ESPN ranks ASU’s Cam Skattebo, Sam Leavitt on top 50 players in College Football Playoff list

The College Football Playoff is set to begin on Friday and will feature plenty of star power, and the Arizona State football team has three top 50 players in it, according to a list by ESPN.

ESPN listed running back Cam Skattebo as the third-best player in the 2024 CFP, only behind Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Writer Kyle Bonagura credits him as a big piece in the Sun Devils’ turnaround from 3-9 in 2023 to 11-2 in 2024.

Skattebo was a revelation in Arizona State’s monumental turnaround, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to rush for at least 1,500 yards and have more than 500 yards receiving in the same season. He trailed only Ashton Jeanty in yards from scrimmage this season (2,074) and finished with 22 touchdowns, including nine in his past three games.

With over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns, Skattebo was one of the top running backs in the country. For his efforts, the senior ended up on the All-American and All-Big 12 teams as well as finishing 5th in Heisman Trophy voting.

 Sam Leavitt makes list as freshman

ESPN named ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt as the 44th best player in the field. Bonagura credited Leavitt as another important part of an offense ranked 38th in the country, averaging 33.1 points per game.

As important as Cam Skattebo was, Leavitt wasn’t far behind. The Sun Devils were 11-1 with him as the starter and have not lost a game he has played since Sept. 21, a span of eight games to end the regular season. Leavitt threw for 2,663 yards with 24 touchdowns to five interceptions and his QBR (81.6) ranked No. 11 in college football.

Leavitt was one of only two freshmen on the list along with Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who was 10th.

Offensive lineman Leif Fautanu rounds out ASU players on list

Senior offensive lineman Leif Fautanu was the last ASU player to appear on the top 50 list, ranked as the 49th best player in the CFP. Bill Connelly noted Fautanu did not allow a sack, as well as his all-conference team votes in the Big 12, Pac-12 and Mountain West (with UNLV) in his college career as a key reason for his appearance on the list.

ASU’s offensive MVP in 2023, the center returned to Tempe for his senior season and became one of the rocks of the Big 12’s surprise team. Starting all 13 games, he was credited with only eight blown blocks all season — five pressures and three blown run blocks — and he will finish his career having earned all-conference votes in three separate conferences: the Mountain West (with UNLV), Pac-12 and Big 12. He’s a modern success story.