As college football continues into the second half of the season, the stunning performances continue to roll in from across the nation. There are dozens of standout players worthy of recognition on the On3 Impact Top 10.
On3 breaks down some of the top players in the country with our Impact Top 10 this week, featuring the best of the best as the season wears on.
There was some movement in this week’s list, with some newcomers making their first appearance on the Impact Top 10, so let’s waste no further time and get into the rankings following Week 8.
The Boise State running back has been an absolute force on the ground all season, putting up numbers that come close to matching Barry Sanders‘ 1988 Heisman Trophy campaign. That’s an incredible output, no matter the level of competition.
Jeanty has totaled 1,248 yards through six games, to go along with 18 total touchdowns. He’s averaging 9.9 yards per carry and has his team in the College Football Playoff hunt.
A shoulder injury is hampering Hunter, who has been limited in terms of his overall contributions the last two weeks. He gutted it out against Arizona but clearly wasn’t quite himself.
Hunter’s Heisman Trophy candidacy as one of the top players in America might well depend on how quickly he can get back to taking a full workload. He might not post impressive enough numbers otherwise. He finished Saturday’s win with two catches for 17 yards, as well as a tackle on defense.
Ward might have had his best game yet despite taking three sacks in a shootout against Louisville. He was able to keep Miami out in front for most of the contest, despite a hard push from the opponent.
The veteran quarterback finished the game 21-of-32 passing for 319 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 29 yards. At this point, Ward is pretty much single-handedly powering Miami toward a playoff berth. He’s that good, and that is reflected in the On3 Impact Top 10.
The talented Tennessee edge rusher had a bit of a slow start to the season, logging only 0.5 tackles for a loss in the first three games. He’s turned it up another notch since then and had his best game yet against Alabama.
Pearce logged three tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks in the win over the Crimson Tide. He also had a season-high-tying three quarterback hurries, making life repeatedly difficult on quarterback Jalen Milroe. A productive evening, for sure.
The large defensive tackle was a force in the middle of the defense in a win over a ranked Illinois squad, causing havoc on the inside throughout the afternoon. Graham tallied six tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss in the win.
So far this season Graham has already racked up 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, a pair of quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a blocked kick. That’s pretty solid production for an interior lineman and earns him a spot on the On3 Impact Top 10 list.
Colorado continues to impress in 2024, now at 5-2 and just one win away from securing a bowl bid. The team might be fighting for bowl eligibility without Sanders, that’s how big an impact he has made on the team.
The Colorado quarterback has already thrown for 2,268 yards and 19 touchdowns, against just six interceptions. He’s also rushed for two scores. But more importantly, he’s simply unflappable under pressure, keeping the Buffaloes in every close game with a puncher’s chance. That’s a significant testament to his ability.
West Virginia has had an up-and-down year, and the last two weeks have been rough taking on ranked opponents in the conference. Still, the team had had some pockets of success this season — and team success isn’t a prerequisite for appearing on the On3 Impact Top 10.
Milum has been a monster at tackle, doing an excellent job in both pass protection and the run game. The 6-foot-6, 317-pound senior is battling to be recognized as one of the top offensive tackles in the country, going against the likes of Texas‘ Kelvin Banks and LSU‘s Will Campbell.
Johnson is on this list based on his sheer ability, though he hasn’t been able to show it of late due to injury. He was kept without a statistic in the team’s most recent game against Illinois.
Still, a healthy Johnson is as good at cornerback as they come. Even with the lack of production over the last couple weeks, Johnson has still recorded 14 tackles, 1.0 tackles for a loss, two interceptions, a quarterback hurry and three pass breakups.
Ohio State was on a bye week this week following the tough loss to Oregon. That gave Smith a chance to rest. He might not have wanted the rest, coming off his most productive game of the season.
In the game against the Ducks, Smith caught nine passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. On the year he has 32 catches for 553 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s also run for 33 yards and a score.
The freshman receiver for Alabama went into this weekend’s game against Tennessee averaging just 4.0 touches per game; he doubled that against the Volunteers. Alabama knows it needs to start getting the mega-talented playmaker more involved.
Williams is coming off a performance in which he recorded eight catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. On the year he has 31 catches for 649 yards and seven touchdowns, while also rushing for a touchdown on a 2-yard end-around. He’s versatile and he’s dangerous and wraps up this week’s On3 Impact Top 10.
