Highest Rated Player From Each Of BYU Football’s Opponents In 2020

PROVO, Utah – BYU football in 2020 will take on one of the toughest schedules the program has ever faced. The 2020 schedule features six games against Power 5 opponents.

Within this challenging schedule, who are the best players on each of these teams?

247Sports puts together a Composite Ranking which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles prospect “rankings” and “ratings” by the major media recruiting services. It converts average industry ranks and ratings into a linear composite index capping at 1.0000, which indicates a consensus No. 1 prospect across all services.

For example, the highest-rated player on BYU’s roster is senior offensive lineman Tristen Hoge. Hoge had a 0.9585 rating coming out of high school where he originally signed with Notre Dame.

This Big Cat is healthy once again and better than ever! 2020 is going to be huge Cougar Nation! #TrustintheLord #ONELASTRUNSON @BYUfootball @CoachMateos @CindyHoge @HogeTristen @royalarmybrand @InkedCougar pic.twitter.com/FlNvPSlCQp

— Marty Hoge (@martyhoge) January 2, 2020

Hoge is projected to start for the third consecutive year along BYU’s offensive line this fall.

What this study shows is that star ratings usually hit as most of these guys are some of the top players for each one of these teams in the potential 2020 season (please, don’t take the season away Coronavirus).

Here’s a look at the highest-rated players from each of BYU’s 11 games against FBS teams. Sorry, North Alabama.

Utah: Clark Phillips III, Cornerback

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9747

Phillips enters his freshman season at Utah as the school’s highest-rated recruit in program history. Originally an Ohio State commit, Phillips flipped from the Buckeyes to sign with the Utes. Now Phillips projects to be in contention to replace the vacancy left by NFL Draft pick Jaylon Johnson at cornerback.

Clark Phillips III (@ClarkPhillips21) is doing everything he can to improve his game during this pandemic.

The Crimson Corner caught up with the standout cornerback.#GoUtes https://t.co/Vg3LxmGyRf

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 13, 2020

Michigan State: Devontae Dobbs, Offensive Tackle

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9747

Dobbs was one of the highest-rated offensive tackles in the class of 2019. He appeared in four games last year while maintaining his redshirt. Now as a redshirt freshman, he projects as one of the top reserves in an experienced unit for 2020.

I know I couldn’t be the only one going through football withdrawal🤦🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/DerlwY7v09

— Devontae Dobbs (@Devontae_Dobbs) May 25, 2020

Arizona State: Jayden Daniels, Quarterback

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9832

An Elite 11 quarterback in the class of 2019, Daniels turned down the likes of Utah and USC for Arizona State. It was the right decision as Daniels has quickly become the face of the Sun Devils program who is set to compete for a Pac-12 South title this fall.

PAC-12 Player Spotlight:

Jayden Daniels (@ASUFootball QB)

– 17 TD’s & 2 ints in 2019 Fr. Season
– ESPN Freshman All American
– 355 Rushing Yards
– Ranked by 247 as the Best QB in the PAC-12 for 2020-21

pic.twitter.com/Vtfq1hwZrK

— WestCoastCFB.com (@WestCoastCFB) March 24, 2020

Minnesota: Curtis Dunlap, Offensive Line 

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9168

The Big Ten’s Outstanding Offensive Freshman last year, Dunlap started in 12 games at right guard along the Gophers offensive line. A four-star prospect in the class of 2018, Dunlap checks in at 6-foot-5, 345-pounds, and rejoins an offensive front that all returns from an 11-win season last year.

This year's Outstanding Offensive Freshman of the Year is Curtis Dunlap Jr. who was a force for the @Gopher_OLine all season! #Gophers // #SkiUMah // #RTB pic.twitter.com/TWAWeWhthF

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 16, 2019

Utah State: C.J. Pollard, Safety

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9038

Utah State head coach Gary Andersen has been loading up on adding transfers, especially in the secondary. In June the Aggies added a nice graduate transfer in C.J. Pollard from USC. Pollard will give the Aggies the versatility to play some nickel or give returning starter Shaq Bond a breather.

Cavalier great, CJ Pollard has signed with Utah State. SFG!! pic.twitter.com/Pu3jgwRCqn

— Serra Football (@Serra__Football) June 9, 2020

Missouri: Shawn Robinson, Quarterback

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9222

A transfer from TCU, Robinson projects to be Missouri’s starting quarterback in year one under new head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Robinson is a dual-threat quarterback who was the No. 7 ranked quarterback nationally in the class of 2017. Last season, Robinson redshirted due to NCAA transfer rules.

Texas ➡️ #TheZou 📝

Welcome QB Shawn Robinson #MIZ #ShowMe19 🐯🏈🖊 https://t.co/4qTJ3zqtTt

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) December 19, 2018

Houston: Deontay Anderson, Safety

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9739

The high composite score for Anderson highlights the type of talent that Houston has in its program. A transfer from Ole Miss, Anderson is a returning starter for the Coogs. In two seasons at Houston, Anderson has recorded 120 tackles.

BIG STOP.

Deontay Anderson with the TFL to force a Bearcat punt! #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/HhEF4suuEp

— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) October 12, 2019

Northern Illinois: Ross Bowers, Quarterback

247Sports Composite Score: 0.8698

A former Cal quarterback, Bowers enters his final collegiate season as a sixth-year senior. Bowers was on the roster when BYU faced Cal in 2018, but he didn’t play in that game. Last year Bowers transferred to NIU where he became the starter for the Huskies throwing for 2,130 yards. Bowers will look to improve on his 7-8 TD-INT ratio now that he’s the clear-cut starter this year.

Too Tough Tuesdays💪🏾#TheHardWay pic.twitter.com/LjWZAotAnS

— NIU Football (@NIU_Football) May 19, 2020

Boise State: Jack Sears, Quarterback

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9516

One of the more surprising graduate transfer moves this offseason was former USC quarterback Jack Sears ending up at Boise State. Sears left USC after JT Daniels and Kedon Slovis emerged as the top two quarterbacks last year. Sears was once committed to play for San Diego State but opted to go to Boise instead. This was surprising because the Broncos have sophomore Hank Bachmeier, a former four-star recruit in his own right, as the clear-cut starter.

Welcome to Bronco Football, @jackpsears12!

🔗 https://t.co/1TpVklHNgw#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/VKwquGBPg7

— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) May 19, 2020

San Diego State: Greg Bell, Running Back 

247Sports Composite Score: 0.8846

A former Nebraska transfer, Bell missed all of 2019 due to an undisclosed injury. Now he’s back and he has an opportunity to be a bounce-back story with Juwan Washington now graduated.

Stanford: Foster Sarell, Offensive Tackle

247Sports Composite Score: 0.9968

The highest-rated player BYU will face in 2020 is Stanford’s Foster Sarell. Sarell enters his junior season as a returning starting right tackle for the Cardinal.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.