• Tre Harris becomes the top receiver: His 987 yards and 90.1 receiving grade are both highest in the country among Power 4 WRs.
• Derrick Harmon propels Oregon's defense to a massive win: The interior defensive lineman notched a 95.0 run defense grade against the Buckeyes, forcing a fumble against Quinshon Judkins.
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Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
QUARTERBACK
Power Four: Cam Ward, Miami Hurricanes – 92.3
Cam Ward is coming off a bye but still ranks in the top three in passing yards (2,219), passing TDs (20) and big-time throws (17). His 91.3 passing grade leads all quarterbacks in the FBS as well. Ward has his toughest challenge yet this Saturday against an impressive Louisville defense.
Group of Five: Blake Horvath, Navy Midshipmen – 93.2
Horvath is also coming off a bye but now has Navy ranked No. 25 overall while still being unbeaten. His 93.1 run grade leads all quarterbacks, while his 585 rushing yards are third overall for the position.
RUNNING BACK
Power Four: Brashard Smith, SMU Mustangs – 92.7
Smith had a bye week, so his perfect receiving record hasn’t been affected yet. So far, he has caught all 15 of his targets this year for 140 yards out of the backfield. Smith’s 91.3 receiving grade is highest in the country among Power 4 running backs.
Group of Five: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos – 96.2
Jeanty is the highest-graded player in all of college football and deserves to be the Heisman favorite right now. He has over 300 more rushing yards than the next-closest back. In fact, Jeanty’s 914 yards after contact would be the second-most rushing yards in the country by itself only to Kaleb Johnson, who has 932 total rushing yards.
WIDE RECEIVER
Power Four: Tre Harris, Ole Miss Rebels – 90.1
Even though Ole Miss has struggled in recent weeks, Tre Harris has continued to put up video game-like numbers with his fifth 100-plus yard game of the season. His 987 yards and 90.1 receiving grade are both highest in the country among Power 4 WRs.
Group of Five: Nick Nash, San Jose State Spartans – 89.3
Nash has caught a touchdown pass in all six games this season, which makes 10 total on the year to lead the FBS. Ten is also the same number of contested catches that Nash has made this season, which ranks second in the FBS.
TIGHT END
Power Five: Tyler Warren, Penn State Nittany Lions – 86.8
Tyler Warren earned PFF’s offensive player of the week honor last weekend with an unbelievable game against USC, where he finished with an elite 91.2 receiving grade. In that contest, Warren tied the all-time NCAA tight end receptions record in a single game with 17. He turned that into 224 yards and a touchdown.
He snapped the ball, and he caught the TD 😱@PennStateFball TE Tyler Warren's 11th reception of the game is must-see stuff. #B1GFootball on CBS 📺 pic.twitter.com/BtSRdKuntY
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 12, 2024
Group of Five: Harold Fannin Jr, Bowling Green Falcons – 95.2
Fannin continues to put up absurd numbers, already boasting four 130-plus yard games. He has nearly 200 more receiving yards than the next-closest tight end and eight more broken tackles than Eli Stowers, who ranks second at the position.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Power Four: Wyatt Milum, West Virginia Mountaineers – 92.2
Milum continues to remain perfect on the year from a blocking standpoint with a 100% pass-blocking efficiency metric, as he has not allowed a single pressure. There are only three tackles left in college football who have played 200 or more snaps and still have a perfect pass-blocking percentage. Milum could play his way into the first round if he keeps this up.
Group of Five: Kage Casey, Boise State – 85.6
Kage Casey is certainly helping pave the way for Ashton Jeanty in the ground game with a 79.5 run-blocking grade on the year. But where he really makes his mark is in pass protection, where he ranks top-17 among tackles in pass-blocking grade with an 86.1 mark.
Ashton Jeanty pass pro pic.twitter.com/s2u2kd6JXi
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) October 14, 2024
OFFENSIVE GUARD
Power Four: Willie Lampkin, North Carolina Tar Heels – 83.8
Amid five pressures and three quarterback hits, Lampkin still hasn’t given up a sack once this year to put his pass-blocking efficiency rate at 99.1. He is second among guards in run-blocking grade as well at 85.3.
Group of Five: Jordan White, Liberty Flames – 84.3
Jordan White has not lost a regular-season game yet in his career at Liberty. He’s done a great job of keeping Kaidon Salter upright, as he hasn’t allowed a sack or hit on the QB. His 90.1 run-blocking grade is the only mark higher than Willie Lampkin’s.
CENTER
Power Four: Connor Tollison, Missouri Tigers – 82.1
Tollison got back on track along with all of Missouri’s offense Saturday vs. UMass. He walked away with a 100% pass-blocking efficiency rate for the day. Even though it was inferior competition, that’s the type of performance you want to see out of the Mizzou line, which puts up an 81.2 pass-blocking grade as a unit.
Group of Five: Brady Small, Army Black Knights – 89.4
Army is officially ranked now, thanks to its offensive line — which keeps dominating everyone in its path. Small posted his highest-graded game yet Saturday with a 93.9 mark against UAB. His 90.7 run-blocking grade in that contest certainly helped Army’s triple option offense.
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Power Four: Derrick Harmon, Oregon Ducks – 88.2
Derrick Harmon was a game changer against Ohio State with a 95.0 run defense grade. The fumble he forced on Quinshon Judkins proved to be a key takeaway that ultimately helped Oregon gain the lead. Harmon has rejuvenated this Oregon defensive line, which struggled to get pressure on the quarterback a year ago. His 28 pressures this season rank first at the position.
Derrick Harmon just ripped this one away for the takeaway 💪
No. 3 @oregonfootball takes over in Ohio State territory.#B1GFootball on NBC 📺 pic.twitter.com/z6eP8721LF
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 13, 2024
Group of Five: Peyton Zdroik, Air Force Falcons – 92.0
Peyton Zdroik is currently out with an injury, but his status as the highest-graded defensive tackle has not wavered. In the five games he’s played, he has tallied 12 pressures, 11 defensive stops and one forced fumble.
EDGE DEFENDER
Power Four: Josaiah Stewart, Michigan Wolverines – 93.8
Josaiah Stewart was on a bye week, so he could not add to his 2024 production that has been eye-popping with five sacks already. His pass-rushing grade is a 94.0, while his pass-rush win rate sits at 31.3% — both of which are the highest among all qualified edge defenders.
Josaiah Stewart: 31.3% Pass Rush Win Rate This Season
The Season-Long Record in the PFF Era is 28.6%👀 pic.twitter.com/duFv1Y4Ch0
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 17, 2024
Group of Five: Mike Green, Marshall Thundering Herd – 90.0
Mike Green has been outstanding from a production standpoint on the field. His nine sacks and 22 defensive stops both rank in the top three among all defensive ends while his 31 pressures is the most at the position.
Marshall’s Mike Green is a legit prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. Nasty spin move here to pick up the sack against Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/dSaEi7YvW2
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) September 21, 2024
LINEBACKER
Power Four: Jay Higgins, Iowa Hawkeyes – 91.1
Jay Higgins is a hybrid linebacker who can do it all for the Hawkeyes. He has been elite when dropping back into coverage this season, securing two interceptions and another pass breakup. On the season, his coverage grade is a 93.9, which is highest among all defensive players at any position.
Group of Five: Shaun Dolac, Buffalo Bulls – 89.0
Dolac added 11 more tackles and nine more defensive stops to his resume against Toledo. His overall tackling grade is 90.4, which ranks first among linebackers. Dolac now leads all college football defenders with the most total tackles on the season (67).
CORNERBACK
Power Four: Zy Alexander, LSU Tigers – 88.9
Zy Alexander has been in and out of the LSU lineup with injuries all season but has shown what he can really do when he is at full strength. On 105 coverage snaps, he has tallied two interceptions and two pass breakups. Quarterbacks have not targeted Alexander often, but when they do, they’re recording a putrid 4.4 passer rating.
Zy Alexander : 5 tackles & an INT pic.twitter.com/e6jXk5MPbn
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) October 13, 2024
Group of Five: Christian Bodner, Liberty Flames – 86.1
Christian Bodnar is doing his part to try to lead Liberty to its second straight undefeated regular season. On 99 coverage snaps, he has broken up two passes and picked off another, while allowing only five receptions for 21 yards. Opposing quarterbacks are experiencing a 16.7 passer rating any time they throw at Bodnar.
SAFETY
Power Four: Antwan Peek Jr, Cincinnati Bearcats – 89.4
Antwan Peek Jr. is a former walk-on who has worked his way up the Cincinnati depth chart to now become a full-time starter. In Week 7, Peek earned national team of the week honors with a 99.9 run defense grade vs. UCF, which is one of the best rushing teams in college football. That’s what nine tackles, three stops and two forced fumbles will get you.
Group of Five: Kenyatta Watson II, Georgia State Panthers – 85.0
Watson has been great in the secondary for the Panthers as their last form of defense. He's totaled 15 tackles to earn an 83.6 tackling grade. He has also racked up two interceptions and two breakups in 132 coverage snaps.
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