College football’s top 100 players of 2022: Caleb Williams, Jalen Carter, Jalin Hyatt and more
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ESPN staff
The 2022 college football season was a beautiful mix of knowns and unknowns. Georgia and Ohio State made the College Football Playoff for the third and fifth times, respectively, and Michigan made it for the second straight year. Known playmakers like C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr. and Bijan Robinson looked the part frequently. What we thought we’d get, we got.
We also got TCU in the national title game. Max Duggan starting the year on the bench, then finishing second in the Heisman. Jalin Hyatt playing like the best receiver in college football for weeks at a time. Purdue reaching the Big Ten Championship!
After this year of plot twists and delights, it is once again time to rank players. We have followed the same process we follow in the preseason. — Bill Connelly
Methodology: Voters were presented with a series of one-on-one votes. For example, “Who was better in 2022: Jalin Hyatt or Caleb Williams?” Think of it as an Oklahoma Drill of statistical reasoning. More than 10,000 votes later, these were the results.
Check out how these rankings compare to our preseason list.
Jump to: 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50
51-60 | 61-70 | 71-80 | 81-90 | 91-100
QB, USC, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 52 TDs (42 pass, 10 rush), 4,537 yards
Preseason ranking: 10
The face of USC’s resurgence, Williams won the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,075 yards with 37 touchdowns to just four interceptions in the regular season after transferring from Oklahoma. A dual-threat quarterback, Williams added 372 yards rushing, including 10 touchdowns as USC reached the Pac-12 title game and rose as high as No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings. With another year before he can declare for the NFL draft, Williams’ brilliant sophomore season, which ended with a five-touchdown performance in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, could end up as a precursor to the Trojans legitimately contending for the national title next season.
DT, Georgia, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 3 sacks, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: 6
He’s the most dominant interior defensive lineman in the country, a 300-pound force who earned first-team AP All-America honors. Carter ranks second on the team with 29 quarterback hurries to go along with three sacks, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He had two forced fumbles and a sack in Georgia’s signature regular-season win over then-No. 1 Tennessee. Carter is projected as a top-3 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
QB, Ohio State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 41 TDs, 3,688 yards
Preseason ranking: 3
For the second straight year, Stroud was a Heisman Trophy finalist and the winner of the Big Ten’s Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, helping his team average 492.7 yards and 44.5 points a game and reach the College Football Playoff. He threw for 3,688 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. Stroud tossed at least four touchdowns in six games in 2022, highlighted by a six-touchdown effort in a 49-20 victory at Michigan State on Oct. 8. He’s No. 7 overall on Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board.
QB, Alabama, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 32 TDs, 3,328 yards
Preseason ranking: 2
Winning back-to-back Heisman Trophies wasn’t in the cards. Not when the offense took such a big step back at receiver after losing Jameson Williams and John Metchie III. And not when Young injured his shoulder, missing one game and feeling its effects long after. But the junior impressed in other ways, putting a less talented team on his shoulders to the tune of 3,328 yards and 32 passing touchdowns, and 185 yards and four touchdowns rushing.
RB, Texas, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,580 yards, 20 total TDs
Preseason ranking: 5
Robinson became the first Texas player with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Vince Young in 2004-2005, and won the Doak Walker award this year as the best running back in college football. He led the nation in combined rushing and receiving yards with 1,894 (1,580 rushing, 314 receiving), was second with 20 total touchdowns and led the Big 12 with 131.7 rushing yards and 157.83 all-purpose yards per game.
WR, Tennessee, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,267 yards, 15 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
The junior from Irmo, South Carolina, wasn’t on a lot of peoples’ radars at the start of the season. A year ago, he started only one game and caught 21 passes. But he wasted no time making his presence felt this year, taking Tennessee’s first offensive play of the season 23 yards for a touchdown. He ended up leading the SEC in receiving yards (1,267) and broke the school record for single-season touchdown receptions (15).
QB, TCU, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 32 TDs, 3,546 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
Duggan became a cult hero in 2022 as TCU became a team of destiny, winning five games when they trailed by double digits in the second half. After starting the season as a backup, Duggan led the Big 12 in passing yards (3,321) and passing TDs (30) for the regular season, and earned a trip to New York, where he was runner-up for the Heisman behind Caleb Williams.
OLB, Alabama, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 10 sacks, 51 pressures
Preseason ranking: 1
Alabama has produced a lot of All-Americans through the years, but Anderson is the first two-time unanimous All-American for a reason. After getting snubbed by Heisman voters last season, he came back and led the SEC in sacks (10) and tackles for loss (19.5), and he led the country in pressures (51).
WR, Ohio State, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1,263 yards, 14 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Harrison, a unanimous All-American and Biletnikoff Award finalist, won the Big Ten’s Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year after sustaining his momentum from Ohio State’s win over Utah in the 2022 Rose Bowl Game. Harrison picked up the slack for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was limited to three games due to injury, with 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. Harrison recorded six 100-yard games, paced by 185 yards in a 44-31 victory at Penn State on Oct. 29.
RB, Michigan, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 18 TDs, 1,463 rush yards
Preseason ranking: 79
Corum, a unanimous All-American, first-team All-Big Ten and the Chicago Tribune’s Silver Football winner, won the Big Ten’s Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year. Corum spearheaded a Michigan running game that averaged 238.9 yards, which was fifth in the FBS, and his career-high 243 yards in a 34-27 win over Maryland on Sept. 24 began a stretch of eight consecutive 100-yard games. His 1,463 rushing yards were third in the Big Ten while his 18 touchdowns were second in the league to Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim.
TE, Notre Dame, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 809 yards, 9 TDs
Preseason ranking: 16
There is no disputing how good Mayer has been for the Irish. Just look on the program’s website, which called him “The Best tight end in Notre Dame History.” Mayer is exactly what you want in a tight end: a ferocious blocker who presents a huge matchup advantage for the Irish because he is an elite pass-catcher. Mayer led all FBS tight ends in touchdown receptions in 2022 with nine, leading his team with 67 receptions for 809 yards. He has caught at least one pass in all 36 games in which he has played.
QB, Tennessee, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 3,135 yards, 27 TDs, 89.4 Total QBR
Preseason ranking: 49
Before a late-season injury sidelined him, Hooker was the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after a magical season in which he completed 70% of his throws, tossed 27 touchdowns and threw just two picks, knocking off LSU and Alabama in the process. Hooker’s Total QBR of 89.4 was second nationally during the regular season.
0:19
Hendon Hooker throws 45 yards to Jalin Hyatt to put Tennessee up 20-0 over LSU.
OT, Northwestern, Junior
Notable 2022 stat: 9 pressures on 457 pass-blocking snaps
Preseason ranking: 46
Skoronski sits at sixth overall on Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board and is the top offensive tackle available. The Wildcats’ left tackle was a unanimous All-American, first-team All-Big Ten and won the conference’s Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. The Northwestern offense averaged 125.1 rushing yards a game.
TE, Georgia, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 790 rec yards, 9 total TDs
Preseason ranking: 8
An impossible matchup for opposing defenses, Bowers earned the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. He’s Georgia’s leading wide receiver for the second straight year, collecting 56 receptions for 790 yards and six touchdowns. Bowers earned AP All-America honors for the second straight season and has four or more receptions in nine games.
CB, Utah, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 6 INT, 6 PD, 1 sack
Preseason ranking: NR
A unanimous All-American, Phillips III ranked tied for third in the country (first among Power 5 players) with six interceptions — half of which came against Oregon State in one of the best defensive performances in college football this season. Phillips III was the AP Defensive Player of the Year, and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He is ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s No. 6-ranked draft-eligible cornerback.
OT, Ohio State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: allowed 2 sacks and 10 pressures
Preseason ranking: 36
Johnson, a consensus first-team All-American, Lombardi Award finalist and Outland Trophy semifinalist, earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this season as he moved back to left tackle. He helped the Ohio State offense average 492.7 total yards and 44.5 points a game. The Buckeyes churned out 198.5 rushing yards — third in the Big Ten — as Miyan Williams ran for 817 yards and 13 touchdowns (third in Big Ten). He’s 14th overall on Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board.
QB, Washington, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 31 TDs, 4,641 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
Penix Jr. transferred from Indiana to reunite with former offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, and the result was one of the best seasons by a Pac-12 quarterback since the conference expanded in 2011. A year after the Huskies won just four games, they finished 11-2 — capped by a win against Texas in the Alamo Bowl — as Penix Jr. threw for 4,641 yards with 31 touchdown passes. Despite the standout season, he will return to Seattle to run it back in 2023.
QB, North Carolina, Freshman
Notable 2022 stats: 38 TDs, 4,321 passing yards
Preseason ranking: NR
Nobody had any idea what to expect out of Maye when he won the starting job during preseason camp. Then he threw for five touchdowns in his college debut and took off from there in a truly outstanding season for the redshirt freshman. Maye won ACC Player of the Year honors after going 324-for-482 with 4,115 yards, 35 TDs and seven INTs in the regular season. By early November, he was in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy. While he did not make it to New York this year, expect him to be a popular preseason pick for 2023.
OL, Notre Dame, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1 sack allowed, 3 pressures allowed
Preseason ranking: NR
Alt was Pro Football Focus’ top-graded offensive tackle during the regular season, when he allowed just five pressures and no sacks. He was the veteran anchor on one of the nation’s top O-lines, which allowed just 19 sacks all year.
RB, Kansas State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,558 yards, 9 TDs
Preseason ranking: 12
The 5-foot-6, 176-pound Vaughn plays big, and his dependability and versatility powered Kansas State to a Big 12 championship, including rushing for 130 yards in the title game win over TCU. Vaughn, a consensus two-time All-American, ran for 1,558 yards yards and nine touchdowns this season while catching 42 passes for 378 yards.
1:00
Deuce Vaughn breaks free and outruns the Crimson Tide’s defense for an electric 88-yard touchdown run.
DL, Pitt, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 7 sacks, 14.5 TFL
Preseason ranking: NR
Kancey emerged as an unstoppable force in the middle of the stout Pitt defensive line, earning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-America honors. He is the first Pitt player to become a unanimous All-American since Aaron Donald in 2013. Coach Pat Narduzzi has had nothing but praise for Kancey, saying, “He’s athletic, he knows how to wrestle inside. He’s the best D-Tackle I’ve ever coached.” In 11 games played, Kancey led the nation’s interior defenders with 14.5 tackles for loss.
TE, Utah, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 8 TDs, 890 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
After Brant Kuithe‘s season-ending injury, Kincaid quickly emerged as one of the best tight ends in the country, leading FBS tight ends in receiving yards (890). He also led the Utes in receptions (70) and receiving touchdowns (8) as they reached the Rose Bowl for the second straight season.
OL, Florida, Junior
Notable 2022 stat: Pro Football Focus 91.7 run block grade
Preseason ranking: 97
Billy Napier’s first season as head coach at Florida was rocky. But no one is questioning his decision to bring Torrence with him from Louisiana during the offseason. The junior wound up anchoring a better-than-expected offensive line and played his way into being a high-level NFL draft pick.
RB, Illinois, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,643 yards, 10 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Brown, Illinois’ first Doak Walker Award finalist, had a fantastic season for the Fighting Illini. He rushed for 1,643 yards, finishing the regular season third in the FBS and first in the Power 5, and 10 touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition. He set an Illinois single-season record with 11 100-yard games this year and his season high (199 yards) came in a 23-20 loss at Indiana on Sept. 2.
C, Minnesota, Senior
Notable 2022 stat: PFF 92.6 run block grade
Preseason ranking: 73
Michael Schmitz was a constant presence in the middle of Minnesota’s offensive line. The Golden Gophers’ center was an AP first-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten selection as the team averaged 218.4 rushing yards a game, which was second in the Big Ten. Spurred by Schmitz and the rest of the offensive line, Mohamed Ibrahim was second in the Big Ten in rushing (1,594 yards) and led the conference with 19 touchdowns.
OL, Michigan, Senior
Notable 2022 stat: didn’t allow a sack
Preseason ranking: NR
Oluwatimi’s transition from Virginia to Michigan was seamless this season as the graduate transfer center served as the linchpin for the Wolverines’ strong offensive line. Oluwatimi won both the Rimington Trophy (third in Michigan history) and Outland Trophy (first in Michigan history) this season as Jim Harbaugh’s team averaged 243 rushing yards a game — fifth in the FBS.
WR, Purdue, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,361 yards, 12 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Jones left Iowa to come to Purdue and made a significant impact inside former coach Jeff Brohm’s offense. Jones, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, caught 110 passes for 1,361 yards and 12 touchdowns this season for the Boilermakers, garnering him the equivalent of the Big Ten’s receiving Triple Crown. His 110 receptions were tops in the FBS and his 1,361 receiving yards were second only to Houston’s Nathaniel Dell.
RB, Texas A&M, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,102 yards, 8 TDs
Preseason ranking: 58
The Aggies might have floundered in 2022, but it was no fault of Achane. The speedy junior from Missouri City, Texas, not only eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark, he also caught 36 passes for 196 yards. And he returned 11 kickoffs for 312 yards, including a 95-yard touchdown. His 161.0 all-purpose yards per game were the most in the SEC and the third-most nationally.
QB, Florida State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 32 total TDs (24 pass, 7 rush, 1 rec)
Preseason ranking: NR
In his first year as the full-time starting quarterback, Travis showed he is more than just a runner, becoming the fourth player in school history to gain 3,000 total yards and 32 total touchdowns in a season. He finished as a second-team All-ACC performer and proved time and again he has the ability to win games with both his arm and his legs. Against Florida, he became the second player in school history to score a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown.
CB, Penn State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 26 tackles, 11 pass breakups
Preseason ranking: 75
Porter was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree this season for Penn State. Porter, the 17th-best prospect on Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board, recorded 26 tackles (21 solo) in 10 games for the Nittany Lions. He broke up 11 passes, including a season-high six in a 35-31 win at Purdue on Sept. 1. The six passes defended against the Boilermakers were tied for the second-most in a FBS game this season.
OL, Georgia, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: didn’t allow a sack
Preseason ranking: NR
After emerging as Georgia’s starting left tackle late last season, Jones was a mainstay through the 2022 campaign. He protected quarterback Stetson Bennett’s blind side, helping Georgia rank No. 4 nationally in fewest sacks allowed. The 6-4, 310-pound Jones earned first-team All-SEC honors. ESPN rates him as the No. 3 draft-eligible offensive tackle.
WR, Ohio State, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1,151 yards, 10 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Egbuka was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award, awarded to the country’s most versatile player, and garnered second-team All-Big Ten honors for Ohio State. He caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns. Egbuka recorded six 100-yard receiving games this season for the Buckeyes, including three straight 100-yard games from Sept. 10-24. His season-high of 143 yards came in a 49-20 win at Michigan State on Oct. 8.
DE, Clemson, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 6.5 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: 18
Murphy quietly racked up 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss on the Clemson defense in 2022, but opposing coaches were quick to insist there was nothing quiet about his game. A likely first-round draft pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Murphy racked up double-digit TFLs in each of his three seasons with the Tigers.
QB, Georgia, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 3,823 yards, 23 TDs
Preseason ranking: 44
He cemented an already remarkable legacy by guiding the defending champions to the SEC championship and back to the national title game. Bennett’s passing numbers improved in his second season as Georgia’s starter, as he completed more than 68% of his passes for 3,823 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and earned the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top player who began his career as a walk-on.
DE, Notre Dame, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 11 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: 31
Foskey was the best player on the Irish defense all season, earning Consensus All-America honors. He had 11 sacks (tied for fourth nationally), and broke the Notre Dame career sack record (26.5). In addition, Foskey led the Irish with 14 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries. He played two of his best games against North Carolina (5 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and USC (5 tackles, 1.5 sacks).
DB, Illinois, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 3 INT, 14 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
Witherspoon became the first Illini player as a finalist for the Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s best defensive back. He also became the first Illini defensive back named a consensus All-American in program history. This past season, Witherspoon had 42 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 14 pass breakups in a very good Illinois defense.
RB, Pitt, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,431 yards, 20 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Before the season, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi insisted his offense was going to be more run-heavy after losing Heisman finalist Kenny Pickett. He wasn’t lying. Pitt made Abanikanda the centerpiece of its offense, and he delivered huge dividends, leading the nation with 20 rushing touchdowns while racking up nearly 1,500 yards from scrimmage.
0:31
Israel Abanikanda rushes in for 11-yard touchdown
LB, Iowa, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1 sack, 1 FF, 2 INT
Preseason ranking: 71
Campbell led an excellent Iowa defense in tackles with 118. He had 3.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries and two interceptions. He has been an integral part of the Hawkeyes defense the past few seasons and was a leader and captain on the team this season. Over his career, he has 295 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and five interceptions.
DB, Georgia, Freshman
Notable 2022 stats: 2 INT, 7 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
ESPN’s No. 12 overall recruit in the 2022 class lived up to the billing in his freshman year. He led Georgia with seven pass breakups and had two interceptions to go along with 67 tackles, which ranked second on the team. The 6-1, 205-pound Starks was a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. He broke up a pass in five straight games and had a season-high 10 tackles in Georgia’s win over Tennessee.
RB, Clemson, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1,182 yards, 15 TDs
Preseason ranking: 55
It is no surprise Shipley had a breakout season for the Tigers, becoming the first player in ACC history to earn first-team all-conference honors at three different positions: running back, all-purpose and specialist. Shipley rushed for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, while adding 38 catches for 242 yards out of the backfield and 261 yards as a kickoff returner. His hurdle over a Louisville player on the way to a 25-yard touchdown this season was a highlight for the ages.
QB, UCLA, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 39 total TDs (27 pass, 12 rush)
Preseason ranking: NR
Thompson-Robinson’s fifth season in his prolific UCLA career was, by far, his best. He threw for 3,154 yards — the first time he cracked the 3,000-yard mark — with 27 touchdown passes, along with 646 yards and another 12 touchdowns on the ground. He finishes his career with 10,695 yards passing — just 13 yards shy of the school record.
CB, TCU, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 3 INT, 1 FF, 14 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
Hodges-Tomlinson won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back this season and had 40 tackles, three interceptions, 10 pass breakups and forced a fumble. A shutdown corner, he allowed just a 38.9 passer rating in passes thrown in his direction, best in the Big 12, according to Pro Football Focus.
S, Georgia, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 3 INT, 40 solo tackles, 5 PD
Preseason ranking: 62
Along with Jalen Carter, Smith was Georgia’s only other AP first-team All-America selection. A finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, Smith leads Georgia with three interceptions and ranks fourth in tackles with 58. He has started every game for the Bulldogs and helped the defense sustain its trajectory despite losing five first-round draft picks from the 2021 team. Smith shined in the SEC championship game win over LSU, returning a blocked field goal 96 yards for a touchdown, recording an interception and deflecting a pass that resulted in another interception.
WR, USC, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 8 TDs, 875 yards
Preseason ranking: 9
After winning the Biletnikoff Award at Pitt, Addison transferred to USC and was named first-team All-Pac-12 despite being slowed by injuries. Six of his eight touchdown receptions came in the first four games of the season, but his best performance of the year came in a pivotal, 48-45, win against rival UCLA, when he caught 11 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown.
WR, TCU, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 6 TDs, 1,066 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
The 6-4, 215-pound Johnston was a big target for TCU QB Max Duggan and had career highs with 53 catches for 903 yards while adding five touchdown catches. A big-play threat, he had a catch of at least 30 yards in each of the season’s final seven games, including four games with one 50 yards or more despite dealing with a nagging ankle injury.
0:57
TCU QB Max Duggan passes to Quentin Johnston, who stutter-steps by a defender and speeds 76 yards to the house.
QB, Oregon, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 29 pass TDs, 14 rush TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Nix was a revelation in Eugene, where after three seasons at Auburn he blossomed into one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He led all quarterbacks with 14 rushing touchdowns, ranked No. 2 in raw QBR (86.1), No. 12 in passing yards (3,594) and was sacked just five times. Oregon figures to be a preseason top-10 team in 2023 with Nix opting to return for another season
DL, USC, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 13.5 sacks, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
Tuipulotu was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year after leading the nation with 13.5 sacks during the regular season. His 21 tackles for loss ranked No. 2 nationally and contributed to him being named a finalist for several national awards. Tuipulotu is the No. 4-ranked draft-eligible defensive tackle according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
RB, Minnesota, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 20 TDs, 1,665 yards
Preseason ranking: 28
Ibrahim became Minnesota’s all-time leading rusher against Syracuse in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl with 4,668 yards over his career. Ibrahim passed Darrell Thompson, who had 4,654 yards, and Ibrahim also broke Minnesota’s single season rushing record, which was held by David Cobb, who had 1,626 yards in a season. He has been a playmaker for the Minnesota offense and a little underrated nationally for the career he has had.
G, USC, Senior
Notable 2022 stat: allowed 1 sack on more than 400 pass block attempts
Preseason ranking: 81
A first-team All-Pac-12 selection in his fifth season starting for the Trojans, Vorhees played a major role in USC’s return to prominence (and his absence was greatly felt in the loss to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game). He finishes his career having suited up 56 times for USC.
RB, Ole Miss, Freshman
Notable 2022 stats: 16 TDs, 1,567 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
TCU transfer Zach Evans was supposed to be Ole Miss’ feature back on paper. But Judkins, the freshman from Alabama, had other plans. He rushed for the sixth-most yards in the FBS (1,567). But what was truly impressive was the way he ran. He was one of the most physical backs in the country, averaging 3.26 yards after contact and breaking an SEC-best 38 tackles.
RB, UCLA, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 14 TDs, 1,359 yards
Preseason ranking: 67
Charbonnet was named first-team All-Pac-12 after leading the conference with 1,359 yards rushing. It marked the second straight season he cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the Bruins as they won nine games for the first time since 2014 and briefly appeared in the AP top 10.
WR, North Carolina, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 11 TDs, 1,029 yards
Preseason ranking: 26
Downs missed two of North Carolina’s first three games and skipped the bowl, yet he still posted his second-straight 1,000-yard season and did so in emphatic fashion. Downs had six 100-yard games, scored 11 times and led the country with 76 catches from the slot.
QB, Utah, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 26 TDs, 3,034 yards
Preseason ranking: 48
Rising will go down as an all-time great Ute after guiding Utah to back-to-back Rose Bowls. He was at his best in a pair of wins against USC — including a rout in the Pac-12 title game — throwing for 725 yards with five touchdowns in those games with three rushing touchdowns. After being named first-team All-Pac-12 last season, he was an honorable mention choice in 2022.
LB, LSU, Freshman
Notable 2022 stats: 8.5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 INT
Preseason ranking: NR
No defensive player in the country had quite the coming out party that Perkins threw for himself late in the season. The freshman outside linebacker took his game to another level during the second half of the schedule, notching eight tackles for loss, five sacks and three forced fumbles over the Tigers’ final five regular-season games.
LB, Cincinnati, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 23.5 TFL, 10 sacks, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
The Miami (Ohio) transfer immediately became an anchor for the Bearcats’ defense — and one of the best players in college football — in 2022. He ranks sixth nationally with 136 tackles, first with 28 run stops, second with 23.5 tackles for loss and 10th with 10 sacks. He was a one-man havoc machine for a defense that allowed just 4.6 yards per play, seventh in the country.
DL, Florida State, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 9 sacks, 22 solo tackles
Preseason ranking: NR
In just one year as an FBS player, Verse has lived up to the advance hype, emerging as an All-ACC first-team defensive end after leading Florida State 9 sacks — despite missing time with a leg injury during the season. When Verse decided to transfer to the Seminoles after beginning his career at Albany, his new coaches not only saw an athletic, physical pass rusher, they saw a player determined to put in the hard work to become elite. Verse called his decision to come to Florida State the best one he has ever made. That decision not only paid off for him, it paid off for the Seminoles, too.
QB, UTSA, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 32 TDs, 4,059 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
Harris will return for one more season after leading his Roadrunners to an 11-win season and a second straight Conference USA title. He ranked 18th in Total QBR — best among QBs from a Group of Five conference — by combining 4,059 passing yards with 600 rushing yards. He completed 70% of his passes with 32 touchdowns to nine interceptions, and he’s now thrown for at least 300 yards 10 times in his career and rushed for at least 100 yards four times.
OLB, LSU, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 5 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: 43
Ojulari emerged as LSU’s top veteran defensive playmaker this season. He tied for the team lead with 13 quarterback hurries and finished second in both sacks (five) and tackles for loss (8.5). He earned first-team All-SEC honors while wearing LSU’s famed No. 18 jersey, consistently contributing on the edge for defensive coordinator Matt House. Ojulari recorded 16 sacks in his three seasons at LSU.
QB, Wake Forest, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 38 TDs, 3,701 yards
Preseason ranking: 21
After throwing for 280 yards and three touchdowns in a bowl win over Missouri, Hartman ended his Wake Forest career as the ACC’s all-time leader in career touchdown passes. He ranks among the top three in league history in passing yards, total yards and total touchdowns, too. For the season, he threw 38 touchdown passes, making him the only ACC QB ever with back-to-back seasons of at least 38 passing TDs.
LB, Wisconsin, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 15.5 TFL, 11 sacks, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: 92
The Badgers have become known for their defense, and Herbig has been an important playmaker of that defense at linebacker. This season was no different as Herbig had 47 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He led the team in sacks and also had two forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.
WR, Boston College, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 12 TDs, 1,077 yards
Preseason ranking: 98
In the offseason, Flowers made headlines for turning down offers to transfer elsewhere to stay at Boston College. Though the Eagles did not have a great season, Flowers was outstanding every single week — and made play after play despite the best efforts from opposing defenses. Flowers finished as a first-team All-ACC receiver with 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns with five 100-yard receiving games.
DB, Alabama, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 2 INT, 7 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
A second-team AP All-America selection, Branch continued his development as a productive contributor for Alabama. He doubled his tackles for loss total from 2021 to 10, finishing second on the team, and ranked third overall in total stops with 78. His best performance came in a key road win at Ole Miss, as he recorded two tackles for loss and a pass breakup to seal a win. ESPN ranks Branch as the No. 16 overall prospect for the NFL draft.
RB, TCU, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,399 yards, 17 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
The 6-0, 220-pound Miller became the only player in Big 12 history to record a rushing touchdown in 13 different games in a season. His 17 rushing touchdowns in the regular season were fourth-most in a year in TCU history and the most since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2000. He ran for 1,399 yards, averaged 6.2 yards per carry, and his 75-yard TD against Texas in a key game helped keep TCU on the path to the CFP.
DB, Alabama, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1 INT, 15 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
The man with the unforgettable name earned first-team All-SEC honors and All-America recognition at both cornerback and punt returner this season. He averaged 15.8 yards per return, which led the SEC and ranked No. 2 nationally. McKinstry led Alabama with 13 pass breakups and also contributed with an interception, a sack and 29 solo tackles. The true sophomore will enter 2023 as a candidate for national defensive player of the year honors.
LB, Arkansas, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 9.5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 INT
Preseason ranking: NR
The Alabama transfer had a blistering start to the season for Arkansas, recording 7.5 sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles in his first five games as a Hog. Sanders continued to produce and led Arkansas in total tackles (103), sacks (9.5), tackles for loss (13.5) and forced fumbles (3). He became the first Arkansas linebacker to earn first-team AP All-America honors since Ronnie Caveness in 1964.
RB, Ball State, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1,556 yards, 14 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Ball State limped to a 5-7 season, but you couldn’t blame the sophomore from Greenwood, Indiana — he did literally everything he could. He led the nation with 1,109 yards after contact on his way to 1,556 total yards (seventh in the FBS), 70 first downs (11th) and 14 touchdowns (16th). He topped 100 yards in nine of his last 11 games and is transferring to UCLA.
WR, Iowa State, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,171 yards, 6 TDs
Preseason ranking: 77
A first-team All-American, the 6-3, 205-pound Hutchinson ranked second nationally with 107 catches, a school record, and his 8.9 catches per game was tops in the FBS. He finished with 1,171 yards and six touchdowns. His 254 catches over three years is also a school record, and the most ever for a Big 12 player in a three-year span.
WR, Wake Forest, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,096 yards, 11 TDs
Preseason ranking: 29
With 1,096 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, Perry became the first ACC player with multiple seasons of 1,000 yards and 10 TDs since Sammy Watkins in 2011, and he’s just the ninth Power 5 player to do that in back-to-back years in the playoff era.
LB, Texas Tech, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 7 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
A massive outside linebacker (6-6, 275 pounds) from east Texas, Wilson thrived on the other end of the state. He missed the last three games of the season but still finished 16th in total pressures (37) and 25th in tackles for loss (15). He recorded multiple TFLs in five different games. He also sacked the QB seven times and logged 15 run stops.
WR, SMU, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,355 yards, 10 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
A second-team All-American and Biletnikof Award semifinalist, Rice was targeted nearly three times as much as any SMU receiver, and while opponents knew the ball was going to the senior, they couldn’t do much about it. He caught 96 passes (fifth in the nation) for 1,355 yards (third), 54 first downs (sixth) and 10 touchdowns (13th). He topped 100 yards in six games.
LB, Ohio State, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 2.5 sacks, 1 INT
Preseason ranking: NR
Eichenberg probably didn’t get the attention nationally that he deserved after this season. The Buckeyes defense is still trying to work things out with a new defensive coordinator, but Eichenberg was a bright spot all season. He led the team with 120 total tackles, almost double the next highest tackler, Steele Chambers, who had 77 tackles. Eichenberg had 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups and five quarterback hurries this season. He was all over the field and seemed to be in on almost every play defensively.
CB, Iowa, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 2 FF, 1 INT
Preseason ranking: 52
Moss has been a big playmaker on Iowa’s defense for the past few seasons and is a leader on the team. He had 46 total tackles this season, one interception and 10 pass breakups with two forced fumbles. Moss was a first-team All-American in 2021 and has 157 total tackles in his career. He has 11 interceptions throughout his time at Iowa along with three defensive touchdowns. He was a ballhawking defensive back that had a knack for always being in position.
RB, Air Force, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,728 yards, 17 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
You expect rushing yards from Air Force, but Roberts’ production was still jaw-dropping: 345 carries (first in the FBS) for 1,728 yards (first), 83 first downs (third) and 17 touchdowns (eighth). He broke 25 tackles (30th), too. Air Force was 0-2 when he didn’t top 100 yards and 10-1 when he did.
WR, Houston, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,398 yards, 17 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
He lined up on the right and left, he lined up in the slot and wide, and his last catch of 2022 was a bowl-winner — a 12-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left in the Independence Bowl. The junior from Daytona Beach, Florida, finished the season with a nation’s-best 1,398 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns, helping his Cougars recover from a poor start to finish with eight wins.
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Nathaniel Dell makes impressive 26-yard catch
CB, Michigan, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1 INT, 10 PD
Preseason ranking: 86
Turner was an All-Big Ten selection this season and won defensive player of the week multiple times for his play in the secondary. Turner had 36 total tackles this season with one interception and 10 pass breakups. He was a leader in the secondary and a part of a Michigan defense that suffocated opponents in the second half all season.
LB, Georgia, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 4 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
The sophomore shined in his first full season as a starter, earning second-team AP All-America honors and forming an elite linebacker tandem with Smael Mondon Jr. Dumas-Johnson ranks third on the team in quarterback hurries with 24. Dumas-Johnson leads Georgia with four sacks and nine tackles for loss. He had a sack in Georgia’s CFP semifinal win over Ohio State.
LB, NC State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 50 solo, 7.5 sacks
Preseason ranking: 82
The leader of one of the best linebacker groups in the country, Thomas played with a grit and toughness that translated to the rest of his teammates. As a second-team All-ACC selection, he led the Wolfpack with 101 tackles, including 14 in a win over Florida State and 10 in a win over rival North Carolina. Against the Tar Heels, he also had two tackles for loss, a sack and four quarterback hurries.
RB, Alabama, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 926 yards, 7 TDs
Preseason ranking: 20
Remove Bryce Young from the equation and for much of the year Gibbs was a one-man show on offense. The former Georgia Tech transfer not only led the team in rushing during the regular season (850 yards), he also had the most receptions (42). All told, he had 10 total touchdowns.
CB, Mississippi State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 6 INT, 11 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
He’s one of the nation’s most electric players with the ball in his hands, which happened a lot during his Mississippi State career. Forbes had three pick-sixes this season to set the FBS career record with six. He finished the regular season with six interceptions this fall, which ranked third nationally, and led the nation with 174 interception return yards. Forbes earned both first- and second-team All-America honors, including second-team from the AP. He finished his three-year college career with 14 interceptions and 34 passes defended.
WR, Arizona, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,034 yards 7 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Cowing arrived at Arizona with high expectations after three brilliant seasons at UTEP, and he lived up to them this season. He led the Pac-12 with 85 receptions, ranked fourth in receiving yards (1,034) and extended his streak with a catch to 44 games. He paired with Dorian Singer to make up one of the most productive duos in the country.
DE, Clemson, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 3.5 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
Henry’s baseline stats didn’t do justice to just how good he was. He finished the regular season with 3.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss, but he also added 13 QB hurries, six pass breakups and 49 tackles, along with the ACC’s second-highest pressure rate (12.5%).
DL, Tennessee, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 7 sacks, 22 solo tackles
Preseason ranking: NR
Young’s story is incredible. After finishing high school, he was working at a Dollar General store in Columbus, Georgia when he saw a flyer for a tryout at Georgia Military College, where he developed into a top-flight pass-rushing prospect. At Tennessee, the 6-3, 245-pound Young was the Vols’ finisher off the edge and led the team in tackles for loss (10), sacks (7) and quarterback hurries (14). Young was tied for sixth in the SEC with 36 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
RB, Syracuse, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1,060 yards, 11 TDs
Preseason ranking: 15
Though Tucker saw a dip in his production, he was still among the best running backs in the ACC this season, rushing for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 254 yards receiving and two more scores. He became the first Syracuse player to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since Delone Carter (2009-10), and the first player to rush for 1,000 yards and gain 250 yards receiving in consecutive seasons in program history.
RB, Arkansas, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 1,443 yards, 10 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
A true sophomore, the 6-2, 227-pound Sanders emerged this season as one of the most productive and consistent running backs in the country. He was second in the SEC with 1,443 rushing yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry, which ranked third nationally among those players carrying the ball 200 or more times. His nickname is “Rocket,” and he displayed that explosiveness with seven rushing plays of 30 yards or longer. Sanders had seven 100-yard rushing games and also caught 28 passes.
DB, USC, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1 FF, 3 INT, 13 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
After transferring from Colorado, Blackmon made an immediate impact for the Trojans, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a redshirt senior. He led the conference in passes defended (13) and finished tied for fourth with three interceptions.
LB, UCLA, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 10.5 sacks, 3 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
A transfer from Washington, Latu was one of the surprise players in the Pac-12 this season, leading UCLA with 11 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. His 0.79 sacks per game ranked No. 11 nationally and helped land him first-time All-Pac-12 honors.
LB, NC State, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 40 solo, 3 sacks
Preseason ranking: NR
If his teammates in NC State’s linebacking corps — Drake Thomas and Payton Wilson — got more acclaim, no one was more respected within the Wolfpack’s locker room. Moore was the foundation for a defense that didn’t allow more than 30 points all season (something only Georgia and Michigan did, too), while chipping in with 13.5 tackles for loss and six QB hurries.
OL, Tennessee, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: didn’t allow a sack
Preseason ranking: NR
One of the most underrated parts of Tennessee’s record-setting offense was its offensive line, as the Vols led the country in scoring (47.3 points per game). Wright, a 6-6, 335-pound senior, anchored that line from his right tackle position. He was one of just 14 Power Five offensive linemen with more than 825 snaps played this season and no sacks allowed. Going back to his junior season, when he played left tackle, Wright has not allowed a sack in 18 straight games.
DE, Kansas State, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 8.5 sacks, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
The 6-4, 255-pound junior defensive end from Kansas City, Missouri, was named Big 12 defensive player of the year and was the league’s defensive lineman of the year for the second straight season. Anudike-Uzomah is one of the most disruptive edge rushers in the country, leading the Wildcats with 8.5 sacks, often while being the focus of opposing teams’ protection and double teams.
QB, Western Kentucky, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 48 total TDs, 4,744 yards (most in FBS)
Preseason ranking: NR
After winning a Division II national title as a freshman with West Florida in 2019, Reed took his talents to the FBS season and thrived immediately. He won a triple crown of sorts for passers, leading the nation in completions (389), passing yards (4,744) and touchdowns (40), and he recently announced that he’ll return for an encore next fall in Bowling Green.
C, TCU, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: didn’t allow a sack
Preseason ranking: NR
After starting 11 games last year at center, the 6-4, 330-pound fifth-year senior moved to left guard this year and didn’t allow a sack, becoming a consensus All-American in the process. He helped power a TCU offense that led the Big 12 in scoring (40.3 points per game), yards per game (473) and yards per attempt (8.8), while Kendre Miller rushed for more than 1,300 yards with 17 touchdowns.
OL, BYU, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: allowed 1 sack in more than 400 pass block attempts
Preseason ranking: NR
It was an injury-plagued season for the Cougars, but Barrington, a junior left guard from Spokane, Washington, was a constant. He was one of just three players to start in all 13 games, and he allowed only three pass pressures (with one sack), blew three run blocks and committed two total penalties all season. He was a constant for a team that desperately needed one.
S, Miami, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: 6 INT, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
Kinchens put together a sensational sophomore season, emerging as one of the best safeties in the entire country. He tied for the national lead with six interceptions, ranking third on the school’s single-season history list. In addition, he led the team with 59 tackles, and had a forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a first-team All-ACC pick. Against Georgia Tech, he had three interceptions, including one he returned 99 yards for a touchdown.
S, Alabama, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 30 solo, 1 INT, 2 PD
Preseason ranking: 23
Battle was one of the more versatile safeties in the country with his ability to cover and make big hits in the running game. The 6-1, 206-pound senior was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide and earned AFCA second-team All-America honors each of the past two seasons. Battle was fourth on Alabama’s team in tackles this season with 71. One of the team leaders, Battle elected to return to school for his senior season and is rated by ESPN’s Todd McShay as the third-best safety prospect for the 2023 NFL draft.
WR, UTSA, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,137 yards yards, 15 TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
“Throw it to Franklin as quickly as possible” was one of UTSA’s base plays this year, and it worked most of the time. Franklin caught 93 passes (seventh in the FBS) for 1,137 yards (11th), 58 first downs (fourth) and 15 touchdowns (second). He did a lot of his damage on horizontal or short passes, providing the sort of risk-free explosiveness that every offensive coordinator dreams of.
WR, Oklahoma, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 1,083 yards, 6 TDs
Preseason ranking: 64
The All-Big 12 receiver led the Sooners with 54 catches and 1,083 receiving yards, averaging more than 20 yards per reception, with six TDs. He was second in the conference in receiving yards per game (83.8) in the regular season and is always a home-run threat, like in the Sooners’ 51-48 OT loss to Texas Tech in the regular-season finale, where he caught five passes for 162 yards and 2 TDs, including a 77-yarder.
QB, LSU, Junior
Notable 2022 stats: 885 rush yards, 11 rush TDs
Preseason ranking: NR
Daniels made the most of his transfer from Arizona State and had a huge season at LSU, where he was second nationally among quarterbacks with 885 rushing yards. Daniels, a 6-3, 200-pound junior, was the only quarterback nationally to throw for more than 2,900 yards and rush for more than 800 yards. He passed for 17 touchdowns and rushed for 11 touchdowns and routinely turned broken plays into explosive plays. He also improved his accuracy as a passer (68.6%) and threw just three interceptions. That’s after throwing 10 his final season at Arizona State.
OL, Penn State, Sophomore
Notable 2022 stats: didn’t allow 1 sack in 8 games started
Preseason ranking: NR
Despite being a redshirt sophomore this season, Fashanu was an anchor of the Penn State offensive line and a big part of the success on the ground this season for the Nittany Lions when he was on the field. Unfortunately, he dealt with an injury that sidelined him for part of the season. Fashanu started in eight games this season.
LB, Michigan, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 7 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
Prior to the season, there were questions about where Michigan would get a pass rush after losing Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo to the NFL. Morris answered those questions quickly and became a defensive force up front all season. He led the team with 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss with four quarterback hurries in 11 games. Injury kept him out of a few games this season, but he still proved he was one of the best defenders in the Big Ten.
S, Penn State, Senior
Notable 2022 stats: 2 FF, 4 INT
Preseason ranking: NR
Brown started 12 games at safety this season for Penn State and was a third-team All-Big Ten selection. He led the team in total tackles with 74 and led the team in interceptions with four. He had three pass breakups, five quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles this season. He did a little bit of everything for the Nittany Lions and was a problem for opposing offenses all season.
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Greg Wyshynski
With one round in the books and eight teams sent home, the race for Stanley Cup playoffs MVP is starting to come into focus.
That focus is currently on one player who set a handful of records with his Game 7 heroism.
Here’s the first Conn Smythe Watch of the 2025 postseason. Keep in mind that in the NHL, the Conn Smythe is based on a player’s performance during the entire postseason, not just the championship round. The award is voted on by an 18-person panel of Professional Hockey Writers Association members.
We polled more than a dozen writers who are still on the beat in the playoffs for the Conn Smythe Trophy top three.
Here’s a look at some of the current leaders for MVP honors, as well as players on the cusp of breaking through in the Conn Smythe race.
The current MVP
The “Revenge Tour” against his former team the Colorado Avalanche wrapped up in spectacular fashion with 11 points in the last three games of the series (five goals, six assists). That included his third-period hat trick — along with an assist on Wyatt Johnston‘s game-tying goal with less than four minutes remaining in regulation — in the Stars’ Game 7 win.
Rantanen is the first player in NHL history to record four-point periods in back-to-back games in the regular season or the playoffs. He’s the first player to score a third-period hat trick in a Game 7. He’s also the first player with at least 10 points in Games 5 through 7 in a series. Overall, Rantanen has 12 points through seven games.
GM Jim Nill handed Rantanen an eight-year, $96 million contract extension after acquiring him from the Carolina Hurricanes for his regular-season dominance (705 points in 652 career games) and his reputation as a clutch playoff performer, as he now has 113 points in 88 career postseason games.
Rantanen was ranked first on all but one ballot we collected from our voters. He’s easily the favorite for playoff MVP at this point, and rightfully so.
The other favorites
There’s a palpable gap between Rantanen and the Connors in the playoff MVP race, but both Kyle Connor and Connor McDavid are building strong cases.
The Jets winger had 12 points in seven games against the St. Louis Blues, outscoring his team’s goaltending problems — which doesn’t accurately describe a double Vezina Trophy winner getting pulled in three road games — while leading Winnipeg to a first-round win.
Connor was awesome in Game 7: He set up Cole Perfetti‘s two goals and then picking up a secondary assist on Adam Lowry‘s double-overtime winner. He stepped up in the absence of linemate and second-leading scorer Mark Scheifele and helped Winnipeg advance past the first round for the first time in three postseasons.
It’s still surreal to think of McDavid as the reigning Conn Smythe winner, having been named playoff MVP after Edmonton’s seven-game loss in the Stanley Cup Final to Florida. If it’s the playoffs, McDavid is scoring in them. The Edmonton star has 110 points in 63 playoff games over the past five seasons, besting teammate Leon Draisaitl by 14 points.
McDavid led the Oilers with 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in their opening-round win against the Los Angeles Kings. It was supposed to be different this time for the Kings, who had lost to Edmonton in the first round for three consecutive seasons. It was different in one respect: Rather than the 2.00 points per game McDavid averaged in the three previous series wins against Los Angeles, he averaged only 1.83 points per game against the Kings in this six-game series victory.
Our voters had McDavid slightly ahead of Connor on their ballots, but they’re the clear second and third choices behind Rantanen at this point in the postseason.
Making their cases
Multiple voters expressed surprise that they were listing a member of the Leafs as one of the most valuable players of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but here we are. Toronto got past Ottawa in the first round and won Game 1 against the Florida Panthers thanks in no small part to the offensive performances by Nylander.
He is the member of the Core Four who has made the biggest impact in the playoffs, with 20 goals in 36 games since 2020-21. That’s seven more than Auston Matthews has scored in that span.
Nylander has had points in every game for the Leafs this postseason save for one: Linus Ullmark‘s Game 5 shutout for Ottawa. But Willy Styles came roaring back in Game 6 with two goals and an assist in Toronto’s Game 6 elimination of the Senators. He has three goals and two assists in the Leafs’ Game 1 wins in each round. He has been a pacesetter and a closer.
Thompson is the only goalie who made any of our ballots, getting love from a handful of voters. The Capitals goalie had a .923 save percentage and a 2.23 goals-against average in five games against the Canadiens. That he played five games against the Habs was surprising, given that he was helped from the ice in Washington’s Game 3 loss to Montreal. But Thompson was back for the Capitals’ wins in Games 4 and 5, giving up just three goals on 47 shots.
These were the only other players who were mentioned on our voters’ ballots. But there are others who could easily play their way into the conversation as the postseason continues.
On the cusp
The Oilers somehow eliminated the Kings in Game 6 without a single point from Draisaitl, but the Edmonton star made his presence known in Game 1 against Vegas with an assist and the game-tying goal, his fourth of the postseason. Draisaitl is tied for the second-most points in the postseason (12) after seven games.
Bouchard still trails the since-eliminated St. Louis’s Cam Fowler by one point for the most by a defenseman in the postseason. But the “Bouch Bombs” will continue for the foreseeable future given the Oilers’ success, as Bouchard has nine points (four goals, five assists) in seven games.
The Golden Knights’ dynamic duo. Stone leads Vegas with four goals, but both players have six points.
They didn’t have the best start against St. Louis, but they’ve hit the board in four straight games — including two goals from Stone in Game 1 against Edmonton.
Rantanen has deservedly grabbed the headlines, but don’t sleep on the contributions of Johnston to the Stars. His power-play goal gave Dallas a 3-2 lead in Game 7 with less than four minutes remaining against the Avalanche. He has seven points in seven games.
Oettinger held down the fort in the final moments of Game 7 and has posted strong numbers so far in the postseason, with a .911 save percentage and a 2.85 goals-against average.
Marner is right behind Nylander with nine points in seven games, with eight assists. He has a team-high five points on the power play. What’s a Conn Smythe Trophy worth in a contract year?
Bennett leads the Panthers with four goals in six games. As the Maple Leafs have learned, he makes frequently an impact off the scoresheet, sometimes in a game-changing way.
Andersen is playing behind a great defensive team with a forecheck that leaves him quite lonely back in the other zone. But when opponents have gotten chances against him, the veteran goalie has been a brick wall: He has a .935 save percentage and a 1.45 goals-against average this postseason.
Slavin won Game 1 of the Hurricanes’ second-round series against the Capitals with an overtime goal. His other goal in the postseason was a spirit-crusher in Carolina’s 5-2 Game 4 win over New Jersey. But scoring is never the story with Slavin: It’s his minutes (24:28 to lead the Hurricanes) and his defense, including being the linchpin of their dominant penalty kill. Plus, there’s a lot of voter goodwill built up for Slavin from his 4 Nations Face-Off performance.
Strome leads the Capitals with nine points and was one of the top scorers in the first round. Ovechkin won the Conn Smythe in 2018 when the Capitals won the Stanley Cup. He had four goals and an assist in their five-game series win over the Montreal Canadiens. They’ll need more games like that in a tight-checking series against the Hurricanes.
If Ovechkin carries the Caps in the playoffs, could voters resist the chance to cap his NHL record-breaking season with another playoff MVP award?
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Greg Wyshynski
Goodbye, Utah Hockey Club. Tusks up, Utah Mammoth.
After a 13-month process that included trademark drama and more than 850,000 ballots cast by fans in multiple rounds of voting, Utah Mammoth was revealed as the new name and permanent identity for the NHL franchise Wednesday.
It replaces Utah Hockey Club, a temporary name for its inaugural 2024-25 season after Smith Entertainment Group purchased and relocated the former Arizona Coyotes franchise to Salt Lake City.
“When it came to naming the team, we did something unprecedented — going through four rounds of community voting, including getting feedback not only on potential names but also on potential logos,” Utah owners Ryan and Ashley Smith said in a statement. “The community chose the Utah Mammoth brand, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from, and the unstoppable force we’re building together.”
Utah began selling a limited selection of first-run Utah Mammoth merchandise — including T-shirts, hats and hoodies — at the team store inside Delta Center on Wednesday. A news conference featuring NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was also scheduled at the arena.
Mammoth jerseys will be available for purchase later this offseason. They will be seen at the NHL draft in June, as Utah selections will wear the new sweaters. Utah won the second draft lottery drawing Monday night to receive the fourth overall pick.
Utah will introduce a Mammoth-inspired mascot at home games next season, which will be revealed in the coming months.
The name was inspired by herds of mammoths having claimed what would become Utah as their home more than 10,000 years ago. Fossils have been found throughout the state, and a complete mammoth skeleton was discovered in Huntington Canyon in 1988.
“Evidence suggests mammoths charged in herds at speeds exceeding 25 miles per hour, comparable to the speeds reached by the fastest skaters in the NHL,” the team said in its release.
According to the team, Utah chose a singular “Mammoth” rather than “Mammoths” because “it symbolizes one team, all-in and all of Utah.”
The new team logo — the head of a mammoth with a curved tusk — features several Easter eggs for fans.
The snow-capped Wasatch Mountain Range makes up the top of the mammoth’s head. The silhouette of Utah and a negative space “M” are hidden on the left side of the logo. The curved tusk is meant to evoke the letter “U” for Utah. “Tusks Up” is the team-endorsed rallying cry for Mammoth fans.
Utah will wear its new Mammoth logo on home jerseys and the state’s name on away jerseys, joining the Carolina Hurricanes as the only teams currently wearing a logo on one jersey and a wordmark on the other. According to Utah, the road jerseys continue messaging from the team’s inaugural season “to put a prominent focus on representing Utah when we’re away from the state.”
The Mammoth will wear patches with the state of Utah and a hockey stick on the shoulders of their home jerseys and a patch with the Mammoth logo on the shoulder of their away jerseys.
The rebranding ends a process that began over a year ago.
The team was known as Utah Hockey Club in 2024-25 after having little time to decide on a permanent nickname and logo. Design firm Doubleday & Cartwright developed the team’s color scheme — Rock Black, Salt White and Mountain Blue — while targeting the franchise’s second season for an official nickname.
SEG released a Qualtrics poll in May 2024 featuring 20 potential team names. That produced six finalists in June for another fan vote: Blizzard, Utah HC, Mammoth, Outlaws, Venom and Yeti.
During Utah’s inaugural season, “Yeti” was widely considered to be the team’s eventual name, even by its players. But Utah announced in January that it would not be moving forward with “Yeti” or “Yetis” as a nickname after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected a trademark application for “Utah Yetis” because of the “likelihood of confusion” for consumers to other companies and brands that use the name. Among those parties was Yeti Coolers LLC, which makes drinkware, coolers and clothing.
With Yeti and Yetis out, the team announced in January that Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth and Utah Wasatch would be the finalists in a fan vote at Delta Center. Fans voted with iPads located at stations around the arena that featured the names, logos and potential branding for each option.
While Wasatch was never a part of previous fan votes, the team included it as a new option. It referenced a local mountain range and would have allowed the team to use a “mythical snow hill creature in the form of a Yeti” as its mascot. But when the team saw early vote returns, Utah Wasatch was quickly swapped out for Utah Outlaws.
While the vote totals weren’t released, the team said Mammoth was “the clear favorite” in the final round of voting.
Utah said the names in the final voting group were all clear of any trademark issues. There’s also no issue with the neighboring Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League. According to the team, Utah has been in regular dialogue with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, which owns the lacrosse franchise, and has received support for the new Utah team name.
As for “Utah Hockey Club,” the team said that name and branding will “always be a part of our history” and could be honored in a nostalgic way in the years to come.
Sports
Are the Orioles blowing their contention window? What we can learn from other stacked young teams
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David Schoenfield
Let’s be clear: We are not burying the Baltimore Orioles just yet. The season is young, and there is plenty of time for them to heat up and get back into the playoff race. It’s not like any team has pulled away in the American League East, and the six-team playoff field in each league makes it that much easier to squeeze into the postseason anyway.
Still, the Orioles are supposed to be at their height of contention, fighting for best-team-in-baseball status, not battling the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels for the worst record in the AL, as is currently the case.
The Orioles had ESPN’s top-ranked farm system in 2022 and 2023 and parlayed that into an impressive 101-win season and division title in 2023. They again had the top-ranked farm system entering 2024, and while last year’s 91-win season was a minor letdown, it at least resulted in another trip to the playoffs. In each of those years, they had the top overall prospect: Adley Rutschman (2022), Gunnar Henderson (2023) and Jackson Holliday (2024). Entering the 2025 campaign, their farm system dropped to No. 14 since a lot of their top prospects have now graduated to the majors.
Baltimore also had another reason for optimism in new owner David Rubenstein, a Baltimore native and avowed Orioles fan who is worth an estimated $3.7 billion. Fans hoped he might pull the team into a higher payroll class as the franchise chased its first World Series appearance and championship since 1983.
Instead, the Orioles are 13-21, with a rotation that ranks last in the AL in with a 5.75 ERA, ahead of only the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins overall, and an offense that’s tied for 21st in the majors in OPS and ranks 23rd in runs per game. After averaging 4.98 runs per game in 2023 and 4.85 in 2024, the O’s are averaging just 3.82 in 2025 (even after the left-field fence was moved back at Camden Yards). One game in late April featured a lineup with Ramon Laureano hitting leadoff, Ramon Urias batting cleanup and Gary Sanchez and Dylan Carlson hitting fifth and sixth. That was not how this was supposed to look.
What has happened here? Would it be unusual for a team to be where the Orioles were and suddenly fall apart? To investigate this, we found teams that matched where the Orioles stood entering 2024 — coming off a playoff season while also possessing a top farm system the following spring. That would seem to be the perfect storm for a highly competitive contention window: a good team with more young talent on the way.
Going back to 2000, we found all the teams that (1) had made the playoffs and (2) began the next season with a top-three-ranked farm system, according to either Baseball America (since 2001) or ESPN (since 2012). Including the 2023 Orioles, this provided a list of 25 teams. We then tracked each team’s performance over the next three seasons; for the 2023 Orioles, this would so far include only the 2024 season.
Here are those 25 teams, as well as their records the following three seasons:
Our overall findings: Not only did these teams fare exceptionally well, they rarely were bad — and often were great.
Out of 71 future seasons that have been completed in each team’s immediate three-year window, these teams made the playoffs 48 times — 68% of the time, including the Orioles in 2024. Those odds have been even higher in recent seasons with the expanded playoff field; the first three teams on the list — the 2000 White Sox, 2001 Seattle Mariners and 2001 Houston Astros — made just one playoff appearance out of nine seasons between them.
There were only eight losing seasons out of 71. Leaving aside 2020, 42 teams out of a possible 67 seasons won at least 90 games (63%), and 14 (21%) won at least 100.
Let’s dig deeper and compare the 2023 Orioles — and their ensuing three-year contention window — more specifically to the five teams in our study that had a No. 1-ranked farm system.
Top five prospects in 2001: Jon Rauch, Joe Borchard, Joe Crede, Matt Ginter, Dan Wright
Others of note: Aaron Rowand
Next three seasons: 83-79, 81-81, 86-76 (no playoff appearances)
This is an interesting team because another element of the perfect storm for contention would be the younger the playoff team, the better. Combining the average age of the position player group and the pitchers from Baseball-Reference (which adjusts those figures for playing time), the White Sox were the second-youngest team on the list, behind only the 2022 Cleveland Guardians. And yet, Chicago scuffled along the next three seasons — and got very little from that prospect group.
The White Sox did break through in 2005, however, winning the World Series, with Crede and Rowand both starters on that team. Rauch got injured but was traded for Carl Everett, another starter on the 2005 team.
How the Orioles compare: The 2023 Orioles were one of the younger teams on the list, tied for fifth youngest. This was a large part of the optimism around them, especially with those three top overall prospects providing the foundation. The Orioles were always thinner on pitching prospects, however, and that’s been a problem in 2025 as injuries in the rotation have piled up.
Of course, the expectation this past winter was that Rubenstein and general manager Mike Elias might go after a top starting pitcher — similar to the previous offseason, when Elias traded two prospects for a legitimate ace in Corbin Burnes. The Orioles then acquired Zach Eflin during the season. But Burnes was just a one-year rental and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Eflin is currently sidelined with a lat strain. Young right-hander Grayson Rodriguez has been out all season with an elbow issue, and Kyle Bradish, the team’s top starter in 2023, is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The problem hasn’t just been the injuries but the stopgaps: 41-year-old Charlie Morton is 0-6 with a 9.76 ERA, 37-year-old Kyle Gibson is 0-1 with a 14.09 ERA in two starts and Cade Povich is 1-2 with a 5.16 ERA.
Top five prospects in 2013: Oscar Taveras, Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez, Trevor Rosenthal, Kolten Wong
Others of note: Michael Wacha, Tommy Pham
Next three seasons: 97-65, 90-72, 100-62 (three playoff appearances)
The Cardinals reached the World Series in 2013 (losing to the Boston Red Sox) and had the best record in the National League in 2015 before losing to the Chicago Cubs in the division series. The group of prospects helped supplement what had been more of a veteran team in 2012. Miller joined the rotation in 2013 and won 25 games in two seasons then was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Jason Heyward. Martinez spent a year in the bullpen and became an All-Star starter in 2015 and 2017. Rosenthal racked up 93 saves in 2014-15. Wong was a solid regular, and Wacha was the playoff hero in 2013. Taveras, the star prospect of the group, died in a car accident after the 2014 season.
How the Orioles compare: The Cardinals were built from 2012 to 2015 around their starting rotation — Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Wacha, Miller and Martinez. When Wainwright got hurt in 2015, they still had the depth to pick up the slack. They traded for John Lackey, and he went 13-10 with 5.8 WAR and a 2.77 ERA in 2015. Miller was used to acquire Heyward, who posted 7.0 WAR in 2015 (although then left as a free agent).
In other words, it was a completely different philosophy than the one Baltimore is using. The Cardinals believed they could fill in the gaps on the position player side of things — and they did do that through 2015. (Although once Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday declined, they missed the playoffs for three straight years starting in 2016.)
The Orioles are following the lead of the Cubs and Astros, who built World Series winners in 2016 and 2017 around a core of position players. The Cubs supplemented that group with free agent signings Jon Lester and Lackey plus two astute trades for Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks. The Astros traded for Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke to help build their dynasty.
Elias was part of that Houston front office, and while the Burnes trade worked out for his one season in Baltimore and Eflin pitched well last season after the trade (2.60 ERA in nine starts), it’s fair to say Elias hasn’t landed a starter with the multiyear impact of a Lester, Hendricks, Verlander or Cole.
Top five prospects in 2014: Gregory Polanco, Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, Nick Kingham
Others of note: Josh Bell, Clay Holmes, Adam Frazier
Next three seasons: 88-74, 98-64, 78-84 (two playoff appearances)
The Pirates had a strong three-year window from 2013 to 2015 with three straight postseason trips, but they have had just one winning season since. It wasn’t so much the lack of willingness to spend on payroll but a series of bad trades and prospects who didn’t pan out. Polanco just wasn’t that good. They traded Gerrit Cole and didn’t get enough in return. They traded Glasnow, Meadows and Shane Baz to the Tampa Bay Rays in the ill-fated 2018 Chris Archer trade.
How the Orioles compare: We’re still finding out if this will be the case with some of these Orioles prospects. But the other thing that happened to the Pirates is Andrew McCutchen — their superstar during those three playoff seasons (he averaged 6.4 WAR and was the MVP winner in 2013) — didn’t keep it going. He fell to minus-0.4 WAR in 2016 and 3.1 WAR in 2017 then was traded in 2018. Starling Marte averaged 4.8 WAR during the playoff run but had a performance-enhancing drugs suspension in 2017 and wasn’t as good when he returned. Even Cole was worth just 1.5 WAR in 2016 and 2.6 in 2017 before exploding after his trade to Houston.
In other words, the Orioles need their stars to perform, and Henderson and Rutschman have just not done that so far in 2025. Henderson has just five RBIs in 27 games, and Rutschman is hitting .211/.318/.351. Jordan Westburg, an All-Star in 2024, is hitting .217/.265/.391 and is currently on the IL with a hamstring strain. Colton Cowser, last year’s Rookie of the Year runner-up, played just four games before fracturing his left thumb.
If anything, this is why we probably don’t want to give up on the Orioles: They’ve gotten so little from a group that should be doing a lot more. (And those players are younger than McCutchen and Marte were, so there’s no reason they should collectively be performing this poorly.)
Top five prospects in 2016: Corey Seager, Julio Urias, Jose De Leon, Jose Peraza, Cody Bellinger
Others of note: Alex Verdugo, Walker Buehler
Next three seasons: 91-71, 104-58, 106-56 (three playoff appearances)
The 2015 Dodgers were built around Clayton Kershaw and Greinke, who went a combined 35-10 with a 1.90 ERA. Their best position players were 33-year-old Adrian Gonzalez and 30-year-old Justin Turner. While they didn’t win a World Series in the next three years, they did still reach the Fall Classic twice in that span — and went on to eventually win the Series in the shortened 2020 season, with Seager, Urias, Bellinger and Buehler all playing vital roles (while Verdugo became the key player in the trade for Mookie Betts).
How the Orioles compare: The 2023 Orioles were a much younger team than the 2015 Dodgers. (Most of L.A.’s regular position players were 30-something; they had the oldest group of position players in the NL that year.) So, there isn’t much in common here. Yes, the Orioles have their version of Seager in Henderson, but do they have a Bellinger in the pipeline? Can Bradish and Rodriguez bounce back from injuries and help win a World Series, as Urias and Buehler eventually did? The Dodgers used their farm system depth to eventually trade for Betts then signed him to a long-term contract. While the Orioles have shown their willingness to make an impact trade (Burnes), they of course have shown no inclination to spend that kind of money.
The Dodgers also have been able to keep the prospects coming: ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked the Dodgers as the No. 1 farm system entering 2025, a remarkable assessment given where they draft every year. Even when the Orioles’ farm system ranked first in 2024, it was more about the quality at the top — Holliday, Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo and Heston Kjerstad leading the way — than the overall depth.
Top five prospects in 2020: Wander Franco, Brendan McKay, Matthew Liberatore, Vidal Brujan, Shane Baz
Others of note: Shane McClanahan, Xavier Edwards, Joe Ryan, Josh Lowe, Taj Bradley, Pete Fairbanks
Next three seasons: 40-20, 100-62, 86-76 (three playoff appearances)
The Rays reached the World Series in 2020, had another great season in 2021, earned a wild-card spot in 2022, returned to the playoffs with 99 wins in 2023 and finally stumbled in 2024, finishing 80-82. The 2019 Rays were a young team, tied for third youngest on our list. While that top group of prospects didn’t do much with Tampa — only Baz is still active with the organization — the Rays had so much depth in their system that they still managed to extract a lot of value. (Although they probably would like a do-over on the Ryan-for-Nelson Cruz trade in 2021.)
How the Orioles compare: The 2019 Rays would be the best direct match for the 2023 Orioles in terms of youth and roster composition and timeline. Those Rays were the culmination of a multiyear rebuilding project, just like the 2023 Orioles. Tampa Bay made five consecutive playoff appearances, the kind of results you would expect from a young team with a highly rated farm system. (And the results might have been even better if not for Franco’s off-field problems.)
One thing the Rays are not afraid to do: trade their prospects. Liberatore went to the Cardinals for Randy Arozarena; Edwards went to the Marlins for Santiago Suarez, an intriguing pitching prospect now in High-A; and Brujan brought back Jake Mangum, who is contributing to the Rays in 2025. Not all their trades have worked out, but many have.
So far, the Orioles have mostly held on to their guys. The Trevor Rogers trade with the Marlins last summer doesn’t look good right now. Rogers was bad after the trade, and he is now injured, while Kyle Stowers might be having a breakout season for Miami. Kjerstad is struggling for the Orioles, and Mayo just got called back up after going 4-for-41 with 22 strikeouts in a big league trial last year. There’s a chance neither of those two develop as they were once expected to.
Given the mostly successful track records of the teams in the study, is there a worst-case scenario for the Orioles? Here are three examples.
Farm system ranking: No. 2
Top five prospects: Ryan Anderson, Rafael Soriano, Antonio Perez, Chris Snelling, Clint Nageotte
What went wrong: The Mariners won 93 games in each of the next two seasons, although they missed the playoffs back when just four teams made it. They then collapsed to 63-99 in 2004. They were the oldest team in our study, with an average age of 31.1. So, that group aged out after a couple of years, and the prospects didn’t develop — and nearly 20 years of bad baseball ensued. Anderson, nicknamed “The Little Unit” due to his physical resemblance to Randy Johnson, got hurt and never made the majors. Soriano had three 40-save seasons — long after the Mariners traded him away. Snelling was a promising Australian outfielder who reached the majors at age 20 but couldn’t stay healthy. The Mariners also had Shin-Soo Choo in the system and traded him away for nothing.
What the Orioles can learn: The Mariners aren’t a great comparison since they were such a veteran team, but bad trades certainly didn’t help. Carlos Guillen, the starting shortstop in 2001, was traded after 2003 to the Tigers for light-hitting Ramon Santiago and went on to become a three-time All-Star with Detroit. When the Mariners faded in 2004, they traded ace Freddy Garcia to the White Sox with minimal return. Asdrubal Cabrera signed as an amateur free agent with Seattle in 2002 and was later traded away to Cleveland, where he made a couple of All-Star teams.
Moral of the story: You have to trade well. The Orioles did that in 2002, when they acquired Povich and Yennier Cano for Jorge Lopez, but they’ll need more of those wins.
Farm system ranking: No. 2
Top five prospects: Jurickson Profar, Martin Perez, Mike Olt, Leonys Martin, Neil Ramirez
What went wrong: After losing in the 2011 World Series, the Rangers did return to the playoffs in 2012 but then lost a tiebreaker game to miss the playoffs in 2013. They fell to 67-95 in 2014 before making a couple of soft playoff appearances in 2015 and 2016. So, this was hardly a full-scale disaster, although they’ve had just one winning season since 2016; that was in 2023, and it happened to result in a World Series title.
This was a case where the prospects just weren’t as good as advertised. Profar was the No. 1 prospect in the game, but shoulder injuries derailed his career. Perez is still pitching, but he didn’t become a big star. Olt was a power-hitting third baseman traded with Ramirez to the Cubs in 2013 for Matt Garza, a rental pitcher. The Rangers also dealt Hendricks to the Cubs for another rental in Ryan Dempster, while Martin, Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara never had the plate discipline to become consistent hitters in the majors.
What the Orioles can learn: Don’t overrate your own prospects — or at least make sure you evaluate them accurately. The Rangers let productive veterans such as Cruz, C.J. Wilson and Mike Napoli (plus Josh Hamilton, although his career flamed out after moving on from the Rangers) leave in free agency because they believed they had prospects ready to step in . They traded Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder with the idea that Profar could take over at second, but that turned into a tough trade when Fielder had to retire due to a neck injury. They also had some bad injury luck in the rotation with Matt Harrison, Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando all getting hurt.
The Orioles will be facing a lot of similar types of decisions this offseason, with a large chunk of the roster headed to free agency, including Cedric Mullins, Eflin, Ryan O’Hearn and Gregory Soto, plus several other players on one-year deals. The owner’s checkbook might need to play a bigger role next offseason.
Farm system ranking: No. 2 Baseball America/No. 5 ESPN
Top five prospects: Xander Bogaerts, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley Jr., Allen Webster, Blake Swihart
Others in the system: Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers, Christian Vazquez, Matt Barnes, Manuel Margot, Brock Holt (and a bunch of others who made the playoffs)
What went wrong: This isn’t even a worst-case scenario, necessarily, although the Red Sox were the only team on our list to have two losing seasons out of the next three. (The 2022 Guardians could match that with a losing record in 2025.) Boston won the World Series with an older team in 2013 but was under .500 in 2014 and 2015. Eventually, the farm system produced another World Series title in 2018.
What the Orioles can learn: The 2013 Red Sox had David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and some other vets who had big years. By 2018, Ortiz was retired and Pedroia was injured. But Boston had come up with new stars: Betts, Bogaerts and Chris Sale (acquired for prospects Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech). The Red Sox supplemented the new stars with two big free agents, David Price and J.D. Martinez.
The Orioles have so far failed to either extend any of their young stars or play with the big boys in free agency. They still have their main core under team control for years to come. (Rutschman would be the first to reach free agency, after the 2027 season.) But it does feel like, at some point, the Orioles might have to be more aggressive than they’ve been — unless they can figure out how to thread the needle like the Rays have done throughout the years.
All in all, the Orioles haven’t really done anything “wrong” yet — unless you count not signing a big free agent pitcher. But if you look at the most successful long-term organizations in the study, they didn’t do that, either. The Astros made trades for pitchers. The 2014 and 2015 Dodgers each refrained from signing any nine-figure pitchers until the 2023-24 offseason, when they signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani and traded for Tyler Glasnow. The Braves appear on this list in 2018 and 2019, the first two years of seven consecutive playoff trips, and they haven’t signed any big pitchers, either, even losing Max Fried in free agency this past winter. The Rays, of course, don’t venture into free agency at a high price point.
Now those latter three organizations are known for their pitching development. The Orioles’ initial success has been fueled primarily by their hitting development, although even that’s a little unfair, as Bradish and Rodriguez (two pitchers who came up through their system) were good until their injuries. But it seems fair to suggest that Baltimore will need some further development from pitchers such as Povich or Chayce McDermott, let alone better returns from Bradish and Rodriguez.
The final conclusion here: It would be pretty unprecedented for the Orioles to suddenly fall apart given their youth, their level of success in 2023 and 2024 and the evaluation of those prospects just reaching the majors or still in the pipeline. Of course, sometimes those evaluations are wrong. They have a lot of pitching injuries to overcome, and that’s tough for any team, unless you’re named the Dodgers. The unwillingness to spend bigger this past offseason certainly looms as a dark cloud over this bad start.
But that’s all it likely is: a bad start. For now.
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