The Best College Football Players Of 2022

Will Anderson led the country in sacks (15), ranked second in quarterback pressures, and tacked on 91 total tackles with 31 of those tackles coming for a loss. He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and All-SEC honors. Back for his junior season, Anderson is primed to put college football on notice once again and will only become more of a nightmare for opposing backfields.

Bryce Young's sophomore campaign was magnificent, as he broke out onto the national stage by shattering Alabama's single-season passing records (4,872 yards) and throwing more touchdowns (47) than any Crimson Tide quarterback before him. Young won the Heisman Trophy, and he enters the 2022 season as the early favorite to be the first quarterback selected in the 2023 NFL Draft next April. Young has a tremendous feel for the game and a continuity bump in year two with offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien should be expected. While Young might not put up as massive passing numbers, due to turnover at wide receiver, the Crimson Tide should boast a better run game which will add balance to the offense. A playmaking transfer trio of running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Georgia Tech) and wideouts Jermaine Burton (Georgia) and Tyler Harrell (Louisville) give Young exceptional weapons. Even as new faces abound, it's not like Bama ever must rebuild under Saban. They just reload the deck.

Williams has no shortage of playmakers in his inaugural season at USC. Following head coach Lincoln Riley out west to Los Angeles, Williams links up with fellow transfers ex-Pitt wideout and Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison, as well as running back Travis Dye from Oregon and wide receiver Mario Williams from OU. USC also returns Tahj Washington and Gary Bryant Jr., who combined for almost 100 catches for 1,000+ yards with eight touchdowns last season. Williams has the weapons, but so far Lincoln Riley's built his squad like an AAU basketball team. The onus will be on Williams to help the team find cohesion and guide the Trojans to a winning season.

Stroud threw for 4,400+ yards (2nd most in OSU history) and 44 touchdowns last year, guiding Ohio State to an 11-2 record and Rose Bowl victory. The Buckeyes lost two amazing receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson to the NFL, but Stroud's top target Jaxson Smith-Njigba is back. Smith-Njigba posted top-10 national rankings in both catches (95) and yards (1,606) last season. Then there's Marvin Harrison Jr. who profiles as a likely breakout player, if he's anything like his father. Stroud also passed for at least 300 yards in eight of his last nine games and was incredibly efficient running the Ryan Day offense, completing 71.9-percent of his passes. But the Buckeye's lost both their big games last season - versus Oregon in Week 2 and Michigan to end the season. Stats are great, but for Stroud to be taken seriously in 2022, he must lead Ohio State to big time wins - starting as soon as the season opener for OSU when they host Notre Dame.

Jalen Carter enters his junior season at Georgia after winning a national championship in 2021. Carter played all 15 games of Georgia’s campaign, logging 396 snaps. Even with Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis getting reps, Carter was just too talented to stay off the field. He's one of the best interior defensive linemen in the country, and his 24 QB hurries were good for 15th in the country last season. After garnering All-SEC Second Team honors, Carter will lead Georgia in their continued pursuit of defensive dominance.

Robinson is a versatile back and a foundational player for the Longhorns. He put up 1,400+ yards from scrimmage and 15 TDs in the 2021 campaign, despite appearing in only 10 games. His 10.7 yards after the catch stand out as an elite weapon for the Longhorns in 2022, as they settle on a starting quarterback. Robinson is a dark horse Heisman hopeful, who will need Texas to actually be back this time and for the team stay competitive for him to have any hopes of making a push for the trophy.