There are plenty of examples proving that an elite college football career is no guarantee of NFL stardom. Johnny Manziel, Ryan Leaf, and JaMarcus Russell are just three athletes who found that the leap to the professional game can be a brutal one. There is no guarantee that an accomplished Saturday game history will mean anything once the real business comes around on a Sunday.

There are so many new pressures to deal with in the pro game, that even some of the very best college athletes struggle to make an impact. Unlike basketball, where the number one pick invariably becomes a franchise athlete, becoming an instant hit in the NFL is a much rarer occurrence.

But there are some who navigate the transition well. If you were to read a BetOnline review to see whether it was a good sportsbook for NFL betting, there is a good chance that it would be to back one of the athletes covered here. MyTopSportsbooks is a good place to discover top betting sites, but here are are six young men with only a few years of NFL experience, who already look like future Hall of Famers.

Ja’Marr Chase

A Louisiana native, Ja’Marr Chase won a Fred Biletnikoff Award and a College Football Playoff National Championship in his time with LSU, before being taken by the Cincinnati Bengals with the fifth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Chase opted out of a COVID-affected third collegiate season before going pro.

Chase reunited with his college QB, Joe Burrow, in Cincinnati, and the pair teamed up to great effect, catapulting the team from an also-ran to the Super Bowl in their first year back together. He has played almost every game since being drafted, and if he can keep up his record-breaking start to his pro career, he will surely be considered for the Hall of Fame.

Kyle Hamilton

Born in Greece and having lived in Russia and Israel as a child, thanks to his pro basketball player father, Kyle Hamilton eventually settled in Atlanta, Georgia, and showed the talent and skill to earn a place on the Notre Dame football team. His numerous interceptions and defensive performances there saw him go to the Ravens with the 14th pick of the 2022 draft.

Hamilton played in 16 of 17 games in his rookie season, when the Ravens made the playoffs. He was named as a starting strong safety a year later and has been an ever-present since. He is a three-time Pro Bowler already and is a major reason why Baltimore are consistently tipped to go deep in the postseason.

Aidan Hutchinson

Born and raised in Michigan, Aidan Hutchinson stayed true to his home state by becoming a Wolverine and playing four years of college football. In his senior year, he was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, the only defensive player among three quarterbacks up for the award. He was then taken by the Lions with the second overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hutchinson started breaking records and making interceptions almost immediately in the pro game, starting every single game in his first two seasons – including the playoff games in 2023. He suffered a terrible double bone leg break injury the next season but has come back even stronger and is arguably one of the best edge rushers in the league.

Patrick Surtain II

After earning multiple All-American honors and winning a national championship with Alabama, Patrick Surtain II declared himself eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft and ended up being taken by the Denver Broncos with the ninth overall pick. His impressive tackles, interceptions, and forced fumbles numbers suggested he would make a great pro cornerback.

Surtain soon became indispensable for the Broncos and was named as the starting cornerback early on in his rookie season. He has been named to the Pro Bowl in four of his five completed pro seasons, and was named as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. A Hall of Fame place may well be his in the future.

Maxx Crosby

A relentless edge rusher, Maxx Crosby played college football at Eastern Michigan, as it was the only program that offered him a scholarship. He was selected to the All-MAC team twice in his three years as an Eagle, and has since had the stadium named in his honor after he made a very generous donation to his old school.

Crosby wasn’t picked by the Raiders until the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but his multiple trips to the Pro Bowl, as well as his highly impressive tackle and sack numbers, have proven that he was always destined to be a big deal in the NFL. After battling alcoholism issues in his early professional years, Crosby has continued to be a shining example to all young athletes.

Drake Maye

It is always tough to confidently predict that a young quarterback will continue his college form into a long and successful pro career, but Drake Maye has started in impressive fashion. He was ACC Player of the Year as a sophomore at North Carolina, and was ultimately taken by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Pats have quite a history when it comes to elite quarterbacks, so the pressure was even greater for Maye stepping into the position as signal-caller. Initially a back-up, he became a starter early on in that rookie season, and then took New England all the way to the Super Bowl last year. The Pats are finding it a little more difficult this season, but Maye is continuing to look like a star of the future.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  We are pleased to present our post-2025 revision of our top 50 Jacksonville Jaguars.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Duration and Impact.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Advanced Statistics.

4.  Playoff performance.

5. Their respective legacy on the team.

6. How successful the team was when he was there.

7. Respecting the era in which they played.

Criteria 1-4 will make up the lion’s share of the algorithm.  Please note that we have implemented this for the first time.  This has changed the rankings all throughout the board.

Last year, the Jaguars went 13-4 and won the AFC South, but lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card.  As a young franchise coming off a good year, there were three additions and two elevations in the Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, with no changes occurring.

1. Jimmy Smith
2. Fred Taylor
3. Tony Boselli
4. Mark Brunell
5. Maurice Jones-Drew

You can find the complete list here:

Two-time Pro Bowl Linebacker Josh Hines-Allen rocketed from #28 to #16.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence also jumped significantly.  He moved from #33 to #21.

Linebacker Devin Lloyd, who is now with the Carolina Panthers, makes his first appearance on the list.  He is ranked at #34.

Running Back Travis Etienne Jr., who is now with the New Orleans Saints, enters at #35.

Linebacker Foyesade Oloukun makes his first appearance at #49.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

October baseball often turns individual pitching performances into lasting postseason memories. Strikeout totals measure that impact, showing how effectively starters handle pressure against increasingly demanding lineups.

This postseason presents four contrasting cases, from record-breaking velocity to precise command and carefully managed workloads. Jacob Misiorowski, Gavin Williams, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Drew Rasmussen each approach October differently. Their performances could shape both their developing postseason reputations and expectations for individual strikeout totals throughout this year's playoffs.

1. Misiorowski's Velocity Meets a Contact Problem

Milwaukee Brewers

2026 Strikeouts: 252

Jacob Misiorowski enters October with exceptional strikeout credentials. Across 30 regular-season starts, he posted a 16-5 record, a 1.80 ERA and an MLB-leading 252 strikeouts in 174⅔ innings. His 12.985 strikeouts per nine innings underline the challenge facing opposing hitters. Those numbers also make him a compelling player when examining MLB strikeout props during the postseason.

His playoff opener against San Diego immediately demonstrated that potential. Misiorowski unleashed a 104.8 mph pitch to Fernando Tatis Jr., establishing a postseason pitch-tracking record. He struck out two batters during a scoreless first inning, suggesting his overwhelming regular-season form could translate directly into October dominance.

However, San Diego exposed a different challenge. Misiorowski pitched four innings, allowing two runs while striking out six. Padres hitters repeatedly fouled off his fastball, producing only four swinging misses across 28 swings against the pitch. Their 30 foul balls through the first four innings were the most by any team over that span in a postseason game since pitch tracking began in 2008.

Strikeout totals depend partly on innings pitched. Longer at-bats increase pitch counts and can shorten outings, even when a pitcher strikes out often. Misiorowski's October legacy may therefore depend on converting extraordinary velocity into sustained dominance against disciplined lineups.

2. Williams Turns Survival Into a Strikeout Showcase

Cleveland Guardians

2026 Strikeouts: 248

Gavin Williams has already shown how workload and strikeout production can reinforce each other. His postseason performances have combined exceptional individual numbers with the demands of consecutive elimination situations, creating a distinctive chapter in Cleveland's playoff history.

Williams recorded 12 strikeouts in a crucial Saturday appearance, matching Charles Nagy's franchise postseason record. That performance also tied Cam Schlittler for the second-highest strikeout total in a winner-take-all postseason game. Across the series, Williams accumulated 24 strikeouts, trailing only Gerrit Cole's 25 during Houston's 2019 American League Division Series.

His workload makes those figures particularly remarkable. Williams became just the third pitcher in postseason history to record a game's final out before starting the following contest, with elimination threatening his team in both appearances. Hank Borowy and Mordecai Brown previously achieved that demanding sequence.

Unlike those predecessors, Williams led his team to a win in the second game. That distinction strengthens his developing October reputation while raising questions about his workload going forward. His ALCS strikeout totals will depend on his ability to stay effective after unusually demanding appearances, especially as opponents adjust to his approach and Cleveland weighs how deep he can go.

3. Yamamoto Builds a Postseason Strikeout Resume

LA Dodgers

2026 Strikeouts: 182

Williams has produced at an extraordinary level under elimination pressure. Yoshinobu Yamamoto offers a contrasting model, building his postseason reputation on command, consistency, and sustained efficiency. Rather than relying primarily on overpowering velocity, the Dodgers starter combines effective sequencing with an ability to generate strikeouts without surrendering control of an outing.

His performance against Atlanta illustrated those qualities.The latest MLB game insights show that Yamamoto set a postseason career high with 10 strikeouts in seven innings, allowing one run in a 3-1 win. He retired 12 of his first 14 opponents, using his signature splitter to disrupt timing and keep hitters uncomfortable throughout the early innings.

The broader postseason record supports that performance. Yamamoto owns an 8-1 playoff record with a 2.14 ERA. Across his five most recent postseason appearances, spanning Game 2 of the 2025 NLCS through his Game 3 start against Atlanta in this year's NLDS, Yamamoto allowed four runs in 33⅔ innings while recording 32 strikeouts against four walks.

Los Angeles has also won 10 of his 11 postseason appearances. For strikeout projections, his ability to limit walks and eat innings sets him apart from pitchers whose effectiveness depends heavily on velocity. His developing legacy rests on repeated performances rather than isolated displays of dominance.

4. Rasmussen's Efficiency Faces a Volume Test

Tampa Bay Rays

2026 Strikeouts: 174

Yamamoto's command creates opportunities to rack up strikeouts over longer outings. Drew Rasmussen approaches the same challenge differently. The Tampa Bay starter relies on deception, sequencing, and efficient execution, making his postseason strikeout potential especially sensitive to how his innings are managed.

Rasmussen's 2026 regular-season strikeout rate sat below Misiorowski and Williams, but workload can change his ceiling considerably. He demonstrated that in the ALDS by striking out 10 across eight scoreless innings against New York. For his strikeout props, projected innings may therefore matter as much as his underlying strikeout rate.

Pitch counts matter most when evaluating Rasmussen's October potential. An efficient five-inning appearance may help Tampa Bay remain competitive while still producing fewer strikeouts than a longer outing. Conversely, reaching the sixth or seventh inning creates more opportunities to rack up punchouts, provided he remains effective against hitters who face him repeatedly.

Bullpen availability and postseason scheduling introduce further complications. Tampa Bay may adjust Rasmussen's workload based on matchups, recovery periods, and immediate game circumstances. His October legacy could therefore emerge through dependable performances rather than spectacular individual totals. 

Among these four pitchers, Rasmussen presents perhaps the clearest example of why strikeout projections must account for managerial decisions alongside pitching ability.

Four Different Paths to October Recognition

October reputations are built on performances that withstand increasing pressure. Misiorowski brings extraordinary velocity but faces questions about extended at-bats. Williams has already produced historic strikeout totals under elimination pressure, while Yamamoto offers consistency through command and sustained effectiveness. Rasmussen introduces another dimension, with workload decisions influencing his statistical ceiling.

Together, these pitchers show why you can't judge postseason strikeout totals by raw ability alone. Opposing lineups, pitch counts and innings pitched will help determine which performances become lasting October memories for baseball fans.

Content reflects information available as of 2026/10/13; subject to change.

For decades, the sports debate ran on gut feeling. Barstool arguments, call-in radio and comment sections were full of confident takes, but almost nobody kept score on who was actually right. That is changing. Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket now let thousands of people put real money behind their views on NFL games, MLB playoff series, Champions League nights and even esports finals. The prices on those markets move every few seconds, and the people trading them leave a public record of every call they make.

That record turns out to be one of the most interesting data sets in sports today. When you can see which traders have consistently read games well over hundreds of matches, you stop listening to the loudest voice and start paying attention to the most accurate one.

Why market prices beat hot takes

A betting line is set by a bookmaker who wants balanced action. A prediction market price is different: it is the crowd's live estimate of a probability. If a team is trading at 62 cents to win, the market collectively thinks it wins about 62 percent of the time. When an injury report drops or a starting pitcher is scratched, that number moves within minutes. Watching a market chart during a game is a little like watching the crowd's confidence rise and fall in real time.

This makes prediction markets a useful lens even for fans who never place a trade. A sudden swing tells you that something meaningful happened, often before the broadcast crew catches up. A price that refuses to move despite a lot of noise on social media tells you the public panic may be overdone.

Following the people who are actually good

The more interesting question is not what the market thinks, but who inside the market keeps getting it right. Most traders are roughly break-even over time. A small group consistently finds value, especially in less crowded leagues and in esports, where public information is thinner and specialists have a real edge.

Tracking those traders used to require digging through raw transaction histories. Free tools now do that work. Sites like Tips pull public trading activity from Kalshi and Polymarket, filter out the noise, and show which predictors have a strong record league by league. You can see what a proven trader picked tonight, how much they put behind it and how their record looks over the last 30 days. For esports in particular, the site collects live picks and post-match fan reaction for leagues like the LoL World Championship, VCT and CS2 majors, which is useful if you follow those scenes but do not have time to watch every map. You can browse those esports predictions here.

A healthier way to argue about sports

None of this replaces the fun of having your own opinion. What it does is add accountability. When the debate is "who was right last month," a public track record settles it quickly. It also pushes fans to think in probabilities instead of certainties. A 60/40 game is not a lock, and the best traders are comfortable being wrong four times out of ten as long as their reads are priced correctly.

For readers of a site that celebrates careers built over many seasons, that idea should feel familiar. Greatness in sports is measured over a long body of work, not a single highlight. The same is true for predictions: one lucky call means very little, but a strong record over hundreds of games tells you something real.

Prediction markets are still young, and regulation varies by country, so it is worth checking the rules where you live before trading. But as a source of information, the data they produce is already changing how informed fans read a matchup. Next time a big game is coming up, look at what the market is saying and who the consistently accurate traders are backing. You may find it sharpens your own take more than another round of hot takes ever could.