Top Players Who Have Opted Out of the CFB Season

Out of sight, out of mind.

Several months and hundreds of college football games have passed since some of the biggest names in college football opted out of the 2020-21 season.

Micah Parsons. Ja'Marr Chase. Penei Sewell.

Those guys were expected to be first-team All-Americans and impact players for nationally relevant teams. Instead, they have already begun preparation for the upcoming NFL draft, leaving their college careers in the rearview.

Those three are far from the only notable opt-outs, and more players have joined the list each week as the season has progressed.

As a refresher of sorts, we've put together a rundown of the top players who have opted out of the college football season.

Let's start with some honorable mentions.

Other Notable Opt-Outs

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Jamie Newman

Before we get started, here are a few other notable players who opted out of the 2020 season:

• RB Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma
• S Paris Ford, Pittsburgh
• RB Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis
• RB Javian Hawkins, Louisville
• RB Kylin Hill, Mississippi State
• S Jevon Holland, Oregon
• CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
• OT Walker Little, Stanford
• WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU
• QB Jamie Newman, Georgia
• DT Levi Onwuzurike, Washington
• CB Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
• DT Tyler Shelvin, LSU
• OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern
• WR Sage Surratt, Wake Forest
• LB Joe Tryon, Washington
• RB Pooka Williams Jr., Kansas

WR Rashod Bateman, Minnesota

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After opting out in August when the Big Ten season was delayed, Rashod Bateman quickly opted back in and rejoined the Minnesota roster when the season resumed.

He ended up playing five games before opting out again following a COVID-19 outbreak on the Minnesota roster, finishing his season with 36 catches for 472 yards and two touchdowns.

"[It] was a joy to watch Rashod develop into an All-American receiver on the field and a strong, positive advocate for social change off of it. He is one of the best to ever represent Minnesota," Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck told reporters.

Huge games against Michigan (nine catches, 101 yards), Illinois (10 catches, 139 yards, one touchdown) and Iowa (eight catches, 111 yards, one touchdown) showcased the elite mix of physicality and pass-catching ability that should make him an impact player on Sundays.

He played second fiddle to 2020 fifth-round pick Tyler Johnson last season but still finished with 60 catches for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 20.3 yards per catch led the Big Ten, illustrating his big-play ability despite a lack of elite speed.

In a deep crop of wide receiver talent, he'll be one of the first pass-catchers off the board in the 2021 NFL draft.

WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU

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After a mass exodus of talent to the NFL draft, including Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the last thing the LSU offense needed was for star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase to opt out of the season.

A 4-star recruit and top-100 player nationally in 2018, he saw significant action as a true freshman, hauling in 23 receptions for 313 yards and three touchdowns.

That was only the start.

As a sophomore, he was the most dynamic receiver in one of the most productive passing attacks in college football history, tallying 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns to earn consensus first-team All-American honors and take home the Biletnikoff Award.

Unlike other players on this list who opted out as a result of COVID-19 concerns, his decision to sit out the 2020 season was rooted in focusing on his future in the NFL.

"Sources told CBS Sports on Aug. 30 that Chase's decision was not specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather, it is believed agents may have simply convinced Chase to leave before his third collegiate season," Dennis Dodd of CBSSports wrote.

He remains WR1 in a stacked class of pass-catchers.

OT Samuel Cosmi, Texas

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A 3-star recruit out of high school whose only Power Five offers came from Texas and TCU, offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi originally committed to the University of Houston before flipping to the Longhorns when Tom Herman took over as head coach.

Checking in at an athletic 6'5", 260 pounds when he arrived on campus, Cosmi redshirted as a true freshman.

He started 13 games at right tackle the following year before shifting to left tackle and earning second-team All-Big 12 honors last season. Now listed at 6'7", 309 pounds, he was viewed as one of the nation's elite offensive linemen entering 2021, and he solidified his standing over the Longhorns' first eight games.

His opt-out decision came following a 23-20 loss to Iowa State on Nov. 27 that officially eliminated Texas from the Big 12 title race.

Now he turns his attention to the 2021 draft, during which he could be the second offensive lineman off the board after Oregon's Penei Sewell.

CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Caleb Farley came to Virginia Tech as a 3-star recruit, redshirting his freshman season before taking his place in the Hokies secondary.

As a redshirt sophomore, he emerged as one of the nation's top cornerbacks, tallying four interceptions and 12 pass deflections to earn first-team All-ACC honors.

He opted to return for his junior season rather than declaring for the 2020 draft but became one of the first high-profile players to opt out of the 2021 season in late July.

"Guys were going home, going to Myrtle Beach, coming back to campus, and we weren't getting tested. We're all together, working out, close to each other, and you have no real idea who might have it, if anybody might have it. One day I looked around, and we were like 100-deep in our indoor facility, no masks. My concern grew more and more," Farley told reporters.

Despite not taking the field this year, he remains the No. 1 cornerback in the 2021 draft class according to many draft experts, though Alabama standout Patrick Surtain II is not far behind.

LB Micah Parsons, Penn State

Barry Reeger/Associated Press

Micah Parsons was one of the first big-name players to opt out when the Big Ten postponed its season, and despite some hope from the Penn State side that he would opt back in once the season resumed, the best linebacker in the country decided instead to continue focusing on the NFL draft.

Turns out, he avoided climbing onto a sinking ship. Penn State is off to a disastrous 2-5 start after beginning the year in the Top 10 of the AP Poll.

It's fair to wonder how much of an impact Parsons would have had after a brilliant sophomore season in which he tallied 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, five pass deflections and four forced fumbles to earn consensus first-team All-American honors.

He played in 13 games as a true freshman the previous year after coming to Penn State as a 5-star recruit, logging 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

His 6'3", 245-pound frame belies his explosive sideline-to-sideline speed, and he is capable of controlling the run and rushing the passer from his linebacker spot.

He's the safest and most NFL-ready defensive player in the 2021 draft class.

DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami

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One of the most dynamic defensive players in college football during the 2019 season, Gregory Rousseau led the ACC in tackles for loss (19.5) and sacks (15.5) as a redshirt freshman.

That sack total trailed only Chase Young (16.5) nationally, and in what is shaping up to be an offense-heavy 2021 draft class, he is one of the group's elite defensive players.

Expected to be the leader of a dynamic Miami defensive front that was adding transfers Quincy Roche and Jaelan Phillips, he instead became one of the first notable players to opt out of the season in early August.

"We want to thank him for everything he's done for the Miami Hurricanes and we're going to support him every way that we can, with him looking to achieve his dreams of becoming a great player in the National Football League," Miami head coach Manny Diaz told reporters.

After he missed the bulk of his true freshman season with an injury, which led to his redshirt, teams will only have one season of tape to go on while analyzing his draft stock.

Still, with all the physical tools to be a star off the edge, he's a clear candidate to be selected in the first round.

OT Penei Sewell, Oregon

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Penei Sewell would already be starting in the NFL if not for the three-year rule.

He was a consensus first-team All-American in 2019, taking home the Morris Trophy and Outland Trophy to solidify his standing as the best offensive lineman in the nation.

With that, he turned his attention to the NFL after the Pac-12 season was initially postponed.

"Ever since I was a little, I have dreamt of playing professional football," Sewell stated in a tweet. "Accordingly, after long thought, prayer and many conversations with my family, I have decided to opt out of the 2020-2021 college football season and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft."

The 6'6", 325-pound left tackle will be the first offensive lineman off the board in the upcoming draft, and he could be the No. 1 target of both the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers a year after they selected their franchise quarterbacks.

All stats courtesy of Sports Reference. Recruiting info comes via 247Sports.