After a short break, the college football future power rankings return, possibly providing some excitement while everyone craves the return of sports. We flip to the other side of the ball with the defenses and ask: Which units project best during the next three seasons?
As a reminder, these rankings examine the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons, considering both current rosters and future recruiting classes. There’s also a coaching component to consider. For example, Clemson has produced elite quarterbacks and wide receivers for years, but the Tigers’ upgrades on defense under coordinator Brent Venables made them an annual College Football Playoff team. It’s hard to see Clemson ever falling too far as long as Venables is calling plays.
You can check out the quarterback rankings here. Let’s get started with the top 25 defenses through the 2022 season.