Tulane Green Wave Players With Best Seasons Heading Into Final Game
It has been a dream year for Jon Sumrall and the Tulane Green Wave, knocking on the door of the College Football Playoff after Willie Fritz left in what is a bit of a surprise nationally.
There was a massive overhaul in the offseason, with Sumrall bringing in a lot of talent from smaller schools around the country, the Troy Trojans included.
Pro Football Focus has been updating the grades for Green Wave players throughout the year, and it has been a mix of transfers and returning players who have stood out with the highest marks heading into the final game before championship week.
RB Makhi Hughes - 91.0
Almost anyone with eyes will be able to see that Hughes has been their best player so far. Not only just for Tulane, but as one of the top players in the entire country as well.
He has 1,291 yards on the ground this season with 15 touchdowns. While he still hasn't been a major factor in the passing game, he has 128 yards and two more scores there.
The redshirt sophomore is in the top 10 for pretty much every rushing category imaginable.
DE Adin Huntington - 84.5
Huntington has arguably been the most impactful transfer, coming over from the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.
He has picked up 19 pressures this season, second on the team. His four sacks are tied for a team lead. The senior has also been solid in the run game with 20 tackles, 12 being stops, with four going a loss.
QB Darian Mensah - 80.7
Mensah has inarguably been the biggest surprise of the year.
He was relatively unknown until he surged ahead to win the quarterback job right before the season started. The offense hasn't always had to rely on him to win games, but he is incredibly productive and efficient when they need him to be.
He has completed a conference-leading 65.9% of his passes for 2,197 yards and 18 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
The redshirt freshman has quickly built a future for himself that has NFL scouts intrigued. The Green Wave would not be where they are without him.
Fellow quarterback Ty Thompson deserves a shoutout for also being among the highest graded players with a 90.2. His role hasn't been as big as he probably envisioned when coming to New Orleans, but he has certainly contributed to winning.
Thompson is 6-for-11 through the air for 74 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest contributions, however, have come when he runs the ball. He has 40 carries for 243 yards and six touchdowns.
