Oklahoma Sooners Football: Dede Westbrook Leads ESPN’s List of the Top 50 Players in College Football

ESPN updated its list of the top 50 college football players in the country, and Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook has taken the spot once occupied by Louisville’s Lamar Jackson.

10 writers graded players from across the country on a scale of 1 to 10, and Westbrook led the way with an average rating of 9.9. He leads Jackson (9.8), Alabama DL Jonathan Allen (9.75), Texas RB D’Onta Foreman (9.7) and Michigan utility player Jabrill Peppers (9.65). Baker Mayfield, comes in at No. 9 on the list, receiving an average grade of 9.45.

Westbrook will have a tough time winning the Heisman Trophy due to the fact that he’s a receiver, but it’s nice to see him receiving all of this national recognition. Coming into the year, most of us were quite skeptical in Westbrook’s ability to fill Sterling Shepard’s big shoes, but he’s quieted all the doubters since fully recovering from a pulled muscle that had been bothering him since fall camp. Westbrook has 70 receptions for 1,345 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he’s one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the best receiver in the country (regardless of position).

In addition to being ranked highly in this poll, Westbrook and Mayfield are near the top of ESPN’s Heisman Watch, with Westbrook sitting at 3rd and Baker at 4th.