With this season having such high expectations surrounding it, this ranking list isn't much of a shock if you ask me. Hell, last week the entire team was projected as the 20th best team in the nation heading out of the offseason. So, to see two players off the team ranked inside the top fifty makes a whole lot of sense.
In ESPN's preseason predictions, their staff ranked College football's top 100 players for 2022:
Will Anderson Jr. - Alabama (OLB)
Bryce Young - Alabama (QB)
C.J. Stroud - Ohio State (QB)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Ohio State (WR)
Bijan Robinson - Texas (RB)
Jalen Carter - Georgia (DT)
TreVeyon Henderson - Ohio State (RB)
Brock Bowers - Georgia (TE)
Jordan Addison - USC (WR)
Caleb Williams - USC (QB)
Kayshon Boutte - LSU (WR)
Duece Vaughn - Kansas State (RB)
Bryan Bresee - Clemson (DT)
Kelee Ringo - Georgia (CB)
Sean Tucker - Syracuse (RB)
Michael Mayer - Notre Dame (TE)
Noah Sewell - Oregon (LB)
Myles Murphy - Clemson (DE)
Devin Leary - NC State (QB)
Jahmyr Gibbs - Alabama (RB)
The list goes all the way to No. 50 and Kentucky's two players fall just outside of the top twenty-five. Quarterback Will Levis ranks at No.33 while running back Chris Rodriguez ranks at No. 41.
We're of course still unsure of what the future holds for Chris Rodriguez as to how long he'll be suspended, but if I had to guess, I'd say just for the first game versus Miami (OH) alongside an additional but smaller disciplinary action that's less than a second game suspension.
The team is currently wrapping up summer camp through weekly scrimmages and we're now under three weeks till kickoff.