Offense

QB: Caleb Williams, USC

Williams is returning to USC after winning the Heisman Trophy last season. It’s a no-brainer that he’s the best quarterback and player in the nation.

RB: Blake Corum, Michigan

I toiled over who to put here and it came down to three players: Blake Corum, Quinshon Judkins, and Braelon Allen. I ultimately decided to go with Corum because I argued hard for him to be a Heisman finalist last season. He was a massive reason as to why Michigan was so good last season. In twelve games last year, Corum rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns.

WR: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

Many NFL scouts had Marvin Harrison Jr. rated as the top wideout in this year’s draft. He wasn’t even in this year’s draft. The kid is an absolute stud. While it definitely helped having CJ Stroud throwing him the ball, Harrison has such a wide catch radius that he’s reeling in everything within a five yard radius. While his 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns is impressive, it’s more impressive what he does against the best teams. Against Georgia, he caught 5 passes for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns and vs Michigan he reeled in 7 passes for 120 yards and 1 touchdown.

WR: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

I’m praying for any secondary that has to play against Ohio State this year (including my Fighting Irish). Not only do they have the best wideout in the nation, but they have the second best as well. Emeka Egbuka alongside Harrison caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns. And much like Harrison, Egbuka came up huge when the stakes were the highest reeling in 8 passes for 112 yards and 1 touchdown vs Georgia.

WR: Rome Odunze, Washington

For me, it was easy to figure out my number one and two wide receiver. Where I struggled was with my wide receiver three. There was a large pool to pick from, but I brought it down to two: Xavier Worthy and Rome Odunze. While Worthy is going to be Texas’ best offensive weapon this year, I just like the way Odunze plays more. At 6’3, he’s a threat anywhere he lines up and proved that in 2022 when he snagged 75 passes for 1,145 yards and 7 touchdowns.

TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia

When it comes to the tight end position for the upcoming season, there’s a monumental drop off between TE1 and TE2. Brock Bowers has separated himself from the competition due to his unreal ability to catch passes and block in the run game. There are little to no flaws in his game which you can’t say about many other tight ends. Last season, Bowers caught 63 passes for 942 yards and 7 touchdowns, along with dominating TCU in the National Championship when he reeled in 7 passes for 152 yards and 1 touchdown.

OT: Joe Alt, Notre Dame

Throughout history we’ve witnessed many great debates. Lincoln vs Douglas, Jordan vs LeBron, and now we’re seeing one on the college football landscape for the 2023 season. Who’s the better offensive tackle, Joe Alt or OIu Fashanu? Both are great, but I’m rocking with Joe Alt. Alt is a pristine pass protector with a knack for mauling defensive linemen in the trenches. He’s going to be vital in Notre Dames 2023 success running the ball and keeping Sam Hartman upright.

OT: Olu Fashanu, Penn State

If Alt is OT1, then Olu Fashanu is 1B. He’s equally elite and the two are the clear-cut best offensive linemen in the nation. The 6’6 sophomore received a 94% pass blocking grade from NFL Draft Buzz and was part of the reason why Penn State allowed only 21 sacks the entire season. He’s a true anchor and is looking to solidify is dominant streak this upcoming season.

OG: Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

While Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu are the two best offensive linemen in the country, the third best is Cooper Beebe. Beebe is a great mover of men and is remarkably effective as a pass protector. Deuce Vaughn was a very dynamic back last season, but there’s a reason as to why he was able to run so freely. Beebe was opening up lanes and will do it again this season for the Wildcats offense.

OG: Christian Haynes, UConn

Believe it or not, but UConn was one of the best pass blocking teams of the 2022 season. The Huskies only allowed 18 sacks in 13 games and I attribute that to the leadership and grit from Christian Haynes. Haynes is a big bodied offensive guard that excels in both pass and run blocking. UConn also was 33rd in the nation in rushing ahead of Notre Dame, Texas, and LSU. Haynes returns to UConn even though he was draft eligible and is looking to raise his stock this season.

C: Drake Nugent, Michigan

Michigan landed one of the top transfers in the whole nation with Stanford center Drake Nugent. Nugent won the Team Technician Award at Stanford last season and for good reason. He’s a very technical player prioritizing hand placement and body posture in the run and pass game to be most efficient. I’m excited to see him on the Wolverines offensive line this season because of how good they’ve been the past few years.

Defense

DT: Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati

With a name like Don Corleone, you better be a malevolent force to offenses and that’s what the Cincinnati defensive tackle is. At 6’2, 320 pounds, Corleone proved to be a dominant run stopper and underrated pass rusher. Last season, he made 44 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Where Corleone really broke out this season was vs Navy when he notched 11 tackles against the Midshipmen ground and pound attack.

DT: Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

Illinois is going to have one of the best defensive lines in the whole country this upcoming season and it will be anchored by Jer’Zhan Newton. Newton is a quick and nimble player on the interior of the Illini defense. Last season, he made 59 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections. What I found most impressive about Newton last season was that he would do his job and then make plays. He had seven games with 5 or more tackles.

Edge: Jared Verse, Florida State

Had Jared Verse entered the 2023 NFL Draft, I think he would have been a first round pick even with how loaded the class was with edge rushers. When he plays, it’s almost like he’s covered in butter because he’s so slick coming off the edge. Verse does a fantastic job turning the corner on tackles and utilizing is hands. Last year in twelve games, Verse tallied 9 sacks and 47 tackles.

Edge: Bralen Trice, Washington

Last season, Washington went 10-2 and in their two losses, Bralen Trice had no sacks. When Washington did win, Trice averaged at least 1 sack. When Trice gets to the quarterback, the Huskies win. The interesting facet of his game is that with his size being 6’4, 256 pounds, he uses speed and transitions to power while also using power to transition to a speed rush move. There’s a lot of tricks in his pass rushing bag that it’s tough for tackles to prepare for him.

LB: Harold Perkins, LSU

Not only is Harold Perkins the best linebacker in the nation, but he might be the best defensive player in the whole country. Last season with LSU, Perkins totaled 72 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and forced 3 fumbles. Where Perkins excelled most though was against difficult opponents. When they played Georgia, Perkins notched 10 tackles and 1 forced fumble, and against Alabama, Perkins made 8 tackles and 1 sack. He’ll be a dominant force, once again on the Tigers defense.

LB: Abdul Carter, Penn State

I am a HUGE Abdul Carter fan. Carter is a prototypical Penn State linebacker with great size, elite lateral quickness, and unteachable toughness. Last season, Carter made 56 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 pass breakups. Where I do get a bit concerned is that against Utah, he disappeared a bit. He only tallied 1 tackle. Maybe it was just an off game, but if he’s going to be considered one of the nations best this upcoming season, he can’t have games like that.

LB: Jackson Mitchell, UConn

I’m sick and tired of the disrespect towards Mr. Connecticut, Jackson Mitchell. You can argue with a wall, but Mitchell is one of the three best linebackers in the country. Last season, he had 140 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries, and 3 pass breakups. Mitchell also had six games with 10 or more tackles and three with 16 tackles. He’s the lifeblood of the UConn defense and is looking to expound off a great 2022 season.

CB: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

Not only does Kool-Aid McKinstry have the best name in college football, but I think he’s the best corner in the nation. McKinstry had 35 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 15 pass breakups last season including 3 pass breakups vs Kansas State. In addition to being a lockdown corner who sees little to no targets a game, McKinstry is an elite punt returner. He’s a jack-of-all-trades player that will be integral in Alabamas 2023 success.

CB: Kalen King, Penn State

Penn State’s defense is going to be one of the nations best this upcoming season. Their front seven anchored by Abdul Carter is stout and on the back end, Kalen King will once again look to dominate. King had 30 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 15 pass breakups this past season. His best games came when he faced top opponents like Utah, Michigan, and Michigan State.

S: Calen Bullock, USC

While the Trojans are most known for having a high flying offense, Calen Bullock in their secondary makes USC’s defense scary. Bullock is a great centerfielder for USC, but doesn’t come down in run support very often. Last season, he notched 48 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 6 pass deflections. Where I do have a concern is, much like Abdul Carter, Bullock fell flat in a bowl game. Against Tulane, Bullock only had 1 tackle.

S: Kamren Kinchens, Miami

Miami hasn’t been an elite team as of late, but Kamren Kinchens, who possesses great hips and physicality, could turn their defense around. He plays the ball better than any other safety in the country and in 2022 made 59 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 6 interceptions, and 5 pass breakups. He’s arguably the best safety in the nation and can do just about anything from the safety spot.