ESPN - College Football's Position U 2022 (1998-2022)

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Here's how it works:

We're counting players since 1998 only. Why 1998? It seemed a good breaking point, as it was the start of the BCS era that best represents modern college football. We know Notre Dame would love to claim Paul Hornung in the race for, um, Halfback U, but we're trying to keep it to the era of players today's recruits might be most familiar with.

What counts as success? We narrowed it down to a few key categories. Schools got points for all-conference and All-America selections, along with points for being drafted (weighted by round) and for success at the next level. For that last category, we looked at only the first four years of a player's career (beyond that, the NFL should get credit for development) using Pro Football Reference's weighted career value.

Dealing with transfers is tricky, too. When Jordan Addison gets drafted next year, will he count for Pitt or USC? Sorry to add some more salt to the wounds for Panthers fans, but we've made the call that NFL data counts only toward the school a player last suited up for.

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QBU is Oklahoma

Oklahoma remains QBU for the third straight year, but the Sooners are now treading into uncharted waters. Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams have both transferred, and Lincoln Riley -- the QB whisperer who helped build Oklahoma into QBU -- is off to USC (which, it should be noted, is a close second on this list). Will Dillon Gabriel add to Oklahoma's long tradition of elite QBs? Can Brent Venables keep recruiting future stars? Or will Riley not only stun the Sooners' fan base by leaving but also by stealing their crown as the top producer of quarterback talent?

The top 5

1. Oklahoma
2. USC
3. Oregon
4. Alabama
5. Louisville

Best by conference

ACC: Louisville
Big 12: Oklahoma
Big Ten: Ohio State
Pac-12: USC
SEC: Alabama
Non-Power 5: Fresno State

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RBU is Alabama

It's tough to argue with the numbers here. Since 2011, 10 Tide running backs have been selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft, including Brian Robinson Jr. in the 2022 draft. Two have won Heisman trophies. Four of the NFL's top 15 rushers in 2021 came from Alabama. And because Nick Saban isn't interested in resting on his laurels, he went out and brought in Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs this offseason, adding arguably the most dynamic running back in the country to the mix for 2022.

The top 5

1. Alabama
2. Wisconsin
3. LSU
4. Miami
5. Oklahoma

Best by conference

ACC: Miami
Big 12: Oklahoma
Big Ten: Wisconsin
Pac-12: Oregon
SEC: Alabama
Non-Power 5: Memphis

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WRU is USC

Even in a down year when the coach was fired and the offense struggled, USC managed to produce a star at receiver, with Drake London selected eighth overall in this year's NFL draft. USC's lead over LSU and Alabama -- two schools producing a torrent of top receiver talent lately -- actually grew from 2021 as recent draftees Amon-Ra St. Brown and Michael Pittman blossomed in the NFL. Now add Lincoln Riley's dynamic offense to the mix -- alongside defending Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison, who transferred from Pitt this offseason -- and odds are, the Trojans will be hanging on to the top spot for the foreseeable future.

The top 5

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State

Best by conference

ACC: Florida State (No. 7)
Big 12: Oklahoma
Big Ten: Ohio State
Pac-12: USC
SEC: LSU
Non-Power 5: Western Michigan (No. 19)

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TEU is Miami

Sure, other schools have made a recent run at this honor -- from Iowa to Stanford to UCLA. But even if Miami hasn't produced anyone of the caliber of George Kittle in recent years, the run of talent at this position remains impressive. The Canes have had 13 tight ends drafted since 2000, including first-rounders Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow, Greg Olsen and David Njoku. Will Mallory could be the next breakout star this season, or perhaps blue-chip 2022 signee Jaleel Skinner bursts onto the scene. Regardless, Miami's position as Tight End U isn't in doubt for the foreseeable future.

The top 5

1. Miami
2. Iowa
3. Stanford
4. Florida
5. Missouri

Best by conference

ACC: Miami
Big 12: Oklahoma (No. 8)
Big Ten: Iowa
Pac-12: Stanford
SEC: Florida
Non-Power 5: BYU (No. 14)

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OLU is Alabama

And we're back to hyping Alabama, which tops our offensive line rankings after putting yet another big man into the first round, as Evan Neal went seventh overall in the 2022 draft. In fact, the Tide have seen an O-lineman selected among the first 34 picks in the draft in six of the past seven years. Overall, 20 offensive linemen have heard their names called in the NFL draft since Saban took over in 2007. It's even more impressive that Alabama has been so good on the offensive line, given that it's an area typically dominated by the Big Ten, which has four of the top eight schools in our rankings.

The top 5

1. Alabama
2. Wisconsin
3. Ohio State
4. Oklahoma
5. Michigan

Best by conference

ACC: Florida State (No. 11)
Big 12: Oklahoma
Big Ten: Wisconsin
Pac-12: USC (No. 7)
SEC: Alabama
Non-Power 5: Boise State (No. 23)

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