Ranking the top 10 Philadelphia-area players in college football this season

Arguably the best player in college football, Marvin Harrison Jr., is a Philadelphia native, and several other former stars from the area are also making their marks, from the East Coast to the West.

Former Haverford School standout Asim Richards was the lone local player drafted in 2023, but the next couple of draft classes have the potential to be filled with local players.

Here’s a look at the top 10 Philly-area players in college football, with the season beginning in earnest this weekend.

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Texas A&M junior Tyreek Chappell, a standout from Northeast High School, is one of several locals who play for the Aggies. A starter in 19 of 23 games with A&M, Chappell has compiled 85 tackles (5½ for losses), one interception, and 18 passes defended. Those are impressive numbers against stiff SEC competition.

His willingness to make tackles in open space and physical presence in coverage allow him to play on an island for the Aggies and be moved around in the secondary. Chappell enters year three as a key piece, with an opportunity to become a household name by the end of the season.

Former Neumann Goretti star Tysheem Johnson will make his debut with Oregon this weekend after joining the program this offseason from the transfer portal. He played his first two years of college ball with Ole Miss, where he was paired with fellow Philly native Isheem Young last season.

Johnson can play all over the secondary, even logging snaps at nickel corner and safety with the Rebels, collecting 125 tackles (eight for losses), one interception, and four passes defended. His quickness changing direction, speed, and sound tackling ability will allow him to thrive in Oregon’s defense as a potential Pac-12 title contender.

It has been a long road back for former Imhotep Charter star Tykee Smith after he missed most of the 2022 season with injuries. The West Philadelphia native returned to his pre-injury form after starting his first game at Georgia against Missouri last season. Smith played a key role on special teams and as a reserve for the reigning national champions, breaking up two passes and picking up one sack against Texas Christian in the title game.

Smith is expected to take on a starting role, playing the Bulldogs’ “star” position as a nickel back and linebacker hybrid. His aggressive style and nose for the football should make him an NFL draft prospect by season’s end.

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Timber Creek High graduate Devin Leary, New Jersey’s all-time passing yardage leader, looks to bounce back in 2023 at a new school after suffering a season-ending pectoralinjury in North Carolina State’s sixth game last season. Leary opted to transfer to Kentucky, which recently had quarterback Will Levis, a Penn State transfer selected by Tennessee in the second round of the 2023 draft.

Leary hopes to return to his 2021 form, when he threw 35 touchdowns, an N.C. State record. The methodical pro-style passer, who shows great touch on his deep passes, poise, and a high level of accuracy, could play his way into becoming a high NFL draft pick.

Eric Gentry, who stands 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, is a Neumann Goretti graduate. With a reported wingspan of 7-1¼, Gentry is one of the Trojans’ top defensive players, recording two tackles in their season-opening win over San Jose State. The junior is entering his second season with USC after starting his career with Arizona State.

His ranginess makes it nearly impossible to throw over the top of him in the middle of the field, and his versatility as a QB spy on third downs or rushing the passer allows him to impact the game in all phases. Gentry added weight to his wiry frame in the offseason.

Will Howard’s story of perseverance and resilience finally paid off last season when he took over the starting quarterback position for Kansas State midseason because of injury. The Downingtown West alumnus played at a high level in five starts, including a win in the Big 12 championship game, compiling 1,633 yards and 19 touchdowns (15 passing, 4 rushing) and leading the Wildcats to a New Year’s Six Bowl game against Alabama.

Howard, who landed on the Senior Bowl watch list, throws with great rhythm, can evade pressure in the pocket, and has the size and mobility to make plays outside the pocket.

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From early on in Penn State’s 2022 season, La Salle College High graduate Abdul Carter made his presence known at “LBU” with his multifaceted skill set. Carter, who drew comparisons to Micah Parsons from coach James Franklin, finished his freshman season with 56 tackles (10½ for losses), 6½ sacks, two forced fumbles, and four pass breakups en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors.

The rising star has athleticism and elite speed for his size (6-3, 250 pounds), reportedly running the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds. The sky is the limit for Penn State’s sophomore linebacker.

The son of the former Eagles linebacker, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is carving out his own legacy at Clemson, with the familiar No. 54 on his back. The St. Joseph’s Prep alumnus took as Clemson’s middle linebacker in 2022 and never looked back, showing the ability to diagnose runs and make plays on the ball in coverage while becoming a defensive leader.

After posting the team lead in tackles (92) and tackles for losses (13½) along with a pick-six as a sophomore, Trotter is on NFL radars with his next-level instincts and attention to detail. This season should further strengthen his NFL resumé.

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Omar Speights spent his first three years of high school at Imhotep Charter before transferring to Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, Ore. Now he’s on another journey after transferring to LSU in the offseason. The Pac-12 first-team linebacker put together a dominant 2022 season with the Beavers, collecting 83 tackles (eight for losses). He brings a reliability factor to an LSU program looking to repeat its success this season.

Speights’ natural instincts attacking downhill and his closing burst to finish tackles should aid him in his NFL pursuit, along with his disciplined eyes in coverage.

There aren’t enough adjectives to describe former St. Joe’s Prep standout Marvin Harrison Jr., a nearly certain first-round NFL pick in 2024.

His attention to detail running routes and natural athleticism shine through every time he’s on the field for Ohio State, and it’s no surprise considering he has a Hall of Fame father in his corner.

A head injury cut short his dominant College Football Playoff performance against Georgia last season. But with former Prep teammate Kyle McCord joining him as a starter, Harrison could top last year’s 77-catch, 1,263-yard, 14-touchdown season.

Honorable mention: Isheem Young, S, Mississippi (Imhotep); Micah Mazzccua, OL, Florida (Simon Gratz); Ke’Shawn Williams, WR, Wake Forest (Springside Chestnut Hill).