Building the Perfect College Football Offense in 2023
Bleacher Report is on a quest to bring you the perfect college football team for the 2023 season. We rolled out the defense yesterday, and now it's the offense's turn.
This is an unstoppable group that includes a Heisman Trophy winner, a duo of dynamite pass-catchers who happen to be real-life teammates and an offensive line that would shut down any pass rush you could throw at it.
We're going to throw it around, but we've also got a running back (who may anger an exceptional Big Ten team) that we can rely on, too. That's right: Blake Corum didn't quite make the cut, though he'd be our No. 2 runner if we were allowed to carry two.
How good is this team? Neither Corum nor North Carolina superstar quarterback Drake Maye made the list. Both received heavy consideration, as did a slew of worthy receivers like USC's Dorian Singer and Mario Williams, Arizona's Jacob Cowing, Oregon's Troy Franklin and Texas' Xavier Worthy.
Those who did make the list are exceptional in their own right, and good luck stopping them.
Quarterback: Caleb Williams, USC
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You've got to be pretty great to beat out Drake Maye and his elite, dual-threat abilities. But for a 2023 all-star team, it would be pretty silly to bypass the Heisman Trophy winner, especially when you can surround him with the talent we have.
Of course, USC coach Lincoln Riley has provided quarterback Caleb Williams with some all-world receivers like Dorian Singer, Mario Williams, Brenden Rice, Zachariah Branch and others.
Williams' season didn't end the way he wanted it to in 2023, when his not-safe-for-work painted fingernails didn't equate to a win over Utah in the Pac-12 title game. Then, with Williams playing through an injury he suffered against the Utes, the Trojans were upset by Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.
A frustrating finale did nothing to douse the scorching season Williams enjoyed, one that saw him complete nearly 67 percent of his passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also added 382 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
An argument could be made that Maye did as much with less talent around him, but a peek into the stats shows he accounted for just 100 more yards than Williams, and Williams was responsible for seven more touchdowns. Plus, he played for a better team.
So, we rolled with the Heisman winner here. Either one would be a great selection.
Running Back: Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
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Again, a little discussion about who isn't here is warranted. That's particularly true when it comes to choosing a player with just one college year under his belt over a dude like Blake Corum, who was headed for Heisman Trophy consideration before a season-ending injury in 2022.
Quinshon Judkins gets the slight recognition here over the veteran, because we believe he's just scraped the surface of his immense talent. He also did what he did as a true freshman in 2022 behind a much worse offensive line than the one Corum enjoyed at Michigan.
If the Wolverines are smart this year, they'll split carries between Donovan Edwards and Corum, but Judkins may wind up carrying more of the load for the Rebels in '23 with Zach Evans off to the NFL.
A year ago, Judkins became the freshman talk of college football on offense, finishing with 1,567 rushing yards, a 5.7 yards per carry average and 16 touchdowns. He added 132 more receiving yards and a score.
The former little-known prospect from Pike Road, Alabama, was the centerpiece of coach Lane Kiffin's offense in Oxford.
At 5'11", 200 pounds, Judkins is a durable, all-around force who has proven to be an every-down running back in the most rugged conference in America, and he has plenty of open-field burst to take it to the house when he gets to the second level.
Corum is absolutely a worthy candidate, and we'd gladly take him as RB2, but the ceiling, potential and production of Judkins were too hard to ignore.
Wide Receiver: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
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More than a decade ago, Marvin Harrison was catching passes from Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts and riding that pass-happy attack to the NFL Hall of Fame.
Don't be shocked if his son someday follows.
Those may be hefty hopes for a kid just about to enter his third collegiate season, but Marvin Harrison Jr., has the ability to be even better than his pops.
The 6'3", 202-pound receiver is big-bodied and a long-strider, but he is also deceptively fast for a player his size and actually has a frame that could hold 220 pounds. He can leap to make the big plays and possesses the strongest hands in college football. He's also a dynamic catch-and-run threat who can stretch the field.
Simply put, Harrison can do it all, and he finished second to Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt for the Biletnikoff Award a season ago, which goes to the nation's top pass-catcher. He finished the year with 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns.
While those numbers may not be quite as eye-catching in '23 with the Buckeyes now that C.J. Stroud is off to the NFL and Kyle McCord (or Devin Brown) is throwing him passes, it's not an issue on this team.
Just think of Caleb Williams flinging darts to Harrison. Ah, it's a beautiful thought, isn't it? Good luck stopping that, defenses.
Enjoy Harrison's last college year before he goes and gets big-time money in the NFL.
Wide Receiver: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
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You don't have to go far from Marvin Harrison Jr. to find the second receiver on our all-star offense.
Sometimes, he's lined up right beside him.
Harrison's teammate, Emeka Egbuka, was actually a higher-rated prospect than Harrison coming out of high school in Washington, and he chose to go across the country and play for Ryan Day and Brian Hartline. That's proving to be a strong decision.
With Jaxon Smith-Njigba hurt much of the season, the Buckeyes didn't miss a beat with Harrison, Egbuka and Julian Fleming torching defensive backs everywhere. The name of Egbuka's game is pristine route-running and phenomenal hands.
The 6'1", 190-pound pass-catcher may not be a blazing-fast receiver, but he possesses excellent top-end speed and has shown his ability to separate from defensive backs time and time again.
He's just a stylistic phenom, and that equates to big numbers. The Buckeyes need him to provide the same type of leadership in the passing game as he did a year ago when he was dynamic with C.J. Stroud throwing him the ball.
Egbuka stood firmly in Harrison's shadow but had an All-America year in his own rights, catching 74 balls for 1,151 yards and 11 scores. He also added a pair of rushing touchdowns, just to show he can be a force any way you get him the ball.
Wide Receiver: Rome Odunze, Washington
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An argument could be made for any of the Pac-12's terrific receivers to get the third spot on this list, but Rome Odunze gets the spot because of his all-around ability.
The Washington Huskies came from nowhere last year in coach Kalen DeBoer's first season in Seattle, and the infusion of a high-octane passing attack led by Michael Penix was the culprit.
The weaponry around Penix wasn't bad, either.
Odunze is a 6'3", 201-pound pass-catcher from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, and he was a breakout performer a year ago with 75 catches for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the conference in receiving yards and was second in receptions per game.
Before the '22 season, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb hand-picked Odunze as the team's biggest and most dangerous deep threat, according to Fan Nation's Dan Raley.
"Yes, Rome," Grubb said. "I think Jalen McMillan can do the same thing at any one point, but I think Rome is that guy."
Grubb's words proved prophetic, as McMillan was more than a complementary player with 79 catches, 1,098 yards and nine scores. But Odunze provided the explosion.
Now, they could wind up being catalysts on a dark-horse Pac-12 title team in '23. On this team, though, with all the attention on Harrison, he'd break out and be a statistical machine.
Tight End: Brock Bowers, Georgia
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Brock Bowers gets a lot of attention because he plays for the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs, but his dominant ability alone is enough to turn heads.
It isn't every day you have a freshman come from nowhere to be a title-winner's top receiver, especially considering the buzz that surrounded Arik Gilbert and Darnell Washington. But that's what Bowers did in 2021, and he was just as good a season ago.
Blessed with exceptional speed for his size, Bowers is a matchup nightmare.
Now that offensive coordinator Todd Monken is off to the NFL, new play-caller Mike Bobo had better get Bowers involved early and often if the Bulldogs are going to grow on that side of the ball in the post-Stetson Bennett era.
In two years in Athens, the 6'4", 230-pound Bowers has 119 catches for 1,824 yards and 20 touchdowns. Monken was innovative enough to design Bowers some running plays that produced four more scores.
It's not an uncommon sight to see the tight end lumbering down the middle of the field and actually separating from defensive backs. He's that much of an athletic phenom.
Bowers' value cannot be undersold in '23 with the Dawgs breaking in a new coordinator and quarterback. Just how irreplaceable is he?
"Outside of returning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams," Saturday Down South's Connor O'Gara wrote, "I'd take Bowers over any returning player in America."
It's a bold statement, but not one without merit. Bowers is special, and he'd look darn unstoppable on this team.
Right Tackle: Olu Fashanu, Penn State
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If you want a blueprint for a left tackle, Olumuyiwa Fashanu (who goes by "Olu") fits the bill. His picture could be beside "Prototypical Left Tackle" in the football dictionary.
On this team, he's going to move over to the right side because of a star veteran we'll get to in a couple of slides.
He is 6'6", 308 pounds, extremely athletic and has long arms. Thrust into action last year as a sophomore, he thrived and instantly landed on NFL teams' radars. It's just a matter of time before he makes a ton of money upon leaving Happy Valley.
Until then, he's going to love being an anchor in an offense that will see Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen run everywhere and blocking for new quarterback Drew Allar. On this all-star team, he'd be a major asset.
According to his Nittany Lions profile, the Waldorf, Maryland, product started eight games at left tackle, allowing zero sacks in 281 pass-blocking snaps. He was the coaching staff's offensive player of the game in wins over Auburn and Purdue.
He is a lockdown pass-protector, and while he could still use some work in the run game, he is still young (20 years old) and had his first real taste of starting a season ago. It's just a matter of time before he figures everything out and is a star-in-the-making.
It's certainly plausible he will be the first tackle taken in the 2024 NFL draft because of his limitless potential, Penn State's offensive line pedigree and the way he helped turn around a unit that had been uncharacteristically bad the past couple of seasons.
Fashanu is only going to get better, and this season, he is going to be among the nation's best.
Right Guard: Zak Zinter, Michigan
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When a team wins the Joe Moore Award for the nation's top offensive line two seasons in a row, you know they're doing something right.
While coach Jim Harbaugh must replace the Outland Trophy winner in Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan will replace him with one of the nation's top centers in Stanford transfer Drake Nugent. To his right will be Zak Zinter.
Either one of those guys could be this year's recipient of the prestigious award. Even if they aren't recognized, they'll be anchors on what promises to be yet another strong Wolverines unit that will open holes for Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards to plow through.
Zinter is a road-paving force who has received plenty of recognition entering what will be his final year in Ann Arbor.
The consensus All-Big Ten first-teamer was dominant in 2022, and he has started 44 games throughout his career. He's intelligent, a team leader and a force who should play a long time in the NFL.
He cited "unfinished business" upon his decision to return to Michigan, according to The Michigan Insider's Alejandro Zuniga. Considering all he's accomplished individually and with his unit, he means a national-championship run.
He'd be a stalwart on this team that, while not flashy, would be a cornerstone for success.
Center: Zach Frazier, West Virginia
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If you put Drake Nugent on this team, nobody would balk. He was brilliant a season ago for a terrible Stanford team and now moves over to the top O-line in the nation.
But West Virginia's Zach Frazier is a little bit more accomplished.
According to Pro Football Focus, "among returning Power Five centers over the last two seasons, none had a higher grade than Frazier's 82.0 mark," and he's the best in the wins above average metric.
While interior offensive linemen rarely get much love, Frazier is even less heralded because of the Mountaineers' struggles in the win column under Neal Brown. But the 6'3", 306-pound Fairmont, West Virginia, native is entering his third year as a big part of the Eers' present and future.
Frazier is a regular starter and star for WVU, having started 25 consecutive games and 33 in his career. Thrust into the starting lineup at center—a position he'd never played before—as a freshman, he took it and ran.
The rest is history. Now, he has the potential to be one of the best offensive linemen from the school in years, and he has a ton of attributes that can help him at the next level.
"He's a weight-room junkie," WVU offensive line coach Matt Moore told SI.com's Christopher Hall before the '22 season. "He's so much more athletic and faster than what people really give him credit for,because he really looks like a mover—runs really well."
Frazier is an underrated force in the center of the line.
Left Guard: Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
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The top returning guard in the nation is Kansas State's Cooper Beebe, so we're going to put him on the same side as the nation's top tackle prospect so Quinshon Judkins can run for days.
Protecting Caleb Williams' blind side is vital to the success of this all-star team, and this side of the offensive line is where pass rushes go to die.
Beebe was a big reason why the Wildcats won the Big 12 a season ago and why Deuce Vaughn has been one of the nation's top playmakers throughout his career in the Little Apple.
If you want an Outland Trophy contender from the interior of the offensive line, Beebe's your guy. The 6'4", 332-pound Kansas City, Kansas, native is a mammoth road block in the center of the offensive line, and he's also the poster boy for recruiting rankings being an inexact science, especially with offensive linemen.
That position is all about how you develop, where you go and how you fit. Beebe was the nation's No. 1,433-ranked player in the nation in the 2019 recruiting class and the 94th-best defensive tackle in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite.
He may wind up being a late-round selection in next year's NFL draft simply because guards are not coveted. But he is back under Chris Klieman and could play his way up boards and into the conversation to be a mid-rounder.
Whatever the case, he has the build and the talent to be a longtime starter in the NFL. Before that, he's going to be a force in the Big 12 as he tries to help the Wildcats and new running back Treshaun Ward repeat as conference champs.
Left Tackle: Joe Alt, Notre Dame
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Just how good is Notre Dame's Joe Alt? He was probably the best offensive tackle in the nation last year as a sophomore, and the All-American is back in South Bend for another season to get even better.
It would be a surprise if he's not the top-rated tackle in the '24 draft. Likely, his only challenger will be the dude on the other side of this line (Fashanu). Alt plays left tackle for the Fighting Irish, and he's going to be the next in a long line of great ones to come from the school.
Last season, he was dominant. According to Pro Football Focus's metrics, Alt was the highest-graded and most valuable tackle in the nation. He "looks like a potential top-five pick in 2024 and the best offensive tackle prospect since Penei Sewell," wrote Max Chadwick.
That's not hyperbole. At 6'7", 317 pounds, Alt is athletic and lean for his position, but he's super powerful and is a force that few defensive ends can solve. As a high school tight end from Minneapolis, he was a 4-star prospect but 400th overall nationally.
The potential was there as an offensive tackle, which was where he was always slotted. Harry Hiestand took him and turned him into a star, and whoever the Irish hire as the next O-line coach will have the nation's best anchoring his unit.
Alongside fellow tackle Blake Fisher, Alt makes up the nation's top duo at the position. Yes, the Irish must replace their guards, but it will help having such elite talent on the edges. He can move over to our all-star team and dominate.
All stats courtesy of cfbstats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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