• North Carolina QB Drake Maye: He’s now the highest-graded quarterback in the country, with a 92.1 mark.
• Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.: He looks like his Hall of Famer dad, coming in as the highest-graded receiver in college football.
• Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon: With an 89.9 grade, the redshirt junior is the highest-graded cornerback in the country.
Estimated Reading Time: 9 mins
We’re about two-thirds of the way through the 2022 college football season, and the best players are really separating themselves from the pack. Here are the highest-graded Power Five and Group of Five players at every position through Week 9.
Power Five: Drake Maye, North Carolina Tar Heels | 92.1
Next up: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee Volunteers | 91.5
Drake Maye was given the tall task of following in the footsteps of Sam Howell, arguably the best quarterback in North Carolina history.
Not only has Maye filled those shoes, but he’s creating a legacy of his own. His 26 big-time throws are five more than any other quarterback in college football. He also has 352 rushing yards after contact, second-most among Power Five quarterbacks.
Maye looks like a legitimate Heisman contender and could have No. 17 North Carolina competing for a College Football Playoff spot. Next up for the Tar Heels is a trip to Charlottesville to take on Virginia.
Group of Five: Todd Centeio, James Madison Dukes | 91.9
Next up: Kurtis Rourke, Ohio Bobcats | 91.4
Todd Centeio has been the catalyst for James Madison’s first season in the FBS being a success. The Colorado State transfer has a 9.7% big-time throw rate this year, the highest among FBS quarterbacks. This week, the Dukes are on the road to take on Louisville.
Power Five: Blake Corum, Michigan Wolverines | 93.4
Next up: Bijan Robinson, Texas Longhorns | 91.8
Blake Corum has emerged as a legitimate Heisman candidate. He leads all FBS running backs in rushing first downs (57). Corum is also not afraid to stick his nose in pass protection, earning an 88.2 pass-blocking grade that ranks highest in the country among running backs. No. 4 Michigan is at Rutgers this weekend.
Group of Five: Dae Hunter, Liberty Flames | 85.7
Next up: Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss Golden Eagles | 84.6
Dae Hunter is a tackle-breaking machine. His 0.39 missed tackles forced per attempt are the fifth-most in the country, and he has also forced 12 missed tackles on his 18 receptions. This week, No. 23 Liberty is on the road against Arkansas.
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