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  • 2023 SIS Preseason All-American Team

    2023 SIS Preseason All-American Team

    Photos:  John Cordes (Ford), Michael Allio (Newton), Michael Wade (Harrison), Jeffrey Vest (Bowers)

    Now that all of our Preseason All-Conference teams have been announced, it’s time to announce our overall SIS Preseason All-American Team. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here. 

    20 teams are represented in our selections, with 5 schools having multiple players honored. Here are our choices:

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Caleb Williams USC
    RB Blake Corum Michigan
    WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
    WR Emeka Egbuka Ohio State
    TE Brock Bowers Georgia
    FLEX Quinshon Judkins Ole Miss
    OT Joe Alt Notre Dame
    OT Will Campbell LSU
    OG Zak Zinter Michigan
    OG Cooper Beebe Kansas State
    OC Sincere Haynesworth Tulane

     

    QB – Caleb Williams, USC

    Caleb Williams needs little introduction. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner led the entire country with 240 Total Points and just over 0.25 Points per Snap in 2022. He can do it all, as his 195 Passer Points and 45 Rusher Points both ranked 2nd in FBS.

    RB – Blake Corum, Michigan

    Corum was one of the most effective runners in the country last season, earning the 4th-most Rushing Total Points in the FBS. Michigan was very productive as a team when he carried the ball, earning more EPA on his rushes (48) than any other ballcarrier in the country.

    WR – Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

    Harrison leads a 1-2 punch at WR for Ohio State heading into 2023. His Yards per Route Run (3.3), Yards per Game (97.2), Receiver Rating (135.9), and First Down Rate (79.2%) all ranked Top 10 in FBS in 2022 among players with 75 targets, and he’s looking for a repeat performance with a new QB this season.

    WR – Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

    The 2nd head of the two-headed receiving monster at Ohio State is Egbuka. While his teammate may get more hype, Egbuka is fantastic in his own right. He finished last season with a 130.5 Receiver Rating; Top-10 in the FBS (minimum 70 targets).

    TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia

    Bowers’ 54 Total Points in 2022 far and away leads all returning TEs heading into 2023. His 3.0 Yards per Route Run, 10.8 Yards per Target, and 134.4 Receiver Rating also led all TEs with at least 50 targets in 2022.

    FLEX – Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss

    Judkins exploded on the scene as a true freshman to become one of the biggest weapons in the country. He leads all returning RBs with 56 Total Points last season, and will be looking to build on his 1,700 scrimmage yards from last season.

    OT – Joe Alt, Notre Dame

    Joe Alt earned the 2nd-most Total Points among FBS tackles last season with 45, and could easily lead the season with a more potent offense. He had a 0.7% Blown Block Rate, including just a 0.2% on Run Blocks.

    OT – Will Campbell, LSU

    Campbell’s 41 Total Points ranks 2nd among all returning OTs and his 0.048 Total Points per Snap ranked 8th in 2022. As a true freshman, he only committed 10 blown blocks in 838 snaps, none as a run blocker.

    OG – Zak Zinter, Michigan

    Fresh off back-to-back Joe Moore Awards, Zinter will be key in search for a three-peat. His 44 Total Points last season were 2nd in the FBS among guards, helped by his lowly 0.8% Blown Block Rate.

    OG – Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

    An incredibly efficient and fundamental blocker, Beebe’s 43 Total Points ranks 2nd among returning OGs, and his 4 blown blocks last year was solo-best in the country among any linemen seeing at least 500 snaps.

    OC – Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane

    Haynesworth was a major reason for Tulane’s incredible season last year, finishing 4th among FBS centers with 38 Total Points. He was remarkably consistent, finishing with a sub-1% Blown Block Rate as both a pass blocker and as a run blocker.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
    DT Mekhi Wingo LSU
    EDGE Owen Porter Marshall
    EDGE Harold Perkins Jr. LSU
    LB Jaylan Ford Texas
    LB Cedric Gray North Carolina
    CB Aydan White NC State
    CB Dwight McGlothern Arkansas
    S Cole Bishop Utah
    S Calen Bullock USC
    FLEX Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama

     

    DT – Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

    An absolute monster last season, Newton led all DTs in Total Points with 54 last season. He led the Big Ten in pressures with a whopping 45 and was the only Big Ten defender to have at least 400 pass rushing snaps, showing extraordinary stamina.

    DT – Mekhi Wingo, LSU

    The LSU front-seven could be monstrous in 2023, and Wingo should help lead the way. He ranked Top 10 in FBS in both Pass Rush Total Points (18) and Run Defense Total Points (22).

    ED – Owen Porter, Marshall

    To people unfamiliar with Porter, this may be a surprise, but he had a great season last year. He has by far the most returning Total Points among defensive ends; the difference between 1st and 2nd is equivalent to the distance between 2nd and 12th. That he had 41 Pressures, 9.5 Sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT, and 15 TFLs shows it’s hard to ignore the base stats as well.

    ED – Harold Perkins Jr., LSU

    Another breakout true freshman for the Tigers, Perkins made his presence felt right away in 2022 by accounting for 8.5 sacks, 34 pressures, and a 22.2% Pressure Rate, which ranked 13th among all DE/LBs with at least 10 pressures.

    LB – Jaylan Ford, Texas

    Jaylan Ford tied for the lead among LBs in Total Points (62), and his ability per-snap put him over the top. He finished Top-10 in Total Points per Snap among LBs last season.

    LB – Cedric Gray, North Carolina

    Gray, a 2022 First Team All-SIS selection, tied Ford for the lead in Total Points (62) among all LBs in 2022, ranking Top 10 against both the pass (34) and run (28).

    CB – Aydan White, NC State

    White was very good in bulk and on a per snap basis in 2022. His 81 Total Points lead all returning defenders in FBS, with 72 of them coming against the pass. He accounted for 4 interceptions, 9 passes defensed, and a 20.4 Passer Rating Against, which sat 2nd among CBs with at least 50 targets defended to only Devon Witherspoon . Additionally, his 0.11 Total Points per Snap ranked 3rd among all CBs last year.

    CB – Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas

    McGlothern has the 2nd-most Total Points among returning FBS defenders with 74. He finished last season with 4 INTs, another 11 Passes Defensed, and a Completion% against of just 42.3% which resulted in a QBR Against of just 37.2.

    S – Cole Bishop, Utah

    Cole Bishop finished last season Top-5 among FBS safeties in Total Points with 61, and is the top returning safety in the same category. A well-rounded safety, Bishop allowed just 0.3 Yards per Coverage Snap in addition to leading his team in Run Defense Total Points.

    S – Calen Bullock, USC

    Bullock accounted for 5 picks and 9 pass defenses in 2022 on his way to accumulating 46 Pass Defense Total Points, best among FBS safeties. His 25.5 Points Above Average ranked 2nd in the country among safeties with 10 targets and his Boom Rate of just 14.3% ranked 8th.

    FLEX – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

    Kool-Aid not only has a cool name, but he’s also an exceptional football player. His Passer Rating Against (36.4), Yards per Cover Snap (0.5), Completion Rate Against (36.4%), and Deserved Catch Rate Against (59.6%) all ranked Top 10 among CBs with at least 50 targets in 2022.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Joshua Karty Stanford
    P Jack Browning San Diego State
    Returner Lideatrick Griffin Mississippi State

    K – Joshua Karty, Stanford

    Hard to argue with perfection. Karty went 18/18 on FGs last season including a ridiculous 13/13 on 40+ yarders. Just missing perfection on XPs (24/25) doesn’t take away from his fabulous season.

    P – Jack Browning, San Diego State

    Browning is a versatile special-teamer who can punt, kick field goals, and kickoff. His 21 Punting Total Points is tied-3rd among returning punters, but his 34 Total Points overall are best among all special teamers. He was Top 25 in 2022 in Punt Average (45.4) and Net Average (42.6), but was Top 10 in Punts Inside the 20 (27) and the 10 (14).

    Returner – Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State

    An absolute weapon in the return game plays for the Bulldogs. Griffin had an absurd 32.3 yard kickoff return average last season. That led FBS returners (minimum 10 returns), and he took one 92 yards to the house for good measure.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason All-Independent Team

    2023 SIS Preseason All-Independent Team

    Photo: Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Sam Hartman Notre Dame
    RB Audric Estime Notre Dame
    WR Isaiah Alston Army
    WR Jayden Thomas Notre Dame
    TE Joshua Lingenfelter Army
    FLEX Ay’Juan Marshall Army
    OT Joe Alt Notre Dame
    OT Blake Fisher Notre Dame
    OG Connor Finucane Army
    OG Christian Haynes UConn
    OC Zeke Correll Notre Dame

    The offense is dominated by Notre Dame and Army players with very few schools remaining independent. Sam Hartman transferred from Wake Forest to Notre Dame in the offseason, and he should provide an immediate boost down the field after leading the ACC with an Avg Throw Depth of 12 yards last season. Audric Estime had nearly 1,000 yards rushing last season while Jayden Thomas caught nearly 96% of On-Target passes. 

    Army’s Ay’Juan Marshall is moving from RB to WR and is an explosive playmaker wherever he lines up. Isaiah Alston is a big play threat in his own right with an Avg Depth of Target of over 16 yards, and Joshua Lingenfelter was one of the best blocking TEs in the country last season, earning the most Blocking Total Points among FBS TEs.

    Notre Dame’s offensive line is stacked with Joe Alt, Blake Fisher, and Zeke Correll making the team. Alt had the 2nd-most Total Points among FBS tackles last season while Fisher and Correll were impact blockers in both the passing and running games. Connor Finucane was 2nd among FBS guards last season in Run Blocking Total Points, and Christian Haynes is getting NFL buzz after posting a 0.3% Pass Blocking Blown Block Rate last season.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Rylie Mills Notre Dame
    DT Billy Wooden UMass
    EDGE Pryce Yates UConn
    EDGE Eric Watts UConn
    LB Leo Lowin Army
    LB Jackson Mitchell UConn
    CB Benjamin Morrison Notre Dame
    CB Jabari Moore Army
    S Malik Dixon-Williams UConn
    S Quindrelin Hammonds Army
    FLEX Jordan Mahoney UMass

    Rylie Mills is an interior disruptor, generating over 50% of his pressures when aligned as a DT. The UMass defense earns two selections with Billy Wooden and Jordan Mahoney. Wooden had nearly a 13% Pressure Rate when lined up as a DT, which was Top-15 in the FBS last season, and Mahoney earned a place with his effectiveness in coverage and underrated run defense abilities. The two EDGE spots go to UConn defenders Pryce Yates and Eric Watts as Yates had an Average Depth of Tackle of 0, and Watts generated 37 Pressures last season.

    Leo Lowin was all over the field and showed his value in coverage. Jackson Mitchell is a stat-sheet stuffer who led the FBS in fumble recoveries with 5. As only a true freshman last season, Benjamin Morrison was a lockdown CB. When targeted, Morrison had a QBR Against of just 18.3. Jabari Moore is a leader of a tough Army defense, and his numbers per-snap are even more impressive. Malik Dixon-Williams and Quindrelin Hammonds earned their spots in very different ways as Dixon-Williams had impressive numbers against the pass (a Bust% of almost 40%), while Hammonds had impressive numbers against the run.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Noe Ruelas UConn
    P George Caratan UConn
    Returner Greg Desrosiers Jr. UMass

    Noe Ruelas was an effective kicker last season, and his long of 54 shows his impressive leg strength. George Caratan showed incredible control last season, pinning 19 punts inside of the 20 with only 1 touchback. Greg Desrosiers Jr. had nearly 600 kickoff return yards last season, including 3 separate games with 100+ KOR yards.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason Sun Belt All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason Sun Belt All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Grayson McCall Coastal Carolina
    RB Frank Gore Jr. Southern Miss
    WR Caulin Lacy South Alabama
    WR Tyrone Howell UL-Monroe
    TE Clayton Ollendieck Troy
    FLEX La’Damian Webb South Alabama
    OT Nick Kidwell James Mdison
    OT Grant Betts Troy
    OG Khalil Crowder Georgia Southern
    OG Bucky Williams Appalachian State
    OC Bryce Ramsey Southern Miss

    Grayson McCall has been a dominant force in the Sun Belt as he has led the conference in both passing total points and overall total points the last 3 seasons and will look to stay on top this season. 

    Frank Gore Jr. is the top RB in the conference as his 38 Total Points and his Broken + Missed Tackle % of 32% were both Top-20 in the nation.

    La’Damian Webb isn’t too far behind as his 29 Total Points were good enough to crack the Top-25 in the country and his 13 rushing TDs last season were good for 2nd in the conference last season.

    Webb’s teammate Caullin Lacy’s On-Target Catch% of 92.5% was good for third in the conference for receivers with a minimum of 75 targets. Tyrone Howell led all receivers in the conference with a minimum of 75 targets with 0.4 Broken & Missed tackles per Reception.

    Khalil Crowder had a Blown Block% of 0.9 in almost 1000 snaps and was second last season in Total points for all OL in the conference with 39. Bucky Williams led all OL with a 0.5% Blown Block rate (with a minimum of 500 snaps ). 

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT James Carpenter James Madison
    DT Ja’Quon Griffin Coastal Carolina
    EDGE Owen Porter Marshall
    EDGE T.J. Jackson Troy
    LB Eli Neal Marshall
    LB Taurus Jones James Madison
    CB Reddy Steward Troy
    CB Micah Abraham  Marshall
    S Jay Stanley Southern Miss
    S Yam Banks South Alabama
    FLEX O’shai Fletcher Troy

    T.J. Jackson was second team All-SIS last season and a big reason was his 41 total points. He is joined by fellow Troy teammate and All-SIS 2nd teamer from last year, Reddy Steward. His 55 Coverage Total Points was good for 4th in the country last season. James Carpenter led all front 7 players with 28 Total Points against the run. 

    Marshall is well represented on the defensive side having 1 representative on each level of the defense. Owen Porter was top-25 in the nation last season with 9.5 sacks and his 27 total points from pass rushing led the conference for front 7 players. Eli Neal was 2nd among LBs in the conference with 24 Total Points against the run. Micah Abraham was 3rd in the conference with 38 Coverage Total Points. Abraham was also tied with South Alabama’s Yam Banks for the conference lead with 6 INTs. Both players tied for 2nd in the nation last season. 

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Dominic Zvada Arkansas State
    P Ethan Duane Old Dominion
    Returner Milan Tucker  Appalachian State

    Dominic Zvada went nearly perfect last season going 17-of-18 on FGs and 30-of-31 on XPs. Ethan Duane led the conference with 28 punts inside the 20 and was tied for 3rd in the conference with 10 of them landing inside the 10 yard line. Milan Tucker was 2nd in the conference with 616 KR yards and returned 1 for a TD.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason SEC All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason SEC All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Jayden Daniels LSU
    RB Quinshon Judkins Ole Miss
    WR Malik Nabers LSU
    WR Ladd McConkey Georgia
    TE Brock Bowers Georgia
    FLEX Raheim Sanders Arkansas
    OT Will Campbell LSU
    OT Gunner Britton Auburn
    OG Cam’ron Johnson Missouri
    OG Tate Ratledge Georgia
    OC Sedrick Van Pran Georgia

    LSU’s Jayden Daniels headlines the offensive team returning as the SEC QB selection from the 2022 season. He returns as the conference’s second leading quarterback in passing Total Points at 106. Additionally, last year he was the conference’s leading rusher amongst all positions with 71 Total Points which was 25 more than the next closest player.

    That player was Ole Miss’ Quinshon Judkins. Judkins is our selection at the RB spot where he is looking to add onto his spectacular freshman season, leading all conference running backs in Total Points. The third leading rusher in Total Points was Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders who earned a spot at the “Flex” position.

    The two-time defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs lead the way with four selections on the offensive side of the ball, with Tight End Brock Bowers leading the way. His 32 Total Points in 2022 led the conference among all eligible positions and was only 2nd in the entire FBS in Total Points at tight end. Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran also fortifies the OL group, where his 36 Total Points in 2022 led the conference among returning interior lineman.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Mekhi Wingo LSU
    DT Jordan Jefferson LSU
    EDGE Harold Perkins LSU
    EDGE Dallas Turner Alabama
    LB Nathaniel Watson Mississippi State
    LB Smael Mondon Jr. Georgia
    CB Dwight McGlothern Arkansas
    CB Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama
    S Jordan Lovett Kentucky
    S Malaki Starks Georgia
    FLEX Kris Abrams-Draine Missouri

    LSU also headlines the defensive side of the ball occupying three of the four defensive front selections. Mekhi Wingo returns as the conference’s leading defensive tackle in pass rush Total Points Saved and was only second to Top 10 NFL selection Jalen Carter in points saved in run defense. Harold Perkins also looks to build onto his dominant freshman season where he totaled 7.5 sacks and leads the SEC in returning Pass Rush Points Saved among all front seven players.

    Arkansas’ Dwight McGlothern and Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry lead the way in returning Total Points saved amongst cornerbacks in the SEC from last season with 52 and 51 Total Points Saved respectively. The conference’s third leading defensive back with 47 Total Points Saved, Kris Abrams-Draine represents the “Flex” position out Missouri where he shined in just his second season at cornerback after switching positions (he was originally a wide receiver).

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Will Reichard Alabama
    P Kai Kroeger South Carolina
    Returner Lideatrick Griffin Mississippi State

    Alabama’s Will Reichard made 84.6% of his 26 FG attempts in 2022 making 9 FG of 40+ yards. South Carolina’s Kai Kroeger led the SEC last season in net avg among all punters while also leading the conference in punts that were downed inside the 20- and 10-yard line.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason Pac-12 All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason Pac-12 All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Caleb Williams USC
    RB Bucky Irving Oregon
    RB Carson Steele UCLA
    WR Dorian Singer USC
    WR Rome Odunze Washington
    TE Terrance Ferguson Oregon
    OT Roger Rosengarten Washington
    OT Taliese Fuaga Oregon State
    OG Justin Dedich USC
    OG Keaton Bills Utah
    OC Duke Clemens UCLA

    One of the easiest choices on any all-conference team is reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams who led the FBS in Total Points last season. Oregon’s Bucky Irving showed his elusiveness last season leading the Pac 12 in Broken Tackle +Missed Tackle% at 35%. Dorian Singer and Rome Odunze are each coming off 1,000-yard seasons and ranked 1st and 2nd respectively last season in Receiving Total Points in the Pac-12. Terrance Ferguson has an under-the-radar season, but led Pac-12 tight ends last season in Receiver Rating (minimum 25 targets). The final skill position spot was hotly contested, but Ball State transfer Carson Steele got the nod after leading the country in rushing yards after contact last season.

    The offensive line is very balanced, representing 5 different schools. Both tackles, Roger Rosengarten and Taliese Fuaga, finished T-2nd among Pac-12 tackles last season in Blown Block Rate, coming in at 1.4%. Justin Dedich and Keaton Bills are 1st and 2nd respectively among returning Pac-12 guards in Blocking Total Points. Rounding out our offensive line is Duke Clemens who finished 3rd in the Pac-12 in Run Blocking Points above average last season.

    In a league of explosive offenses, there were some tough decisions, and it’s worth mentioning a few players who just missed the cut, but could find themselves on the 1st team postseason. Troy Fautanu, Josh Baker, Jacob Cowing, and Brant Kuithe are all expected to have big seasons in 2023.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT James Rawls Oregon State
    DT Junior Tafuna Utah
    EDGE Laiatu Latu UCLA
    EDGE Bralen Trice Washington
    LB Eric Gentry USC
    LB Karene Reid Utah
    CB Chau Smith-Wade Washington State
    CB Nohl Williams California
    S Cole Bishop Utah
    S Calen Bullock USC
    S Kitan Oladapo Oregon State

    James Rawls and Junior Tafuna show great balance along the defensive line as they are the only 2 returning Pac-12 defensive tackles to earn at least 12 Pass Defense Total Points and at least 12 Run Defense Total Points last season. The Pac-12 leader in pressures returns in Laiatu Latu as does the 3rd-place finisher Bralen Trice. The linebacker core includes a pair of linebackers who find multiple ways to leave their mark in the passing game. Eric Gentry and Karene Reid were 2 of just 6 Pac-12 defenders last season to achieve a 22% or higher Pressure Rate (minimum 10 pressures, 50 pass rushes), while both linebackers also recorded an interception as well.

    The secondary is littered with playmakers including the Top-2 returning Pac-12 defenders in Coverage Total Points in Chau Smith-Wade and Calen Bullock. Cole Bishop was one of the most effective safeties in the country last season, finishing 5th in the FBS in Total Points in the group. Kitan Oladapo finished 2nd among Pac-12 safeties (behind fellow 1st-teamer Bullock) in Pass Coverage Total Points last season. Lastly, UNLV transfer Nohl Williams allowed a QB Rating Against of just 35.3 when targeted last season.

    A couple of noteworthy mentions are Casey Rogers and Christian Roland-Wallace, who were both strongly considered for the all-conference team.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Joshua Karty Stanford
    P Eddie Czaplicki USC
    Returner Anthony Gould Oregon State

    Joshua Karty went a perfect 18-for-18 on field goals last season, including 3-for-3 on 50+ yarders. Eddie Czaplicki had an impressive average of 45.9 yards per punt with a long of 75. Our last specialist spot goes to Anthony Gould who was 1 of 5 FBS players with multiple punt return touchdowns last season.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason Mountain West All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason Mountain West All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Chevan Cordeiro San Jose State
    RB John Lee Eldridge III Air Force
    WR Tory Horton Colorado State
    WR Terrell Vaughn Utah State
    TE Caleb Rillos Air Force
    FLEX George Holani Boise State
    OT Adam Karas Air Force
    OT Jacob Spomer Fresno State
    OG Cade Bennett San Diego State
    OG Mose Vavao Fresno State
    OC Thor Paglialong Air Force

    Air Force is heavily featured on this list and with good reason. John Lee Eldridge III was dominant in 2022. While the Air Force offense lends some help to their rushing attack, Eldridge’s 42 Total Points was Top 15 among RBs in the entire FBS last season. Caleb Rillos may not have been much help as a receiver, but his 24 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 2nd among FBS TEs. Thor Paglialong and Adam Karas from Air Force return as the Top 2 Total Points getters per Snap among all OL in the Mountain West (min 300 snaps).

    Tory Horton and his 28 receiving Total Points ranked 14th in the country among all WRs. Terrell Vaughn could’ve made the team at WR or Returner, showing versatility in both areas, with 500+ KR yards and a TD as a returner and a 90.2% On-Target Catch Rate as a receiver. 

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Jordan Bertagnole Wyoming
    DT Payton Zdroik Air Force
    EDGE Mohamed Kamara Colorado State
    EDGE DeVonne Harris Wyoming
    LB Alec Mock Air Force
    LB Cody Moon San Diego State
    CB Cam Lockridge Fresno State
    CB Dezjhon Malone San Diego State
    S Jayden Goodwin Air Force
    S Trey Taylor Air Force
    FLEX Jaxen Turner UNLV

    The big returner to the MW defense is Mohamed Kamara. His 42 Total Points not only led all front-seven returners in the conference, but his 53 pressures ranked Top 10 and his 18.8% Pressure Rate ranked Top 25 in the country.

    Jordan Bertagnole and DeVonne Harris both return to help the Wyoming defense. Bertagnole’s 5.5 sacks and 24 pressures and Harris’s 8 sacks and 36 pressures give Wyoming’s defensive line push from both the interior and around the edge. Cody Moon was a do-it-all player for New Mexico last season, playing significant snaps on the edge, at off-ball LB, and in the slot. He’ll bring his 6.1 Points Above Average as a run defender and 2.3 Points Above Average as a pass rusher to San Diego State in 2023.

    Cam Lockridge was lockdown in 2022. His Total Points in pass defense, Total Points per Play, and Points Above Average were all Top 20 among FBS CBs. Jayden Goodwin’s 49 Total Points, which led Mountain West safeties, are impressive as a raw total, but what’s even more impressive is that his overall Points per Play led all FBS safeties and his Points per Play in run defense was 4th-best.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K John Hoyland Wyoming
    P Jack Browning San Diego State
    Returner Christian Washington New Mexico

    John Hoyland was 21-of-24 in 2022, and his four made FG from 50+ tied for the NCAA lead. Jack Browning made our Honorable Mention All-American team following the 2022 season. As a dual-position guy, he excelled at kicker and punter, but his 21 Total Points as a punter was by far the best in the conference. 

    While Christian Washington likely plays second fiddle to Terrell Vaughn at the Returner spot, Washington’s reasoning for this honor still holds merit. The true freshman’s 26.7 yards per kick return was best in the conference among all qualified returners, plus he took one to the house.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason MAC All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason MAC All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Kurtis Rourke Ohio
    RB Samson Evans Eastern Michigan
    WR Sam Wiglusz Ohio
    WR Tanner Knue Eastern Michigan
    TE Brady Hunt Ball State
    FLEX Jacoby Jones Ohio
    OT Nick Rosi Toledo
    OT Brian Dooley Eastern Michigan
    OG Deiyantei Powell-Woods Central Michigan
    OG Vinny Sciury Toledo
    OC Parker Titsworth Ohio

    Ohio leads the way in the MAC with four All-Conference players on offense. QB Kurtis Rourke led the MAC in Total Points (79) and Expected Points (85). Rourke’s top weapon, WR Sam Wiglusz, was Top-7 in the nation in touchdowns with 11. Wiglusz and WR Jacoby Jones, finished 2nd and 1st for MAC wide receivers in EPA, with 38 and 44. Add Center Parker Titsworth, and Ohio has a weapon at every level to lead it back to Detroit.

    Samson Evans looks to be the top-standard for RB’s in the MAC this year. Evans led the MAC in rushing TDs last year, while also not losing a fumble.. His success also comes with leading the MAC in Expected Points (24). Brian Dooley led EMU’s OL with a 1.9% Blown Block (BB) rate last season. 

    Two of the top OL come from Toledo; Nick Rosi and Vinny Sciury. Both lineman led the way for Toledo’s MAC championship campaign last year and finished Top-5 in the MAC for Expected Points for OL (minimum 500 snaps) with 36 and 32, respectively. Sciury finished with a Blown Block Rate of 0.7%, and Rosi finished at 1.2%.

    Brady Hunt finished 13th in the nation for yards by a TE, while posting a 1.8% Blown Block Rate last season. Deiyantei Powell-Woods, however, led the MAC at 0.7%. Both players look to and lead their respective teams to a possible MAC title.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Daymond Williams Buffalo
    DT Devonte O’Malley Northern Illinois
    EDGE Vonnie Watkins Ohio
    EDGE Corey Suttle Miami (OH)
    LB Matthew Salopek Miami (OH)
    LB Cole Pearce Ball State
    CB Quinyon Mitchell Toledo
    CB Kempton Shine Eastern Michigan
    S Trey Jones Central Michigan
    S Marcus Fuqua Buffalo
    FLEX Joshua Scott Eastern Michigan

    Last year, Marcus Fuqua led the MAC with 7 interceptions, and was 4th in Coverage Total Points with 35. Fuqua looks to bring his ‘22 form into the ‘23 season. Along the front-line, Buffalo has Daymond Williams to help pressure opposing quarterbacks. Williams finished last year 5th among MAC DTs with 4.5 total sacks. Fuqua and Williams provide Buffalo the groundwork for a top pass defense next season.

    Last year, Quinyon Mitchell was 2nd in the nation in passes defensed with 17 and finished tied for 7th with 5 interceptions. As the primary defender, Mitchell limited QBs to a 34.8% completion percentage. Mitchell is the main man for the Rockets pass defense in 2023. Kempton Shine and Joshua Scott finished Top-10 in the MAC for Coverage Total Points (33 and 34, respectively), while being targeted more than 50 times each. With them was Trey Jones from Central Michigan (33 Coverage Total Points). 

    Matthew Salopek and Cole Pearce finished last season with double digit TFLs. Each stood out as primary pass defenders, limiting receivers to less than 1 yard per coverage snap. Vonnie Watkins, Corey Suttle, and Devonte O’Malley impressed against the pass last year. Watkins was 2nd in the MAC with 31 Hurries, and led with 23 QB hits. Suttle was 10th in the MAC with 6 sacks. And O’Malley provided 5 sacks from the defensive tackle position. 

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Alex McNulty Buffalo
    P Mitchell Tomasek Eastern Michigan
    Returner Keegan Wilburn Ohio

    Keegan Wilburn was the best kick returner in the MAC last year. In ‘22, he returned one kick for a touchdown and finished 2nd in the nation with 734 kick return yards. Alex McNulty finished last year 24-of-28 on FG attempts (4th nationally in FG made) and was 41-of-42 for the Bulls. He should be a consistent weapon for the Bulls in 2023. Last season, Mitchell Tomasek led the MAC with 43.9 yards per punt. Tomasek looks like a real weapon for EMU next season, and will consistently help them with field position all year.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason C-USA All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason C-USA All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Austin Reed Western Kentucky
    RB Frank Peasant Middle Tennessee
    WR Malachi Corley Western Kentucky
    WR Michael Mathison Western Kentucky
    TE Jacob Jenkins Liberty
    FLEX Anwar Lewis Jacksonville State
    OT X’Zauvea Gadlin Liberty
    OT Steven Hubbard UTEP
    OG Quantavious Leslie Western Kentucky
    OG Vincent Murphy Western Kentucky
    OC Andrew Meyer UTEP

    The nation’s leader in passing yards in 2022 (4,743 yards) Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed returns to the new look C-USA and is ready to dominate the air once again with his returning receivers Malachi Corley and Michael Mathison. 

    Middle Tennessee’s RB Frank Peasant leads all returning C-USA backs in 2022 Total Points (24 Total Points) and is T-1st in TDs with 9. Peasant was also 2nd in C-USA in Broken + Missed Tackles on rushing attempts (43) last season and gained 78% of his yards after contact. We also wanted to highlight a newcomer to the conference in Jacksonville State’s RB Anwar Lewis, who brings in a 2022 campaign of 814 passing yards and 8 TD. Liberty TE Jacob Jenkins gets our nod to round out the skill position players.

    UTEP is well represented on the offensive line with OT Steven Hubbard and OC Andrew Meyer joining with Liberty OT X’Zauvea Galin. The two highest returning offensive linemen from 2022 are the two Western Kentucky Guards Quantavious Leslie and Vincent Murphy (40 and 37 Total points respectively) who look to continue their dominant performance and anchor down the interior of the Hilltoppers’ line.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Kendy Charles Liberty
    DT Marley Cook Middle Tennessee
    EDGE Praise Amaewhule UTEP
    EDGE JaQues Evans Western Kentucky
    LB Aakil Washington Liberty
    LB Tyrice Knight UTEP
    CB Teldrick Ross Middle Tennessee
    CB Kobe Singleton Liberty
    CB AJ Odums UTEP
    S JoJo Evans Jr. FIU
    S Tra Fluellen Middle Tennessee

    The secondary looks quite different than our 2022 postseason all-conference team due to graduating players, transfers, and a new-look conference. Middle Tennessee is bringing back Teldrick Ross who led the FBS in Passes Defensed last season with 19, and Tra Fluellen who showed his value as a run defender, collecting 16 Run Defense Total Points. Kobe Singleton, AJ Odums, and JoJo Evans Jr. round out the group, all poised for big seasons.

    The top two returning players in Total Points on defense are the UTEP ED Praise Amaewhule and Western Kentucky ED JaQues Evans. Evans finished 2022 T-2nd in the conference in total sacks with 9 and outright 2nd in total pressures with 42. Our other defensive lineman include Liberty’s Kendy Charles and Middle Tennessee’s Marley Cook. Cook led C-USA with an Average Tackle Depth of -1.8 Yards (minimum 10 tackles).

    To round out our defensive team we have the Liberty LB Aakil Washington and UTEP LB Tyrice Knight.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Zeke Rankin Middle Tennessee
    P Tom Ellard Western Kentucky
    Returner Smoke Harris Louisiana Tech

    Louisiana Tech’s returner Smoke Harris gets the nod here after he finished the 2022 season with 784 total return yards for his contributions on kickoffs and punts. He ranked 3rd in FBS in total yards.

    Middle Tennessee’s kicker Zeke Rankin finished 3rd in the conference in FG% (minimum 15 attempts) with an 84.2% rate on 19 total attempts. Western Kentucky’s punter Tom Ellard finished his 2022 campaign with 10 Total Points.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason Big 10 All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason Big 10 All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB J.J. McCarthy Michigan
    RB Blake Corum Michigan
    WR Marvin Harrison Jr.  Ohio State
    WR Emeka Egbuka  Ohio State
    TE Brevyn Spann-Ford Minnesota
    FLEX Braelon Allen Wisconsin
    OT Delmar Glaze Maryland
    OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu Penn State
    OG Zak Zinter Michigan
    OG Donovan Jackson Ohio State
    OC Drake Nugent Michigan

    This year’s Preseason All-Big 10 Offensive Team heavily features the powerhouses of the conference. The Michigan Wolverines lead the way with four representatives on this squad. J.J. McCarthy is the conference leader among returning quarterbacks in Passing Total Points per Play (TP/P) and Blake Corum earned more Rushing Total Points last season than any returning running back in the entire country. Add in two returning starters along the offensive line in Zak Zinter and Drake Nugent (Stanford transfer), and the Wolverines look to have a formidable group coming back this season. 

    Ohio State is also well represented on this list. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka ranked first and second respectively among all Big Ten wide receivers in Total Points, and both also ranked top five in the country in this category. Donovan Jackson also finds himself on this list for the Buckeyes after ranking in the top three in Total Points and Total Points per Play amongst Big 10 guards 2022.

    Other members of the All-Big 10 Offensive Team include Minnesota’s behemoth tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, who ranked second amongst conference tight ends in Blocking Total Points, and Wisconsin’s hard-nosed running back Braelon Allen. Maryland’s Delmar Glaze led all Big 10 tackles in Total Points last season and Penn State’s Olumuyima Fashanu, who allowed only 3 blown blocks on more than 500 snaps to go along with 0 holding penalties, rounds out our offensive team. 

    This team could not quite list all the top talent in the Big Ten, so there are certainly some honorable mentions who are deserving of their shine. Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa led the conference in Passing Total Points in 2022. Running back Tre’Veyon Henderson from Ohio State is an electric talent who could have made this list had he not struggled with injuries last season. FInally, Minnesota’s Chuck Filiaga ranked second among Big Ten guards in Total Points a year ago while helping anchor the Golden Gophers’ top-notch run game. 

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
    DT Keith Randolph Jr. Illinois
    EDGE Andre Carter Indiana
    EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau Ohio State
    LB Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State
    LB Maema Njongmeta Wisconsin
    CB Quinton Newsome Nebraska
    CB Justin Walley Minnesota
    S Cooper DeJean Iowa
    S Tyler Nubin Minnesota
    FLEX Kalen King Penn State

    On the defensive side of the ball, our team starts in the middle of the defense with a pair of Illini defensive tackles in Jer’Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph Jr., who are the top two returning Pass Rush Total Points leaders among DTs. Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau and Indiana’s Andre Carter (Western Michigan transfer) round out the defensive line group. 

    As for the linebackers, Ohio State’s Tommy Eichenberg returns to the Buckeye defense after pacing all Big Ten linebackers in Run Defense Total Points by a very wide margin last season. He is joined by Wisconsin’s Maema Njongmeta in our second-level group. 

    On the back end, notable Gophers Justin Walley and Tyler Nubin earned preseason All-Conference nods along with Nebraska’s Quinton Newsome, Penn State’s Kalen King, and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean, who tied for second in the Big Ten with five interceptions last season.

    This list would not be complete without crediting a couple of standout players who did not quite make the group of the top eleven presented. Edge rushers Chop Robinson (Penn State) and Aaron Lewis (Rutgers) will look to improve on 2022 campaigns in which they racked up the top two hurry totals among conference DE’s, respectively. Ohio State’s other linebacker, Steele Chambers, is also a name to watch as he boasts the most Pass Defense Total Points of all returning Big Ten linebackers from last season. 

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Drew Stevens Iowa
    P Tory Taylor Iowa
    Returner Jalin Lucas Indiana

    Our specialist group is headlined by both the kicker and punter from Iowa, Drew Stevens and Tory Taylor. Stevens went 16-of-18 on field goals for a sterling 88.9% success rate last year while also going a perfect 24-of-24 on PATs and Taylor has the highest average and net average in the conference for returning punters. Indiana’s Jalin Lucas was the only FBS player to register two kick return TDs in 2022 (as a true freshman) and is a name to keep an eye on not only in the return game, but as a running back as well.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason Big 12 All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason Big 12 All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Jalon Daniels Kansas
    RB RJ Harvey UCF
    WR Xavier Worthy Texas
    WR Lawrence Arnold Kansas
    TE Ben Sinnott Kansas State
    FLEX Ja’Tavion Sanders Texas
    OT Wyatt Milum West Virginia
    OT Tylan Grable UCF
    OG Cooper Beebe Kansas State
    OG Lokahi Pauole UCF
    OC Rusty Staats Texas Tech

    Jalon Daniels led all Big 12 QBs in EPA on pass attempts and Boom %. RJ Harvey was 2nd in the AAC in Positive % for RBs. Xavier Worthy was a popular deep target in the Big 12 finishing 1st in Intended Air Yards, almost 400 more than 2nd place. Lawrence Arnold finished 4th in Receiving Total Points while Ben Sinnott and Ja’Tavion Sanders were 1st and 2nd respectively for TEs in Total Points.

    Cooper Beebe and Lokahi Pauole finished top 3 in the FBS in Total Points for OGs. Wyatt Milum was 5th in Total Points and Tylan Grable finished 9th in the AAC in Total Points. And Rusty Staats was 7th in the FBS in Blown Block% with a measly 0.7%. Coincidentally Cooper Beebe was 1st at 0.4%

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Tony Bradford Jr. Texas Tech
    DT Dontay Corleone Cincinnati
    EDGE Daniel Grzesiak Cincinnati
    EDGE Tre’mon Morris-Brash UCF
    LB Jaylan Ford Texas
    LB Daniel Green Kansas State
    CB Josh Newton TCU
    CB TJ Tampa Iowa State
    S Devin Lemear Baylor
    S Kendal Daniels Oklahoma State
    FLEX Kenny Logan Jr. Kansas

    Tony Bradford Jr. led all DTs in Pass Rush Total Points and pressures in the conference while Dontay Corleone led all DTs in the AAC in Run Defense Total Points. Daniel Grzesiak finished 2nd in the Mountain West in pressures. Among defenders with at least 20 pressures, Tre’mon Morris-Brash was top 10 in pressures and Pass Rush Total Points in the AAC.

    Jaylan Ford was the cream of the crop for Big 12 LBs finishing 2nd among FBS LBs in Total Points last season. Daniel Green was 2nd among LBs in EPA on pass attempts along with a 40% Deserved Catch %. Josh Newton finished 3rd in Pass Defense Total Points.

    TJ Tampa was stingy in defense, leading the Big 12 in Deserved Catch % among CBs with a minimum of 10 targets faced. Devin Lemear finished 2nd for safeties in Pass Defense Total Points while Kendal Daniels finished 2nd for safeties in Run Defense Total Points. And Kenny Logan Jr. finished 3rd in the Big 12 in tackles regardless of position.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Griffin Kell TCU
    P Mason Fletcher Cincinnati
    Returner Hobbs Nyberg BYU

    Griffin Kell went 17-of-19 on FGs including 8-of-9 on 40+ yard FGs. Mason Fletcher led the AAC in punt average as well as punts downed inside the 20. Hobbs Nyberg was top 10 in the FBS in kick return yards and was also top 5 in punt return average.