The 2017 college football season is just over the horizon, and experts are already trying to predict which players will shine in the coming season. In a few weeks, college football players will grace the field. But now, experts and fans are scouting the young talent, possibly deciding who to put their money on.
ESPN usually first when it comes to analyzing the cream of the crop in college football. They rank the top players in the league before they hit the field in late August. And the person they picked as number one will probably leave you scratching your head.
On Tuesday, the sports-journalism giant released their pick of the litter when it comes to the best in college football. ESPN.com unleashed their list of the top 25 players in the league.
There are plenty of deserving names near the top of the list. Louisville’s Lamar Jackson won last year’s Heisman Trophy, and you can bet your ass he ranked high on the list. Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield made it to the finals of the Heisman competition, and he wound up ranking even higher than Jackson. But when you find out who is ranked number one, you might be going WTF?
The guy, who ranked number one on the list, has also spent a long time on the bench rehabbing a knee injury.
ESPN went with Florida State’s defensive star Derwin James as their number one overall pick. According to this article, ESPN has a lot of faith in James…
Perhaps the most versatile player in college football, expectations for James are skyrocketing after an offseason spent rehabbing his knee and learning nearly every position on defense. Expect him to line up at his usual safety spot, while also playing cornerback, linebacker and some defensive end.
During his breakout freshman campaign, James was an absolute beast. He took up every position in the secondary and even played as a linebacker for his team. If James is able to rebound from that injury, he might just become an unstoppable force on the gridiron.
Enough of me, yapping. Let’s get to that list!
Top 10 Best NCAA College Football Players Of 2017
- Derwin James, DB, Florida State
- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
- Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
- Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
- Christian Wilkins, DL, Clemson
- Ed Oliver, DL, Houston
- Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State
Are you satisfied with the picks? If not, don’t blame us. This is ESPN’s rankings. Click here to see the full list here.
