Too low on these guys
Toppemeyer and CBS Sports went deep into their bag to put together a top 151 players in college football. It’s a difficult task, no doubt. But he’s way too low on [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag].
144. Nic Anderson, WR
Wide receiver at the collegiate level is deep, so it’s not entirely disrespectful to have Nic Anderson so low. However, this is a player that is coming off of a huge season where he had nearly 800 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. There are wide receivers that haven’t even played a down that are ranked higher.
Anderson was an explosive play waiting to happen last year, averaging 21 yards per catch on 38 balls. Anderson is long and smooth and has scored from every area of the field but excels on the intermediate to deep balls. Anderson can beat press coverage and knows where to sit in the zone against two-high zone. Expect quarterback Jackson Arnold to target him a ton this season. – Brockemeyer, CBS Sports
146. Billy Bowman, S
If you thought ESPN was too low on Billy Bowman, putting him at No. 73, then this is crazy. Sure there are things to improve on, but you can’t deny the playmaking ability in the back end of the Sooners defense makes him one of the best safeties in the country.
Can you tell I’m expecting an Oklahoma rebound in 2024? Bowman has ridiculous film — when he’s good, he’s great: six interceptions, including three (!) returned for touchdowns with a school-record 238 return yards. When he’s bad, it’s a bunch of missed tackles and coverage busts. Bowman has a ton of experience starting 29 games and is poised for another big season. If he cleans up a few lapses, he’ll easily be a top-100 player. – Brockemeyer, CBS Sports
The Oklahoma Sooners are well-represented on the list but still have a lot to prove to national observers heading into year one in the SEC. Players like Damonic Williams, Branson Hickman, and Gavin Sawchuk were notably absent from the list, but will be integral parts of the Sooners success in 2024.
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