• Michael Penix Jr. is the one to watch at QB: Questions about the Washington quarterback's draft stock started to swirl in the middle of the season, but after the performance against Texas, the sixth-year gunslinger solidified himself as a first-round pick. PFF's Trevor Sikkema even has Penix going to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8 in his latest mock draft.
• Michigan dominates the defense: The Wolverines have the top-ranked prospect at edge defender, linebacker, cornerback and safety.
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Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
Quarterback: Michael Penix Jr., Washington
PFF Grade: 91.9
Big Board Rank: 19
Position Rank: 4
The Heisman runner-up put on a big-time performance in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Texas, putting up a season-high 93.5 PFF grade with six big-time throws and no turnover-worthy plays.
Questions about the Washington quarterback's draft stock started to swirl in the middle of the season, but after the performance against Texas, the sixth-year gunslinger solidified himself as a first-round pick. PFF's Trevor Sikkema even has Penix going to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8 in his latest mock draft.
Penix has racked up 40 big-time throws this season, the most of any quarterback in the FBS, and he still has one game to go.
Running Back: Blake Corum, Michigan
PFF Grade: 82.4
Big Board Rank: 91
Position Rank: 2
Corum has been one of the most consistent running backs in college football in recent years, having earned PFF grades above 80.0 in each of the past three campaigns. The Michigan back has forced 149 missed tackles across 629 carries since 2021, and he ranks first in the nation in touchdown runs this year.
Wide Receiver: Rome Odunze, Washington
PFF Grade: 89.3
Big Board Rank: 7
Position Rank: 3
Odunze is the highest-ranked draft prospect playing in this game, and he enters the national championship as the sith-highest-graded receiver in the nation. He's come down with 20 of his 27 contested targets over the year and ranks top-20 at his position in yards per route run.
Washington has gone to him every time they’ve needed a big play, and he’s always delivered. Look for more of the same on the brightest stage come Monday night.
Tight End: AJ Barner, Michigan
PFF Grade: 83.0
Big Board Rank: 125
Position Rank: 4
Barner started his career at Indiana before transferring to Michigan, where he put up his best statistical season and raised his PFF Grade by 30 grading points. The Wolverines use him more as a blocker, but he is also a reliable pass-catcher — 15 of his 22 catches have gone for first downs, and he's dropped just two of his 24 catchable targets on the year.
Offensive Tackle: Troy Fautanu, Washington
PFF Grade: 72.9
Big Board Rank: 36
Position Rank: 7
The Washington left tackle has allowed only two sacks, two hits and 17 hurries from 567 pass-blocking snaps this year, good for an 88.0 pass-blocking grade that ranks fifth in the FBS.
Interior Offensive Line: C Drake Nugent, Michigan
PFF Grade: 77.2
Big Board Rank: 138
Position Rank: 10
Michigan's Zak Zinter is technically the highest-ranked prospect here, though Zinter suffered a season-ending injury against Ohio State in the semifinal. Nugent is no slouch on the interior line for this Wolverines offense, as he ranks 10th in PFF grade among all centers. Nugent has allowed only one hit all season and eight QB pressures in total.
Interior Defender: Kris Jenkins, Michigan
PFF Grade: 80.6
Big Board Rank: 52
Position Rank: 3
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound senior leader of Michigan's defense comes in as the third-ranked interior defender on PFF's big board. Jenkins holds an 80.9 run-defense grade with 24 stops on the year. He plugs up the trenches as well as anyone, helping Michigan hold opponents to only 87.1 rushing yards per game and lead the nation in expected points allowed per play (-0.298).
Edge Defender: Bralen Trice, Washington
PFF Grade: 86.3
Big Board Rank: 25
Position Rank: 5
The lone Washington defender on this list is the highest-ranked defensive prospect playing in the national championship game. Trice makes an impact on almost every pass-rushing snap and subsequently owns an elite 90.0 pass-rushing grade. His 77 pressures and 53 hurries lead all of college football. If Trice can get pressure on Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, it could be the difference in this game and boost his draft stock even higher.
Linebacker: Junior Colson, Michigan
PFF Grade: 83.0
Big Board Rank: 130
Position Rank: 6
Michigan's defense features some of the best tackling linebackers in college football, with Colson's 91.0 tackling grade ranking second at the position. Once he gets his hands on a ball carrier, they likely aren't going much farther downfield. His 3.0% missed tackle rate ranks sixth in the country, and he paces the Wolverines in tackles (63) and defensive stops (34).
Cornerback: Mike Sainristil, Michigan
PFF Grade: 81.8
Big Board Rank: 156
Position Rank: 20
Michigan's secondary is brimming with NFL talent. But Sainristil is the best of the bunch this year, boasting an 85.0 coverage grade. His 2023 resume includes five interceptions and six pass breakups, resulting in a 66.6 passer rating for opposing quarterbacks when targeting him.
Safety: Rod Moore, Michigan
PFF Grade: 74.2
Big Board Rank: 65
Position Rank: 4
Moore will always be remembered for a game-sealing interception against Ohio State this year, one of a handful of big plays from him in 2023. His lockdown coverage — including allowing only 14 catches on 24 targets for 110 yards — in Jesse Minter's defense has helped propel the Wolverines to this point.
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