Two San Diego State football players – one on both sides of the ball – were named on NFL.com’s list of the top 100 College Football Players of 2016.
Not surprisingly, senior running back Donnel Pumphrey, who is primed to break Marshall Faulk’s career rushing record of 4589 yards (he needs on 317) this year, made the list, coming in at no. 97.
Pumphrey is though by some to be a darkhorse contender for the Doak Walker Award, which is give to the top running back, as well as the prestigious Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in FBS each year.
Alabama RB Derrick Henry won both awards in 2015.
Pumphrey had 1653 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2015, despite sharing the load with senior back Chase Price, who also surpassed 1,00 yards, the first time two Aztecs have rushed for quadruple digits in the same season.
But the highest ranked player was senior cornerback Damontae Kazee, who broke the top 65 with the no. 62 spot.
Kazee had declared for the 2016 NFL Draft in December after a breakout season during which he intercepted eight passes, which was good for second in the FBS, but decided to come back for his final year on the Mesa.
The two will be instrumental for the Aztecs this season, as they look to continue on their 10-game winning streak that they experienced to end the 2015 season that led them to an 11-3 record and a Mountain West championship.
The Aztecs are thought by some to be potential New Years Six contenders, and look to be one of the best Group of Five teams coming into 2016.
The top team from the Group, which is made up by the Mountain West, American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid -American and Sun Belt Conferences, gets an automatic bid to a NY6 bowl. Houston earned the bid in 2015, and won the Peach Bowl over Florida State University, 34-24.
