How we calculated our results
There's no set formula for calculating which school produces the best prospects at each position, which is why a dozen programs can claim to be DBU. But our Stats and Information team put some math behind the boasts. So, what makes a school Position U? It's a combination of college success, draft stock and NFL success. Our formula awards points for all-conference and All-America selections, rewarding the best college performers. It awards points on a sliding scale based on where a player is drafted, rewarding impressive NFL evaluations.Then, using data from Pro Football Reference, we add more points for production through the first five years of the player's NFL career -- beyond that, credit belongs to the NFL trainers and coaches -- so that the draft busts and the late bloomers all get credit, too. Of course, we also need to account for the transfer portal, which is an increasingly big issue in the rankings. Our plan: Awards won in college belong to the school where it happened. The draft and NFL production get credited to the last school a player played for.
Lastly, success in developing fullbacks in the 1950s doesn't really translate to the modern game, so we had to determine a more precise timeline for inclusion. We set our starting point at 1998, the start of the BCS era, only counting players developed since then.
Jump to a position: Quarterback | Running back
Wide receiver | Tight end | O-line
D-line | Linebacker | Defensive back | Kicker | Punter
Wide receiver | Tight end | O-line
D-line | Linebacker | Defensive back | Kicker | Punter
Running Back U
The winner: Alabama Crimson TideThe Crimson Tide's RB Mt. Rushmore
Derrick Henry
Shaun Alexander
Mark Ingram
Najee Harris
Najee Harris' strong finish last season landed him on the Mt. Rushmore of running backs at Alabama. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Henry is a fairly easy choice at No. 1, but then things get tricky as Ingram, despite a Heisman Trophy in 2009, isn't as memorable as other Crimson Tide running backs. Alexander had an amazing career with 3,565 yards and 41 touchdowns in Tuscaloosa, and Harris' strong finish last season helps him edge other deserving backs such as Bobby Humphrey, Trent Richardson, Johnny Musso and T.J. Yeldon. -- Adam Rittenberg
2. Wisconsin
3. LSU
4. Miami
5. Oklahoma
6. Auburn
7. Texas
8. Ohio State
9. Georgia
10. Oregon
Big movers: The combination of David Montgomery's NFL success and Breece Hall tearing up the Big 12 helped Iowa State jump 38 spots on our rankings, from No. 80 to No. 42. The Cyclones are still a ways from the top 10, but thanks to Ezekiel Elliott and J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State's résumé is now enough to move four spots up to eighth position, dropping Arkansas out of the top 10.
Who's missing: Notre Dame has as rich a history as any college football program, including at running back. But the best of the bunch -- Ricky Watters, Jerome Bettis -- just missed our Position U timeline. Since the advent of the BCS era, no Irish tailback has blossomed into a Pro Bowler in the NFL, with Julius Jones likely the most productive pro of that time frame.
Looking ahead: It's hard to imagine Alabama losing the top spot any time soon. While Henry dominates defenses for the Tennessee Titans, the Pittsburgh Steelers took Najee Harris in the first round of this year's draft, and the Tide have two running backs ranked in ESPN's top 51 committed for 2022.
Offensive Line U
The winner: Alabama Crimson TideThe Crimson Tide's OL Mt. Rushmore
John Hannah
Dwight Stephenson
Barrett Jones
Chris Samuel
John Hannah starred on Bear Bryant's offensive line at Alabama before going on to an NFL Hall of Fame career. Collegiate Images via Getty Images
When Paul "Bear" Bryant called Hannah the best offensive lineman he ever coached, he meant it. Hannah was a two-time All-American and was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Stephenson isn't far behind after two stints on the All-American team, two national championships and five Pro Bowl selections. While there are a handful of Nick Saban-era linemen to choose from, Jones' résumé includes winning the Outland Trophy as a junior, switching from tackle to center and winning the Rimington Trophy the following year. -- Alex Scarborough
2. Wisconsin
3. Ohio State
4. Oklahoma
5. Michigan
6. USC
7. Notre Dame
8. Georgia
9. Iowa
10. Texas
Big movers: Penei Sewell may have opted out in 2020, but his high draft stock -- No. 7 overall -- helped give the Ducks a three-spot boost, cracking the top 25. Brady Christensen became the first BYU O-lineman drafted since 2005, and that was enough to jump the Cougars 15 spots, from No. 73 to No. 58. Texas ticked up just one spot, but it brought the Longhorns into the top 10 -- the lone newcomer in the group.
Who's missing: When we first did this list in 2019, Florida State was well represented on the O-line, coming in at No. 8. The past few years, however, haven't been good in the Tallahassee trenches. On the field, FSU has been dogged by terrible O-line play, and Mike Norvell is just beginning to turn things around. In this year's rankings, the Seminoles fell out of the top 10 for the first time.
Looking ahead: For all of Clemson's success over the past decade, the offensive line has been largely ignored. Jackson Carman was taken in Round 2 of this year's draft, the highest a Tigers O-lineman has been selected since 1971, but the future looks far brighter. John Simpson and Tyler Shatley are now established NFL starters, and the Tigers inked eight blue-chip linemen in their past two recruiting classes, including five-star Tristan Leigh. They've got two more committed for 2022, too.
Defensive Line U
The winner: Alabama Crimson TideThe Crimson Tide's DL Mt. Rushmore
Jonathan Allen
John Copeland
Marcell Dareus
Quinnen Williams
How did Marcell Dareus get selected for Alabama's D-line Mt. Rushmore? Returning an interception for a TD in the 2010 BCS national title game didn't hurt. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Alabama has produced 10 defensive linemen selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft just since Nick Saban arrived in 2007. Allen was the most decorated defensive lineman in the country his senior season and has collected 16 sacks in his last three seasons in the NFL. It's difficult to include Copeland without his sidekick, Eric Curry, from the 1992 national championship team, and Dareus and Williams were absolutely incredible at tackle. And how do you leave off Marty Lyons of the Jets' famed New York Sack Exchange? Welcome to the riches of defensive line talent at Alabama. -- Chris Low
2. Florida State
3. Ohio State
4. Penn State
5. Clemson
6. Texas
7. LSU
8. USC
9. Tennessee
10. Oklahoma
Big movers: We have a new team atop the leaderboard here, as Alabama edged out Florida State to take the crown. It's hard to argue with the Tide's success, which includes seven defensive linemen selected in the first or second round of the past five drafts. Pitt has produced the best defensive lineman in a generation in Aaron Donald, but the DLU résumé increased in 2021 too, with three players selected in this year's draft. It was enough to move the Panthers up 14 spots to No. 20 on our list.
Who's missing: Miami checks in at No. 28 on our list, which might seem a bit surprising given that the Canes just had two D-linemen taken in the first round of this year's draft (Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau). Before that, however, it's a long way to find Miami's last defensive lineman taken in the first two rounds (Calais Campbell, second-rounder in 2008).
Looking ahead: Texas A&M just makes our top 20 this year, but that's likely to change moving forward. In 2021, the Aggies inked five of the top 30 defensive ends as ranked by ESPN, which supplements an already impressive group that includes preseason All-SEC lineman DeMarvin Leal.
