Most Important Positions/Position Groups for College Football Success

That probably the hierarchy of NIL, with some position groups falling off faster in $, WR4 vs IDL4.

QB
CB
Exterior Offensive Line (T)
Interior Defensive Line (DT/NG)
WR
Exterior Defensive Line (DE)
Interior Offensive Line (G/C)
LB
K
S
RB
TE
P
KR
PR

Makes sense. I might place safeties above LBs just because most defenses these days incorporate 3 safeties and 2 LBs. I know Mizzou's safeties play a big roll in the passing and running game.

It's more important to have a lack of weak spots for the other team to exploit.

The offensive line is the key to a quality running game, not the running back. Years when Alabama has had a dominant running game, all the backs looked good. Sure there was a hierarchy but the top 2 or 3 all looked good. In years when Alabama’s running game struggled, all the backs looked bad at times.

A RB3 with a great offensive line will be more productive than a RB1 future NFL starter with a trash offensive line.

I think breakout wide receivers have more of a game changing impact than do running backs. Look at true freshmen Williams and Smith last year. Then try to think of a true freshman runnjng back who was a real game changer. I can’t think of one. Running backs are largely the result of offensive schemes, experience, and time in the weight room and are much more interchangeable than WR.

There are some positions, especially on defense, that are hybrids. Outside linebackers that are effectively defensive ends, oversized safeties that play the roll of linebacker at times, and undersized linebackers labeled as safeties that are used on passing downs.

It is all hypothetical, but if LSU had instead had the best secondary in college football and a very good defensive line those years, but the worst QB in the SEC and a bad offensive line, I bet they would have lost even more than 7 games. Jayden Daniels won LSU more football games than the secondary lost them.

quote:

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What positions are most important for success? I think most agree in today’s era, QB is most important. What about the rest?

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Don't know why that first post went up when I hit quote - but whatever.

No - I disagree strongly. QB is the most important - once you have all the other important stuff. And that's why I believe college gets it wrong, and the pros get it wrong.

The most important positions on any offense, as a group, are the offensive line. And you're only as good as your weakest offensive lineman. Put the best QB behind an offensive line that can't at least hold even ? And you're screwed.

Same defensively, with a caveat. Since we're all playing 3-4 - the most important position group is the three down lineman and two inside backers. If they can't hold the line of scrimmage ? Everything else is a waste of time.

1) Offensive Tackles
2) Quarterbacks
3) Interior Defensive Lineman
4) Edge Rushers
5) Outside Receivers
6) Corners

7) The Rest

DT/NT is #1. There are tons of teams that have won with mediocre qb’s, but virtually every national champion has been elite against the run between the tackles