Current players in the nfl by college. Top Colleges Producing NFL Talent: Analyzing the 2022 NFL Rosters

Which college football programs have the most players in the NFL. How does conference affiliation impact NFL representation. What percentage of NFL players come from Power 5 schools. How many NFL players are from non-Division I programs.

Breaking Down the NFL’s College Pipeline: Top Schools and Conferences

The National Football League serves as the pinnacle of professional football, drawing talent from collegiate programs across the United States. As the 2022 NFL season kicked off, a comprehensive analysis of team rosters revealed fascinating insights into which colleges and conferences are the most prolific in producing NFL-caliber players.

Top 25 Colleges Represented in the NFL

Here are the top 25 colleges with the most players on NFL rosters for the 2022 season:

1. Alabama – 63 players
2. LSU – 57 players
3. Ohio State – 55 players
4. Georgia – 47 players
5. Notre Dame – 39 players
6. Michigan – 38 players
7. Oklahoma – 37 players
8. Penn State – 37 players
9. Florida – 34 players
10. Iowa – 34 players
11. Clemson – 32 players
12. Washington – 30 players
13. Wisconsin – 29 players
14. Texas – 28 players
15. Auburn – 26 players
16. UCLA – 26 players
17. Texas A&M – 25 players
18. South Carolina – 24 players
19. Stanford – 24 players
20. Miami (FL) – 23 players
21. Ole Miss – 23 players
22. USC – 22 players
23. Tennessee – 22 players
24. Florida State – 21 players
25. Virginia Tech – 21 players

Conference Breakdown: SEC Dominance and Power 5 Representation

When examining the collegiate origins of NFL players by conference, a clear hierarchy emerges:

• SEC – 405 players (21.5% of NFL rosters)
• Big Ten – 308 players (16.3%)
• ACC – 224 players (11.9%)
• Pac-12 – 200 players (10.6%)
• Big 12 – 164 players (8.7%)
• American Athletic Conference – 105 players (5.6%)
• Mountain West – 63 players (3.3%)
• Independents – 62 players (3.3%)
• Conference USA – 57 players (3.0%)
• Sun Belt – 56 players (3.0%)
• MAC – 46 players (2.4%)

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) stands out as the powerhouse, contributing over one-fifth of all NFL players. The Big Ten follows as a strong second, while the ACC, Pac-12, and Big 12 round out the top five conferences.

Power 5 vs. Group of 5: Analyzing the FBS Impact on NFL Rosters

The data clearly illustrates the dominance of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools, particularly those in the Power 5 conferences, in producing NFL talent:

• 69.1% of NFL players (1,301 out of 1,884) come from Power 5 schools
• 17.4% (327 players) are from Group of 5 schools
• 89.7% (1,690 players) are from FBS schools overall

These statistics underscore the significant advantage that players from major FBS programs have in reaching the NFL. The exposure, resources, and level of competition at these schools likely contribute to their players’ success in making it to the professional level.

Beyond FBS: FCS and Lower Division Representation in the NFL

While FBS schools dominate NFL rosters, a notable number of players come from other divisions:

• 7.1% (134 players) are from FCS schools
• 2.5% (48 players) are from Division II schools
• 0.3% (5 players) are from Division III schools

This data demonstrates that while the path to the NFL is more challenging for players from smaller schools, it is not impossible. Talented athletes from FCS and even Division II and III programs can and do make it to the highest level of professional football.

SEC’s Dominance: Breaking Down the Conference’s NFL Production

The SEC’s status as the top producer of NFL talent is further emphasized when examining individual school contributions:

• Alabama leads with 63 players
• LSU follows closely with 57 players
• Georgia contributes 47 players
• Florida adds 34 players
• Auburn rounds out the top 5 SEC schools with 26 players

Do these numbers indicate that SEC schools have an inherent advantage in preparing players for the NFL? While factors such as top-tier coaching, excellent facilities, and high-level competition likely play a role, it’s important to note that correlation doesn’t necessarily imply causation. The SEC’s success in producing NFL talent may also be partly due to its ability to recruit the most promising high school players who are already on track for professional careers.

Big Ten’s Strong Showing: Ohio State Leads the Pack

The Big Ten conference, while second to the SEC, boasts impressive numbers, particularly from its top programs:

• Ohio State leads the conference with 55 NFL players
• Michigan contributes 38 players
• Penn State and Iowa each add 37 players
• Wisconsin rounds out the top 5 with 29 players

How does the Big Ten’s approach to player development differ from the SEC? While both conferences emphasize physical play and strong fundamentals, the Big Ten is often associated with a more traditional, power-running style of football. This style may prepare certain positions, particularly offensive and defensive linemen, for the rigors of the NFL.

The Notre Dame Factor: Success as an Independent

Notre Dame’s presence in the top 5 schools producing NFL talent is noteworthy, especially considering its status as an independent program. With 39 players in the NFL, Notre Dame outperforms many schools from Power 5 conferences.

What contributes to Notre Dame’s success in producing NFL players? Several factors may be at play:

• Strong national brand and exposure
• Rich football tradition and history
• Consistently challenging schedule against top programs
• High-quality facilities and resources
• Emphasis on academic excellence alongside athletic performance

Notre Dame’s success demonstrates that conference affiliation isn’t the only path to developing NFL-caliber talent. A strong program with the right combination of factors can compete with the best, even without the benefits of conference membership.

Emerging Talent Pools: Group of 5 and FCS Contributions

While Power 5 schools dominate NFL rosters, Group of 5 and FCS programs contribute a significant number of players:

• American Athletic Conference leads Group of 5 with 105 players
• Cincinnati tops AAC schools with 17 NFL players
• FCS schools collectively contribute 134 players to NFL rosters

How do these smaller programs manage to produce NFL-caliber talent? Several factors may contribute:

• Opportunity for players to showcase skills as starters early in their college careers
• Development of versatility and adaptability due to limited resources
• Chip-on-the-shoulder mentality that drives players to prove themselves
• Coaching staffs adept at identifying and developing under-the-radar talent

The success of players from these programs underscores the importance of scouting beyond the Power 5 conferences and giving opportunities to athletes who may have been overlooked in high school recruiting.

Unexpected Sources of NFL Talent

The analysis also revealed some surprising sources of NFL talent:

• 4 players from U Sports (Canadian university football)
• 1 player from the BAFA National Leagues (British American Football Association)
• 1 player from the International Player Pathway Program
• 1 player from VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University), which doesn’t have a football program

These unique cases highlight the NFL’s efforts to expand its talent pool globally and the occasional unconventional path some athletes take to reach the professional level.

Implications for College Football Programs and NFL Scouting

The distribution of NFL players across college programs has significant implications for both collegiate football and professional scouting:

For college programs:

• Success in producing NFL talent can be a powerful recruiting tool
• Programs may tailor their systems to better prepare players for the NFL
• Smaller schools may emphasize their ability to provide more playing time and development opportunities

For NFL scouting:

• While Power 5 schools remain primary sources of talent, scouting departments must cast a wide net
• Evaluating players from smaller schools requires considering the level of competition and projecting how skills will translate to the NFL
• Success stories from lower divisions may encourage more thorough scouting of these programs

How might these trends influence the future of college football and NFL player development? As the data shows, while traditional powerhouses continue to dominate, there are opportunities for players from all levels of college football to make it to the NFL. This could lead to:

• Increased investment in football programs at smaller schools
• More transfers from lower divisions to Power 5 schools as players seek exposure
• Continued expansion of NFL scouting efforts to identify talent from non-traditional sources
• Evolution of college programs to better align with NFL systems and requirements

As the landscape of college football continues to change with factors like conference realignment and new NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rules, it will be interesting to observe how these shifts impact the pipeline of talent to the NFL in the coming years.

2022 NFL Rosters — Which Schools Have the Most Players in the NFL?

September 12, 2022January 27, 2023 Dylan Reubenking

With the 2022 NFL season underway, I took a look at every player on every roster in the NFL to explore the question in the headline. I think most of us can guess which schools and conferences have the most players just by watching a Sunday Night Football intro, but my curiosity couldn’t resist finding out for myself.

I set a couple of rules for myself with this research. I only included players on 53-man rosters, as well as the Reserve/Injured, Reserve/Non-Football Injury, Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform, and Reserve/Suspended by Commissioner lists. Practice squad players were not included.

The rosters are finalized as of Sept. 12, 2022, just before the Week 1 Monday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks.

I’ll display the top 25 schools with the most NFL players, and then sort them all out by conferences.

Surprise surprise. Alabama has the most with 63, but the margin between the Tide and the rest of college football is not nearly as wide as I would have thought. LSU has only six fewer and Ohio State has eight fewer. Georgia is the only other school with at least 40 players. Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, Florida, Iowa, Clemson, and Washington have 30 or more.

Now, let’s sort it the schools out by conference. The percentages are out of 1,884 players in the NFL.

SEC – 405 (21.5%)

Alabama – 63

LSU – 57

Georgia – 47

Florida – 34

Auburn – 26

Texas A&M – 25

South Carolina – 24

Ole Miss – 23

Tennessee – 22

Kentucky – 19

Mississippi State – 19

Missouri – 19

Arkansas – 16

Vanderbilt – 11

BIG TEN – 308 (16.3%)

Ohio State – 55

Michigan – 38

Penn State – 37

Iowa – 34

Wisconsin – 29

Nebraska – 18

Illinois – 15

Michigan State – 15

Minnesota – 14

Maryland – 13

Rutgers – 13

Purdue – 12

Northwestern – 8

Indiana – 7

ACC – 224 (11. 9%)

Clemson – 32

Miami (FL) – 23

Florida State – 21

Virginia Tech – 21

North Carolina – 18

NC State – 17

Pittsburgh – 17

Boston College – 16

Duke – 12

Wake Forest – 11

Virginia – 10

Georgia Tech – 9

Syracuse – 9

Louisville – 8

PAC-12 – 200 (10.6%)

Washington – 30

UCLA – 26

Stanford – 24

USC – 22

Oregon – 20

Utah – 17

California – 16

Arizona State – 13

Oregon State – 10

Colorado – 8

Washington State – 8

Arizona – 6

BIG 12 – 164 (8.7%)

Oklahoma – 37

Texas – 28

Oklahoma State – 18

TCU – 17

Baylor – 15

Texas Tech – 13

West Virginia – 12

Kansas State – 10

Iowa State – 9

Kansas – 5

AMERICAN – 105 (5.6%)

Cincinnati – 17

Houston – 16

Temple – 16

Memphis – 13

UCF – 13

SMU – 12

Tulane – 7

Tulsa – 4

East Carolina – 3

South Florida – 3

Navy – 1

MOUNTAIN WEST – 63 (3. 3%)

Boise State – 12

San Diego State – 9

Utah State – 8

Wyoming – 8

Colorado State – 7

Fresno State – 6

Nevada – 5

San Jose State – 4

Hawaii – 2

New Mexico – 2

Air Force – 0

UNLV – 0

INDEPENDENTS – 62 (3.3%)

Notre Dame – 39

BYU – 11

UConn – 5

UMass – 4

Army – 2

Liberty – 1

New Mexico State – 0

CONFERENCE USA – 57 (3.0%)

Florida Atlantic – 9

Louisiana Tech – 7

Middle Tennessee State – 6

Western Kentucky – 6

Rice – 5

UAB – 5

UTEP – 5

UTSA – 5

Charlotte – 3

Florida International – 3

North Texas – 3

SUN BELT – 56 (3.0%)

Appalachian State – 8

Louisiana – 6

Old Dominion – 6

Southern Miss – 6

Georgia Southern – 5

South Alabama – 5

Arkansas State – 4

Coastal Carolina – 3

Georgia State – 3

James Madison – 3

Marshall – 3

Texas State – 2

Louisiana-Monroe – 1

Troy – 1

MAC – 46 (2. 4%)

Western Michigan – 11

Toledo – 9

Central Michigan – 7

Buffalo – 5

Eastern Michigan – 3

Miami (OH) – 3

Northern Illinois – 3

Bowling Green – 2

Ohio – 2

Ball State – 1

Akron – 0

Kent State – 0

Other Notes:

– 1,301 of the 1,884 (69.1%) players in the NFL are from Power Five schools.

– 327 of the 1,884 (17.4%) players are from Group of Five schools.

– 1,690 of the 1,884 (89.7%) players are from FBS schools.

– 134 of the 1,884 (7.1%) players are from FCS schools.

– 48 of the 1,884 (2.5%) players are from Division II schools.

– 5 of the 1,884 (0.3%) players are from Division III schools.

– 4 players are from U Sports, 1 is from the BAFA National Leagues, 1 is from the International Player Pathway Program, and 1 is from VCU, who doesn’t have a football program.

Dylan Reubenking

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I am an Oregon Ducks fan who graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. At the UO, I did on-site reporting with Duck TV Sports and KWVA Sports 88.1 FM and have covered events such as the 2020 Pac-12 Football Championship Game and the 2021 Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament. I previously wrote for Ducks Digest on the Sports Illustrated network.

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Colleges with most NFL players entering 2022 season

Nick Shepkowski

September 6, 2022 5:04 pm ET

By now you’ve likely already had your fantasy football draft and are set for the NFL to kick-off on Thursday night as the defending champion Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Bills.  Both teams feature former college stars on both sides of the field and with the season starting I thought it’d be a good time to look up just which colleges have the most NFL talent entering the 2022 season.

You can probably guess a few of the colleges that produced the most current NFL talent but where a couple powerhouses rank may surprise you.

For example, would you think that Clemson wouldn’t make the top 10?  Or that UCLA has more current NFL players than each of Texas A&M, USC, Florida State, Miami, or Oregon?

Here are the topsouth caro 40 programs in terms of current NFL talent.

Research courtesy of SpoTrac.com

Jaylon Johnson – Chicago Bears — Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

T-36.  Utah:  16

Trey Flowers of the Miami Dolphins – Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press-USA TODAY NETWORK

T-36.  Arkansas:  16

Tyler Matakevich of the Buffalo Bills – Democrat and Chronicle

Temple:  16

Aaron Donald – Los Angeles Rams – Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

T-36.  Pitt: 16

Matt Ryan – Indianapolis Colts – Credit: Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports

T-36. Boston College: 16

Lavonte David of the Bucs –  Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

T-32.  Nebraska:  18

Travis Kielce of the Kansas City Chiefs – USA TODAY NETWORKS

T-32. Cincinnati: 18

Bradley Chubb of the Denver Broncos – Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

T-32. North Carolina State: 18

Robert Quinn of the Chicago Bears –  Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports

T-32. North Carolina: 18

Tre Flowers of the Cincinnati Bengals – Albert Cesare-USA TODAY Sports

T-27. Oklahoma State: 19

Chase Daniel of the Los Angeles Chargers – Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

T-27. Missouri: 19

Randall Cobb of the Green Bay Packers – Samantha Madar/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis.

T-27. Kentucky: 19

Andy Dalton of the New Orleans Saints – Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

T-27. TCU: 19

Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers – Syndication USA TODAY

T-27. Cal: 19

Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers – Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

26. Oregon: 20

Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers – Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

T-23. Florida State: 21

Denzel Perryman of the Las Vegas Raiders – Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

T-23. Miami: 21

DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

T-23. Ole Miss: 21

Tremaine Edmunds of the Buffalo Bills – USA TODAY NETWORK

T-21. Virginia Tech: 22

Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons – Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

T-21. Tennessee: 22

Juju Smith-Schuster of the Kansas City Chiefs – Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

20. USC: 23

Zach Ertz of the Arizona Cardinals – Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

19. Stanford: 24

Jadeveon Clowney of the Cleveland Browns – Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

T-17. South Carolina: 25

Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – USA TODAY NETWORK

T-17. Texas A&M: 25

Derrick Brown of the Carolina Panthers – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

16. Auburn: 26

Kolton Miller of the Las Vegas Raiders – Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

15. UCLA: 27

Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens – Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

14. Texas: 28

Vita Vea of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

T-12. Washingon: 29

Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts – The Indianapolis Star

T-12. Wisconsin: 29

Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars – Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

11. Clemson: 32

T.J. Hockenson of the Detroit Lions-David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

T-9. Iowa: 33

Kyle Pitts of the Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

T-9. Florida: 33

Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys – Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

8. Penn State: 36

Tom Brady, perhaps you’ve heard of him. He now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

7. Michigan: 38

Chase Claypool of the Pittsburgh Steelers – Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

6. Notre Dame: 39

Baker Mayfield of the Carolina Panthers – Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

5. Oklahoma: 40

Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

4. Georgia: 48

Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears – Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

3. Ohio State: 56

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals – USA TODAY NETWORK

2. LSU: 57

DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles – Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

1. Alabama: 65

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More Football

ESPN Top 20 College Football Players – First & Goal

How did this list come about? The site’s 32 college football contributors rated each player on a scale of one to ten based on their expected level of performance in the 2016 season. And that’s what happened.

No. 20. Jalen Tabor, cornerback, penultimate year, Florida 90,005 90,002 Average rating: 8.45 90,003 90,002 Despite the fact that last season all eyes were on Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, later drafted 11th overall Tampa Bay, some in the Gators’ camp thought Tabor’s play was more meaningful.

In the 2015 season, he made 4 interceptions, two of which were returned to the opponent’s end zone. In addition, Tabor knocked down 18 passes, which was the best record in the SEC.

No. 19. Jourdan Lewis, cornerback, senior year, Michigan

Average score: 8.46

Lewis could easily have been selected in the first round of the last NFL Draft if he went there. In the 2015 season, he set a program record for the number of passes downed (22). Instead, Lewis chose to finish his university career completely and once again be an integral part of Jim Harbaugh’s defense.

No. 18. Jamal Adams, safety, penultimate year, Louisiana State

Average score: 8.52

Another player from the Louisiana State system for many years, who is already attracting the attention of NFL scouts long before graduation. Everything is going to the fact that Adams will soon join the ranks of one of the professional teams through the first round of the draft. Last season, he made 4 interceptions and knocked down 10 opponent passes. In 2016, he will again be in the lead roles in one of the best secondaries lines in the country.

No. 17. Raquon McMillan, linebacker, penultimate year, Ohio State

Avg: 8.53

Even before McMillan was recruited, the Ohio State already saw him as a model inside linebacker. Last season, he finally established himself in this role, making packs of grabs and telling his partners what to do in a given situation. McMillan is clearly a successor to the glorious traditions of the Ohio State linebacker school.

No. 16. Derwin James, defensive back, sophomore, Florida State

Average: 8.66

national level. It would be unfair to consider him a simple safety, given his excellent ability to play cornerback, linebacker, and even a pure pass rusher. Experts are sure that we have before us – potentially one of the best defensive backs in the history of college football.

No. 15. Jonathan Allen, DI, Senior Year, Alabama

Nov 14, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) reacts after tackling Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott (15) during the game at Davis Wade Stadium. Alabama won 31-6. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Average Score: 8.76

Speaking of a perfect 3-4 end… Allen (191cm, 133kg) has the perfect size to stop running play. In addition, he is very fast, which allows him to get to the opponent’s quarterback even before the o-line suspects something. Duck Prescott (Mississippi State QB) who Allen hit three sacks in a game last season won’t lie. A future NFL first-round draft pick will play one more season for Alabama.

No. 14. Calvin Ridley, wide receiver, sophomore, Alabama 90,005 90,002 Avg: 8.83 90,003 90,002 We all thought Alabama’s reception game would fade after Amari Cooper left at the end of the 2014 season. Wrong. Behind Cooper all this time, his exact copy (in terms of size, speed and style) was waiting for his chance in the face of Calvin Ridley. As a freshman last season, he received over 1,000 receiving yards.

No. 13. Ju Ju Smith-Shuster, wide receiver, penultimate year, Southern California

Average score: 8. 86

Smith-Schuster’s size (188 cm, 100 kg) allows him to dominate smaller cornerbacks, and the ability to put up a stiff-arm and avoid capture has collected more than one tens of thousands of views on video services. At the same time, he has speed and the ability to clearly follow the routes. Total: 89 receptions for a total of 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns in the 2015 season.

No. 12. Jet T Barrett, quarterback, penultimate year, Ohio State 90,005 90,002 Average score: 8.87

Barrett may not have gone quite the way last season, but towards the end of the season, this running quarterback took back the Ohio State offense and delivered some big touchdowns. Barret enters the new season healthy and freed from intra-team competition: nothing can stop him from having a great year.

No. 11. Nick Chubb, running back, penultimate year, Georgia

Georgia running back Nick Chubb (27) outruns Arkansas cornerback Jared Collins (29), safety Rohan Gaines (26) and safety Alan Turner (27) for a 43-yard touchdown rush in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Little Rock, Ark. , Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/David Quinn)

Avg: 8.90

Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury midway through last season, but doctors say his recovery is progressing by leaps and bounds and well ahead of schedule. In the two seasons prior, he had amassed 2,294 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. In the first half of the 2015 season, Chubb averaged 9.5 yards per carry wider than the tackle, which was second most in all five elite conferences.

No. 10. Cam Robinson, offensive tackle, penultimate year, Alabama 90,005 90,002 Average: 8.97 90,003 90,002 With Laremy Tancil moving to the NFL, Robinson is now by far the most talented o-lineman in college. It is likely that this powerful player (198 cm, 148 kg) will also be selected in the first round of the draft. It is also possible that he will enter the draft after the end of the 2016 season.

No. 9. Jabrill Peppers, Linebacker, Sophomore, Michigan 90,005 90,002 Average: 8.98 90,003 90,002 The Peppers may be the most versatile player in all of college football this season.

According to Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, the only player he had ever worked with who was just as quick to grasp was Andrew Luck. Sharp football mind combined with cosmic athleticism results in something incredible.

No. 8. Desmong King, cornerback, senior year, Iowa

Nov 14, 2015; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Desmond King (14) during warmups against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Average score: 9.03

The first person in our ranking to cross the 9 point mark is last year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner (a prize for the best secondary player in college football). Needless to say, the Iowa staff was in seventh heaven to learn that King was not going to the draft a year before graduation. Last season, he tied the program’s record with 8 steals in a season.

No. 7. Royce Freeman, running back, penultimate year, Oregon 90,005 90,002 Average: 9.14 90,003 90,002 Freeman is a nimble running back, like all Oregon runners in recent years.

However, what distinguishes Royce is his size: with a weight of more than 100 kg, he is able to both cut corners at speed and push through defenses. The combination of these qualities makes it a true college-level yarding machine.

No. 6. Baker Mayfield, quarterback, penultimate year, Oklahoma

Average rating: 9.21

In 2015, Mayfield had 3,700 passing yards with 43 touchdowns, making him the best offensive player in the Big 12. He is believed to still be able to improve a lot, so we should look forward to the new season from the Sooners something more.

No. 5. Miles Garrett, defensive lineman, penultimate year, Texas A&M

Average rating: 9.59

In two seasons Garrett has 24 sacks and 33.5 tackles with a loss of yards, which automatically puts him in any possible lists, ratings and hit parades. He is arguably the best pass rusher in college football right now, with two more years to go.

No. 4. Delvin Cooke, running back, penultimate year, Florida State

Average rating: 9. 60

Along with Deshawn Watson, who we’ll get in the rankings, Cooke is considered by the ACC coaches to be the best offensive player (and some even not at all). puts Cook in the first place). Few had as many explosive runs last season, and 2016 shouldn’t get any worse in that regard.

No. 3. Christian McCaffrey, running back, penultimate year, Stanford

Average score: 9.90

Last year’s sensation: white running back tearing defense to shreds. McCaffrey broke Barry Sanders’ record for rushing yards in a season (3,864) and managed to play running back, wide receiver, returner and even quarterback (having made two touchdown passes). He did all this at the age of 19.

#2. Leonard Fournette, running back, penultimate year, Louisiana State

Louisiana State University Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs for a gain during the Texas Bowl NCAA college football game against Texas Tech University Red Raiders on Tuesday Dec. 29, 2015, in Houston. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)

Average rating: 9.97

The question is not whether Furnett deserves to be on the top lines of this rating (of course, he does). The question is whether he will be able to at least repeat the achievements of his last season. With 1,953 rushing yards in a season, he tied for the second most in SEC history, and he also led the nation with a 162.8 rushing average per game.

#1. Deshawn Watson, quarterback, penultimate year, Clemson

Average score: 9.98

What does an average score of 9.98 mean? That out of 32 voters, only one was greedy for “tens” for Watson. Here’s a list of college football quarterbacks with 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season: Watson… End of list. On the way to the ACC championship and the national finals, he had a hand in 47 touchdowns for Clemson. In 2016, Watson will be one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.

If you find a mistake, please highlight the text and press Ctrl+Enter .

Source: ESPN

how the season final went, the winners and the best players in defense and attack

Sports in detail

13.02.23

The highlight of the most profitable sports league in the world

Stanislav Rynkevich

changed time zone

Author profile

The National Football League, the world’s premier professional league in American football, has ended its game season.

As always, very short – four months of the regular season, three weeks of the playoffs and the final – and therefore densely packed with exciting events.

How to watch American football

The Super Bowl is not only the main game of the season, but also an important event for American culture. Millions of viewers, exclusive commercials and performances by world-famous stars – for this, even those who are not interested in sports at all do not sleep on Monday night.

And for those who still want to understand the rules of the game, the Super Bowl is the perfect opportunity to start diving into American football. To understand what is generally happening on the field, read our large material with the basic rules and subtleties of this sport.

Season Summary

The 103rd season in NFL history has come to an end. The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes became the Most Valuable Player of both the Super Bowl and the regular season. The best offensive player was Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the best defensive end was San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, and the best coach was New York Giants mentor Brian Daball. Both of the best rookies of the season are from the New York Jets: wide receiver Garrett Wilson scored on offense, while cornerback Sauce Gardner was number one on defense.

Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl

A new dynasty looms on the horizon of the National Football League as the Kansas City Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the third time in four years and win the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in American football .

Before the decisive match with the Philadelphia Eagles, experts talked about the opposition of two different approaches. The Eagles were one of the worst teams in the league two years ago, and their transformation is the result of general manager Howie Roseman’s effective work, putting together a real machine without weak spots. “Philadelphia” is a system and order.

The Chiefs are the opposite of their rival. Their defense is not among the best, but all the shortcomings are offset by the presence of the best quarterback of the new wave. Kansas City was betting that individual talent and improvisation would outweigh consistency at the decisive moment, and they were right.

Super Bowl LVII turned out to be spectacular, productive and with a controversial ending. In the last drive of the Chiefs, the judges felt that the Eagles guard was holding the opponent out of line. This decision helped the champions of the American Conference burn almost all the remaining time and score the winning field goal without giving the opponent the right to adequately respond. And although the culprit himself admitted that he really kept the opponent, the fans will probably argue about this decision for many years to come.

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Patrick Mahomes Breaks the MVP Curse

When the NFL regular season individual award winners were announced on the eve of the Super Bowl, many were even more convinced that the final game was Eagles win. The fact is that in the 21st century, not a single player has managed to simultaneously become the most valuable player of the regular season and at the same time win the Lombardi prize. However, the Chiefs quarterback overcame all obstacles and collected a kind of hat-trick: the regular season MVP award, the Lombardi award and the Super Bowl MVP award.

Mahomes has become one of the NFL’s brightest stars since his first season as a starting quarterback: he regularly makes unconventional decisions on the field and gets out of hopeless situations. At the same time, wow moments are not generated for the sake of the aesthetic component – each time it is an effective means to achieve the goal. By the age of 27, winning two championship rings and two MVP titles is a serious bid for a legendary career. Perhaps as legendary as the previous king of the National Football League. By the way, about him.

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The very main character of the season. Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images

Tom Brady spent his final season in his career

Legendary quarterback, seven-time champion and just GOAT of American football Tom Brady was already playing his last season in his career – a year ago. And this one was the last one. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers player announced his retirement on February 1, 2022, but could not stand the hardships of civilian life and announced his return after 40 days.

The quarterback’s wife, famous Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen, filed for divorce after 13 years of marriage. She had long asked her husband to end his sports career, devote more time to his family and not risk his health. Moreover, at that time, 44-year-old Brady won everything possible – and even several times.

Tom Brady in his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The quest for an eighth championship ring turned out to be a disaster: Tampa Bay entered the playoffs with a negative win-loss balance, only because other teams in the same division were even worse. In the first round of the playoffs, Brady and his team lost convincingly to Dallas.

On February 1, 2023, Brady retired as an encore. In the process, he lost his wife, a lot of money in a crypto exchange crash, and had his weakest season in two decades.

Defending champions dropped out of playoff contention way too early

As is often the case with winners, the Lombardi Prize-winning Los Angeles Rams entered the off-season with the motto “keep the championship lineup going. ” But no one has been able to defend the title in the NFL for 20 years now – the Rams failed to do this either.

At the beginning of the season, it seemed that the team was simply experiencing the well-known superbowl hangover syndrome: the players are mentally still on vacation, but now they will get into a rhythm and accelerate. Instead of picking up the pace, the Rams began to lose players due to injuries – including starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.

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As a result, the Rams officially withdrew from the fight for the playoffs three rounds before the end of the regular season. Such an inconclusive NFL title defense has not been seen since the Denver Broncos sample 1999 years old, but at least the legend John Elway ended his career after winning the title. But the collapse of the Rams was absolutely unpredictable.

The Rams have been shackled all season, just like in this photo. Photo: Jane Gershovich / Getty Images

The Denver Broncos made a blockbuster quarterback trade and failed terribly

However, the Broncos fans would not refuse to relive the 1999 season instead of the 2022 season. The team started the year in the status of a hidden Super Bowl contender, because in the off-season there was a fantastic exchange: quarterback Russell Wilson came from the Seattle Seahawks. He played in the Super Bowl twice and could very well be ranked among the top 5 best point guards in recent years. At Denver, he received a new five-year, $245 million contract.

A still smiling Russell Wilson before the start of one of the worst seasons of his career. Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The Broncos have lost five of their first seven games. The new head coach Nathaniel Hackett showed complete failure: he could not cope with time management in the game, made strange decisions and clearly could not get through to Wilson. The quarterback, in turn, had the worst season of his career and played at the level of the weakest rookies of the season.

All of this contrasted strongly with the pre-season hype and bravado of Wilson himself, who annoyed everyone with his catch phrase “Broncos Country, let’s ride!”. Hackett was fired before the end of the season, and Wilson became a laughingstock.

The Buffalo Bills guard suffered a cardiac arrest on the field – the match was not played out

Very terrible injuries happen in American football: open fractures of the limbs, concussions and even spinal injuries. But it has never happened that the match was canceled after it started. However, this is exactly what happened in the 16th round of the regular season, during the meeting between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills.

Bills defenseman Damar Hamlin stood up after a game collision, went to his position – and suddenly collapsed unconscious. A team of doctors ran out onto the field, and they tried to resuscitate the guy within a few minutes. After that, he was taken to the nearest hospital. The football players were in complete prostration. You probably remember how something similar happened at Euro 2020 with Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen. But Eriksen came to his senses even before he left the stadium. Hamlin woke up only in the hospital.

In this regard, the coaches decided not to continue the game. This gave the leadership of the league a headache, as the Bills and Bengals claimed not just for the playoffs, but for the first seed in the conference. Postponing the match at the end of the season is simply unrealistic. As a result, a number of compromise decisions were made, the teams ended the season with an unequal number of matches and at the same time broke the end of the fantasy football season for many.

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With Hamlin, thank God, everything ended well. He recovered and watched the team play in the playoffs.

The reaction of Damar Hamlin’s Buffalo Bills partners at a moment that could have ended fatally. Photo: Kirk Irwin / Getty Images

Perpetual underdog riot: even New York came to life

Despite the fact that in the NFL everything is built so that strong teams become weaker and weak ones become stronger, there are still eternal or at least long-term outsiders.

The Detroit Lions last won a playoff game at 19At 91, the New York Jets have not played a knockout game since 2010, the longest active streak of any team. The Jacksonville Jaguars were selected first in the draft for two years in a row, that is, they were officially considered the main losers.

Matt Braida and Darius Slayton of the New York Jets. Credit: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The 2022 season can be called “The Basement Uprising.” For the first time in many, many years, both New York teams, the Jets and the Giants, claimed the playoffs at once. And if the Jets were a little short on the ending, the Giants made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and won their first win there since 2011.

The Jaguars sensationally won their division and won the first round of the playoffs. In the match against the Los Angeles Chargers, they won back 27 points behind.

The Seattle Seahawks, after the trade of Russell Wilson, predicted a fight for the first pick in the draft, and they made the playoffs. The Lions, although they did not repeat their fate, ended the season and won more victories than they lost.

Minnesota made the greatest comeback in NFL history. And it was not the most spectacular match in Team 9’s season0005

For the Minnesota Vikings fans, the regular season brought as many bright emotions as fans of teams that won the Super Bowl sometimes do not get. Analysts believe that if the match ends with a victory of one of the teams in one possession – within eight points, then the element of luck outweighs the skill. And if you lost five matches in a row in one possession, then this only speaks of bad luck.

So here it is: Minnesota set a record for being lucky by winning all 11 games that ended in one possession. This difference can be won back by scoring a touchdown and successfully making a two-point conversion. If a team is nine points behind, then one touchdown is not enough. This number includes the victory over the Indianapolis Colts, which became the most strong-willed in the history of the league: by the break, the Vikings were inferior with a score of 0:33, but won – 39:36 in overtime.

Even more spectacular was the game against the Buffalo Bills, in which Minnesota trailed 10:27 late in the third quarter. At some point, quarterback Josh Allen just needed to take the ball forward a couple of yards at his record line to take the game to a win. But he managed to drop the ball, which the Minnesota defenders picked up in the end zone – and thereby scored a touchdown. In the same game, wide receiver Justin Jefferson made the season’s biggest move, scratching the ball in an acrobatic jump and in a fight with a defender.

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The same jump with the selection of Justin Jefferson. Photo: Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images

Another Buffalo Bills bummer in the playoffs

Speaking of the Bills, it’s worth recalling that they were considered the preseason favorites to win the Super Bowl. Powerful defense, athlete quarterback Allen in crazy shape, the experience accumulated over the past seasons – everything was with them.

In the second round of the playoffs, Buffalo went to Cincinnati and had to play a kind of remake of the canceled match. To everyone’s surprise, the struggle did not work out: the Bengals won the match quite easily, which took place in a snowstorm.

The Bills are the favorites in their conference for the third straight season but fail to reach the Super Bowl. Experienced fans are no strangers: in the early 90s, this team lost four finals in a row.

Cincinnati Bengals Joseph Ossai’s beautiful tackle illustrates the Buffalo Bills’ playoff performance. Photo: Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images

The New England Patriots went completely rogue and the offense was run by random people

In the 21st century, the Patriots have become the dominant force in the NFL, the union of coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady has been out of reach for the rest. When Brady left the club in 2019, everything changed. And although at the end of last season it seemed that Belichick was putting together the same terrible puzzle, now there is no such confidence in this.

Before the 2022 season, Belichick refused to look for a direct replacement for Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Instead, he entrusted the offense and work with young quarterback Mack Jones to two assistants who returned to Boston after unsuccessful tryouts at other clubs. The problem is that both have a different profile: one was engaged in defense, the other in special brigades.

The ending is a little predictable: the Patriots looked terrible on offense, the quarterback swearing into space after bad plays, and the team flew past the playoffs. Worst of all, the New England game began to sink even in those directions in which it was previously considered a model. Players burn with discipline and make stupid mistakes in simple situations.

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Patriots Young Leader Mack Jones. Photo: Billie Weiss/Getty Images

Record contract holder Deshawn Watson was more convincing in court than on the field

If not for Russell Wilson’s transfer to Denver, the main event of the past offseason would have been the exchange of his teammate Deshawn Watson from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns . Watson has long been considered a rising star in the NFL, but he got tired of playing on a weak team and demanded a trade. Against this background, allegations of sexual harassment against two dozen masseuses surfaced. In the 2021 season, Watson did not play football, but wandered around court hearings. That’s why it was such a shock to everyone that the Browns gave him a $230 million contract.

Watson managed to avoid criminal liability, but the NFL imposed an 11-game suspension on him. The intrigue of the season was whether the Browns could hold their own until Watson returned. The solution turned out to be unexpected: the star quarterback, who returned after a year and a half of inactivity, played almost weaker than his understudy.

The main person involved in the scandalous case Deshawn Watson. Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Former NFL football player blew up social media by joking that league results are pre-planned

There are a huge number of conspiracy theorists in the US. You can’t do without them in sports either. For example, when the aforementioned Damar Hamlin arrived at the playoff game in a hoodie with a hood and dark glasses, a version gained popularity on social networks that the NFL was specially showing a double of the Bills defenseman, and the real Hamlin died in the hospital due to the COVID-19 vaccine. 19.

The next outbreak of popular indignation occurred after the American Conference Finals, in which the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals. Many refereeing decisions seemed controversial to the fans, so there was again talk that in the NFL “everything is bought” and “everything is planned in advance.”

A couple of weeks later, former NFL player Arien Foster came on a podcast on Barstool Sports and casually started joking about how he and his teammates regularly got a script for the season. There, they say, it says that in this game he will score 100 yards, in this one he will get injured, and in this one he will score three touchdowns – and all the training was reduced to learning the script. Foster gave out all these jokes with a serious expression on his face, so part of the audience did not consider sarcasm. Even several sports-related publications in the United States published articles with such headlines as if the former football player was cutting the truth.

Arien Foster played 80 games in the NFL, but became really famous for his claims of dishonest results in the league. Photo: Tim Warner / International Champions Cup / Getty Images

Ambitious Indianapolis fell apart overnight and invited an inexperienced head coach

For the past four years, the Indianapolis Colts have been like a transformer toy with interchangeable quarterback panels. After a couple of weeks before the start of the 2019 season, 29-year-old point guard Andrew Luck unexpectedly ended his career due to health problems, the club hired a new veteran for this position every year and tried to fly into the playoffs on experience.

In 2022, the turn came to 38-year-old Matt Ryan, who won the MVP award in 2016. In the fall, it suddenly turned out that the Colts had sagged in terms of the quality of the game in the offensive line protecting the quarterback, and the very elderly Ryan did not have enough mobility to escape from defenders himself.

In the middle of a disappointing season, head coach Frank Reich retired and was replaced by… former team player Jeff Saturday, although he had been a commentator in recent years and had only been a coach for a couple of years in the school team. Evil tongues said that the owner of the club simply appointed his drinking companion as the head coach. Everyone in the league was outraged: how can you hire just anyone when people with excellent resumes are out of work? But the owner is a gentleman. With Saturday, the team lost seven of the eight remaining matches.

Jeff Saturday at his first press conference as head coach of an NFL club. Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images

Epic battle for the first pick in the draft: the coach won an unnecessary match and was fired

The team in last place in the league is the first draft pick. There is no lottery in the NFL, so fans of weak teams start praying that their favorites will lose everything in the world. A good choice of a quarterback sometimes determines the fate of the club for decades to come.

For the entire 2022 season, the Houston Texans were the top contender for the first pick in the draft. After the exchange of star footballers, she simply did not have enough talented players to compete with the rest. Three rounds before the end of the regular season, the Texans had one win and one draw, and 12 losses in the passive.

In the 16th round, Hewson unexpectedly beat the leaders of their division, the Tennessee Titans, and thus, another outsider of the season, the Chicago Bears, approached them by one victory. In short, in the last round, Houston needed to lose in order to retain the right of first choice. But the Texans resisted and beat Indianapolis in a completely enchanting match with a score of 32:31. Houston Head Coach Lavi Smith was fired immediately after the victory.

That same fatal attempt by Houston that cost their head coach a job. Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers left his best receiver – both regretted the break

The Green Bay Packers were considered one of the top contenders for the National Conference Super Bowl for many years. Mostly thanks to the killer offensive duo of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who won two MVP awards in 2020 and 2021, and wide receiver Davante Adams.

Last offseason, Adams unexpectedly requested a trade to another team, the Las Vegas Raiders, where his college buddy Derek Carr played. “I’m moving from one future Hall of Famer to another,” Adams said in a strange phrase. No one in Carr saw such a prospect. Rogers, on the other hand, radiated optimism towards young receivers – they say that someone will definitely replace Adams.

Neither the Raiders nor the Packers made the playoffs. Moreover, Derek Carr was kicked out of Las Vegas a couple of rounds before the end of the regular season.

Green Bay Packers legend Aaron Rodgers leaves the field after losing to Detroit in January. Photo: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images

San Francisco lost four quarterbacks to injuries during the season, the last two in the Conference Finals

The San Francisco 49ers season is a real drama. This team has had seasons in the recent past when great ambitions fell victim to an epidemic of injuries, but such pinpoint blows of fate on one position have not yet happened.

The 49ers entered the season with young Trey Lance as the starting passer. He got injured in the second game and was out for the rest of the season. He was replaced by the experienced Jimmy Garoppolo – he played half a season and broke down. Starting was Brock Purdy, a rookie with the last pick in the draft. Because San Francisco’s offensive system was intricately built, and Purdy himself exceeded all expectations, the team did not go astray and continued to win one victory after another. It seemed that we were about to witness the fantastic story of Purdy’s triumph, a remake of stories about Kurt Warner or Tom Brady.

Early in the Conference Finals, a Philadelphia defenseman punched Purdy in the elbow, tearing his ligaments. 36-year-old understudy Josh Johnson suffered a concussion in the second half of the match, and Purdy had to return to the field with an incapacitated shooting hand: there were no more quarterbacks in the application for the season. San Francisco was doomed and lost heavily to the opponent.

Brock Purdy tries to throw with his uncomfortable right hand – left injured. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

The NFL regular season match was held in Berlin. The Germans showed how to sing songs correctly in the stands

Since 2007, the International Series has been operating in the NFL, regular season matches are held outside the United States. London and Wembley and Tottenham Stadiums became the main home for away games, but matches also took place in Mexico.

In 2022, the NFL traveled to Germany for the first time as part of the International Series, to the Allianz Arena.