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New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Where do Jeremiah Smith, Drew Allar rank? The 25 best players in the Big Ten in 2025
Is the Big Ten the best conference in college football? Not according to the NFL Draft. The SEC is still king. But the Big Ten did set a new league record with 71 players selected in 2025. And yes, adding four teams did help inflate the number, but it still would have been a record (52) if we include only the 14 programs that have been in the league since 2014. Advertisement Once again, the conference is stacked with talent. The top programs are still recruiting at a very high level, and the entire league is taking advantage of the transfer portal. Here are the 25 best players in the Big Ten in 2025. It's hard not to start this list with the highest-rated player in the EA Sports College Football 26 video game. Smith, the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2024, caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns en route to earning first-team All-America honors and winning a national title as a freshman. It's scary to think the 6-foot-3, 225-pound South Florida native turned 19 last November and is just getting started. Few would argue the defending champions have the best returning offensive and defensive players in the league. Downs, who starred as a freshman at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State, tallied 82 tackles, 7 1/2 TFLs, six pass breakups and two interceptions and also scored on a punt return in 2024. The Athletic's Dane Brugler projects Downs to be a top-10 pick in next year's draft. Here's the Caleb Downs punt return TD, Ohio State's first since 2014 👇#B1GFootball x @OhioStateFB — Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 23, 2024 There have been only six NFL running backs drafted in the first round over the last five years. Singleton would not have been a Day 1 selection had he left after his junior season, but he certainly wouldn't have lasted very long on Day 2. The 6-foot, 224-pound Pennsylvania native is fifth all-time at Penn State with 32 rushing touchdowns and has also proven to be a dynamic threat in the passing game. He caught 41 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns last season. The 6-7, 270-pound Polynesian earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after leading the league with 10 1/2 sacks in the regular season. He finished with 38 tackles, including 12 1/2 for loss, and two forced fumbles as a sophomore and returns as one of only three full-time starters for what will be a revamped Oregon defense. The fifth-year senior from Virginia, who followed coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Bloomington, didn't let the jump in competition from the Sun Belt faze him last season. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, producing 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks while leading the FBS in total pressures (68), according to Pro Football Focus. Advertisement Allar is showing up in the top five in early mock drafts. The 6-5, 238-pound senior didn't look good in the second half of Penn State's season-ending loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff, but he still put up solid numbers as a junior. He is one of five quarterbacks in the Big Ten with more than 20 career starts. Who is the best linebacker in the Big Ten? In today's pass-happy game, you can make the argument that the 6-4, 235-pound former safety has all the ingredients needed to fill the role. The second-team All-Big Ten selection produced 100 tackles, including 10 1/2 for loss and six sacks, and tied for fifth among all Power 4 linebackers with 16 coverage stops last season, according to PFF. He doesn't wear gloves, shops for his clothes at thrift stores and squats close to 700 pounds. The 6-5, 316-pound senior is everything you love about gritty right tackles. He's started 25 games in his career, including 11 last season on the way to a second-team All-Big Ten selection. Perich joined Smith as the only two freshmen to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024. He started only three games in 2024 but still finished with 46 tackles and five interceptions. Perich was also a key contributor on special teams, becoming the first freshman since 1976 to record 100 punt return yards, 100 kick return yards and five interceptions in a season. Reminder: Freshman Koi Perich led the @bigten in INTs last season 😲 Relive all 5️⃣ of the @GopherFootball star's picks 👇#B1GFootball x @koiperich3 — Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) June 30, 2025 The Nittany Lions probably have the best offensive line in the league, and the 6-4, 330-pound Polynesian is a big reason why. Ioane, a redshirt junior, was the piledriver in the middle of last year's unit as the starting left guard. Penn State led the league with 202 rushing yards per game and lost only one starter — right guard Sal Wormley — from its O-line. Advertisement The former three-star recruit from Cincinnati was a third-team All-Big Ten pick as a sophomore at Purdue before leaving for Columbus in late December. He caught 51 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns, including 34 receptions that went for first downs. He could be the biggest beneficiary of all the double teams Smith draws in Brian Hartline's offense. With Abdul Carter off to the NFL, the Nittany Lions are counting on the 6-5, 265-pound senior from Delaware to perform at the high level he displayed in the College Football Playoff. The former five-star recruit produced 4 1/2 of his 8 1/2 sacks in the postseason. He finished the year with 42 tackles, including 13 for loss, and 45 QB pressures. The 6-3, 275-pound senior and former three-star recruit from Florida was a third-team All-Big Ten pick last season. Jacas racked up 74 tackles, 13 TFLs, eight sacks and 44 QB pressures. Sarratt was among the most productive of the 13 players Cignetti brought with him from James Madison. The Virginia native earned third-team All-Big Ten honors, catching 53 passes for 957 yards and eight touchdowns in helping Indiana reach the CFP. WAFFLE HOUSE‼️ Relive @IndianaFootball WR Elijah Sarratt's 8️⃣ TD grabs from last season 👇#TouchdownTuesday — Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) June 10, 2025 At 5-9, 170 pounds, Ponds is hardly a physically imposing cover man. But the South Florida native was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2024 after breaking up nine passes, intercepting three (he returned one for a touchdown) and racking up 57 tackles in his first season in Bloomington. Like Kamara and Sarratt, he played for Cignetti at James Madison. The 6-1, 191-pound junior transferred from Georgia last year and started 15 games, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors after finishing with 48 tackles, five pass breakups and one interception in his first season in Happy Valley. The former top-100 recruit from Alabama is a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The 5-11, 190-pound senior from Florida was a first-team All-Big Ten pick last season. He started 13 games for a 10-win team and tallied 49 tackles, four interceptions, six pass breakups and one forced fumble. Advertisement The 6-5, 320-pound sixth-year senior started 25 games for USC at left guard over the last two seasons. The Ducks have to replace four starters on their offensive line, and the former unranked high school prospect who started his career at Wyoming is the most experienced among the replacements. The 6-1, 233-pound senior from Virginia became the first All-America linebacker in program history last season. He was another James Madison transfer who leveled up in the Big Ten, finishing with 118 tackles and four pass breakups. The Ducks need to replace a lot of offensive firepower from last season's 13-1 team and will be counting on Hughes to be highly productive running the ball. He rushed for 2,779 yards over the last two seasons at Tulane, the most over that stretch by any returning FBS back by nearly 500 yards. The 6-4, 209-pound junior started all 13 games last season and ranked second on the Huskies with 834 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 63 catches. He's viewed as a strong NFL prospect. Boettcher was a 13th-round pick of the Houston Astros in 2024 but elected to return for one final football season with the Ducks. He was a second-team All-Big Ten pick in 2024 and also won the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded to the top player in college football who began his career as a walk-on. He led the Ducks with 94 tackles and added four pass breakups and one interception. The 6-4, 300-pound homegrown senior started all 13 games for the Hawkeyes last season, tallying 33 tackles, eight TFLs, six sacks and three forced fumbles. He's considered one of the best interior pass rushers in the country. The 6-3, 293-pound sixth-year senior squats 705 pounds and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024. He's started 38 games over the last three seasons. Advertisement The 5-11, 195-pound junior and former top-100 recruit started only six games but still led the Trojans with 52 catches for 764 yards and three touchdowns. He was also valuable on kickoff returns. 26. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon 27. Derrick Moore, edge, Michigan 28. Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State 29. Zane Durant, DL, Penn State 30. Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington 31. Isaiah World, OT, Oregon 32. Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern 33. Darius Taylor, RB, Minnesota 34. Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA 35. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (Photo of Jeremiah Smith: Adam Cairns / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EA Sports College Football 26: Top 100 Players Revealed
EA Sports College Football 26: Top 100 Players Revealed originally appeared on Athlon Sports. College football fans got an early look at EA Sports College Football 26 on Monday, days before the video game's official release. After the beloved franchise returned last summer for the first time in more than a decade, the popular video game producer has now brought it back for a second consecutive year. Advertisement This year's edition features an updated Road to Glory mode, coaches are included in-game, and a revamped gameday experience, alongside improvements to Dynasty Mode. This is also the second time in the series, players are being compensated for their name, image and likeness (NIL) — with on-field performances directly impacting player ratings. Here is a breakdown of the top 100 players ranked in EA Sports College Football 26, according to a release by EA Sports. 1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State WR – 98 2. Caleb Downs, Ohio State S – 96 3. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas LB – 95 4. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame RB – 95 Advertisement 5. Ryan Williams, Alabama WR – 95 6. T.J. Parker, Clemson EDGE – 95 7. Dylan Stewart, South Carolina EDGE – 94 8. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee DB – 94 9. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State WR – 94 10. Kadyn Proctor, Alabama OT – 94 11. Peter Woods, Clemson DL – 94 12. Spencer Fano, Utah OL – 94 13. Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M OL – 93 14. Chandler Rivers, Duke CB – 93 15. Colin Simmons, Texas EDGE – 93 16. David Bailey, Texas Tech EDGE – 93 17. Dillon Thieneman, Oregon S – 93 18. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt TE – 93 19. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana WR – 93 20. Francis Mauigoa, Miami OL – 93 21. Isaac Brown, Louisville RB – 93 22. Jonah Coleman, Washington RB – 93 Advertisement 23. Keldric Faulk, Auburn EDGE – 93 24. Kyle Louis, Pitt LB – 93 25. Leonard Moore, Notre Dame CB – 93 26. Nick Singleton, Penn State RB – 93 27. Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss EDGE – 93 28. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri RB – 92 29. Austin Romaine, Kansas State LB – 92 30. Avieon Terrell, Clemson CB – 92 31. Blake Miller, Clemson OT – 92 32. Brian Parker II, Duke OT – 92 33. Bud Clark, TCU S – 92 34. Cade Klubnik, Clemson QB – 92 35. Cayden Green, Missouri OL – 92 36. Christen Miller, Georgia DL – 92 37. D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana CB – 92 38. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State EDGE – 92 39. Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati DL – 92 40. Drew Allar, Penn State QB – 92 Advertisement 41. Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn WR – 92 42. Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech WR – 92 43. Fernando Carmona, Arkansas OL – 92 44. Gabe Jacas, Illinois LB – 92 45. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU QB – 92 46. Jaeden Roberts, Alabama OL – 92 47. Jake Slaughter, Florida OL – 92 48. Jordan Seaton, Colorado OL – 92 49. Kaytron Allen, Penn State RB – 92 50. Makhi Hughes, Oregon RB – 92 51. Malik Muhammad, Texas CB – 92 52. Mikail Kamara, Indiana DL – 92 53. Vega Ioane, Penn State OL – 92 54. Rod Moore, Michigan S – 92 55. Rueben Bain Jr., Miami EDGE – 92 56. Tanner Koziol, Houston TE – 92 57. Terry Moore, Duke S – 92 58. Tim Keenan III, Alabama DL – 92 Advertisement 59. A.J. Harris, Penn State CB – 91 60. Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame OL – 91 61. Aaron Graves, Iowa DL – 91 62. Anthony Hankerson, Oregon State RB – 91 63. Ashton Stamps, LSU CB – 91 64. Bray Hubbard, Alabama S – 91 65. C.J. Allen, Georgia LB – 91 66. Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern OL – 91 67. Carnell Tate, Ohio State WR – 91 68. Carson Beck, Miami QB – 91 69. Darius Taylor, Minnesota RB – 91 70. Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest RB – 91 71. Denzel Boston, Washington WR – 91 72. Deontae Lawson, Alabama LB – 91 73. Derrick Moore, Michigan EDGE – 91 74. Desmond Reid, Pitt RB – 91 75. Gennings Dunker, Iowa OL – 91 76. Giovanni El-Hadi, Michigan OL – 91 Advertisement 77. Harold Perkins, LSU LB – 91 78. Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU S – 91 79. Isaiah World, Oregon OL – 91 80. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech LB – 91 81. Jalen Catalon, Missouri S – 91 82. Jason Henderson, Old Dominion LB – 91 83. Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State S – 91 84. John Mateer, Oklahoma QB – 91 85. Joshua Braun, Kentucky OL – 91 86. KJ Bolden, Georgia S – 91 87. Koi Perich, Minnesota S – 91 88. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina QB – 91 89. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame WR – 91 90. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon EDGE – 91 91. Max Klare, Ohio State TE – 91 92. Michael Taafe, Texas S – 91 93. Parker Brailsford, Alabama OL – 91 94. Quintrevion Wisner, Texas RB – 91 Advertisement 95. Rayshaun Benny, Michigan DL – 91 96. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State QB – 91 97. Tacario Davis, Washington CB – 91 98. Tomas Rimac, Virginia Tech OL – 91 99. Trey White, San Diego State EDGE – 91 100. Xavion Alford, Arizona State S – 91 EA Sports College Football 26 officially launches Thursday (7/10) on all major platforms. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
College Football 26 out now: Deluxe Edition, MVP Bundle pre-orders grant early access
College Football 26 is here. Users who pre-ordered the Deluxe edition or the MVP Bundle, which includes College Football 26 and Madden 26, can begin playing the game on July 7. EA Sports granted three days early access to those who pre-ordered. If you did not pre-order, you have to buy the game on its official release date, July 10. Advertisement The Standard Edition of Madden 26 will cost $69.99. The Deluxe Edition costs $99.99, and the MVP Bundle, which includes the Deluxe Edition of both College Football 26 and Madden NFL 26, is $149.99. Much of the information regarding the game has been released. Deep dives on Dynasty Mode, Road to Glory, Ultimate Team and online head-to-head can be found on the EA Sports College Football website, where you can also find gameplay and presentation deep dives. EA dropped their top 10 offensive and defensive player ratings on July 1 with Ohio State's wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs being the top on their respective sides of the ball. The top five ratings for each position were also dropped with Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar and Garrett Nussmeier tied at the top for quarterbacks with a 92 rating. The team ratings have also been released with Alabama leading the FBS with a 89 overall team rating. Advertisement What console will College Football 26 be available on? College Football 26 will be available on the current generation Xbox and PlayStation. That means that only the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and the PlayStation 5. The Xbox One nor the PlayStation 4 will have access to the game. The game also will not be available on Nintendo Switch or PC. Top offensive player ratings Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State - 98 OVR Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama - 95 OVR Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame - 95 OVR Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State - 94 OVR Kadyn Proctor, LT, Alabama - 94 OVR Spencer Fano, RT, Utah - 94 OVR Ar'maj Reed-Adams, RG, Texas A&M - 93 OVR Advertisement Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt - 93 OVR Francis Mauigoa, RT, Miami - 93 OVR Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State - 93 OVR Alabama receiver and cover athlete Ryan Williams goes for a catch against Georgia in EA Sports College Football 26. Top defensive player ratings Caleb Downs, FS, Ohio State - 96 OVR Anthony Hill Jr, MIKE, Texas - 95 OVR T.J. Parker, Left Edge, Clemson - 95 OVR Dylan Stewart, Right Edge, South Carolina - 94 OVR Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennesse - 94 OVR Peter Woods, DT, Clemson - 94 OVR Colin Simmons, Right Edge, Texas - 93 OVR Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame - 93 OVR Keldrick Faulk, Left Edge, Auburn - 93 OVR Dillion Thieneman, SS, Oregon - 93 OVR This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: College Football 26 out now: Who has early access from pre-order?
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ohio State football well-represented at the top of PFF's Top 50 college football players
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has made a big splash on the American football season over the last few years with its analytics-driven data to measure players' performances, snap counts, and more. And while the name "Pro" is in name, PFF also dabbles a ton in the college game. The site and its tools have become very popular, as have some of the articles and rankings that it has shared with the masses. Recently, PFF ranked the top 50 players in college football, and anytime a list like that is circulated, you know Ohio State has to be well represented. In this case, heading into the fall of 2025, it's not quantity, but quality when it comes to Buckeyes on the list, especially after they sent 14 players to the NFL via the draft last April. Advertisement All told, Ohio State has just two players in the top 50 according to PFF, which falls behind teams like Alabama, Penn State, and Texas (five each), but the two that it has can claim something no other school can. OSU has the two best players in the college game according to PFF, with receiver Jeremiah Smith leading the pack, followed by safety Caleb Downs at No. 2. Come to think of it, that mirrors what EA Sports says about Ohio State's roster. It also ranked the duo as the two best players in the game in that same order. And PFF and EA Sports aren't the only outlets claiming that Ohio State has the two best players in the game; it's almost everywhere you look. Here's to hoping that the rest of what is still a talented roster can fill in the gaps, come together, and develop into another College Football Playoff national championship contender. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X. This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football well-represented at top of PFF Top 50 CFB players
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ohio State football well-represented at the top of PFF's Top 50 college football players
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has made a big splash on the American football season over the last few years with its analytics-driven data to measure players' performances, snap counts, and more. And while the name "Pro" is in name, PFF also dabbles a ton in the college game. The site and its tools have become very popular, as have some of the articles and rankings that it has shared with the masses. Recently, PFF ranked the top 50 players in college football, and anytime a list like that is circulated, you know Ohio State has to be well represented. In this case, heading into the fall of 2025, it's not quantity, but quality when it comes to Buckeyes on the list, especially after they sent 14 players to the NFL via the draft last April. All told, Ohio State has just two players in the top 50 according to PFF, which falls behind teams like Alabama, Penn State, and Texas (five each), but the two that it has can claim something no other school can. OSU has the two best players in the college game according to PFF, with receiver Jeremiah Smith leading the pack, followed by safety Caleb Downs at No. 2. Come to think of it, that mirrors what EA Sports says about Ohio State's roster. It also ranked the duo as the two best players in the game in that same order. And PFF and EA Sports aren't the only outlets claiming that Ohio State has the two best players in the game; it's almost everywhere you look. Here's to hoping that the rest of what is still a talented roster can fill in the gaps, come together, and develop into another College Football Playoff national championship contender. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
