CBS Sports' Pete Prisco published his "NFL Top 100 players of 2025." Not only did two former Penn State Nittany Lions make the list, they broke into the top 10. Playing high-level offense and defense, respectively, was notable as Nittany Lions and paved the way for both to be first-round picks in their respective NFL Drafts.
Saquon Barkley is CBS Sports' Pete Prisco's No. 3 top NFL player for the 2025-26 season
Unsurprisingly after a 2,000-plus rushing yard season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Barkley earned a No. 3 spot on Prisco's list. The running back was the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
In the 2024 season, he led the league in attempts and rushing yards with 345 carries for 2,005 yards in the regular season. He ranked eighth in total touchdowns scored with 13. In the postseason, Barkley tallied 499 yards on 91 carries. This included his 25 carries for 57 yards in the Super Bowl LIX 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He was awarded the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year for his 2024-25 season.
Barkley did not make the top 100 list heading into the 2024-25 season. In his reasoning for not only adding Barkley to the list but giving him the accolades he deserves, Prisco wrote:
"Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory. He can do so many things for the Eagles offense, which is why he is a real MVP candidate heading into this season."
Barkley attended Penn State from 2015 to 2017 and totaled 3,843 career rushing yards and 43 touchdowns on 671 carries. He added an addition 1,195 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 102 receptions over his three seasons with the Nittany Lions. Barkley also had nine, 200-plus-yard games over his NCAA career. After his final season, he left Penn State as its all-time rushing touchdown and total touchdown scorers. He placed fourth in Heisman Trophy voting and set 10 "first" records overall.
The former Nittany Lion appeared in three bowl games, the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, 2017 Rose Bowl, and 2017 Fiesta Bowl. In the 2016 season, he also helped bring Penn State to its fourth Big Ten Championship with a 38-31 triumph over Wisconsin.
Micah Parsons is CBS Sports' Pete Prisco's No. 10 top NFL player for the 2025-26 season
The 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2021 NFL All-Pro First team defensive end was the 12th overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 NFL Draft.
After his 2024 season, he was tied for fifth with 12 sacks in the regular season. He also had 30 solo tackles, 13 assists, and two forced fumbles. In his four seasons with the Cowboys, he's totaled 256 tackles on 172 solo tackles and 84 assists, 52.5 sacks, and nine forced fumbles.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, Parsons was in the No. 9 spot on the top 100 list. His consistency has led him back into the top 10 with Prisco writing:
"In 13 games last season, Parsons had 12 sacks and now has 52 1/2 in four seasons. He is one of the elite rushers in the game, a player who can move up and down the line to generate the pressures."
As a linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 2018 to 2019 before forgoing his junior year to enter the NFL Draft, he tied for seventh all-time career forced fumbles in program history at six. He also tied for fifth season forced fumbles with four his sophomore year. He was named a Consensus All-American by the NCAA after his final season as well. In total, he logged 192 tackles on 100 solo tackles and 92 assists. Parsons had five pass break ups, 19 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
Parsons appeared in the 2019 Cotton Bowl Classic against the Memphis Tigers. The Nittany Lions beat the Tigers 53-39 in the bowl game.