Top 100 NFL players of 2024: Alabama leads the way as former SEC stars shine among league’s best

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco revealed his list of the 100 best NFL players entering the 2024 season, counting down the best of the best in the league at various positions. But before these stars dominated the game on Sundays, they had to make a name for themselves and improve their stock at the college level.

There are a few college programs that stand out above the rest when it comes to developing NFL talent. For the second year in a row, Alabama leads with nine former players in Prisco’s top 100. Conference rival LSU isn’t far behind with six of its own, while SEC newcomer Oklahoma has also produced six of the NFL’s best.

This means that these three alone represent just over 20% of the top 100. Consider the talent produced by Mississippi State and Georgia, which have each fielded multiple stars in the NFL, and the SEC has well over 30% of the best players on rosters around. the league.

Prisco’s list is a national affair, however. Schools like Iowa, which has established itself as a tight factory, and Oregon are well represented among the NFL’s best. Here’s a breakdown of which college programs have produced the most players in Prisco’s NFL top 100.

Alabama (9)

Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos (#25 in Prisco rankings): A former All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year with the Crimson Tide, Surtain has lived up to the pedigree he established at Alabama thus far. He earned two Pro Bowl selections in his first three years as a pro.

Quinnen Williams, DL, New York Jets (#29): Williams, the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, won the 2018 Outland Trophy and was a unanimous All-American after recording 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

Jaylen Wadde, WR, Miami Dolphins (#42): Waddle was the 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year, a 2019 first-team All-SEC selection and received a second-team All-SEC nod in 2020 while helping Alabama win the College Football Playoff National Championship despite of breaking your ankle along the way. the station.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins (#65): Tagovailoa was Waddle’s quarterback for a few seasons with the Crimson Tide. He made a lasting impression on Alabama fans as a true freshman with his touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in the CFP National Championship to defeat Georgia. He received consensus All-America honors in 2018 as a sophomore.

LSU (6)

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings (#7): Jefferson, the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback, led the nation in receptions with 111 in 2019 while helping LSU to its first College Football Playoff national championship in program history.

Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (No. 13): Jefferson likely would have been an All-American if not for the presence of Chase, who had 1,780 yards and 20 receiving touchdowns on the same 2019 LSU team. He took home the Biletnikoff Award that year.

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (#15): Of course, Jefferson and Chase couldn’t have posted such impressive numbers without an equally talented quarterback delivering the ball. The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, Burrow put together one of the most impressive seasons we’ve ever seen from a football player as he led the Tigers to the national title, finishing the year with 5,671 yards and 60 touchdown passes.

Oklahoma (6)

Trent Williams, OL, San Francisco 49ers (#3) Williams started multiple games for Oklahoma his first two seasons before becoming a junior in 2008, earning his first of two first-team All-Big 12 honors. He was also a consensus All-American in 2009 and became the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys (#21): Lamb had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2018-19, earning a consensus All-American spot in 2019, and finished his career with the Sooners with 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns in just three years.

Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (#53): Hurts spent just one season with the Sooners after transferring from Alabama, but that doesn’t lessen his impact. He led Oklahoma to a berth in the 2019 College Football Playoff and finished second in Heisman voting after recording 5,149 total yards and 52 touchdowns.

Iowa (5)

Tristan Wirfs, OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (#24): Wirfs started seven games at right tackle in 2017, becoming the first true freshman to start at tackle in Kirk Ferentz’s box. He held the position in the following years, earning 2019 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors before being selected 13th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers (#37): Kittle had a respectable college career, hauling in 48 receptions for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns in five years with the Hawkeyes. But he has blossomed into one of the best tight ends in the NFL and has five Pro Bowl selections to his name during seven years in the league.

Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions (#58): Iowa can easily lay claim to TE University; LaPorta is one of three former Hawkeyes tight ends in Prisco’s top 100. LaPorta was the 2022 Big Ten Tight End of the Year and went 34th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl and on the All-Rookie team in his first year with the Lions.

Mississippi State (4)

Chris Jones, DL, Kansas City Chiefs (#14): Jones had 102 total tackles, 18.5 for loss and 8.5 sacks in three years at Mississippi State. He just won his third Super Bowl as a member of the Chiefs and received a contract that makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys (#49): A two-time SEC first-team selection at Mississippi State, Prescott is one of the most versatile quarterbacks in SEC history. He had 111 total touchdowns with the Bulldogs, which ranks fourth in conference history, and was just the fourth player in FBS history to reach 60 passing touchdowns and 40 rushing touchdowns in his career.

Georgia (3)

Roquan Smith, LB, Baltimore Ravens (#40): Smith was a key figure for the Bulldogs in his first two years with the program, but took it to another level as a junior in 2018, earning the Butkus Award and SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors after recording 137 tackles, 14 for loss. . and 6.5 sacks in 15 games.

Jalen Carter, DL, Philadelphia Eagles (#93): One of the most dominant college defensive linemen we’ve seen in a long time, Carter was a central figure on Georgia teams that won back-to-back 2021-22 national titles. He was a unanimous All-American and first-team All-SEC selection last campaign.

Texas A&M (3)

Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns (#2): A former five-star prospect, Garrett lived up to that billing with the Aggies by collecting 32.5 sacks in three years. He was the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 and has since become the best defensive player in the NFL.

Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (#88): Consistent with the Buccaneers, Evans was Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel’s favorite target from 2012-13. The two combined for 2,499 yards and 17 touchdowns in their time together.

Clemson (3)

Dexter Lawrence, DL, New York Giants (#19): Lawrence was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-ACC selections from 2017-18 while helping Clemson win two national titles in his three years with the Tigers.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (#62): Lawrence led Clemson to a national title as a true freshman and didn’t miss a game as the starting quarterback until the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship against LSU his sophomore year.

Oregon (3)

Penei Sewell, OL, Detroit Lions (#17): Sewell only had one full year as a starter for the Ducks, but he was illustrious. He won the 2019 Outland Trophy and was a unanimous All-American before opting out of the 2020 season.

Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers (#41): Herbert had a 29-13 record in four years as Oregon’s starter and finished his career with 10,541 yards and 95 passing touchdowns.

Ohio State (3)

Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers (No. 10): Bosa started as a sophomore for the Buckeyes, earning 2017 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors with 16 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He missed most of the 2018 season with a core injury but was still drafted second overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (#38): Stroud was the NFL’s top rookie quarterback in 2023. That wasn’t a huge surprise after what he accomplished with the Buckeyes; He was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and recorded 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in just two years as a starter.