247 Sports released its annual Composite Team Talent Rankings this morning.
The system works like this: all 130 FBS college football teams are ranked according to their talent level by the 247Sports Team Talent Composite. Furthermore, the order of the teams is determined by the average rating of their signees (transfers and high school recruits) over the previous four recruiting cycles.
Coach Ryan Silverfield and Memphis are number two in the American Athletic Conference. The Tigers are behind only SMU, who have the most talented team in the conference. SMU (714 pts) is 88 points ahead of Memphis (626 pts). Meanwhile, Memphis is just four points ahead of the third-place team, South Florida.
Who is the Most Talented Player Memphis Has?
According to the 247 Sports Composite, Julian Barnett is Memphis’ most talented player. Barnett transferred to Memphis from Michigan State ahead of the 2021 season.
Sadly, a mixture of injuries and subpar play has led him to not see the field often in his time with the Tigers. Barnett is listed as a second-string cornerback on the depth chart for Saturday’s season opener. While a player’s star ranking doesn’t directly translate to on-field production, it is interesting that Memphis’ “most talented” player doesn’t play.
SMU is Loaded
SMU not only ranks as the most talented team in the conference, but it also has one of the best rosters in the nation. The Mustangs rank as the #34 overall team in the 247 Composite Talent Rankings.
They, however, have seen turnover at the most critical position on the field. QB Tanner Mordecai entered the transfer portal after two outstanding seasons with SMU. He’s now headed to Wisconsin to play for former Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell.
Who’s next up? Preston Stone is a former top 150 prospect from Dallas, TX. The redshirt sophomore will ensure that the talent dropoff at the quarterback position isn’t too steep. To put it simply, SMU didn’t rebuild. They reloaded.
However, despite this talent level, SMU has never won the AAC Championship since joining the conference in 2013.
The Best of the Rest
While SMU and Memphis are the most talented teams in the conference, some other schools are worth noting.
USF comes in at number three, but the coaches picked them to finish #13 in the conference. Make that make sense. If you’re looking for any sleepers in the conference, look no further than South Florida.
Charlotte is number seven in the talent rankings. The AAC coaches poll has them finishing last. Was new Charlotte head coach Biff Poggi right? At the AAC’s media day, he was adamant in proclaiming that his team would not finish last in the conference.
Tulane is the odds-on favorite to win the AAC. They come in at number nine here. Was last year just a one-off? Reminder: Tulane won just two games in 2021. The best player on last year’s team, RB Tyjae Spears, is now in the NFL.
All of this is just a reminder that this conference is wide open. While talent is important when building a successful team, coaching and execution are also paramount.
Memphis certainly has the talent to win the conference. Their ability to translate this talent to on-field performance will determine how far the Tigers go in 2023. And it all begins in three days.
