An almost all defensive top 5?! College football’s top 100 players for 2024
It’s an odd season for big names in college football. There are some known commodities, of course — Travis Hunter, Carson Beck, Ollie Gordon II, for example — but there are relatively few established superstars. Just two of the top 10 in last year’s Heisman Trophy voting return for 2024. Just four of the 25 players to earn consensus All-America status last year are back this season. Last year’s national champs, Michigan, sent 13 players to the NFL draft. There’s simply a vacuum of stardom waiting to be filled.
That makes the job of ranking the 100 best players particularly difficult. Quarterback is the most important position on the field, but this year’s crop is a bit thin. There are some elite pass rushers, but that’s a narrow skill set to take the top spot. There’s a reasonable case for at least seven or eight players to be ranked No. 1 overall — and that’s before we even get to the next 99 spots.
But we don’t rank the top 100 players because it’s easy. We do it because it’s hard. And also because it’s fun to debate the relative merits of a 330-pound offensive lineman and a corner with 4.3 speed. — David Hale
Methodology: To compile this year’s list, we utilized a panel of ESPN experts — David Hale, Adam Rittenberg, Bill Connelly, Chris Low and Paolo Uggetti — and went through four rounds of voting to select a pool of players worthy of consideration. They considered players’ past contributions on the field, along with their anticipated roles for 2024, their recruiting pedigrees and their draft stocks, and formulated a reasonable expectation for this coming season. Then they debated, argued and discussed (and possibly played a few rounds of rock paper scissors as a tiebreaker) to put them in order, 1 through 100.
The result is an unimpeachable ranking of the 100 best players in college football for the 2024 season.
Jump to: 100-76 | 75-51 | 50-26 | 25-1
CB, Florida State, Junior
2023 stats: 29 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 12 PBUs
2023 ranking: NR
A big, long corner whom head coach Mike Norvell describes as a future All-American, Thomas showed glimpses of his immense potential in 2023, racking up 12 pass breakups, a forced fumble and 4.5 tackles for loss. Thomas contested 24 of his 35 targets and allowed just 172 yards and one touchdown all season. He played in press coverage on nearly half his coverage snaps, but only two passes were completed for 20 yards or more against him.
S, Alabama, Senior
2023 stats: 51 tackles, 1 INT, 4 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
Moore has been a mainstay in Alabama’s secondary seemingly forever, and he has played 2,334 snaps in 52 games the past four seasons. He was a permanent captain as a senior in 2023 and will take on an even greater leadership role in coach Kalen DeBoer’s first season. He’s moving from the Star position to safety, which will put him further away from the line of scrimmage.
CB, NC State, Senior
2023 stats: 23 solo, 2 INTs, 10 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
White has been dominant over the past two seasons at NC State. He has been targeted 116 times since the start of the 2022 season, and he has allowed just three completions of more than 20 yards. Opposing QBs have posted a woeful 10.9 raw QBR when targeting White in that span, and he has allowed just 4.1 yards per target, tied for the fifth-lowest mark among Power 5 DBs. Of the four players ahead of him, one is still active and three were previous All-Americans, including two who were selected in the first round of this year’s NFL draft.
OL, Miami, Junior
2023 stats: 11 pressures allowed, 2 sacks allowed
2023 ranking: NR
Rivers is widely considered a potential first-round draft pick next year, but for now, he’s locking down Miami QBs’ blind side. Rivers allowed just 11 pressures and two sacks on 847 snaps at left tackle last season, while posting a 1.9% blown block rate that ranked second among ACC left tackles.
TE, Notre Dame, Senior
2023 stats: 29 catches, 422 yards, 1 TD
2023 ranking: NR
Evans appears to be the heir apparent to Notre Dame’s exceptional legacy of game-changing tight ends. While his 2023 season was limited by an injury that cost him the final four games, he still finished second on the team with 422 receiving yards, and his six-catch, 134-yard performance in a win over Duke was one of the season’s highlights.
S, Purdue, Sophomore
2023 stats: 74 solo tackles, 2 FFs, 6 INTs, 2 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
How good was Thieneman last season? Just ask opposing QBs, who targeted him just 11 times all year — or 2.6% of his snaps in coverage. That was the lowest rate of any DB in college football with at least 300 snaps. What’s even more astounding is that, of those 11 targets, he intercepted six and broke up two more. The lesson here: Eleven targets was at least eight too many.
CB, Arizona, Junior
2023 stats: 15 PBUs, 16 PDs, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
A possible first-round NFL pick in 2025, Davis had a breakout 2023 season as Arizona finished ranked No. 11 in the country. He was an honorable-mention All-Pac-12 selection but given second-team honors by The Associated Press.
QB, Kansas State, Sophomore
2023 stats: 479 yards, 5 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
A top-100 national recruit, Johnson was a huge get for the Wildcats, ranked as the top player in Kansas and the top dual-threat QB in the country. Johnson has legitimate 4.3 speed and is a dangerous runner who played in eight games as a true freshman. He was named the MVP of the first game he started in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. With last season’s starter, Will Howard, transferring to Ohio State, the job is Johnson’s full time.
QB, Tennessee, Freshman
2023 stats: 314 yards, 2 TDs, 79.3 QBR
2023 ranking: NR
A top-25 recruit in 2023, Iamaleava gave us a taste of what he’s capable of in 2023, completing 28 of 45 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns, scrambling nine times for 72 yards and rushing for three bowl TDs versus Iowa. He looks like the total package.
QB, USC, Junior
2023 stats: 681 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
Not many players on this list, if any, secured a spot on the efforts of one single game, but Moss — who has been biding his time behind Caleb Williams the past two seasons — made the most of his opportunity in last year’s Holiday Bowl. Against Louisville, the junior exploded for 372 yards and a bowl-record six touchdowns, which set him on the path to securing the starting spot for USC this fall.
CB, Louisville, Senior
2023 stats: 49 tackles, 3 INTs, 12 PBUs
2023 ranking: NR
Arguably the ACC’s best lockdown corner in 2023, Riley was the lynchpin of an exceptional Louisville secondary, intercepting three passes and surrendering an opponent QBR of just 8.7. Riley was in coverage for nearly 500 snaps last season and didn’t allow a touchdown.
LB, Old Dominion, Senior
2023 stats: 51 solo, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: 60
Over the past two seasons, Henderson has been a part of 324 tackles in 24 games, an incredible 13.5 per game and one for every 5.1 snaps. In that span, no one else made even 280 tackles. He had more tackles for loss (24.5) than missed tackles (21). He is an absolute tackling machine.
CB, Virginia Tech, Senior
2023 stats: 3 INTs, 8 PBUs, 2.8 yards allowed per target
2023 ranking: 80
Virginia Tech likes to tout its reputation as DBU, but it’s been some time since the Hokies produced a genuine star at the position. Strong figures to change that. Last season, Strong was as dominant as any corner in the country, with QBs completing just 25% of their throws targeting him, allowing just 2.8 yards per target (third in FBS) and just 0.29 yards per coverage snap.
QB, SMU, Junior
2023 stats: 3,197 yards, 32 total TDs
2023 ranking: NR
As explosive a passer as there was in the country last season, Stone started 12 games and led SMU to its first conference title since 1984 while throwing for 28 touchdowns and just six picks. Stone threw multiple touchdowns without an interception in six of his final seven games last season, and his 9.3 yards-per-pass average ranked ninth nationally.
WR, Texas, Junior
2023 stats: 48 receptions, 668 yards, 4 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
After catching 48 passes for 668 yards as a sophomore at Alabama, Bond decided not to stick around when coach Nick Saban announced his retirement. Bond was increasingly more involved in the Crimson Tide’s offense as the season went along and was a key performer in the SEC championship game upset of Georgia, when he caught five passes for 79 yards.
OL, Arizona, Junior
2023 stats: Allowed 2 sacks in 889 snaps
2023 ranking: NR
Savaiinaea was one of the better offensive linemen in the Pac-12 the day he walked onto campus at Arizona in 2022 following a standout career at famed St. Louis High in Hawai’i. He has started all 25 games since arriving and has developed into a dominant force in both run and pass blocking. He has played a major role in Arizona’s rise from a one-win team in 2021 to a 10-win team in 2023.
CB, Kentucky, Junior
2023 stats: 5 INT, 68 tackles, 6 PBUs
2023 ranking: 97
The junior from Michigan was ranked outside the top 100 cornerback prospects when he signed with the Wildcats in 2021. Last season, he led the SEC and ranked fifth nationally with five interceptions. In a 45-28 win at Vanderbilt, Hairston returned two interceptions for touchdowns and had a career-high three pass breakups.
RB, Georgia, Junior
2023 stats: 131 carries, 753 yards, 8 TDs
2023 ranking: 86
The Bulldogs like to rotate their backs, but they could lean heavily on Etienne, who led rival Florida in rushing average (68.4 ypg), rushing touchdowns (8) and yards per carry (5.7) last fall. Etienne, the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr., had three rushing touchdowns against LSU last season. He also contributed as a receiver (21 receptions) and on returns (224 kickoff return yards).
QB, Notre Dame, Senior
2022 stats: 2,967 yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
After a 4-0 start to the 2023 season, Leonard nearly led Duke to a massive upset over Notre Dame before going down with an ankle injury. He came back to make two more starts, but his final stat line — three TD passes, four rushing TDs — hardly tells the story of his impact. Prior to the injury, he was 13-5 as Duke’s starter over the past two seasons, racking up more than 5,000 yards of total offense and 40 total touchdowns. Now he’s at Notre Dame, where expectations are sky-high for 2024.
QB, Texas A&M, Sophomore
2023 stats: 979 yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
Weigman’s sample size in 3½ games last season was small, but he looked like a quarterback who could lift the Aggies out of their doldrums before he went down with a foot injury against Auburn. In a 52-10 rout of New Mexico, he threw five touchdowns, the most in regulation by an A&M passer since Johnny Manziel in 2013. In a 47-3 win against Louisiana-Monroe, Weigman completed 25 of 29 attempts (86.2%), the highest completion percentage (minimum 20 attempts) in school history.
CB, Ohio State, Senior
2023 stats: 1 FF, 1 INT, 8 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
Burke’s skill set is undeniable, with NFL scouts viewing him as a possible first-round draft pick. Last season, he allowed completions on just 38.5% of his targets, picked off one pass and broke up nine others while blossoming into one of the most effective press-coverage corners in the country. The one area Burke needs to show some improvement this season, however, is with big plays. He allowed just 15 completions all season, but seven of them went for 20 yards or more.
WR, UNLV, Senior
2023 stats: 88 receptions, 1,483 yards, 8 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
A perfect all-around skill player for UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, the Michigan State transfer ranked third nationally in receiving yards in 2023 and topped 140 yards six times, including four straight late games as UNLV was making a charge to the MWC championship game.
WR, USC, Sophomore
2023 stats: 31 receptions, 320 yards, 2 TDs
2023 ranking: 83
The USC freshman exploded onto the scene last year as one of the fastest players in the sport and his 774 punt and kickoff return yards earned him an All-America team spot. Now the real challenge begins. Not only will Branch be a known quantity that special teams will be selling out to stop, but the Trojans need him to be one of the offense’s top producing receivers in a post-Caleb Williams world.
CB, Kansas, Senior
2023 stats: 32 tackles, 4 INTs, 9 PBUs
2023 ranking: NR
A lockdown corner who doesn’t get a lot of passes thrown in his direction, Bryant is a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection who returned for his senior season. He is eighth in school history with nine career INTs and his two pick-sixes are tied for the most at KU all-time.
DE, Arkansas, Senior
2023 stats: 44 total tackles, 22 solo, 6.5 sacks
2023 ranking: NR
When Jackson transferred to Arkansas from LSU after his freshman season, he was coming off a torn ACL and was thin. Now, 6-7 and 280 pounds, Jackson might just now be scratching the surface of his abilities, according to Hogs coach Sam Pittman. That’s a scary thought after Jackson piled up 9.5 sacks combined over the past two seasons.
DT, Michigan, Junior
2023 stats: 16 solo, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
In his second season at Michigan, Grant quickly became not just one of the defensive stalwarts of a stout defense but one of the most physically imposing players in the country. Grant tallied 16 solo tackles and 3.5 sacks, including a key one in the national championship game. Going into his third season, the sky seems to be the limit for a player ready to once again showcase his talent and unique physicality.
WR, Oklahoma, Junior
2023 stats: 47 receptions, 629 yards, 7 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
Despite playing for a 4-8 Purdue team last season, Burks was one of the top non-quarterback additions in the winter transfer portal. He gives new Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold a No. 1 target who can find the end zone (seven touchdowns in 2023) and stretch defenses. Burks had a reception of 42 yards or longer in four games last fall, including an 84-yard score against Fresno State.
S, Oklahoma, Senior
2023 stats: 37 solo, 6 INTs, 4 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
Bowman has started 29 of the 35 games he has played in his career and was named a first-team All-Big 12 player for his efforts in 2023. He was second in the country with six interceptions (three of which he took back for touchdowns) and ranked third on the team with 63 total tackles.
RB, Michigan, Junior
2023 stats: 119 carries, 5 TDs, 497 yards
2023 ranking: NR
After three years of playing behind standout backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum, Edwards gets his chance to be Michigan’s lead back. The timing couldn’t be better as he’s on the cover of the College Football 25 video game. Edwards showcased his speed late in 2022 when he had 520 rushing yards on only 70 carries in Michigan’s final three games.
QB, Liberty, Junior
2023 stats: 2,876 yards, 32 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: 91
Salter was by far the most effective quarterback in the Group of 5 last season, producing an 83.7 Total QBR (ninth overall) and averaging both 9.4 yards per dropback and 7.5 yards per carry (not including a small number of sacks). He’s the perfect fit for the dynamic Jamey Chadwell offense.
CB, Oregon, Senior
2023 stats: 41 solo, 3 INTs, 14 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
From purple to green, Muhammad’s offseason move was a short one down from Seattle to Eugene where he should become one of the Ducks’ key defensive players this season. Muhammad had 3 interceptions, 2 sacks and 46 tackles last season and is already getting plenty of hype from his new Oregon teammates, ready to crown him one of the best defensive backs in college football.
RB, Penn State, Junior
2023 stats: 902 yards, 6 TDs, 172 carries
2023 ranking: NR
He has shared carries with Nicholas Singleton in his first two seasons but projects as the stronger NFL draft prospect. Allen earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last fall and has shown remarkably similar production in his first two college seasons. His usage as a pass catcher likely will increase under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
OL, Alabama, Sophomore
2023 stats: 80.7 run-blocking grade
2023 ranking: NR
After helping Washington reach the CFP national championship game last season, Brailsford followed DeBoer to Alabama. He’s expected to help fill a major void on the Tide’s offensive line. He was the anchor of a unit that won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in the FBS. The best news: He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
LB, Georgia, Junior
2023 stats: 14 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: NR
He has been a reserve in his first two seasons with the Bulldogs but is expected to occupy a much more significant role this fall. Walker led Georgia with five sacks and had a forced fumble against Florida. The former ESPN top-40 recruit could rise up NFL draft boards with a big junior season.
WR, Miami, Senior
2023 stats: 85 receptions, 1,092 receiving yards, 6 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
Restrepo caught at least five passes in 10 of Miami’s 13 games last season, finishing with 85 grabs for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns despite a revolving door at QB. Restrepo was Miami’s safety blanket in the passing game, dominating the slot, including three games with at least 11 catches. Restrepo was just the second Miami receiver with at least 1,000 yards in a season in the playoff era.
QB, Missouri, Senior
2023 stats: 3,317 yards, 21 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
In his second season as a starter, Cook led the Tigers to an 11-win season and a victory in a New Year’s Six bowl game. He might be even better in 2024, especially with star receiver Luther Burden III coming back. Last season, Cook broke former Kentucky star Andre’ Woodson’s SEC record of 325 consecutive pass attempts without an interception at 365.
LB, Texas, Sophomore
2023 stats: 41 solo, 5 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: NR
He was the No. 1 linebacker recruit in the 2023 class, and he became an immediate contributor for the best Texas team in 14 years. Hill ranked second on the Longhorns in tackles (66) and sacks (five), and his 95.7% tackle success rate was as high as you’ll see for a linebacker. A surefire star.
DE, Virginia Tech, Senior
2023 stats: 23 solo, 9.5 sacks, 3 FFs
2023 ranking: NR
Powell-Ryland transferred to Virginia Tech last season from Florida and put up big numbers in his first year with the Hokies, with 40 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss (fifth in the ACC) and 9.5 sacks (second in the ACC). Powell-Ryland had multiple sacks in four games last season and is hoping for more consistency in 2024.
CB, Wisconsin, Junior
2023 stats: 27 solo, 7 INTs, 5 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
Hallman’s journey has been one to watch. After being a redshirt freshman who barely got any snaps during his first two seasons, Hallman made a leap last year. The Miami native secured a starting spot in the Badgers’ secondary and tallied a nation-leading seven interceptions on his way to All-America status. Going into his junior season, Hallman somehow remains one of the more underrated defenders — and players — in college football and should be primed for another big year.
DE, Ole Miss, Senior
2023 stats: 39 tackles, 11½ TFLs, 7 sacks
2023 ranking: NR
The Florida transfer was one of the most coveted pass rushers in the portal, and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin hopes he reaches his ceiling in Oxford. In 24 starts in four seasons with the Gators, he had 99 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks. He recorded a strong 20.7% pass rush win rate in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.
LB, Alabama, Junior
2023 stats: 67 total tackles, 32 solo, 3 sacks
2023 ranking: 49
The second-leading tackler on Alabama with 67 last season, along with tallying 5.5 for loss and three sacks, Lawson will continue to be all over the field in 2024. He was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and will undoubtedly be in the running again this season
OL, Minnesota, Senior
2023 stats: 86.7 run-blocking grade
2023 ranking: NR
The 6-foot-6, 330-pound Ersery enters his third season as a starter at tackle and could be one of the top offensive linemen for the 2025 NFL draft. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2023. His 86.7 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus trailed only Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, selected 14th overall in April’s NFL draft.
DT, Ohio State, Senior
2023 stats: 54 total tackles, 20 solo, 3 sacks
2023 ranking: NR
The 327-pound defensive tackle comes off of a breakout season, where he led Ohio State’s defensive linemen in total tackles (53) while tying for the lead in tackles for loss (10). Williams is much more than a space filler, showing pass-rushing talent and affecting passes, as he ranked third on the team with five pass breakups last fall.
OL, Ohio State, Senior
2022-23 stats: Has allowed only three sacks
2023 ranking: NR
On an offensive line that is one of the most experienced in the country, Jackson stands out for his consistency. Over the past two seasons in Columbus, the 6-4, 320-pound Jackson has started every game at left guard and allowed only three sacks during that span. The Texas native opted to forego the NFL draft after last season and return to Ohio State for his senior year, which was a huge boon for the Buckeyes and their aspiring title efforts.
QB, Miami, Senior
2023 stats: 3,735 yards, 25 TDs, 5 INTs
2023 ranking: 52
One of the biggest reasons expectations around Miami have skyrocketed is the addition of Ward, one of the most prolific passers in the country over the past several seasons. In two years at Washington State, Ward threw for 6,963 passing yards, 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, while adding 13 rushing touchdowns. He expects to do more at Miami.
WR, Colorado State, Senior
2023 stats: 96 receptions, 1,136 yards, 8 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
Horton has been CSU’s most dangerous offensive player for two straight seasons, catching 167 balls for 2,267 yards and 16 touchdowns in that span. He has gained at least 130 yards in seven of his past 16 games, and he caught 16 passes against Colorado last season. Lanky and dynamic.
OL, Jacksonville State, Senior
2023 stats: 1 blown run block, 1 sack allowed
2023 ranking: NR
A former five-star Georgia signee, Webb landed at Jacksonville State two years ago, and in the Gamecocks’ first season in FBS, he was almost perfect: According to Sports Info Solutions, he attempted 500 run blocks in 2023 … and blew just one of them. He allowed only one sack, too.
QB, Utah, Senior
2022 stats: 3,034 yards, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
A major knee injury sidelined Rising for all of 2023. Before that, he guided the Utes to back-to-back Pac-12 titles, delivering an MVP performance in the 2022 Pac-12 title game. In 2021, he was the first-team All-Pac-12 selection before settling for an honorable mention nod the following season.
S, Notre Dame, Senior
2023 stats: 7 INTs, 0 TDs allowed, 52 tackles
2023 ranking: 25
A unanimous All-American and winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy in 2023, Watts led the nation with seven interceptions. He added 4 pass breakups, 52 tackles and 3 TFLs for good measure. Perhaps more impressive, Watts was in coverage on 350 snaps last season and didn’t allow a touchdown.
QB, Arizona, Sophomore
2023 stats: 2,869 yards 25 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: 31
Despite beginning the 2023 season as Arizona’s No. 2, Fifita turned in one of the best seasons by a Wildcats quarterback in school history and guided the Wildcats to seven straight wins to end the season. Had Fifita been the starter from the opener, it’s likely he would have received Heisman votes.
DT, Clemson, Sophomore
2023 stats: 13 solo tackles, 1 FF
2023 ranking: NR
As expected, the 6-2, 215-pound Woods had a Freshman All-America-caliber season for the Tigers last year. But headed into this season, Clemson wants to take advantage of his versatility and plans to play him at both defensive tackle (his natural position) and defensive end. Coach Dabo Swinney called Woods one of the team’s “best pass rushers” and said simply, “He’ll play everywhere.”
DE, Texas, Junior
2023 stats: 30 solo tackles, 14 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT
2023 ranking: 98
Moore transfers in to Austin from UTSA, where he owns records for both single-season sacks, with 14 last season, as well as tackles for loss, with 18 in 2022 for the Roadrunners. The 2023 AAC Defensive Player of the Year and first-teamer will fit right in with the Longhorns.
WR, NC State, Sophomore
2023 stats: 10 TDs, 71 receptions
2023 ranking: NR
Here’s the list of Power 5 players in the playoff era who’ve had a season of 800 receiving yards, 300 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns: Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel in 2016 and Concepcion last year. Oh, and did we mention Concepcion did it as a true freshman? Or that he also threw a 17-yard touchdown pass? Or that he’ll be surrounded by a far better supporting cast of skill-position talent in 2024? Yeah, the NC State star is primed for big things this season.
OL, LSU, Junior
2023 stats: 73.7 run-blocking grade
2023 ranking: NR
Jones is one of two anchors on an LSU offensive line that’s going to be a pain for anyone lining up against them to play. He was named second-team All-SEC by coaches as a member of an offensive line that was a Joe Moore Award finalist. He’s also a durable player, having played every offensive snap in 16 of 17 games against SEC opponents in two years, according to LSU.
RB, Miami, Junior
2023 stats: 194 carries, 1,185 yards, 9 TDs
2023 ranking: 92
Martinez was the highest-profile player to enter the transfer portal after spring practice, and he fills an obvious need for the Hurricanes heading into a crucial year. Last season at Oregon State, Martinez ran for 1,185 yards with nine touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards a carry. Now, he joins quarterback Cam Ward and a slew of other transfers hoping to be difference-makers for the Canes.
DT, Notre Dame, Senior
2023 stats: 28 solo tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FFs
2023 ranking: NR
A second-team All-American last year, Cross returns to Notre Dame for his sixth season as one of the top defensive linemen in the country. Last year, Cross started all 13 games at nose tackle, and had 66 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks and forced two fumbles.
DE, Florida State, Junior
2023 stats: 28 solo tackles, 7 sacks, 2 FFs
2023 ranking: NR
It seems counterintuitive that a player with 14.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 10 pass breakups had a “quiet” season, but Payton was often overshadowed last season on defense with Jared Verse, Braden Fiske and Kalen DeLoach often getting more of the headlines. That will not be the case in 2024, as Payton is poised to have his best season yet.
DE, Miami, Sophomore
2023 stats: 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 12.5 TFLs
2023 ranking: 94
Bain had a somewhat slow start to his freshman campaign, managing just 1.5 tackles for loss in his first five games. But when the switch flipped, he was borderline unstoppable. Over his final eight games, Bain racked up 17 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage, a 12% pressure rate, six sacks and 27 pressures — including nine from the interior.
RB, Cal, Junior
2023 stats: 245 carries, 1,305 yards, 12 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
Perhaps a sleeper for Heisman, Ott has not shied away from having big goals for the Bears as they join the ACC. In fact, he has embraced the conference move because he believes it will create more exposure on the East Coast. Those who may not have been watching missed out last year — Ott enters the 2024 season ranked second among all active FBS players with an average of 92.2 rushing yards per game, while his 119.58 all-purpose yards per game ranks fourth.
QB, Ole Miss, Senior
2023 stats: 3,364 yards, 23 TDs, 5 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
Dart led Ole Miss to its first-ever 11-win season in 2023. He threw for 3,364 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just five picks, while adding 389 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He was named to the 2024 Maxwell Award Preseason watch list, as he and the Rebels try to crack the playoff this season.
QB, Kansas, Junior
2022 stats: 2,014 yards, 18 TDs, 4 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
Last year’s Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year was sidelined with back problems after just three games. When healthy, Daniels is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country, and he is currently the career leader for completion percentage in Kansas history (63.6%). In 2022, he led Kansas to its first bowl game since 2008, then threw for 544 yards and five TDs and ran for another in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
DE, Louisville, Senior
2023 stats: 23 solo, 11 sacks, 3 FFs
2023 ranking: 78
Gillotte enters the season as one of the preseason favorites in the ACC Defensive Player of the Year race after finishing second behind Payton Wilson a year ago. In 2023, Gillotte had 14.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, but decided to return to school for one more season to not only try to improve his draft stock, but to help the Cards make it back to the ACC championship game. Only this time, he wants to win.
WR, Ole Miss, Senior
2023 stats: 54 receptions, 985 yards, 8 TDs
2023 ranking: 53
Harris began his career at Louisiana Tech, where he spent three seasons before leading the Rebels in receiving yards in 2023 with 985 on 54 receptions. Harris also had eight touchdowns along the way. He was given preseason first-team All-SEC honors by the media.
RB, Texas Tech, Junior
2023 stats: 1,538 yards, 10 TDs
2023 ranking: 62
Brooks opted to return for his senior year with an eye on becoming the Red Raiders’ all-time leading rusher. Though he’s seventh on the school rushing list with 3,052 yards, he’s only 1,167 yards behind No. 1, Byron Hanspard. Last year, Texas Tech leaned on Brooks in conference play, where he averaged 25.7 carries and 130.6 yards per game in the Big 12.
LB, Iowa, Senior
2023 stats: 79 solo, 2 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: 66
Iowa’s defense has carried the team recently, and Higgins has been at the center of it. He led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with 171 tackles last season, matching the team’s single-season record. The All-America selection was always around the ball, forcing a fumble, intercepting a pass and recording five pass deflections.
RB, Ohio State, Senior
2023 stats: 156 carries, 926 yards, 11 TDs
2023 ranking: 93
One of the nation’s most experienced ball carriers tries to cap his college career like he started it, when he rushed for 1,248 yards and set an Ohio State freshman record with 19 touchdowns (15 rushing, four receiving). Henderson battled injuries in 2022 but earned first-team All-Big Ten honors last fall, when he again reached double digits in touchdowns.
RB, Ohio State, Junior
2023 stats: 271 carries, 15 TDs, 1,158 yards
2023 ranking: NR
The Ole Miss transfer was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection. In 2022, Judkins rushed for 1,567 yards, second only to Georgia great Herschel Walker in rushing yards by an SEC freshman. Judkins broke a Power 5-best 53 tackles last season. With him and TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State boasts a formidable rushing duo.
DE, Ohio State, Senior
2023 stats: 24 solo, 6.5 sacks, 2 FFs
2023 ranking: NR
The former ESPN No. 1 overall recruit truly blossomed last season when he led Ohio State in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (10). A second-team All-Big Ten selection, Sawyer will help anchor one of the nation’s most experienced defensive fronts alongside fellow end J.T. Tuimoloau and tackle Tyleik Williams.
LB, Oklahoma, Senior
2023 stats: 51 solo, 3 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
2023 ranking: 89
The senior linebacker is one of the players who will be key to Oklahoma’s success in 2024. An All-Big 12 first-team selection last season, Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, 51 solo tackles and 16 tackles for loss. He also had three sacks, a pick, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
OL, Alabama, Junior
2023 stats: 41 total knockdown blocks, allowed 2.5 sacks
2023 ranking: NR
One of the premier interior offensive linemen in the country, the 6-5, 352-pound Booker also spent some time at tackle this spring and is a dominant blocker wherever he lines up. He was a first-team All-SEC selection last season for the Crimson Tide from his left guard position and a Freshman All-American two years ago.
DE, Georgia, Junior
2023 stats: 9 solo, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: NR
Williams should be a first-round pick by the time next April’s NFL draft comes around. The 6-5 junior from Columbus, Georgia, started 10 games for the Dawgs last season, accumulating 18 tackles, 11 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks. He is going to be one of the most disruptive players in college football.
DE, Texas A&M, Junior
2023 stats: 33 solo, 10 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: NR
A Purdue transfer, Scourton had 72 tackles, 48 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 passes defended in two seasons with the Boilermakers. Last season, he led the Big Ten in sacks with 10, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.
WR, Ohio State, Senior
2023 stats: 4 TDs, 41 receptions, 515 yards
2023 ranking: NR
A preseason All-American, Egbuka is on the verge of breaking multiple Ohio State career receiving records. He needs just 1,041 receiving yards and 78 receptions to set new school marks in both categories. Over the past two years, Egbuka has 786 receiving yards after the catch, second most of any Big Ten player.
RB, North Carolina, Junior
2023 stats: 253 carries, 1,504 yards, 15 TDs
2023 ranking: 64
Hampton came in as a highly touted freshman in 2022 but really emerged as the feature back last year, rushing for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 29 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown as a Doak Walker Award finalist. His rushing yards total ranks second on the school’s single-season list.
TE, Michigan, Sophomore
2023 stats: 4 TDs, 45 receptions, 649 yards
2023 ranking: NR
The 6-5, 245-pound Loveland is coming off a banner year for Michigan’s title team with 649 receiving yards, fourth most among Power 4 tight ends. On top of that, 71.1% of Loveland’s 45 grabs went for either first downs or touchdowns, the second-highest rate in the Big Ten.
RB, Boise State, Junior
2023 stats: 220 carries, 1,347 yards, 14 TDs
2023 ranking: 47
Jeanty ranked first among FBS running backs in both forced missed tackles (100) and receiving yards (459). He trailed only Ollie Gordon II in total yards from scrimmage, topping 100 yards in the category in all but two games. A dynamic, powerful and durable back.
QB, Colorado, Senior
2023 stats: 3,230 yards, 27 TDs, 3 INTs
2023 ranking: 69
Sanders boasted a remarkable 27-to-3 TD-INT ratio last season playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football. If his protection is better, Sanders should rank among the national leaders in every statistical category and is widely considered to be in the running for first quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL draft.
QB, Texas, Junior
2023 stats: 3,479 yards, 22 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: 90
Ewers’ 3,479 passing yards last season were the fifth most in school history. A 22-game starter in his career, the 6-2, 210-pound junior was a second-team All-Big 12 selection by the AP last year. He completed 69% of his passes and accounted for 27 touchdowns. His six 300-yard passing games tied for the most in a season in program history.
QB, Alabama, Junior
2023 stats: 2,834 yards, 23 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: 18
Milroe was one of the country’s hottest players during the second half of last season and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He accounted for 26 touchdowns and turned the ball over just five times in his final 10 regular-season games. His fourth-and-31 touchdown pass to win the Auburn game was one of the best plays of 2023 in college football.
DT, Kentucky, Junior
2023 stats: 28 solo, 7.5 sacks
2023 ranking: NR
The 6-6, 348-pound junior has started 24 straight games. Despite frequent double-teams, Walker led the Wildcats with 12.5 tackles for loss last season and finished eighth in the SEC with 7.5 sacks. He was a first-team All-SEC selection by the AP and is equally disruptive against both the run and pass. Walker also has incredible footwork.
LB, Penn State, Junior
2023 stats: 26 solo, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
Carter became the first Penn State linebacker since 2007 to finish with at least six sacks and 10 tackles for loss in a season. He has since moved to defensive end, where he’ll spearhead the Nittany Lions pass rush after posting a 24.4% pressure rate on 90 pass rushing attempts last year.
S, Iowa, Senior
2023 stats: 47 solo, 1 FF, 3 INTs
2023 ranking: NR
Castro was everywhere last year with 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Among Big Ten DBs with at least 70 tackles, he led the league surrendering just 3.4 yards per passing attempt as the primary defender. He also allowed a completion rate of just 40% as the primary defender in coverage.
WR, Oregon, Senior
2023 stats: 86 receptions, 1,182 yards, 10 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
Troy Franklin garnered more attention in 2023, but Johnson set Oregon’s single-season record with 86 receptions and has 209 receptions for 2,780 yards the past three seasons at Oregon and Troy. The prolific senior should be the top target for new quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
OL, Georgia, Senior
2023 stats: 87.4 pass-blocking grade, 1.3% pressure rate allowed
2023 ranking: NR
One of the men responsible for the safety of Carson Beck is Ratledge, and he’s a good one to have in your security detail. He started at right guard for 13 of Georgia’s 14 games for an offensive line unit that ranked first in the SEC in sacks allowed with 0.93. He was named a second-team All-American in 2023.
QB, Oregon, Senior
2023 stats: 3,660 passing yards, 30 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: 28
This two-time transfer brings experience to Oregon with 49 career starts. He already ranks in the top eight in FBS history in both passing yards (14,865) and passing touchdowns (125), earning all-conference honors for both the Sooners and Golden Knights. There’s a reason why Gabriel is the preseason Heisman betting favorite.
LB, Clemson, Senior
2023 stats: 37 solo, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
Carter turned heads after the season-opening loss to Duke last year when he said he did not feel as if he was in game shape. He still had a solid season with 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 6 pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery, but he returned for his senior season with more in mind — domination.
LB, LSU, Junior
2023 stats: 43 solo, 5.5 sacks, 3 FFs, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
Perkins will remain primarily at inside linebacker for his junior season, but coach Brian Kelly said Perkins would also slide outside on passing downs. The 6-1, 220-pound Perkins has 26 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 27 career games. He was a second-team All-SEC selection by the coaches last season and a Freshman All-American and first-team All-SEC selection by the AP two years ago.
WR, Arizona, Junior
2023 stats: 90 receptions, 1,402 yards, 8 TDs
2023 ranking: NR
A likely first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, McMillan is a strong candidate to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver following an incredible sophomore season. With the departure of Jacob Cowing (90 catches in 2023) for the NFL, T-Mac will become an even more essential piece in Arizona’s offense and it’s reasonable to expect he’ll face more double-teams than in the past.
CB, Notre Dame, Junior
2023 stats: 25 solo, 3 INTs, 10 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
Morrison emerged as a shutdown cornerback as a true freshman and continued to impress last year as a sophomore with 10 pass breakups. His presence helped lead Notre Dame to the No. 1 pass efficiency defense in the country. Morrison had offseason surgery on his right shoulder, and his status for the opener against Texas A&M is up in the air.
S, Ohio State, Sophomore
2023 stats: 70 solo, 1 FF, 2 INTs
2023 ranking: 39
The reigning SEC Freshman of the Year became the first Alabama true freshman since at least 1970 to lead the Crimson Tide in tackles with 107, which was 40 more than any other Alabama player. Downs’ nose for the ball gives an already loaded Ohio State defense yet another weapon.
S, Georgia, Junior
2023 stats: 31 solo, 3 INTs, 7 PDs
2023 ranking: 57
A starter since his true freshman season, Starks has been one of the cornerstones of Kirby Smart’s defense the past two seasons. The 6-1, 205-pound junior was a consensus All-American a year ago. He was fourth on Georgia’s team with 52 total tackles and also had three interceptions. Starks was one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award as the country’s top defender.
OL, Texas, Junior
2023 stats: 1 sack allowed in 550 pass-blocking situations
2023 ranking: NR
After a first season that saw Banks earn Freshman All-America honors, he blossomed into an AFCA second-team All-America selection last season at left tackle. The 6-4, 320-pound junior has played in and started 27 games. He allowed just one sack in 550 pass-blocking situations last season. Texas finished 17th nationally in passing offense and 25th in rushing offense.
RB, Oklahoma State, Junior
2023 stats: 285 carries, 1,732 yards, 21 TDs
2023 ranking: 11
Gordon was a breakout star in 2023 after rushing for 308 yards in 2022, garnering the most Heisman votes among running backs after leading the country in rushing (1,732) and yards from scrimmage (2,062) in 2023. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, an unanimous All-American and just the fourth sophomore to win the Doak Walker Award. He’s now a Heisman front-runner this season.
QB, Georgia, Senior
2023 stats: 3,941 yards, 24 TDs, 6 INTs
2023 ranking: 22
In just his first season as a starter, Beck ranked third nationally and first in the SEC with 3,941 passing yards. He was fourth in the nation with a 72.4 completion percentage. Beck threw 24 touchdown passes and rushed for four more and was intercepted only six times in 417 pass attempts. The 6-2, 220-pound senior could be the top quarterback taken in the 2025 NFL draft.
OL, LSU, Junior
2023 stats: No sacks allowed
2023 ranking: NR
Campbell makes up half of perhaps the top tackle tandem in the country with Emery Jones Jr. on the other side. Campbell returns for a third straight season as the Tigers’ starter at left tackle. He was a first-team All-SEC selection last season and second-team selection as a freshman. The 6-6, 320-pound Campbell didn’t allow any sacks in 13 games last season.
WR, Missouri, Junior
2023 stats: 86 receptions, 1,212 yards, 9 TDs
2023 ranking: 15
After a dynamic freshman season, the 5-11, 208-pound Burden was named a second-team All-American by the AP a year ago. He finished second in the SEC and ninth nationally with 1,212 receiving yards. Burden reached the 100-yard receiving mark six times in the regular season. He’s electric in the open field and ranked third nationally with 725 yards after the catch.
CB, Michigan, Sophomore
2023 stats: 20 solo, 4 INTs, 4 PDs
2023 ranking: NR
A consensus All-Big Ten performer, Johnson had four interceptions last year, including a pick on the first play of the second half in Michigan’s national title victory over Washington. Opposing QBs had a QBR of just 4.3 (scale of 0-to-100) targeting Johnson last year, easily the lowest score for Big Ten DBs.
CB/WR, Colorado, Junior
2023 stats: 57 catches, 721 rec yards, 5 TDs, 30 tackles, 3 INTs
2023 ranking: 35
The most talented two-way player of his generation, Hunter has the ability to be an All-American on either side of the ball. For the Buffs to improve off their four-win season a year ago, it will likely require a monster season from Hunter, who is all but guaranteed to leave for the NFL after the season.
DT, Michigan, Sophomore
2023 stats: 23 solo, 3 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: NR
The 320-pound Graham is back to anchor the inside of a revamped but still talented Michigan defense that lost several players to the NFL draft. Graham, a second-team All-American last year, had 7.5 tackles for loss on a Michigan defense that led the nation in defensive EPA.
DE, Tennessee, Junior
2023 stats: 18 solo, 9.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
2023 ranking: NR
Entering his third season at Tennessee, the 6-5, 243-pound Pearce is the top pass rusher in the country despite having started only three career games. He’s projected as a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL draft and has 16.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in his first two seasons. Pearce was a first-team All-SEC selection last season by both the AP and coaches after ranking fifth nationally with 38 total pressures.
-
Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
Four-star Florida State quarterback pledge Tramell Jones pulled his commitment from the Seminoles Thursday morning, marking the sixth departure from Mike Norvell’s 2025 class across the program’s 1-9 start to the regular season this fall.
Jones, a 6-foot, 190-pound passer from Jacksonville, Florida, is ESPN’s ninth-ranked dual-threat quarterback prospect in the 2025 cycle. The longest-tenured member of Florida State’s 2025 class, Jones’ decommitment arrives five days after Norvell fired three members of his coaching staff on Sunday following the program’s 52-3 defeat at Notre Dame, headlined by the exit of offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Alex Atkins.
Jones’ move represents the latest blow to a Seminoles’ class that’s taken a series of hits this fall as Florida State has followed its 13-1 in 2023 with a disastrous 2024 campaign. A previous lynchpin in the program’s 2025 class, Jones follows ESPN 300 prospects Myron Charles, Javion Hilson, Malik Clark, Daylan McCutcheon and CJ Wiley among the top recruits who have left Norvell’s incoming class since the Seminoles’ Aug. 24 season opener. Jones’ exit leaves Florida State with 12 prospects left committed in 2025, including five ESPN 300 pledges led by five-star offensive tackle Solomon Thomas, ESPN’s No. 13 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle.
Florida State sat at No. 37 in ESPN’s class rankings in 2025 prior to Jones’ decommitment Thursday with further movement expected out of the Seminoles’ class in the coming weeks.
With his recruitment reopened, Jones stands as one of the top uncommitted quarterbacks in the final weeks of the 2025 cycle. A four-year starter at Florida’s Mandarin High School, Florida has remained in contact with Jones this fall, and sources within the Gators’ program are optimistic that Florida will ultimately land Jones in the final weeks of the cycle following the school’s decision to keep Billy Napier as head coach beyond 2024.
Florida is set to host a series of high-profile recruits when the Gators host LSU at 3:30 p.m. on ABC Saturday afternoon. Florida State is off in Week 12 before a Nov. 23 visit from Charleston Southern.
-
Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer
BARBARA WEITZ SAT at a Nebraska Board of Regents meeting over the summer, when thinking about ways to generate revenue to help mitigate recent university budget cuts, she blurted out an idea.
Without much thought or research, Weitz wondered aloud whether passionate Nebraska fans would pay money to have cremated remains stored in a columbarium, a standalone structure with cubbies that house said remains. Even better, with a grass field set to be installed at Memorial Stadium in 2026, what if that columbarium was built underneath the football field as part of the renovations?
“Then grandma or grandpa or sister or brother could be a Husker supporter forever,” Weitz said.
Her fellow regents laughed her out of the room. Nobody liked the thought of games being played above a de facto burial ground. The idea was impractical, anyway. If the columbarium was built under the field, they would also have to construct an underground entrance for people to be able to visit, and how exactly would that work?
Feeling discouraged, Weitz went about her other work. But the meeting was public, and soon a newspaper article published her idea. Before long, the emails started coming in. One came from a casket company in Kansas interested in helping make the hypothetical columbarium. Another came from a company in Ireland claiming to have done a similar thing already, for a rugby and soccer club in the United Kingdom. She also learned someone was trying to build a columbarium in South Carolina, near Williams-Brice Stadium, but plans had stalled.
The idea gained enough traction that at a recent football game, someone stopped Weitz and said that if the columbarium became a reality, she would pay to have her husband’s ashes housed there. Weitz got plenty of emails from Cornhusker fans to the same effect.
When she blurted out her idea, Weitz did not know just how often fans spread the cremated remains of their friends and loved ones at college football venues across the country, mostly without permission. Choice Mutual, a company that offers insurance policies to cover end-of-life expenses, conducted a survey that asked Americans where they would want their ashes spread if they choose to be cremated.
The survey, published in July, listed the top choice in all 50 states. Sports venues topped the list in 11, including college football stadiums in Arkansas, Idaho, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Anthony Martin, owner and CEO of Choice Mutual, said in an email, “We were definitely surprised by the prevalence of sporting venues as the target. We assumed some sporting venues would show up, but not this many.”
“Let’s face it. Fan is short for fanatic,” said Chris Gerbasi, who helped spread the remains of his good friend, John Burr, at Michigan Stadium in 2005. “He was a diehard, no pun intended. It made perfect sense for him to want his ashes to be on the field. He would have laughed his ass off at us being able to achieve that.”
MOST SCHOOLS HAVE strict rules prohibiting the spreading of ashes onto playing surfaces, both to preserve the grass and also simply to limit trespassing. But when you are determined to complete a final wish, you simply find a way.
Like Gerbasi did. He and three others set out for Michigan Stadium in July 2005 to honor Burr, who died following complications from an accident at age 41. Gerbasi and Burr attended Michigan together in the 1980s and went to the 1998 Rose Bowl that clinched a national championship season for the Wolverines.
When Gerbasi was a student, Michigan Stadium was easy to enter. But when he and his companions arrived that summer night, they encountered one locked gate after another. They walked around the stadium, until, Gerbasi says, “It was almost like seeing the light.”
A bright light was coming from the east side of the stadium, where renovations were underway. They saw a way in, down the ramp where players walk from the locker room to the field, and made their way to the 50-yard line.
“I don’t get excited about too many things, but it was awe-inspiring for the four of us to be standing on the 50-yard line in an empty Michigan Stadium,” Gerbasi said.
Burr’s brother handed Gerbasi a bag with the ashes.
“There just happened to be a little gust of wind, and I kind of twirled the bag in the air a little bit, and all the ashes flew out, and the wind caught ’em, and they flew down the field,” Gerbasi said. “Looking back on it now, it was cool as hell. It was like somebody opened up this door for us.”
Parker Hollowell had a similar idea for his dad, Dean Hollowell, who died in 2015 following a car accident at age 72. Dean was a lifelong Ole Miss fan and took Parker to games his entire life. When his stepmom said his father was going to be cremated, Parker knew what he needed to do.
He waited until dusk one night in August that year and drove to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the place where he and his dad shared so many memories. A new field was being put in, and though workers were still around, nobody said a word to Hollowell and a friend as they made their way to the 50-yard line.
Hollowell said a few words to his dad as he spread the ashes, while his friend took a video.
“I thought it was a tribute to my dad,” Hollowell said. “That was our life, that’s what we’ve done as a family. Period. Now my dad’s got a 50-yard line seat. He’s right there with me when I go to games. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
Having done it for his dad, Hollowell now has his final resting spot picked out.
“I am going to ask my son to put me in the end zone. Where Tre Harris scored on LSU [last year],” Hollowell said.
Ann and her husband, Johnny, had a similar conversation at their dinner table in North Carolina years ago. Ann, who asked that her last name not be used, cannot remember how they got on the topic, but they started discussing where they wanted to be buried.
Johnny asked to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in three spots. First, the beach. Easy enough.
Second, Carter-Finley Stadium, home to his beloved NC State Wolfpack. Slightly more challenging, but OK.
And, if possible, Kenan Stadium, home to North Carolina, as friend Theo Manos recalled, “so he could haunt those MFers.”
“I thought he was kidding,” Ann said. “But then I realized he was serious.”
Ann figured she would have time to plan it all out. But Johnny died unexpectedly at age 52 in 2007. A “total shock,” Ann said.
She decided she would sprinkle his ashes in their longtime tailgating spot outside Carter-Finley, a picturesque area filled with trees. They had a tight-knit tailgating group — some had been friends with Johnny since kindergarten. On the day they spread his ashes, they formed a circle, said a few prayers and then Ann placed his remains near a spruce tree.
The spot has become a resting place for several others, including their son, Allen, who died in 2017. “I thought that was a good sentimental thing to do,” Ann said. Johnny’s sister, Nancy, also has some of her remains there, as well as another tailgater in their group.
She noted the spruce tree “shot up out of nowhere” after placing Johnny there. But last year, NC State cut down many trees in their tailgating area — including that beloved spruce. Ann still brings flowers to every home game and places them on the spot where she sprinkled the remains of her husband and son. The group pours a drink on the ashes and says, “Here’s to you, Johnny.”
As for Kenan Stadium, let’s just say Johnny did make his way onto the field. How and when, well, Ann says that must remain a mystery. But it should be noted NC State is 6-2 in Chapel Hill since Johnny died.
WHEN JASON FAIRES was in his first year as Oklahoma director of athletic fields and grounds in 2019, he spotted a man in the south end zone holding a paper grocery bag, without gloves on, taking handfuls of something unidentifiable and dropping it on the ground.
“I start to lose it, and ‘I’m like, ‘What the hell are you doing?'” said Faires, now golf course superintendent at Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore, Oklahoma. “He goes, ‘This is my dad. Just spreading his ashes out here, like he wanted me to.’ I’m like, ‘Did you get permission to do this?’ He didn’t think he needed permission, and he’s just dropping clumps. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen ashes. It’s not just ashes, it’s frickin’ bone and everything.
“So out of respect for him, I said, ‘OK.’ As soon as he left, I had to go out there and kick him around, spread him out. I felt weird doing that. I started telling that story at a meeting, and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, that happens a lot.'”
Plenty of field managers across conferences have stories about encountering fans evading gates, waiting out security personnel or downright trespassing in their quest to make it onto the field to spread ashes. While it is not technically illegal to scatter ashes, most states require permission be granted if remains will be spread on private property — like football stadiums — or on public property or national parks. Some states require a permit to spread ashes in public areas.
“When I worked at LSU in 2007, it was about 2:30 in the morning after the Virginia Tech game and we saw someone leaning up against the goal post,” said Brandon Hardin, now the superintendent of sports turf at Mississippi State. “We were like, ‘Hey, what’s this guy doing?’ He had a book in his hand, and he opened it and dumped ashes out on the ground and had his moment. Then he turned around and walked off. Never saw him again.”
At Texas A&M, too, where Nick McKenna serves as assistant athletics director of sports fields. He recalled the time the Yell Leaders at Texas A&M had a former leader’s ashes spread at Kyle Field without permission, upsetting their longtime facility manager.
“So he had the head field manager go out, vacuum them up, put them in a jar, and he took them to the Yell Leader and said, “Y’all left someone out there on the field the other day. Just wanted to return him to you,” McKenna said.
Another time, someone had spread ashes in the outfield before a baseball game.
“I remember having to talk with our center fielder because there was this cloud ring of remains,” McKenna said. “He was like, what in the heck? I was like, ‘You’re out there basically playing in a ring of death.'”
As all three turf managers explained, fans are unaware of how much goes into caring for the fields across all their athletics venues. That includes resodding the fields after a set amount of time. Oklahoma, for example, resodded the field last summer. Texas A&M does it every 12 to 15 years.
“So the majority of these relatives who have been spread on that field are down on the left side of the driving range at the OU golf course because that’s where all the material goes when we redo the field,” Faires said. “You don’t say that or anything, but you kind of feel bad for them.”
When grounds crews see ashes that have been left on a field, they quickly work to limit the damage. The ashes are either vacuumed up or blown around with a backpack blower. Some will run water through them to flush them through. What grounds crews want to avoid is their sophisticated and expensive lawn mowers picking up bone fragments, which could damage the equipment.
Hardin says he has gained a newfound perspective on spreading ashes to fulfill a loved ones’ request, after he did it for his dad last November in the Arkansas mountains.
“It’s very special to the person that does it, so we try to be very understanding,” Hardin said. “We tell people no, and then they still find a way to do it, because it was somebody’s last wish. People need that closure.
“It’s not going to hurt the grass, but if you ask certain people within organizations or schools, it gives you the heebie-jeebies knowing that it’s there and visible.”
That makes the columbarium idea all the more appealing to Weitz. She has tried to brainstorm other ideas than having it under the field — could it be outside the stadium? In the tunnel leading to the field?
“These responses I got after the meeting said to me this is creative and there are ways to do these things,” Weitz said. “So it really encouraged me in a lot of ways, but I haven’t come up with any new ideas.”
Putting a columbarium under the field might not be practical, but burial grounds for mascots do exist both inside and outside stadiums. In fact, Mex, a brindle bulldog who was Oklahoma’s mascot in the 1920s, is buried in a casket under the football stadium. Bully I, Mississippi State’s first mascot, is buried on stadium grounds. Other Bully mascots have had their ashes spread on the football field.
Texas A&M has a burial ground for its Reveille mascots on the north end of Kyle Field. A statue of the SMU mascot, Peruna, is on the burial site of Peruna I outside Ford Stadium. Sanford Stadium has a mausoleum dedicated to its UGA mascots.
McKenna remembers reading about Weitz and her columbarium idea over the summer.
“I don’t know where you would put it logistically, but as somebody who’s encountered people spreading ashes and understands how often it happens and the nuances, it’s not the worst idea in the world,” he said.
Weitz will keep thinking about it. Others will keep finding ways to honor their loved ones and their passion for college football. Loved ones such as Fred “The Head” Miller, who once asked former Florida State alumni association president Jim Melton if his head could be buried underneath the Seminole logo at midfield.
“True story,” Melton says.
Miller played fullback at Florida State from 1973-76 and then became the ultimate super fan — painting the Seminoles logo on his bald head for every home game, beginning in 1981. Hence his nickname.
He died in 1992 at age 38 of a heart attack and was cremated. Miller asked his family to scatter his ashes at Doak Campbell Stadium.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway