• Kentucky’s Deone Walker headlines the Nos. 11-20 group: The top 10 of the PFF College 50 will be released Friday, but for now, the interior defender leads the way at No. 11.
• Ole Miss places three players in the Nos. 41-50 range: Quarterback Jaxson Dart, edge defender Princely Umanmielen and wide receiver Tre Harris all crack the PFF College 50.
• Dominate fantasy football season with promo code PFF25: Unlock all of PFF’s fantasy content and tools, including full access to the fantasy football mock draft simulator, for 25% off using promo code PFF25.
Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes
Last month, PFF unveiled the NFL’s top 50 players entering the 2024 season. Now, it’s time to do the same for college.
With less than two weeks to go until kickoff, here’s a look at our top 50 players in college football entering this season.
Editor’s note: The PFF College 50 will be released throughout the week, starting with Nos. 41-50 on Monday, Aug. 12. The top 10 players will drop on Friday, Aug. 16.
Walker is an alien sent to Earth to terrorize SEC backfields. He’s 6-foot-6 and 348 pounds and revealed in a recent PFF interview that he aims to run in the “high 4.6s” in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. For reference, the record for an interior defensive lineman is 4.67 seconds by Calijah Kancey, who is nearly 70 pounds lighter than Walker.
Most defensive tackles of Walker’s size are limited to being run-stuffers. While he earned an 81.7 PFF run-defense grade last year, Walker is also an incredibly productive pass-rusher. His 51 pressures in 2023 were the most by any interior defensive lineman in college football, while his eight sacks led the Power Five.
Burden became one of college football’s premier wide receivers as a sophomore last season. His 725 yards after the catch were the third most among FBS receivers, and his 314 receiving yards after contact were the fourth most. Burden also displayed impressive hands and body control, dropping just four of his 94 catchable targets while coming down with 56.5% of his contested targets. The former five-star recruit was targeted on 32.7% of his receiving snaps in 2023, the highest rate among Power Five receivers.
As a true freshman in 2022, Starks led all Georgia defenders with 847 snaps during the team’s national championship run. His eight combined interceptions and forced incompletions that year tied for the fifth most among SEC safeties. Starks built on his freshman year by earning an 84.8 PFF run-defense grade as a sophomore, which placed him seventh in the Power Five for his position. He also tied for sixth among that same group with seven forced incompletions in 2023. He’s the favorite to be the top safety off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft and will likely be a first-round selection.
Beck was tasked with taking over for two-time national champion Stetson Bennett, and he did not disappoint. He ranked highly in several stable passing metrics while also making lightning-quick decisions. His 2.39-second average time to throw was the fastest of any FBS quarterback with 250 pass attempts last season. Beck has the cleanest profile of any passer in college football.
If the ball heads McMillan’s way, there’s a very good chance he is coming down with it. He presents a massive target to throw to at 6-foot-5, giving him a larger catch radius than anyone on this list. His 17 contested catches in 2023 were second among FBS receivers to only Rome Odunze. He also has excellent hands, finishing with the lowest drop rate among Power Five receivers with at least 100 targets this past season (2.1%). Only Malik Nabers and Odunze finished with more receiving yards than McMillan in the Power Five (1,396) in 2023, and they were each top-10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, something McMillan could accomplish in 2025 at this pace.
Gabriel has enjoyed a tremendous college career across five seasons at UCF and Oklahoma. He posted a 91.9 PFF overall grade last season that ranked third in college football, behind Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. Now at Oregon, he enters 2024 with a dynamic supporting cast that includes college football’s best receiving corps. Gabriel and the Ducks should contend for a national championship.
Scourton had a breakout true sophomore campaign at Purdue. His 21.3% pass-rush win rate in 2023 ranked ninth among all edge defenders, and his 25 run-defense stops tied for third in the Power Five. The Aggies are getting a powerful edge defender at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds who often flashes a nasty spin move. He’s an elite edge player who could find himself selected very early in next year’s draft.
Hampton is a bruising back at 6-foot and 220 pounds, as evidenced by his FBS-leading 1,072 yards after contact this past season. He has serious juice at that size, too, hitting a top speed of 23 miles per hour (fourth among FBS running backs in 2023). North Carolina placed just 100th in team run-blocking grade (55.5) last season, so Hampton had to work for every yard. With star quarterback Drake Maye gone, expect Hampton to be relied on even more as a junior. He is one of the three best running backs in college football.
Shedeur Sanders may be a lightning rod, but his production is undeniable. Despite a plethora of struggles from his supporting cast, Sanders finished last season with the ninth-best passing grade in the FBS. More importantly, his 93.2 clean-pocket grade ranked third in the FBS, behind only Heisman winners Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. He has a loaded wide receiver group to work with, as well. If Sanders is protected, he is going to produce at an elite level.
Cross’ smaller size doesn’t preclude him from terrorizing opposing backfields. This past season, his 90.1 PFF overall grade trailed only T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II among FBS interior defenders. Cross’ 29 run-defense stops in 2023 were tied for the second most among all defensive tackles in college football, and he ranked fifth in the Power Five with 39 pressures.
Sawyer was arguably the most well-rounded edge defender in college football this past year, finishing as the only FBS player at the position to earn 85.0-plus grades as a pass-rusher and a run defender. Among returning Power Five edge defenders, only James Pearce Jr. was more valuable in 2023, according to PFF’s wins above average metric.
Thieneman was spectacular in his true freshman season and is already a top-three safety in college football. That’s quite the feat for a player who wasn’t even a top-950 recruit in the 2023 high school class. His 89.5 PFF overall grade trailed only Tyler Nubin among FBS safeties this past season, while his 90.2 run-defense grade ranked fifth.
Thieneman also tied for second among all safeties in college football with six interceptions and allowed just five catches. He’s as elite of an athlete as they come, placing in the 100th percentile of PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric.
Jeanty’s 95.1 PFF overall grade in 2023 led all FBS running backs, as did his 94.6 rushing grade and 91.6 receiving grade. Jeanty’s 578 receiving yards this past season were 95 more than the next-closest running back in the nation, and he ranked third in that group with 82 forced missed tackles on the ground. He’s an elite athlete for the position and is easily the country’s most versatile back — as well as a top-five player at his position.
Loveland became one of the best tight ends in college football as a sophomore this past season. He was the fourth-most valuable FBS tight end, according to PFF’s wins above average metric and ranked fifth in receiving yards (649). Loveland is an elite athlete at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, placing close to the 99th percentile in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score.
That absurd movement ability makes Loveland nearly unguardable. His 88.7% open-target rate in 2023 placed him in the 95th percentile for FBS tight ends. He is the best returning tight end in the country.
Perkins entered Baton Rouge as a top-10 recruit and proved why in his true freshman season. In 2022, he paced Power Five linebackers with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade and placed second among FBS linebackers with 18 quarterback knockdowns (sack plus hits). The Tigers asked him to play more in an off-ball role as a sophomore, and he responded with an 81.1 coverage grade — a top-15 mark among Power Five linebackers. Perkins has proven that he’s versatile enough to do whatever’s asked of him at a high level.
The first thing you notice about Davis is his freakish size at 6-foot-4. That length allows him to significantly bother receivers at the catch point. The sophomore posted a 27.8% forced incompletion rate in 2023, ranking fifth among Power Five cornerbacks. Davis forced more incompletions (14) in single coverage than he allowed catches (11).
Castro was the best slot cornerback in the country last season, earning first-team PFF All-American honors. He’s very fundamentally sound and was the only cornerback in college football with 85.0-plus grades in coverage and run defense. He also racked up top-six figures in snaps and tackles while notching two sacks, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups. The Hawkeyes have several defensive studs, per usual, but Castro is the best of the bunch.
Winston is one of the surest tacklers in college football. The junior posted just a 2% missed-tackle rate last year, which placed him second among all safeties. His 90.6 run-defense grade ranked third among FBS safeties, as well. Winston also finished as the lone safety in college football to post 85.0-plus grades both as a run defender and in coverage last year.
Brailsford had a fantastic redshirt freshman season at Washington. He finished 2023 as the second-most valuable center in the nation, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. Brailsford’s 80.7 run-blocking grade was the second-best mark among Power Five centers. He’s at his best when he can utilize his elite athleticism in space, leading all FBS centers in 2023 with a 90.7 grade on zone runs. While undersized (275 pounds), he’s the best returning interior offensive lineman in college football.
Formerly at Troy, Johnson made the transition from the Sun Belt Conference to the Pac-12 look seamless this past season. He was one of the most dangerous receivers in America with the ball in his hands, pacing all Power Five receivers with 727 yards after the catch and ranking fifth in receiving yards after contact (278). The junior averaged 3.45 yards per route run, which placed him behind only Malik Nabers in that same group. His 93.4% open-target rate also placed him in the 99th percentile among FBS receivers.
Gillotte is a powerful edge defender at 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds who is at his best in the run game. The junior’s 84.8 run-defense grade this past season ranked eighth among all edge defenders in college football. He’s no slouch as a pass-rusher, either, placing 10th among FBS edge defenders with 58 pressures in 2023. Gillotte is a quick player for someone his size and can win from any alignment on the defensive line.
Despite coming from the FCS’ Rhode Island, Cornelius was still one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal a year ago. He showed immediately why at Oregon this past season by not allowing a sack or hit on any of his 115 true pass sets. Cornelius also surrendered pressure on only 2.1% of his total pass-blocking snaps in 2023 — the lowest rate of any returning Power Five tackle. He is the best right tackle in college football.
Monheim is the most versatile and the most underrated offensive lineman in college football. No matter where he lines up, he performs at a high level. In 2022, he played 731 snaps at right tackle and 292 snaps at right guard. This past season, he mostly played left tackle. His 89.1 grade over the last two years leads all returning Power Five tackles. He’s projected to be USC’s starting center this season, showing he can play anywhere on the offensive line.
You won’t find a more physical running back in college football than Brooks. The senior led the nation this past season with 96 forced missed tackles and ranked fourth in both yards after contact (998) and rushing yards (1,547). He also moved the chains more than anyone else in 2023, with 96 of his carries going for a first down or a touchdown.
No returning Power Five edge defender has been more valuable than Rucker over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. The rising senior leads that same group in pressures (96) over that span, and his 42 run-defense stops are tied for second among all Power Five edge defenders, returning or not.
Ratledge is the top guard in the country based on his dominant pass blocking. His 87.4 pass-blocking grade in 2023 ranked third among Power Five guards, as did his 1.3% pressure rate allowed. The right guard also ranked third among Power Five guards in pass-blocking grade on true pass sets (83.8).
Ratledge’s excellence in pass protection extends back to 2022, his first year as a starter. Among Power Five guards that season, he was fourth in pass-blocking grade (87.1), third in pressure rate allowed (1.4%) and second in pass-blocking grade on true pass sets (85.6). The senior is easily the top returning pass-protecting interior offensive lineman in the nation.
Egbuka is returning for his senior season after missing three games with an ankle injury as a junior. The year before, he finished as the second-most valuable receiver in the Power Five, according to PFF’s wins above average metric, trailing only his teammate Marvin Harrison Jr. He placed fifth in that same group in receiving yards (1,151) and tied for seventh in receiving touchdowns (10) in 2022. Expect a major bounceback in 2024 from the Buckeyes’ top receiver.
Ewers will be under intense scrutiny from Texas fans seeking a national title and Arch Manning sitting behind him as the heir apparent to the starting job. However, Ewers was mostly excellent last season and gives the team a very high floor to work with. He is a terrific play-action passer, placing eighth in college football with a 90.6 passing grade on such plays. If he quickly builds cohesion with new weapons like Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden, he should have another big season.
Bain posted the second-best pass-rush grade in 2023 by any Power Five true freshman since PFF began charting college football in 2014. Three of the other players in the top five are currently among the three best players in the NFL at their respective positions, while the other is the best linebacker in college football.
| Name | School | Season | Pass-Rush Grade |
| Myles Garrett | Texas A&M | 2014 | 92.1 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | 2023 | 89.3 |
| Harold Perkins | LSU | 2022 | 87.6 |
| Nick Bosa | Ohio State | 2016 | 85.0 |
| Dexter Lawrence | Clemson | 2016 | 83.1 |
Alabama lost a ton of talent this offseason, including Nick Saban, but the program hung on to its star quarterback, Jalen Milroe. He is a big-play machine and perhaps the most dangerous dual-threat weapon in the nation. He finished 2023 with the second-highest big-time throw rate and the second-most rushing yards on scrambles. His vertical passing prowess should give him a chance to succeed under Kalen DeBoer.
Grant is the sixth-most valuable returning Power Five interior defensive lineman, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. That’s despite his playing in a rotational role on Michigan’s defensive line. The sophomore’s 78.4 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2023 was a top-15 mark among defensive tackles, as well. With Kris Jenkins gone, Grant should only shine more as a full-time starter next to Mason Graham.
This is the year for Jaxson Dart and the Rebels to make a playoff run. Dart is a perfect fit for Lane Kiffin’s offensive system. His 92.5 PFF play-action grade ranked fourth in the nation last season. He is also arguably the best quarterback in the country when throwing at or outside the numbers. Armed with a loaded skill group that includes Tre Harris, Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. and Caden Prieskorn, Dart could be a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Ole Miss was one of the biggest winners from the transfer portal this offseason, and the headliner of its class is Umanmielen. The former Florida edge defender ranked fourth among Power Five edges in pass-rush win rate in 2023 (22.2%). Since 2022, his 42 run-defense stops are tied for second among that same group. He has an excellent understanding of when to use counter moves and has great bend at 6-foot-5 and 254 pounds.
Muhammad will play for his third school in as many years this upcoming season, after transferring from Washington to Oregon in January. The junior led all cornerbacks in 2023 with 19 forced incompletions, 17 of them coming in single coverage.
While not the biggest player, at just 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds, he has excellent burst for the position and brings a feisty, ultra-competitive approach to his game.
Harris made the jump from the Group of Five level to the Power Five this past season, transferring in from Louisiana Tech. Harris looked even better as a Rebel than he did as a Bulldog. The senior’s 89.6 PFF receiving grade tied for sixth among FBS receivers this past season and was more than nine points higher than his previous mark in 2022 (80.5). He averaged 3.17 yards per route run in 2023, placing ninth among all receivers in college football.
Restrepo is the most productive returning slot receiver in college football. His 1,074 receiving yards from that alignment in 2023 were the second most among FBS receivers, behind only Virginia’s Malik Washington, who is now in the NFL. The junior finished this past season with an 87.5 PFF overall grade, ranking seventh among Power Five receivers. He is a reliable chain-mover who should be new quarterback Cam Ward’s best friend.
Evans looked like one of the best tight ends in the country before a torn ACL ended his 2023 season after just eight games. Before going down, his 422 receiving yards stood fourth among all tight ends in college football. Evans’ 10 forced missed tackles in that span trailed only Brock Bowers among FBS tight ends, as well. As long as he can regain his pre-injury form, Evans should be the ultimate security blanket for new Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard next year.
No game encapsulates how critical Ayomanor is for Stanford more than its school-record 29-point comeback victory over Colorado this past season. After being held without a catch in the first half, Ayomanor exploded for 13 catches, 294 yards (program record) and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime. Making that performance even more jaw-dropping is that seven of those catches and two of his touchdown grabs came against Colorado’s Travis Hunter, a player who will appear much higher on this list.
Woods ranked third among FBS defensive tackles in pass-rush win rate (17.1%) and seventh in PFF run-defense grade (88.6) last season. His 87.6 PFF overall grade was the third-best mark by a true freshman interior defensive lineman since PFF began charting college football in 2014. The only two above Woods were Dexter Lawrence and Ed Oliver in 2016, two of the 25 best defensive tackles in the NFL.
Expect Woods to become much more of a household name as a full-time starter in 2024.
Milum has been a starter for all three of his years in Morgantown, spending his freshman campaign at right tackle before flipping to left tackle for the past two seasons. His 74.2 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2021 ranked second among true freshman Power Five tackles, trailing a future top-five pick in Joe Alt. This past season, his 89.6 PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets placed second among FBS tackles, behind only now-NFL player Patrick Paul.
