
Brooks: “Despite leveling up from Conference USA to the SEC, Tre Harris saw an uptick in volume and owns a top-five yards per route run heading into 2024. Plus, he was the only SEC receiver to crack the conference’s top 10 in yards per target, yards after catch average, and first down + touchdown rate. He’s an immensely underrated pass catcher.”
31. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Brooks: “No one accumulated more rush yards after contact last year than Omarion Hampton. Fresh off a 1,500 yard effort, he’s a dark horse to be ACC’s Offensive Player of the Year.”
32. Tate Ratledge, OL, Georgia
Brooks: “The Bulldogs have produced some quality blockers over the last half-decade, and Tate Ratledge is ready to add to the tradition of excellence as one of the sturdiest interior o-linemen in the nation. His career pass block win percentage is a mighty 99.3%, and his figure from 2023 is the top mark for all linemen regardless of where they line up.”
Top 100 Players in College Football 33-50
After three quarterbacks ranked in the Top 15, Jalen Milroe headlines the next group of On3’s Top 100 players in college football. The offensive line has a strong presence, as well, with five linemen rounding out the Top 50.
33. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
34. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
35. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
36. Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
37. Jabbar Muhammad, CB, Oregon
38. Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville
39. Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
40. Clay Webb, OL, Jacksonville State
41. Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
42. Kaimon Rucker, EDGE, North Carolina
43. Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
44. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
45. Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
46. Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
47. Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama
48. Ajani Cornelius, OL, Oregon
49. Valentin Senn, OL, UConn
50. Earnest Greene, OL, Georgia
Top 100 Players in College Football 51-75
Just outside the Top 50, a slew of running backs highlight the next section of On3’s Top 100 players in college football. That group includes Donovan Edwards, who’ll look to fill the shoes left by Blake Corum following Michigan’s national championship last season and is one of four running backs in this section.
51. T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina
52. Jeremiah Cooper, S, Iowa State
53. Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
54. Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
55. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
56. Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
57. Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
58. Jaydn Ott, RB, Cal
59. Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Arizona
60. Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
61. Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame
62. Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
63. Emery Jones, OL, LSU
64. Tacario Davis, CB, Arizona
65. Aydan White, CB, NC State
66. Patrick Payton, EDGE, Florida State
67. Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech
68. Ricky White, WR, UNLV
69. Barion Brown, WR, Kentucky
70. Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
71. Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
72. Antwaun Powell-Ryland, EDGE, Virginia Tech
73. Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas
74. Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama
75. Rod Moore, S, Michigan
Top 100 Players in College Football 76-100
More talent in the trenches rounds out On3’s Top 100 players in college football, but there’s also a group of notable wide receivers and EDGE rushers in the final 25 players. This section of players could be in position to improve their draft stock during the 2024 season and potentially hear their names called in Green Bay next spring.
76. Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
77. Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
78. Tyler Cooper, OL, Minnesota
79. Bear Alexander, DL, USC
80. Brady Cook, QB, Missouri
81. Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
82. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
83. Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
84. J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
85. Jake Majors, C, Texas
86. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
87. Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama
88. Aeneas Peebles, DL, Virginia Tech
89. Dillon Thieneman, S, Purdue
90. CJ Daniels, WR, LSU
91. Juice Wells, WR, Ole Miss
92. Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
93. Jacob Manu, LB, Arizona
94. Bryson Nesbit, TE, North Carolina
95. Kydran Jenkins, EDGE, Purdue
96. Josaiah Stewart, EDGE, Michigan
97. Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
98. Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers
99. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
100. Alijah Huzzie, CB, North Carolina
The 2024 college football season gets underway with Week 0 on Aug. 24 to help set up an exciting Week 1 slate of games on Aug. 31. It’s a new era, as well, after conference realignment and College Football Playoff expansion shook up the landscape in a big way.