• Luther Burden III is the highest-graded wide receiver: The Missouri receiver has excelled after the catch this season.
• Taliese Fuaga is the Power Five’s highest-graded offensive lineman: The Oregon State tackle is showing why we had him as a top-10 tackle entering the season.
• Malaki Starks is the highest-graded safety: The Georgia sophomore is picking up exactly where he left off from his stellar true freshman season.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
We’re somehow already a third of the way through the 2023 college football season. Here are the highest-graded Power Five and Group of Five players at every position so far.
Quarterback
Power Five: Tyler Van Dyke, Miami (FL) Hurricanes – 94.3
Van Dyke is finally showing why many had him as a first-round quarterback entering last season. His 13 big-time throws lead all Power Five quarterbacks, while his 85.3% adjusted completion rate is fifth.
Group of Five: Darren Grainger, Georgia State Panthers – 91.0
Grainger's 91.4 passing grade leads all Group of Five quarterbacks, and his 292 rushing yards are ninth among FBS signal-callers.
Running Back
Power Five: Audric Estime, Notre Dame Fighting Irish – 92.0
Estime is the nation’s highest-graded running back and leading rusher, having amassed 591 yards through five games this season. The junior’s 352 rushing yards after contact also leads all Power Five running backs.
Group of Five: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos – 89.0
Jeanty was the highest-graded true freshman in the country a season ago, as he earned a stellar 89.5 grade in his first season. He’s been just as dominant as a sophomore and is the only running back in college football with a top-10 rushing grade and receiving grade.
Wide Receiver
Power Five: Luther Burden III, Missouri Tigers – 91.8
If you’re looking for the next Deebo Samuel, look no further. As a true sophomore, Burden's 340 yards after the catch, 146 receiving yards after contact, 14 forced missed tackles and 5.27 yards per route run all rank first among Power Five receivers. He’s the early favorite to be WR1 in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Luther Burden III leads all Power Five WRs in:
???? Yards after the catch (340)
???? Receiving yards after contact (146)
???? Missed tackles forced (14)
???? Yards per route run (5.27)Making a strong case for the Biletnikoff.
Deebo Samuel-like. WR1 in 2025.pic.twitter.com/H0pPDoBzoR
— Max Chadwick (@MaxChadwickCFB) September 28, 2023
Group of Five: Tory Horton, Colorado State Rams – 85.4
Horton announced himself to the college football world with 16 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown against then-No. 18 Colorado. The senior's 20 combined first downs and touchdowns rank sixth among FBS receivers.
Tight End
Power Five: Corey Dyches, Maryland Terrapins – 78.9
Dyches’ 83.6 receiving grade is third among all tight ends in the country. The redshirt junior’s 132 yards after the catch are also the sixth-most among FBS tight ends.
Group of Five: John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming Cowboys – 79.5
Wyoming's backup tight end barely meets the snap minimum to be included here, but with how he’s moved the chains so far this season, the Cowboys might want to consider giving him an increased workload. Of Gyllenborg’s eight catches this year, seven have gone for a first down or a touchdown.
Offensive Tackle
Power Five: Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State Beavers – 87.5
Fuaga was a top-10 offensive tackle entering the season because he was an absolute road grader in 2022. That’s remained true this season. The junior’s 90.8 run-blocking grade is nearly three points higher than the next-closest FBS tackle. His six big-time blocks (PFF’s highest-graded blocks) are also tied for the most in the country.
Taliese Fuaga is a road grader.
87.5 grade is highest among FBS tackles while 90.8 run-blocking grade is nearly 3 points higher than next-closest.
Gets unnecessary roughness here but dominance in run game is on full display here.pic.twitter.com/rTol8LGQEh
— Max Chadwick (@MaxChadwickCFB) September 28, 2023
Group of Five: Victor Stoffel, Temple Owls – 82.5
Stoffel is also dominant in the run game. His 81.9 run-blocking grade leads all Group of Five tackles.
Offensive Guard
Power Five: Bradley Ashmore, Vanderbilt Commodores & Michael Jurgens, Wake Forest Demon Deacons – 84.4
There’s currently a tie for the highest-graded guard in the Power Five.
Ashmore’s 90.1 run-blocking grade is nearly three points higher than the next-closest guard. Jurgens is the more well-rounded of the two, as he’s one of two guards in the Power Five with 80.0-plus pass-blocking and run-blocking grades.
Group of Five: Clay Webb, Jacksonville State Gamecocks – 89.6
Webb still hasn’t surrendered a pressure on 90 pass-blocking snaps, and he’s one of only two guards in the nation with 85.0-plus pass-blocking and run-blocking grades.
Center
Power Five: Connor Tollison, Missouri Tigers – 85.3
Tollison is a people-mover in the run game. His 88.8 run-blocking grade is over six points higher than the next-closest center in college football.
Group of Five: Jacob Gideon, Western Michigan Broncos – 77.5
Gideon has given up just one pressure on 139 pass-blocking snaps, while his 73.5 run-blocking grade is second among Group of Five centers.
Interior Defensive Lineman
Power Five: T’Vondre Sweat, Texas Longhorns – 90.2
Sweat is one of two interior defensive linemen who possess a top-10 pass-rushing and run-defending grade. His 18.8% pass-rush win rate is also fifth among all defensive tackles, while his six tackles for loss or no gain are tied for second.
Group of Five: Jacques Bristol, Central Michigan Chippewas – 86.9
Bristol is the only Group of Five interior defensive lineman with 80.0-plus pass-rushing and run-defending grades.
Edge Defender
Power Five: Laiatu Latu, UCLA Bruins – 92.5
Latu enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022 after not playing in either of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to a neck injury. That dominance seems to have extended to this season, showing why we have him as a top-10 prospect in the 2024 draft. He leads all FBS defenders in overall grade and leads all Power Five edge defenders with a 27.3% pressure rate.
Group of Five: Ben Bell, Texas State Bobcats – 91.8
Bell’s brother, Levi, was also a star defensive lineman for the Bobcats and is now in his rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks. If Ben continues this level of play, he’ll join his brother in the league. His 39.7% pass-rush win rate is nearly 10 percentage points higher than the next-closest edge defender.
Linebacker
Power Five: Karene Reid, Utah Utes – 87.7
Reid made an emphatic statement on the opening play in the win over No. 22 UCLA this past weekend, picking off Dante Moore and returning it for a touchdown. That touchdown was also critical, as the Utes only won 14-7. Reid does more than just excel in coverage. He’s one of three linebackers in the country with 75.0-plus run-defense, pass-rushing and coverage grades this season.
Group of Five: Kendre’ Grant, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns – 87.2
Grant is one of the other two linebackers in that exclusive club. In particular, his 90.7 run-defense grade is second among FBS linebackers.
Cornerback
Power Five: Myles Jones, Duke Blue Devils – 88.8
Jones has a combined five interceptions and forced incompletions and has allowed only six catches this season.
Group of Five: Noah Tumblin, San Diego State Aztecs – 83.0
Tumblin has been a ballhawk for the Aztecs. His 10 combined interceptions and forced incompletions lead all corners in the country.
Safety
Power Five: Malaki Starks, Georgia Bulldogs – 90.9
Starks has picked up exactly where he left off from his stellar true freshman campaign. He’s the only safety in the country with 85.0-plus grades as a run defender and in coverage.
Malaki Starks has taken the leap from a stud freshman to the best safety in the country as a sophomore.
Only safety in the country who’s in the Top-15 for both coverage grade and run defense grade.
(And he’s in the top-five for both)pic.twitter.com/CANyVCpruv
— Max Chadwick (@MaxChadwickCFB) September 28, 2023
Group of Five: Rayuan Lane III, Navy Midshipmen – 87.8
Lane is the only other safety in the nation with an 80.0-plus grade in both run defense and coverage this season.
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