College Football Player Grades by Position

Qualified: played in at least half of their team's games against FBS teams. Show everyone

Defensive grades use box-score stats, not play-level attribution, so they carry lower confidence than offense grades. Why?

Colin Gallagher

Delaware · LB

99.3

Blake Matthews

Delaware · LB

98.7

Korey Smith

Middle Tennessee · LB

95.1

#	Player	Team	Grade
1	Colin GallagherDelaware	Delaware	99.3
2	Blake MatthewsDelaware	Delaware	98.7
3	Korey SmithMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	95.1
4	Jared LloydMissouri State	Missouri State	93.7
5	Tory GethersNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	89.1
6	Walker O'SteenJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	81.9
7	Sone AupiuNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	81.9
8	Ashton TaylorMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	80.5
9	Derrell FarrarLiberty	Liberty	80.5
10	Jaylen WesterWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	80.5
11	Kai RussellKennesaw State	Kennesaw State	75.9
12	Brian Bates Jr.Sam Houston	Sam Houston	74.7
13	Westen ArdWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	73.6
14	Jacob CruzJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	72.0
15	Martavis BlackmonMissouri State	Missouri State	68.6
16	Deuce SpurlockLiberty	Liberty	67.0
17	Aidan VaughanLiberty	Liberty	65.5
18	Myles ButlerJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	64.1
19	Elijah GrovesSam Houston	Sam Houston	64.1
20	Baron HopsonKennesaw State	Kennesaw State	61.8
21	Tywon ChristopherKennesaw State	Kennesaw State	61.8
22	Morven JosephJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	57.8
23	Josh AnglinKennesaw State	Kennesaw State	55.9
24	Gavin MoulDelaware	Delaware	55.9
25	Kaven CallMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	55.9
26	Dean FordSam Houston	Sam Houston	51.5
27	Pickle StewartFlorida International	Florida International	47.7
28	Jalen BellDelaware	Delaware	47.7
29	Jawarren CorbinDelaware	Delaware	45.3
30	Chance BarronNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	45.3
31	Jayson LoweMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	45.3
32	Percy Courtney Jr.Florida International	Florida International	45.3
33	Josiah TaylorFlorida International	Florida International	42.7
34	Mikey RosaJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	40.8
35	Dillano GlaudLiberty	Liberty	40.8
36	Reggie JohnsonMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	40.8
37	Mike King Jr.Sam Houston	Sam Houston	39.0
38	Aidan ThompsonJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	36.9
39	Jashawn CooperMissouri State	Missouri State	36.9
40	Zaiden DavisNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	34.7
41	Brayshawn LittlejohnFlorida International	Florida International	34.7
42	Caleb OlabodeMissouri State	Missouri State	34.7
43	Jaiyden ThompsonMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	34.7
44	Alfred ThomasKennesaw State	Kennesaw State	32.2
45	Stratton ShufeltMissouri State	Missouri State	32.2
46	Karson MossKennesaw State	Kennesaw State	30.0
47	Fa'apaia FualemaNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	21.4
48	Ian MitchellJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	21.4
49	Demarco DanielsDelaware	Delaware	21.4
50	Micah PollardLiberty	Liberty	21.4

Top 50 of 62. Pick a conference to see more.

How college grades work

College grades use the same method as the NFL: every play's expected points added, adjusted for how good the defense was, ranked against every other player at the position. The play data comes from CollegeFootballData.com, with ESPN's play feed saying who threw, ran and caught the ball. Four things are different.

Only games against FBS teams count. A power-conference offense against an FCS defense tells us little about either, so those games show in the game log but aren't graded.
Garbage time is left out: plays with a lead of more than 38 points in the 2nd quarter, 28 in the 3rd, or 22 in the 4th. Blowouts are common in college, and backups piling up numbers against backups would otherwise count like starters.
No win probability or completion-percentage data. The college play feed doesn't have them, so grades rest on opponent-adjusted EPA and success rate (the share of plays with positive EPA).
Grades and leaderboards use a minimum workload: every grade is a percentile among the players who meet it, so a few plays can't skew anyone else's. Per game against FBS teams, 14 dropbacks for quarterbacks, 10 touches for running backs, 5 targets for receivers and 3 for tight ends, counted over at least two games. Defenders need to have played in half their team's games.

Defensive grades use the same box-score impact score as the NFL's, minus forced fumbles, which the college box score doesn't record.