Five Thoughts on Pro Football Focus’ Top 50 Players in College Football
We are just a week out from Big 12 Media Days and as preseason teams come out, Pro Football Focus decided to rank the top 50 players in college football. Of course, some of you know my love/hate relationship with PFF and here we are once again trying to clean up their mess. Well, some of their mess.
I know they use their system of fancy stats to rank players but sometimes the obvious smacks them right in the face and they still don’t see what is right in front of them. Well, I am here to help clear a few things up as I take on my five thoughts from their top fifty list.
Here are all the Big 12 Players who made the PFF top 50:
#1 Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler
#4 Oklahoma LB Nik Bonitto
#11 TCU CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson
#22 Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar
#35 West Virginia DL Dante Stills
#40 Kansas State RB Deuce Vaughn
#42 Oklahoma RB Kennedy Brooks
#46 Baylor CB Raleigh Texada
#50 Oklahoma State S Tre Sterling
1. Spencer Rattler
Depending on who you ask, some would agree with PFF in saying that Spencer Rattler is the best quarterback in all of college football. I am in agreeance with that take, and I am happy to see a Big 12 player at the top of this list. Spencer is a talented player with a great arm, and I am excited to see him take another step forward and taking full control of the offense this season.
2. Running Backs
I already know what PFF thinks of Iowa State running back Breece Hall. They don’t like him for whatever reason and to have two Big 12 running backs on this list and neither one is Breece Hall which is a crime. I understand that Deuce Vaughn and Kennedy Brooks are good players in their own right but to be honest, I don’t think I would have either running back in this top fifty list. With that said, Breece belongs in the top 25 without a doubt in my mind.
3. Dante Stills
If Tykee Smith did not transfer to Georgia, the Mountaineers would have two players in the top 35. Instead, they have one in defensive lineman Dante Stills. I think Stills is a solid player but to leave out some other names on the defensive line in the conference is crazy. To be flat out honest with you, I don’t think Stills would crack the top fifty and I would have a few players ahead of him in the Big 12 on the defensive line.
4. Missing Players
As I mentioned earlier, Breece Hall should be on this list. For him not to be on it is a shame. Also, there are some other Iowa State players who could make the cut. Mike Rose is a guy who should be here and maybe even defensive lineman Will McDonald IV who led the Big 12 in sacks last season.
Staying on the defensive line, Oklahoma’s Isaiah Thomas should be in the top 50 and maybe even TCU’s Ochaun Mathis. I would also consider Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard as well.
5. Breakdown
While it is nice to have some Big 12 players make the top 50, I would just do some shuffling as I mentioned earlier. When you look at this list, what stands out to you about this Big 12? How about the defensive guys? For years when people talked about the Big 12 it was all about the offense. Now, there seems to be a narrative shift because this conference has plenty of talent on the defensive side of the football. Also, how weird is it not to have a wide receiver in the top 50?
