Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Ranking the 50 best college football players for 2016

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 7, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 30-16. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 30-16. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
28 of 51
Next
Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) rushes in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State won 42-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) rushes in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State won 42-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

How can a quarterback who passed for less than 1,000 yards in 2015 be so high on this list? If you’ve seen J.T. Barrett play, you know exactly why. Heck, the Ohio State dual-threat might just be the best quarterback in the country by the time the 2016 season is over.

Barrett took the country by storm as a true freshman back in 2014, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to an 11-1 regular season after it looked like they’d be all out of luck with the season-ending injury to presumed Heisman-contending quarterback Braxton Miller. The freshman quarterback led the Buckeyes to the Big Ten title game before getting injured and missing the rest of the year.

Cardale Jones took over and won the Buckeyes the Big Ten Championship and both playoff games to give the Buckeyes their first national title under Urban Meyer.

Opening the 2015 season, Miller moved to receiver while Barrett and Jones battled it out for the starting quarterback job. It was clear that Barrett was the better overall quarterback, but Meyer still trotted Jones out there far too often.

Barrett played sparingly in 2015, leading to his less-than-impressive stats.

In 2014 when he played every regular season game, he passed for 2,834 yards, 34 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions while completing 65 percent of his throws. He rushed for another 938 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The talent is there for this kid, he just needs to put it all together in the 2016 campaign.

Next: 23. Royce Freeman

Home/College Football News