The College Football Playoff field is set, and it features three programs that have not won a national championship this millennium — No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Cincinnati — along with No. 1 Alabama, the reigning national champion. A fresh playoff field in 2021 also delivers a new slate of playmakers that can redefine the national title race.
The four-team field features some of the best players in the nation, including Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, Thorpe Award winner Coby Bryant, Butkus Award winner Nakobe Dean and Rotary Lombardi winner Aidan Hutchinson. There are seven national award winners in all between the teams, along with 11 players voted to the CBS Sports All-America team.
This list doesn’t simply rank the best players, however. Instead, the collection below includes the players who are best poised to change everything for their teams and deliver a national championship on Jan. 10, 2022.
Without further ado, here are the 20 most impactful players in the 2021 College Football Playoff.
Haskins is the engine that makes Michigan’s highly-efficient offense go. The battering ram leads the Wolverines with 261 carries for 1,288 yards and 20 touchdowns, the latter of which leads the Power Five. Haskins’ consistent play has carried Michigan in its biggest games, especially when he ran for 169 yards and five touchdowns against Ohio State. He won’t make many highlight reels, but his workmanlike production is why UM is playing on this stage.
Since Adam Anderson was suspended, Georgia has struggled to generate a consistent pass rush. However, Walker is poised to cause havoc on the edge. Walker posted 21 quarterback hurries and four sacks as part of that vaunted Bulldogs unit, impressive numbers for the…
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