HONORABLE MENTION: USC OT Andrew Vorhees, Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Clemson DT Bryan Bresse, Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey, Kansas State RB Deuce Vaughn, Army OLB Andre Carter, Clemson LB Trenton Simpson, Texas WR Xavier Worthy, USC QB Caleb Williams, Louisville G Caleb Chandler
15. Iowa State DE Will McDonald IV
McDonald has had back-to-back seasons over ten sacks and I wouldn’t be shocked if he makes it three. In 2021, the lanky pass rusher had 36 tackles, 11.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. I think he should be one of, if not the favorite, to take home the Ted Hendricks Award in 2022. What will help build McDonald’s presence is if Iowa State is good and they’ve been consistently a Top 25 team in his time with the Cyclones.
14. Georgia TE Brock Bowers
Georgia got quite the surprise from a dominant true freshman tight end in 2021. Brock Bowers caught 56 passes for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns and was a huge factor in Georgia winning the National Championship. Bowers came up big on the biggest stages, tallying 19 catches, 230 yards, and three touchdowns in the SEC Championship and College Football Playoffs.
13. Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson
TreVeyon Henderson is going to be part of a three headed Ohio State offensive monster in 2022. C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are going to receive a lot of attention in the pass game which will open things up for Henderson on the run. Last season, the Buckeyes pass game was explosive and the best in the country, but Henderson was still able to rush for 1,248 yards and 15 scores. His touches will go up in 2022 with Olave, Wilson, and Ruckert leaving.
12. Oregon LB Noah Sewell
When you’re looking at the inside linebacker position, Noah Sewell takes the cake as the best. In 2021, he made 114 tackles, four sacks, broke up five passes, forced two fumbles, and even picked off a pass. He’s a lot like Devin Lloyd last season in the sense that he does EVERYTHING on defense. Sewell had 6 games over 10 tackles and will be the true leader on Oregon’s defense. Dan Lanning has to be thrilled to get to work with such a talented linebacker like Sewell.
11. Notre Dame C Jarrett Patterson
Patterson has to be the most consistent lineman in all of college football. He played 918 snaps for the Irish last season, and in his three years as a starter, he’s never allowed a sack. Since taking over at center in 2019, Notre Dame’s averaged 178.1 rushing yards per game. He’s been the unsung hero on the Irish team and is looking to end his Notre Dame career in style.
10. USC WR Jordan Addison
Addison won the Biletnikoff Award last season, the award for the nations’ best receiver. Now, he’s out of Pittsburgh and is teaming up with a very talented coach-QB duo in Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams. In this new system, he could be going back to back for the Biletnikoff. Addison isn’t the biggest target, but he runs clean routes and has great hands. When you look at the pantheon of receivers in college football, there are two guys at the top and Addison’s one of them.
9. Alabama S Jordan Battle
Battle is going to be a senior in the Alabama defense and is coming off a tremendous junior year. Last season he recorded 85 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions. In addition to putting up great stats, Battle was only targeted 26 times and had a 53.8 catch percentage against him. While Will Anderson takes care of business up front, Battle will be flying around in the defensive backfield.
8. Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski
At 6’4, 295 pounds, Skoronoski is definitely on the lighter side for a tackle, but that doesn’t stop him from being the best lineman in the country. He allowed only two sacks and six QB hits last season in his second year as a starter. Skoronski built off of a very solid freshman season and this season should be his true breakout one that shoots him up the NFL Draft boards. He packs a powerful punch in the run game and moves very fluidly in pass protection.
7. Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
I thought that last season Michael Mayer was the best tight end in the country. Again, I think he’s going to hold that crown. He caught 71 balls for 840 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Now, he’s coming back for his third season as a number one option in the Irish offense and should be able to break through the 1,000 yard mark. In addition to being a weapon in the pass game, he’s a phenomenal run blocker.
6. Georgia DT Jalen Carter
Carter is one of the few remaining pieces of the very dominant Georgia defense last season. As a sophomore last season, Carter made 37 tackles, three sacks, and one pass break up. Standing at 6’3, 310 pounds, he’s going to be the most dominant interior defensive lineman in all of college football. With all the departures that Georgia had this offseason, they’ll definitely regress, but Carter will surely step up and dominate the run in the SEC.
5. Texas RB Bijan Robinson
There’s a massive gap between Bijan Robinson and the next best back in college football. He has all the intangibles you want in a back: he’s quick, powerful, and has elite breakaway speed. Robinson tallied 1,422 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns with an average of 5.8 yards per carry last season. With the addition of Quinn Ewers in the UT offense, his pass game production is sure to improve. If I had to call it in now, I’d say that he’s a lock for the Doak Walker Award.
4. Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jordan Addison is good, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba is even better. With Garrett Wilson, Jeremy Ruckert, and Chris Olave around him in 2021, he still had the most receiving yards and catches by a mile. He brought in 95 passes with 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns. With C.J. Stroud returning and him being the clear cut number one, Smith-Njigbas productivity and numbers are going to be through the roof.
3. Alabama QB Bryce Young
Bryce Young is returning to Alabama after winning the Heisman and leading the Crimson Tide to the National Title game. You could make the argument he’s the best player in the nation because of his performance last season. He threw for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns with only seven picks. I fully believe he’ll push past the threshold of 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. He’s a stud and probably the 2022 Heisman front runner.
2. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
This man right here is my Heisman favorite. He has the best receiver in the country returning and the second best running back. Last season he broke out, throwing for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He has a massive arm and great awareness in the pocket. He’ll be shredding Big Ten secondaries with ease this season and I’m predicting he’ll be hoisting the Heisman trophy at the seasons end.
1. Alabama OLB Will Anderson
HE’S A MACHINE. Will Anderson tallied 101 tackles, 17.5 sacks, and three pass breakups in 2021 and took home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. With his pass rush efficiency being so high in 2021, teams will have to game plan for him. Even then, I don’t think it’ll matter because his bag of pass rushing moves is endless. He’s a player that I think will be a Heisman finalist, and the most integral on the Alabama roster.
