ESPN came out with their list of the top 100 football players in the country got the 2023 football season. There was only one Washington Husky on the list.
Of course, it’s Michael Penix. No surprise there at number 17.
But no Rome Odunze or Jalen McMillan? It’s hard not have one of the two top receivers on the best passing offense in the country.
On the list at number 32 is Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka who finished with 1,151 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Odunze had 1,145 yards and 8 TDs while McMillan finished 1,098 yards 9 TDs.
But it seems to be a curious snub, at best to leave off the best pass rusher nation, Bralen Trice,
Former Husky, now UCLA Bruin Laiatu Latu was listed as the 86th best college football player this past season.
“Notable 2022 stats: 10.5 sacks, 3 FF
A transfer from Washington, Latu was one of the surprise players in the Pac-12 this season, leading UCLA with 11 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. His 0.79 sacks per game ranked No. 11 nationally and helped land him first-time All-Pac-12 honors.” —ESPN
I’m not taking ANYTHING away from Latu—I’m highlighting the season that Trice had. Trice led the entire country in pass rushing. ESPN must not have been paying attention to the amount of times Trice pressured QBs: 67.
That’s tops in Power 5 conferences.
On the season the sophomore edge defender had 38 tackles, 12 tackles for loss including 9 of Washington’s conference-leading 35 sacks.
It gets better. Here are some other numbers he’s top of the heap with Pro Football Focus:
67 Pressures (1st)
91.4 Pass Rush Grade (1st)
31% Pass Rush Win Rate (1st)
Trice’s case is pretty simple and omitting him from the list of the top 100 players strange. Same for Odunze and McMillan.
To leave those three off the list is bordering on being criminally negligent.
