• Still no stopping Harold Fannin Jr.: The Bowling Green star tight end leads the nation in virtually every metric at the position.
• Don't sleep on Cal's Craig Woodson: The safety has been superb in coverage this season, with his 89.2 coverage grade ranking fourth in the nation.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
QUARTERBACK
Power Four: Cam Ward, Miami Hurricanes – 91.4
Week 8 was the first game of the season in which Cam Ward did not record a touchdown pass or a big-time throw, and where he also threw for fewer than 300 yards. But if your lowest-graded game is a 63.0 overall, I’d say you’re doing something right. He still ranks in the top four for both touchdown passes (24) and big-time throws (20) nonetheless.
Group of Five: Bryson Daily, Army Black Knights – 93.6
Bryson Daily is coming off a bye week but has been nothing short of spectacular this season with a 93.6 overall PFF grade. As the quarterback of a team which almost exclusively runs the ball, he is leading the nation in touchdown runs with 19 and also holds an elite run grade of 90.5.
RUNNING BACK
Power Four: Brashard Smith, SMU Mustangs, 92.5
In a game where QB Kevin Jennings struggled, Smith had to carry the load offensively for the Mustangs with 95 rushing yards after contact and two touchdowns vs. Duke. On the year, Smith has caught all 19 of his targeted passes for 171 yards, which gives him the highest receiving grade in the country among Power Four halfbacks at 91.6.
BRASHARD SMITH GROWN MAN TD 😤 @SMUFB pic.twitter.com/sLfm0eFeoM
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 27, 2024
Group of Five: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos, 95.3
It almost feels disrespectful to say this was Ashton Jeanty’s worst game of the season when he still ran for 128 yards and a touchdown. But UNLV held Jeanty in check for the most, limiting him to 3.9 yards per carry and only nine broken tackles. This may have lowered Jeanty’s Heisman odds a tad bit, but he is still the nation’s leading rusher with a 97.3 run grade.
WIDE RECEIVER
Power Four: Tre Harris, Ole Miss Rebels – 90.1
Tre Harris has been dealing with an injury the past few weeks, but his status as the nation’s top wide receiver has barely been in question. His 987 receiving yards still rank second in the nation while his 90.1 receiving grade is first.
Group of Five: Nick Nash, San Jose State Spartans – 87.4
Nick Nash has finally surpassed Tre Harris in receiving yards on the season with 995. No one has been targeted more or caught more touchdown passes than Nash this year.
TIGHT END
Power Five: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt Commodores – 90.0
The former quarterback recruit has transitioned very nicely to his new position and has carried Vanderbilt’s passing offense all season. Stowers caught another touchdown pass last Saturday against the Longhorns and also recorded his first two contested catches of the year.
Group of Five: Harold Fannin Jr, Bowling Green Falcons – 96.2
Another game goes by, and another week of Harold Fannin Jr. leading all tight ends in every major stat.
|
Stat |
Number | Rank |
| Yards | 947 |
1st |
|
TDs |
6 | 1st |
| Receiving Grade | 96.5 |
1st |
|
YAC |
533 | 1st |
| Y/RR | 3.91 |
1st |
|
MTF |
23 | 1st |
| 1st Downs | 46 |
1st |
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Power Four: Wyatt Milum, West Virginia Mountaineers – 92.1
Wyatt Milum missed last week with an injury, but he is the only FBS tackle to play 400-plus snaps left standing with a 100% pass-blocking efficiency rate. Let’s hope his injury is not serious, as he has been playing his way into the first round.
West Virginia OT Wyatt Milum hasn't allowed a pressure all season, according to PFF.
So, what makes this rep not a pressure allowed? Kudos to him for the awesome recovery, but this sure seems like a pressure allowed. pic.twitter.com/wOgRxFtRAu
— Dalton Miller (@DaltonBMiller) October 30, 2024
Group of Five: Kage Casey, Boise State – 85.7
Kage Casey has meant so much to Ashton Jeanty this season from a run-blocking perspective, where he ranks in the top 10 with an 80.0 grade. But he has meant even more to Maddux Madsen with an 85.1 pass-blocking grade with no sacks surrendered.
OFFENSIVE GUARD
Power Four: Willie Lampkin, North Carolina Tar Heels – 83.4
Amid five pressures and three quarterback hits, Willie Lampkin still hasn’t given up a sack once this year to put his pass-blocking efficiency rate at 99.2. He has helped Omarion Hampton a lot too this season with an 85.0 run-blocking grade that ranks in the top five at his position.
Group of Five: Addison West, Western Michigan Broncos – 92.8
Among all guards in the FBS, Addison West is leading in run-blocking (90.3), pass-blocking (92.0) and overall PFF grade (92.8).
CENTER
Power Four: Bryce Foster, Kansas Jayhawks, 78.0
Bryce Foster allowed a season-high two quarterback hurries vs. Kansas State last week. But that was only the sixth pressure he’s allowed in 2024, which gives him a 98.7 pass-blocking efficiency percentage.
Group of Five: Jacob Gardner, Colorado State Rams – 89.6
Jacob Gardner has been the most consistent center in college football this season with five games of 80.0-plus PFF grades. He is the only center with an 86.0 grade or better in both run-blocking and pass protection.
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Power Four: Mason Graham, Michigan Wolverines – 89.9
It’s not surprising seeing Mason Graham as the highest-graded Power Four DT in the country this far into the season. After all, he is the third overall player on PFF’s Big Board. His 24 pressures are third-most at the position.
Group of Five: Peyton Zdroik, Air Force Falcons – 92.0
Peyton Zdroik hasn't played since Week 6 as he has been hurt, but no defensive tackle has surpassed his overall PFF grade yet. In the five games he has played, he’s tallied 13 pressures, 11 defensive stops and one forced fumble.
EDGE DEFENDER
Power Four: Josaiah Stewart, Michigan Wolverines – 93.5
All things considered, Michigan still may have the best defensive line in all of college football. Both Mason Graham and Josaiah Stewart have 24 pressures on the season. On 147 pass-rushing snaps, Stewart has racked up six sacks to earn a 93.8 pass-rushing grade, which is highest among edge defenders.
Group of Five: Eric O’Neill, James Madison – 88.9
Last Saturday, Eric O’Neill racked up 10 pressures in one game. He was virtually unblockable vs. Southern Miss, as he recorded two sacks. The 88.0 pass-rushing grade O’Neill earned in that contest brought his season pass-rushing grade up to an outstanding 80.5.
This was such a ridiculously good play from Eric O’Neill. He’s starting to look like an All-Sun Belt DE.
In addition to the INT, O’Neill has 3 sacks the last two weeks. pic.twitter.com/ddMVg8jk2h
— JMU Sports News (@JMUSportsNews) September 28, 2024
LINEBACKER
Power Four: Chris Paul Jr, Ole Miss Rebels – 90.9
Chris Paul Jr. has the most pressures among all linebackers with 20. He’s been so good for this Ole Miss defense on all three levels, earning an 80.0-plus grade in every PFF statistical category.
|
PFF Stat |
Grade |
| Defense |
90.9 |
|
Run Defense |
90.1 |
| Tackling |
85.1 |
|
Pass Rushing |
80.3 |
| Coverage |
90.3 |
Group of Five: Shaun Dolac, Buffalo Bulls – 89.5
Shaun Dolac added eight more tackles and three more defensive stops to his resume, where he happens to lead the FBS in both categories. His overall tackling grade is 90.6, which is third at the position.
CORNERBACK
Power Four: Jahdae Barron, Texas Longhorns – 88.0
Jahdae Barron broke up another pass on Saturday against Vanderbilt which marks his third PBU of the season to match his three interceptions. Opposing quarterbacks’ passer rating when targeting Barron is now 30.9.
Group of Five: Cam Stone, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors – 88.5
Good luck breaking a tackle against Cam Stone in the secondary. On the year, he has only one missed tackle amid 25 successful attempts to put his tackling grade at an 85.8. This guy just has tremendous hands and instincts for finding the ball. His six pass breakups rank in the top 10 of Group of Five corners.
SAFETY
Craig Woodson, Cal Golden Bears – 89.0
Craig Woodson has been ultra productive for Cal’s defense this year with 39 tackles and five pass breakups. His grade has been consistently high across the board above a 78.0 or better in every major PFF statistical category. Woodson has only allowed 47 yards after the catch all season.
Group of Five: JJ Roberts, Marshall Thundering Herd – 89.2
Since the Ohio State game, Roberts hasn’t even given up 100 receiving yards in coverage and has tallied six PBUs in that time span. His coverage grade is 88.4, which is top-five among all safeties in the Group of Five.
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