Sports
The NFL’s best players at every position: Barnwell names his annual All-Pro teams
With one week to go in the 2025 NFL season, I’m ready to name my first- and second-team All-Pros. There are a few races that are particularly tight, and my pick at running back changed after what I saw in Week 17, but nobody’s going to fly up the charts from out of nowhere to be a first-team All-Pro in Week 18. All these players already established themselves as elite performers long before the final week of the season.
This is my own All-Pro team based on the tape I’ve watched and the numbers I’ve crunched this season, as opposed to a prediction of who will actually be on those teams when they’re announced later in January. Different organizations name the teams in their own ways, so I’m just going to lean into my own format. I’m naming 11 players on each side of the ball, with three wideouts and three cornerbacks. I’m picking two offensive tackles and two guards without regard for which side of the line they play. And I’m willing to choose two safeties who play primarily in the box, in part because I’ve seen one of those safeties excel as something close to a true free safety role in years past and feel very confident he could play at a high level there if needed. I also have three special teams players.
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One big difference for this team versus the Pro Bowl teams that were just announced is that I really care about player availability. As good as he is, there’s no universe where I’m ever considering Joe Alt for this team, given that he played just four full games and a handful of snaps in two others this season. This is a roster designed to represent the most productive and impactful players of 2025 as opposed to the best guys on any individual snap.
Missing one or even two games over the course of a full season isn’t too harmful, but once players start missing three or more, we’re talking about a significant gap in their value compared with similarly productive players who have been on the field for the entire campaign. As players miss more and more time, the bar they need to hit in terms of dominating their competition rises. Keep that in mind if your favorite player doesn’t land where you expect here. Let’s begin at quarterback.
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QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C
Edge | DT | LB | CB | S | K | P | RT
Quarterback
When I did my deep dive into the MVP race several weeks ago, I started with a clear mind and no strong feelings. I was surprised to find that so many of the factors I considered favored Maye, and I left that analysis with the Patriots starter as my favorite unless (or perhaps until) Matthew Stafford clearly knocked him from the top of the rankings.
Since then, Maye’s Patriots lost 35-31 to the Bills on a day on which he threw for only 155 yards, although he did run for two touchdowns to help keep things close. Stafford’s Rams lost to the Seahawks in a game where the offense scored 37 points and the veteran QB threw for 457 yards on 49 attempts. He did that without Davante Adams, which made me lean a little more toward Stafford, who unquestionably has a more talented receiving corps with everyone healthy than Maye does in New England.
But Maye responded by producing the greatest game of the QBR era. Facing the Jets on Sunday, Maye went 19-of-21 for 256 yards and five touchdown passes, no picks and one sack before spending much of the second half on ice. If you’re concerned about the quality of opposition Maye has faced, well, beating the Jets won’t do much for you. But Total QBR is opponent adjusted, and Maye’s 99.8 mark is the best performance any quarterback has posted in a start going back through 2007. Seems pretty good to me.
Two other things popped up since writing that column that push me toward Maye. One is catch rate over expectation (CROE), a receiver stat from NFL Next Gen Stats. Using a model to estimate the likelihood of a ball being caught given the locations of the receiver and nearby defenders and various other factors, it can be a good way to begin estimating how much a receiver is doing in an offense relative to what an average receiver would do in the same attack. Typically, the best receivers in football rank among the league leaders in CROE and its sister stat, receiving yards over expectation (RYOE).
There are six receivers who have run 300 or more routes this season with a CROE at least 10% better than average. Two of them are the obvious first-team All-Pros in Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Jake Ferguson is fifth, and George Pickens is just outside of that top six, a testament to what Dak Prescott can do for you at quarterback. The other three guys in the top six are all Patriots. Kayshon Boutte (plus-23.5% CROE), Stefon Diggs (plus-15.8%) and Mack Hollins (plus-10.2%) are all running what would comfortably be the highest catch rates over expectation of their respective careers. Three receivers in the top six is a Maye stat.
A reader also sent in a question and asked how the two quarterbacks have fared in games against common opponents. Both Maye and Stafford have gone up against the NFC South (Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers and Falcons), the Ravens and the Titans. Here’s how they’ve played in those games:
I stand roughly where I did three weeks ago — with everyone else beyond the top two ruled out of the race. This is Maye vs. Stafford. Last time I wrote about them, I had a very slight lean toward the Patriots standout. Right now, with one week of regular-season football to go, Maye seems like the clear choice as MVP.
Second team: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Running back
This isn’t an easy race to decide, either. Buffalo’s James Cook III leads the NFL in rushing, and it’s so much fun to watch his vision create running lanes other backs simply wouldn’t see at the second and third level. He has also fumbled six times, which erodes a lot of his impact. Derrick Henry just carried the Ravens to a critical victory, but he has fumbled four times, including critical fourth-quarter turnovers in losses to the Bills and Lions. Four is better than six, but the fumble against the Bills might cost the Ravens their playoff spot when things are said and done. Christian McCaffrey, meanwhile, leads all backs in yards from scrimmage, but the Niners’ lead back is averaging 3.9 yards per carry, and that’s a tough pill to swallow when so many of the league’s best RBs are up over 5 yards per attempt this season.
For most of the season, the easy pick was Jonathan Taylor, who was off to a historic start as the Colts dominated early in the season. As the year wore on, both Taylor and the Colts’ offense cooled off. Taylor leads all running backs in yards after first contact (2.6 per rush) and touchdowns (20), and he ranks among the league leaders in just about everything. But he hasn’t been efficient as a receiver, and his consistency as a runner has faded under heavy volume down the stretch. Taylor generated 194 rush yards over expectation (RYOE) during the first eight games of the season but just 26 RYOE since then, per Next Gen Stats.
In a close race between a handful of backs, though, Robinson’s performance on Monday night was just enough to vault him ahead of the pack. He was already a viable selection heading into the game against the Rams, but going for 195 yards on the ground and scoring twice against one of the league’s best defenses was a statement performance for Robinson. It also restored him to the league lead in yards from scrimmage, where he holds a 186-yard advantage on McCaffrey across 51 fewer touches.
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Dan Graziano and Mike Greenberg discuss the Colts’ decision to give Riley Leonard the start for Week 18.
I’m not sure any RB has been more fun to watch with the ball in his hands this season. The explosiveness and big-play ability Robinson exhibited at Texas had been surprisingly difficult to access during his first two seasons in the NFL, but Robinson has been able to reel off big plays throughout 2025. He and Taylor are the only players in the league with 80-plus-yard touchdown runs this season, and they each have two.
Robinson has been incredibly efficient as a receiver, which helped decide this race. The third-year back is averaging a league-best 2.1 yards per route run this season. The only player with more receptions and receiving yards is McCaffrey, who hasn’t been as efficient as a runner. The vast majority of that performance has come out of the backfield, where it’s even more difficult to produce receiver-level efficiency rates, given how often running backs are running checkdown routes that aren’t really part of the progression. Robinson has turned nearly 24% of his targets out of the backfield into first downs, the highest rate for any back over the past three seasons.
There are hiccups. Robinson has fumbled four times, which hurts his value with EPA-derived statistics. He has been really disappointing as a pass blocker this season, a project for the 23-year-old to work on this offseason. And Taylor has had fewer negatives. But Robinson has just been so spectacular and fun to watch that I find it difficult to pick anybody else.
Second team: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Wide receiver
If you’re sick of hearing me complain about how tough these races are, well, the top two spots at wide receiver were the easiest picks on the board. Smith-Njigba has been a one-man show for the Seahawks in the passing game this season, where the likes of Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed haven’t been able to make consistent impacts. Smith-Njigba currently has more than 44% of the receiving yards produced by the Seattle offense this season, the highest percentage since Brandon Marshall racked up more than 45% of Chicago’s market share at receiver in 2012.
Everybody knows the ball’s going to JSN. Nobody has shown any consistent ability to stop him throughout a game this year, though.
A special season from a special player. Nacua is the most efficient receiver in football, averaging a league-best 3.9 yards per route run. He leads the NFL in receiving yards over expectation (434) and is second in yards after catch over expectation behind the next guy on this list, per Next Gen Stats. Targets thrown to Nacua have generated 105.9 EPA — 19 EPA ahead of any other receiver in the league.
The only player with more EPA in a single receiving season in the Next Gen Stats era, ironically enough, is Cooper Kupp from his 2021 campaign with these Rams. Nacua’s behind only by virtue of missing a game-plus with an ankle injury, and he still has Week 18 to catch up. And none of this covers what Nacua does as a blocker, where he has been essential for the Rams.
The top two spots were gimmes. The third wideout spot, though, is a real competition. Stefon Diggs has been incredibly efficient, but he has run only 22 routes per game in New England. Drake London has missed too much time with injuries. Amon-Ra St. Brown has had uncharacteristic problems with drops throughout the season. Ja’Marr Chase has plenty of targets, but owing perhaps to inconsistent quarterback play, he is averaging just 11.2 yards per catch. Plus, his success rate and big-play rate are both down considerably from where they were a year ago.
So I went instead with Pickens, who has been the perfect fit for what the Cowboys needed as an outside receiver next to CeeDee Lamb for Dak Prescott. Pickens had consistently run higher-than-expected catch rates in Pittsburgh, but playing with subpar quarterbacks in run-first offenses, it was unclear whether all of that would translate to Dallas.
It did. Pickens’ expected catch rate rose, but so did his actual catch rate. Among wide receivers with 300-plus routes run this season, Pickens ranks sixth in the league in catch rate over expectation, third in receiving yards over expectation (trailing only my two other first-team All-Pros) and first in yards after catch over expectation (199 YACOE), per NGS. Generating loads of YACOE as a downfield receiver isn’t easy, and it’s a testament to how good Pickens has been at both bringing in contested catches and creating once he has the ball in his hands.
The only receivers generating more EPA per route run this year than Pickens are Nacua, Smith-Njigba and Diggs. Pickens has benefited from playing with Prescott, of course, but he has also been such an obvious and significant upgrade on the various wideouts the Cowboys have run out at the X spot over the past few seasons. It has been easy to question many of Jerry Jones’ trades over the past couple of years, but landing Pickens for third- and fifth-round picks was a coup for the Cowboys.
Second team: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins, Houston Texans; Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Tight end
Another easy pick here. Would-be rivals such as Brock Bowers and George Kittle missed significant time with injuries, and McBride answered the bell week after week for the Cardinals. His 1,174 receiving yards place him more than 300 ahead of second-place Kyle Pitts Sr., and although that yardage figure obviously owes some sort of debt to a staggering 161 targets, McBride was able to get open enough to command that sort of target share and dropped just one ball all season.
The goal-line forcefield that seemed to pester McBride also disappeared after Kyler Murray‘s foot injury, as McBride’s 11 touchdowns are one away from doubling his prior career total of six, gathered across three seasons.
Second team: Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Offensive tackle
The offensive line awards this year are trickier than ever before. In the introduction, I mentioned that player availability matters, and how I’m going to really find it difficult to include players who have missed more than a couple of games when others have been on the field for the entire season. I’ve applied that standard in the past, and it has hurt players such as Lane Johnson, who might be the best offensive lineman on the planet when he’s on the field but also usually misses a handful of games each season along the way.
Well, in 2025, just about every single offensive tackle who has a real case for being among the elite players at the position missed action. Chargers star Rashawn Slater missed the entire season with a ruptured patellar tendon, and teammate Joe Alt will end up missing 11 full games and most of two others with ankle injuries. Running through a few of the league’s top tackles and their snap percentages (and what that translates to in terms of missed games over a full season), you can see just how difficult it has been to get the best linemen onto the field this season:
If this were simply identifying the best linemen on any individual snap this season, I’d probably go with Andrew Thomas at left tackle and Johnson at right tackle. But if we’re picking the most productive or impactful tackles in the league over the full season, I can’t include them.
Of all the players to stay healthy for the entire season! (Well, almost.) Williams routinely misses a couple of games each year and plays for a 49ers team that has been ransacked by injuries all season, but the future Hall of Famer had been on the field for every game before suffering a hamstring injury on the Brock Purdy pick-six against the Bears on Sunday night. It’s unclear whether he’ll be able to return for the Week 18 divisional decider against the Seahawks.
Williams’ steady presence has been one of the reasons the 49ers have been able to survive despite all the injuries on offense this season. The Niners have had to play multiple starters at left guard next to him, and Williams spends more time on an island than most NFL tackles, but the 37-year-old still has the quickness and footwork to handle just about anybody in the league one-on-one. There were only two moments when Williams looked a step slow this season, and they were courtesy of superstars on the other side of the ball, via a Danielle Hunter spin move against the Texans and a Myles Garrett teleportation to the interior for a sack against the Browns.
I’m not sure there’s a more underrated offensive lineman in the league. Once a liability for the Broncos at left tackle, Bolles has rounded into form and consistently rates as one of the most reliable and effective pass blockers in the league. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Bolles has allowed just one sack all season. Just 6.2% of his one-on-one blocks have resulted in pressures, the second-lowest rate in the NFL. And Bolles is doing that playing in front of Bo Nix, who has a habit of extending plays and/or choosing to scramble to places no lineman can prepare to protect.
Bolles was 13th in the league in run block win rate among tackles who played the majority of their team’s snaps this season. The 33-year-old benefited from playing on one of the league’s best lines (and one of its healthiest before center Luke Wattenberg went down with a shoulder injury), but Bolles has been entirely capable of handling some of the best edge rushers in football this season. He has also missed a grand total of just seven snaps all season, and that’s a difference-maker.
Second team: Laremy Tunsil, Washington Commanders; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Offensive guard
Nelson was an easy pick on the interior. As the focal point of Indy’s diverse rushing scheme, his ability to overwhelm opposing defensive linemen at the point of attack is valuable enough, but he also has been essential as a pulling guard to take out defenders at the second and even third levels of the defense at different points this season. The Colts didn’t have much trouble replacing Ryan Kelly and Will Fries when they signed with the Vikings this offseason; there’s no way Indy could have been as productive on the ground this season without Nelson.
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The most important and reliable part of Chicago’s resurgent run game this season, Thuney was every bit the player the Bears hoped to acquire when they sent a fourth-round pick to the Chiefs this offseason. He ranks fourth in the league in run block win rate and leads all guards in pass block win rate, all while continuing his habit of virtually never coming off the field. Thuney has missed just five snaps all season.
Thuney has the league’s lowest quick pressure rate and is one of two guards who played more than 400 pass-blocking snaps without allowing a single sack this season, per Next Gen Stats. The other one, of course, was Nelson.
Second team: Kevin Dotson, Los Angeles Rams; Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Center
Like Indianapolis’ offense with Nelson, the Dolphins’ rushing attack simply doesn’t work without Brewer’s ability to get on the edge for all of the pin/pull and other outside run concepts Miami wants to run. Watch Miami’s run game closely and you’ll see Brewer reaching defensive tackles on zone rushes with ease and blocking linebackers like Jamien Sherwood and Frankie Luvu for yards at a time. Here’s Brewer locking up Derwin James Jr. on a counter concept for a De’Von Achane 49-yard touchdown.
ACHANE IS GONE.
LACvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/HIVmB5BtyH
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025
With Tyreek Hill out and Tua Tagovailoa‘s effectiveness waning before being benched, the Dolphins needed to rely on their run game to survive for much of the season. That run game ran through Brewer.
Second team: Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Edge rusher
The easiest pick on the entire roster. We’ll see if Garrett sets the single-season sack record against the Bengals next week, but even if he doesn’t get there, we’re witnessing one of the great seasons in NFL history by a defender at any position. Garrett’s going to lead the league in just about every meaningful pass rush category, especially after we adjust for the fact the Browns have faced the third-fewest pass attempts of any defense this season. He has thrown in 12 tackles for loss against the run, second most behind Maxx Crosby.
I’ll talk more about his season next week in my seasonlong awards column, but there isn’t much justification required here.
There’s a much bigger group of candidates for the second spot at edge rusher, even after Micah Parsons‘ torn ACL ended his chances of landing the first-team All-Pro nod. I kept finding reasons to lean toward Anderson, who has continued to improve across his three pro seasons. In 2025, his missed tackle rate improved past league-average, and he has set career highs in sacks (12) and knockdowns (23) with a game to go.
Anderson’s even better than those figures if we use the data from Next Gen Stats. He has turned 8.3% of his pass-rush snaps into quick pressures this season, trailing only Nik Bonitto and Abdul Carter. Anderson gets chipped or double-teamed more than either player, and I think he’s a little better against the run than Bonitto, who was Anderson’s closest competition here. According to the Next Gen Stats models, Anderson’s pressure rate is 6.5% better than what an average edge rusher would have accomplished in the same situations, which is the best mark in the league. He has also generated four turnovers with pressures this season, which is second behind Jared Verse.
Second team: Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos; Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
Defensive tackle
Although Simmons missed two games and most of a third with a hamstring injury, he has been sufficiently dominant to qualify for All-Pro honors. He was a one-man pressure factory this season. Simmons leads all defensive tackles in pressure rate (13.5%), quick quarterback pressures (22), quick pressure rate (6.2%) and pressure rate against double-teams (11.2%) — all while playing on a team that didn’t have a significant second pass-rush threat to worry about elsewhere up front, especially after Dre’Mont Jones was traded to the Ravens at midseason. Simmons’ 16 tackles for loss lead all defensive tackles.
In terms of volume, though, nobody has been on quarterbacks more often this season than Allen. He leads all players with 45 quarterback knockdowns this season, seven hits ahead of Garrett. Even if that number’s a little inflated by some hits on quarterbacks as the ball’s on the way out, Allen leads all defensive tackles with 57 pressures, and his 14 quick pressures are third at the position behind Simmons and Chris Jones. (Yes, Jones is still great.)
Allen has a lot of help on what might be the league’s best defensive line, but if there’s one player up front the Broncos couldn’t afford to lose, it would be Allen. Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper are excellent at getting off quickly and going around the edge to squeeze opposing QBs, but Allen’s just completely unblockable at times on the interior, which helps funnel quarterbacks to those speedy edge rushers.
Second team: Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams; Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks
Linebacker
I’m not sure there are many 7-9 teams in league history with two first-team All-Pros, but Brewer and Brooks both deserve the recognition. No player has made a higher share of his team’s tackles this season than Brooks, who has 17.5% of Miami’s tackles. That’s the third-highest rate for any defender in any season since 2016, when Bobby Wagner made 19.5% of Seattle’s tackles.
Racking up tackles doesn’t mean much if you’re just on the field all the time for a bad defense and tackling guys 15 yards downfield, but Brooks has made 20 tackles short of the sticks on third and fourth down, the most of any player in the NFL. His 13 tackles for loss are second in the league among off-ball linebackers behind Eric Wilson, who is having the same sort of out-of-nowhere season we’ve seen from De’Vondre Campbell and Zack Baun in recent years and also deserved serious consideration. Brooks has produced stuffs for no gain or a loss on 5.6% of run plays, the highest rate in the league for any full-season linebacker. And Brooks has chipped in with 3.5 sacks as a blitzer.
Dumped by the Rams and traded away after six weeks by the Titans a year ago, Jones has been a perfect fit in Seattle under Mike Macdonald. He has picked off five passes this season, tying him with Devin Lloyd (who was just a hair behind Jones on my ballot) for the league lead among linebackers. Jones has allowed a 53.7 passer rating in coverage this season, the third-best mark in the league at any position. He has also made 16 tackles stopping players short of a third- or fourth-down conversion — tied for fourth in the NFL.
Second team: Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars; Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions
Cornerback
This was another position where injuries had a real impact. For my money, the three best cornerbacks in football in terms of being able to line up against anybody and play either man or zone coverage while tackling well are Pat Surtain II of the Broncos, Christian Gonzalez of the Patriots and Devon Witherspoon of the Seahawks. But Surtain missed 3½ games with a pectoral injury, Gonzalez missed three games to start the year with a hamstring problem, and Witherspoon was out for five games during the first half with a recurring knee ailment.
They’ve all been great when they’ve been on the field this season, but missing that much time hurts when so many great players have been on the field all year. I have to leave Witherspoon off by virtue of missing so much action. Surtain had some trouble at times against the Colts and Chargers early in the season, and although he has been great since returning from the pectoral injury, penalties are still an issue for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (nine flags for 109 yards, including five pass interference calls). That’s just enough to bounce him down to the second team.
In terms of cumulative impact, I’d say Stingley has been the best cornerback in football in 2025. He has played all 16 games so far, which means something relative to the competition. Playing behind an elite pass rush helps, of course, but Stingley’s even great on extended plays and scramble drills. He has allowed a scarcely believable 49.4 passer rating in coverage this season, the best mark in football among full-time players. The Texans don’t play man as often as many other teams, but Stingley’s as good in his role as anybody in the league.
The Eagles, on the other hand, play man at the third-highest rate in the NFL. And Mitchell has already emerged as a shutdown guy on his side of the field. If you’ve watched Eagles games all season, you’ve probably noticed how often teams are going out of their way to target the guys who aren’t Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in coverage.
Most of the targets Mitchell sees are low-percentage prayers from quarterbacks. He’s allowing the third-best completion percentage (43.8%) on targets of any cornerback this season, trailing only Stingley and Donte Jackson, who earned a second-team nod. His 67.5% success rate in coverage is the best mark in the NFL among outside corners. And Mitchell also tackles better than the vast majority of starting corners, as his 6.3% missed tackle rate ranks 10th in the league at the position.
It was between Gonzalez and Surtain for the final spot on the first team, and I narrowly preferred the Patriots standout. The Pats have played less man than they did over the prior two seasons, and I’m not sure Gonzalez was even as good this year as he was during what was a wildly underrated 2024 campaign, but he was still comfortably playing at a star level.
Gonzalez has posted a 63.2% success rate in coverage this season, the fifth-best mark among regular starters. Targets in his direction have generated 7.2 fewer catches than expected, which is third in the league. He has also posted a better missed tackle rate than Surtain (who didn’t miss a single tackle in 2024) while taking six fewer penalties. It’s going to be fun watching Gonzalez battle for the title of best cornerback in the AFC with Stingley on an annual basis over the next few seasons.
Second team: Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos; Donte Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers; Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers
Safety
What a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators. James is an absolute menace around the line of scrimmage for Chargers DC Jesse Minter, where he’s capable of singlehandedly blowing up run plays and becomes a serious problem for teams as both a designed pass rusher and green dog blitzer. His sack (2) and TFL (6) totals are down from 2025, but James has intercepted three passes, including the Gardner Minshew pick that knocked the Chiefs out of the postseason in the AFC. James is allowing a career-best 59.6 passer rating in coverage, and his physicality dictates so much of what the Chargers can do schematically with light boxes against the run.
Hamilton’s versatility has been essential for the Ravens. Last year, the Ravens salvaged what had been a frustrating defense by moving Hamilton into a deep-lying role, and they fielded one of the best defenses in the NFL from that point forward. This year? With the defense struggling to start the season, coordinator Zach Orr moved Hamilton back into the box, where he has had a James-like impact around the line of scrimmage. You’re not really supposed to be able to play both of those roles at an All-Pro level. Hamilton does.
Watching him just shrug off offensive linemen who outweigh him by more than 100 pounds to make tackles on run plays is just remarkable. He hasn’t been in coverage as often as in years past, but Hamilton has been effective when called on to take on tight ends and slot receivers this season, too. His presence has been absolutely essential on a Ravens team that has faced uncertainty, inconsistent play and injuries from much of its front seven. Second team: Jessie Bates III, Atlanta Falcons; Talanoa Hufanga, Denver Broncos Brandon Aubrey gets deserved plaudits as the league’s best kicker on a weekly basis, but Reichard has actually been slightly better this season per advanced metrics. He has attempted eight fewer field goals than Aubrey, but Reichard has gone 30-for-32, whereas Aubrey is 35-for-40. Even with the slightly reduced volume, Reichard has made 6.7 more field goals than expected (per NGS), compared with 6.5 for Aubrey, as his average field goal make has been from a yard further out. Reichard has also been perfect on extra points. Vikings fans endured about a decade of frustrating kickers, but Reichard has broken that trend. Second team: Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys Per the Puntalytics EPA-based model, Dickson has been the best punter in the league this season on a per-punt basis. The Sydney-born punter is only around the middle of the pack in terms of average gross and net yards per punt, but just 35.3% of his punts have been returnable this season, a figure only Mitch Wishnowsky of the Bills and Austin McNamara of the Jets have been able to top. Dickson’s ability to place his punts has made a difference there, as just 13.7% of his punts have gone to the middle of the field, the lowest rate in the league for regular punters. The only real argument I can make against him is that the Seahawks just haven’t needed Dickson to punt all that often; he has averaged just 3.2 punts per game this season. Second team: Austin McNamara, New York Jets Dike has very high highs and very low lows. On one hand, he might be one of the worst blocking wide receivers on screens I’ve ever seen. On the other? He’s a spectacular return man. Tennessee had truly wretched special teams in 2024, but the arrival of John Fassel and the selection of Dike in the fourth round has transformed the Titans’ return units. Dike leads all regular punt returners in yards per return (17.7) and is second behind Marcus Jones in punt return yards over expectation (Next Gen Stats). Both Dike and Jones took two punts to the house this season, but Dike gets the nod by virtue of his excellent work on kickoff returns, where he is second in the NFL behind KaVontae Turpin in kick return yards over expectation. Second team: Marcus Jones, New England PatriotsKicker
Punter
Returner
The German word of the week in the Bundesliga ahead of Saturday’s showdown (live at 12:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN+) is not the marketing invention der Klassiker but rather die Aufholjagd (literally, “the hunt to pursue”).
There are in all honesty, very few, even here in the bustling Ruhrpott this week, who believe Borussia Dortmund are likely to make up nine points on leaders Bayern Munich. With the goal difference equation stacked in favor of the Rekordmeister, that is the challenge facing BVB with only 11 games left. But a head-to-head Gipfeltreffen (summit meeting) offers a chance for a new perspective.
Dortmund have spent much of this season under Niko Kovac defying stereotypes: showing a more stable face, grinding out wins, pressing better, reemerging as clearly the second-best team in the Bundesrepublik.
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But on Wednesday night in Bergamo, the old problems came back to haunt die Schwarz-Gelben, and the team collectively had to Lehrgeld zahlen (literally pay up as a result of being taught a painful lesson) after being eliminated by Atalanta in their knockout round playoff tie in the UEFA Champions League.
Whether Dortmund can translate those lessons — among them, don’t start a big match so passively and Gregor Kobel, don’t give the ball to the opposition with extra time looming — into something successful against a team of Bayern’s sheer quality, is another matter.
Bayern are almost certain to break the Bundesliga’s single-season goal-scoring record (they have 85 goals and need 17 more, a mere bagatelle surely?) Harry Kane requires 14 between now and mid-May to surpass Robert Lewandowski‘s 2020-21 benchmark of 41 league goals. The Englishman has registered a Doppelpack (double) in each of his past three league matches and if he stays fit, you would not bet against him becoming the most goal-rich winner of the Torjägerkanone award ever.
With Michael Olise scoring freely and more importantly, assisting others, and Luis Díaz posing significant problems for opposing sides, Bayern win most games by overwhelming and obliterating. Nobody does it better.
There is, however, a slight glass-jaw quality defensively, which has been evident since January, with only one Bundesliga clean sheet so far this calendar year.
Augsburg for example, have gone to the Allianz Arena and beaten them, Hoffenheim caused them bother even while down to 10 men, and last week Eintracht Frankfurt scored a couple of late goals that Bayern fans, anticipating an easy win, will have seen as nervig (irritating).
At the time of writing, it is unclear who will stand between the posts for the Rekordmeister. Manuel Neuer has been working all week in a bid to get back into the side after sustaining a calf muscle injury at the Weserstadion nearly two weeks ago.
However, Bayern have faith in 22-year-old understudy Jonas Urbig, who looks ever more like the future custodian. Urbig stumbled in the Augsburg game, but his performances have ranged mostly from good to excellent.
If there are any doubts about Neuer’s fitness, it would seem foolish — given the eight-point difference at the top and crunch Champions League matches ahead — to take a chance. Alphonso Davies is out for the foreseeable future with a muscle fiber injury, but with Konrad Laimer available again, Vincent Kompany has plenty of squad depth in the fullback positions with Josip Stanisic and Hiroki Ito.
It almost seems unfair to Dortmund, given the colossal task that they face on Saturday, that right wing back Julian Ryerson is suspended. The Norwegian, once viewed as an honest journeyman, has transformed himself into one of the most valuable players in Kovac’s squad.
Diligent in normal play, Ryerson’s deliveries from open or set play situations can be devilish and he recently crafted all four goals in the same game against Mainz. Yan Couto, more adventurous going forward but less secure defensively, must fulfill that role against Bayern.
At least Nico Schlotterbeck will return to anchor the Dreierkette (back three) in front of Kobel, whose 11 clean sheets top the Bundesliga goalkeeping charts. BVB will require energy and guile in abundance from Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha in midfield against the formidable duo of Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic.
Saturday is due to be another day of Verkehrschaos in Dortmund and there have been a few recently. This one is due to industrial action by the trade union, Verdi, knocking out the Stadtbahn (city train/tram service) and bus lines. Fans have been urged to walk the 40 minutes from the Stadtzentrum (city center) to the Signal Iduna Park.
Thereafter, there’s a very real danger that in 90 minutes, Dortmund’s season could effectively disappear in a puff of smoke. Already out of the Champions League and the DFB-Pokal, defeat in the Klassiker would make an Aufholjagd unthinkable.
PARIS:
Real Madrid and Manchester City will face off in a Champions League knockout tie for the fifth season running after being drawn Friday to play each other in the last 16, while reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain will take on Chelsea.
The Spanish giants, record 15-time European champions, will host City in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next month before travelling to England for the return the following week.
The clubs have already played each other this season, with Pep Guardiola’s City winning 2-1 in Madrid in December during the league phase, in which the Premier League club finished eighth and Real ninth.
That allowed City, Champions League winners in 2023, to advance straight to the last 16 while Madrid had to come through the knockout phase play-offs, in which they beat Benfica 3-1 on aggregate.
This is the eighth season in which the teams have played each other since 2012. Real beat City in the knockout phase play-offs last season, and in the quarter-finals on the way to winning the trophy in 2024. They also emerged victorious in the semi-finals in 2022 with City winning at the same stage the following year.
PSG will be at home to Chelsea in the first leg after qualifying for this stage with a 5-4 aggregate win over Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the play-offs. Chelsea progressed straight to the last 16 after finishing sixth in the league phase.
The sides played each other in the knockout stages in three consecutive years from 2014 to 2016, with Chelsea winning the first of those confrontations in the quarter-finals and PSG triumphing in the last 16 in the following two.
Their last encounter came in July’s Club World Cup final in the United States, when Chelsea won 3-0 against last season’s European champions.
Chelsea have been coached since January by Liam Rosenior, who had previously come up against PSG in Ligue 1 as coach of Strasbourg.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United will take on Barcelona with the first leg at St James’ Park — the Spanish side won 2-1 there during the league phase in September.
There is a record total of six English clubs in the last 16. Liverpool will have a rematch against Galatasaray, the Turkish giants having defeated the Anfield club 1-0 in September in the league phase.
Arsenal will come up against Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham Hotspur were drawn to play Atletico Madrid.
German champions Bayern Munich will play Atalanta, the sole Italian club left in the competition, while Norwegian upstarts Bodo/Glimt’s reward for knocking out Inter Milan is a last-16 tie against Sporting of Portugal.
The first legs will take place on March 10 and 11, with the second legs a week later. The teams who qualified directly for this stage after finishing in the top eight in the league phase will all be at home in the return matches.
This season’s Champions League final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30.
“Is this going to be a busy cycle?”
It’s the question most asked of industry insiders around this time every year, as athletic directors, coaches, search firms and agents gear up for the college basketball coaching carousel. Normally, it’s easy to tell which direction the cycle is heading. Last year, there were five high-major programs already open when this story appeared, and 15 power-conference jobs changed hands when the carousel finally stopped spinning.
Could we match that number this season? Kansas State is the only high-major job open as things stand, with Jerome Tang’s ousting failing to jump-start an early string of firings thus far.
There are more than a dozen high-major jobs on the hot seat, but administrations are facing a similar quandary to last season: give their embattled head coach more money to build a roster or pay out the rest of that coach’s contract and start anew? Several of the coaches mentioned below have a substantial amount of money remaining on their deals, and schools will be hesitant to pay those buyouts. Word is already starting to trickle out from some schools that are instead opting to raise their men’s basketball NIL budget and giving their coach one more season to turn things around. But some schools are also hoping to raise their NIL budget — to give to a new coach.
There’s also the question of what type of hiring cycle this will be. Last year, the power-conference carousel featured a mix of lateral moves, mid-major names taking a jump, NBA assistants dropping into college and the occasional high-major assistant getting an opportunity. If more than 10 power-conference programs open up again, it will be interesting to see which bucket is the most prevalent.
To prepare you for the next two months of coaching machinations and the accompanying rumors — of which there will be many — let’s take a look at the biggest jobs and names to watch on the 2026 men’s college basketball carousel.
Jump to a section:
Jobs already open | Jobs that could open | Least a year away
Potential retirements | High-profile candidates | Who’s ready to jump up?
Jobs already open
Jerome Tang was let go earlier this month after less than four seasons in Manhattan and less than three seasons removed from an Elite Eight run. But the Wildcats were 1-11 in Big 12 play and hadn’t returned to the NCAA tournament since 2023. Whether Kansas State had enough to fire him for cause will be figured out in the future.
Meanwhile, athletic director Gene Taylor will look for Tang’s replacement. It’s still early in the search, but names such as Utah State‘s Jerrod Calhoun, Belmont‘s Casey Alexander, Northern Iowa‘s Ben Jacobson and Creighton associate head coach — and Bluejays coach-in-waiting — Alan Huss are already sprouting up. Could Taylor also look to get a sitting high-major head coach, someone like Mississippi State‘s Chris Jans?
Other jobs currently open or with an interim head coach: Air Force, Cal State Bakersfield, North Florida, San Diego, Tarleton State
Jobs that could open
Bobby Hurley’s contract is up after this season and all signs point to the Sun Devils moving on from him. They’ve been playing better basketball of late, but they’re headed for their third straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance. Overall, in Hurley’s 11 seasons at the helm, Arizona State has gone to only three NCAA tournaments (it would have been a fourth had the tournament been held in 2020) and has yet to win a game. But when the dust settles on this cycle, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hurley land on his feet closer to the Northeast.
The optimism that followed a 20-win 2023-24 season seems a long time ago. BC finished next-to-last in the ACC in 2024-25, and is trending toward a similar ending this season. In fact, coach Earl Grant has yet to lead the Eagles to a .500 finish in conference play, and they entered the week just 6-28 in ACC games over the past two seasons. He’s under contract through the 2028-29 season, and it’s one of the worst Power 4 jobs in the country, but an opening appears likely.
Thad Matta is in the fourth year of his second stint at Butler, but he has yet to lead the Bulldogs to an NCAA tournament appearance since returning. In fact, the program hasn’t gone dancing since 2018 (although it would’ve gone in 2020). There is speculation Matta, 58, could step down, and Atlanta Hawks assistant Ronald Nored, who played at Butler under Brad Stevens, has long been linked as a potential candidate.
Wes Miller might be coaching himself off of the hot seat with the Bearcats’ recent play. They entered the week on a four-game winning streak, including Saturday’s 16-point win over Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Another couple of wins, and Cincinnati could even find itself in the midst of the bubble conversation. The Bearcats haven’t gone to the NCAA tournament since Miller was hired in 2021, and they’ve spent real money on talented rosters the past few seasons. The former UNC Greensboro coach is owed nearly $10 million if he’s fired before April 1, but that guarantee drops to less than $5 million on April 1.
Industry sources are beginning to believe Tech is trending toward opening. The athletic director who hired Stoudamire is no longer at the school, the Yellow Jackets are currently in last place in the ACC — despite having a roster with a respectable level of talent — and Damon Stoudamire is just 42-52 in three seasons. He would reportedly be owed less than $3 million if the program moved on at the end of the season.
Athletic director Verge Ausberry raised the temperature on Matt McMahon last month, telling the Baton Rouge Advocate he’d made it clear to McMahon that the Tigers needed to make the NCAA tournament, or he would be forced to “reevaluate.” After a 12-1 start to the season, the Tigers are just 2-12 in SEC play, struggling mightily with star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. sitting out most of conference play because of a foot injury. McMahon hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament in four years since arriving at LSU, and he’s just 16-52 in the SEC during that time. He would be owed about $8 million if fired — which, along with the injury issues, could ultimately play a role in McMahon trending toward returning for another season.
Penny Hardaway appeared to have Memphis on the right track after last season’s 29-win season and 5-seed in the NCAA tournament — the Tigers’ third tourney trip in four years. But things have fallen apart this season. Hardaway had won at least 20 games in each of his previous seven seasons in charge, but the Tigers dropped to 12-15 overall after their third straight double-digit loss Sunday. He was very emotional in his postgame news conference after an earlier loss, at times fighting back tears. Whether athletic director Ed Scott wants to fire a program legend 12 months after earning a 5-seed remains to be seen — as does whether Hardaway wants to step away on his own. He signed a six-year contract extension in 2022 that runs through the 2027-28 season.
It’s only two years into Jake Diebler’s tenure in Columbus, but the Buckeyes are squarely on the cutline for the NCAA tournament. If they don’t hear their name on Selection Sunday, that will be two years without a tournament appearance for Diebler, four years for the program as a whole. The latest word out of Columbus is that he’s probably safe for another season, but that could depend on what happens over the next three weeks. The school would be on the hook for just over $3 million.
Porter Moser led the Sooners on a late-season surge last season that staved off hot seat pressure, but the program entered this week with losses in 11 of its past 13 games. A roster built via the transfer portal last offseason hasn’t clicked, and OU is now going to miss the NCAA tournament for a fourth time in five seasons. New athletic director Roger Denny, who was hired in late January, will face a critical decision within weeks of his arrival. Moser has more than $5 million left on his deal.
It has been an inconsistent eight seasons in Pittsburgh for Jeff Capel. The Panthers struggled in his first four seasons, then turned things around with 46 wins and one NCAA tournament appearance over the next two (2022-23 and 2023-24). But they took a step back last season, and are now hovering near last place in the ACC, sitting at 10-17 overall and 3-11 in league play. In 2024, Capel signed a contract extension through the 2029-30 season, and would be owed eight figures if fired.
Kim English showed considerable promise in Year 1 (2023-24), leading the Friars to 21 wins and within reach of the NCAA tournament. But he has failed to build off that first year, entering this week with a 24-35 (11-25 Big East) record over the past two seasons despite spending substantial money to build those rosters. Providence gave English a contract extension after that first season, signing him through 2029-30. He would be owed a significant amount of money if fired.
It simply hasn’t quite clicked for Red Autry since he took over for Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim in 2023. He won 20 games in Year 1, then struggled last season. After compiling an impressive on-paper roster with enough talent to compete in the ACC, Syracuse is now just 6-9 in conference play. The Orange made an attempt at bubble consideration after beating Cal and SMU earlier this month, but a pair of blowout losses to Duke and North Carolina probably ended those hopes. One variable to consider: athletic director John Wildhack recently announced he would be retiring this summer.
Probably at least a year away
In reality, Ed Cooley is arguably the safest name on this list. He’s only three years into a long-term contract that reportedly pays him nearly $6 million a season, and the Hoyas have poured plenty of resources into helping him be the coach to return them to their glory days. It hasn’t gone well thus far, with Cooley entering the week with a 15-41 record in Big East play since taking over in the District. But he’ll get at least another season to turn it around.
Hubert Davis entered the season on one of the hotter seats in college basketball, but the Tar Heels are now ranked in the top 20 and are a second-weekend threat with Caleb Wilson expected to return from a hand injury. Barring a catastrophic finish to the season, Davis isn’t at risk of losing his job. He signed a contract extension in December 2024 that keeps him in Chapel Hill through the 2029-30 season, and he would be owed around $5 million if Carolina moved on. A couple of NCAA tournament wins might also ease some of the perceived pressure from the fan base, though this season’s performance, combined with a top-10 recruiting class coming in next season, cools off his seat moving forward.
Three seasons into his tenure in South Bend, Micah Shrewsberry has yet to finish above .500 overall, or in the ACC. The 2025-26 season has been his worst showing, with the Fighting Irish entering the week just 3-11 in conference play. There’s no appetite to make an immediate move, sources told ESPN, though, and Shrewsberry is still signed through the 2029-30 season.
Mike Rhoades arrived in State College in 2023 with three NCAA tournament trips in his previous five seasons at VCU. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions haven’t come close to the tournament during his three seasons in the Big Ten. They’re last in the conference this season, with a 2-15 record. When Rhoades was hired, he signed a seven-year contract with nearly $26 million guaranteed. There’s still $15.4 million remaining on it.
Since going to back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 2021 and 2022, it has been a steady downhill turn for Steve Pikiell and the Scarlet Knights. Despite having two top-five NBA draft picks last season, Rutgers finished 15-17 overall. It entered this week 11-16 overall and 4-12 in the Big Ten. Pikiell is owed an enormous amount of money, though, with a fully guaranteed deal through the 2030-31 season and more than $20 million left on his contract.
After struggling in Year 1 in Columbia, Lamont Paris guided the Gamecocks to a 26-win season in 2023-24, earning a 6-seed in the NCAA tournament and winning SEC Coach of the Year. But the Gamecocks haven’t come close to sustaining that momentum, entering the week with a 24-35 (5-27 SEC) record over the past two seasons. But it sounds as if the school plans to increase Paris’ NIL budget, in the hope that he will turn things around next season. Paris signed a six-year, $26 million extension through 2029-30, and there’s just over $12 million remaining.
The Hokies entered the week with bubble hopes still alive, sitting at 18-10 overall (7-8 ACC) with games at North Carolina and Virginia remaining that could boost their tournament résumé. Regardless of those results, it appears Mike Young is safe for another season — after which his last contract extension ends. Tech has missed the past three NCAA tournaments after making back-to-back appearances in 2021 and 2022.
The latest intel out of Winston-Salem points to Steve Forbes returning to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest is poised to miss the NCAA tournament for a sixth straight season, entering the week with a 14-13 overall record (5-9 ACC) — despite the fact that Forbes has won at least 19 games in four of his six seasons. Forbes, who signed a long-term extension in 2022 on a contract that had already run through 2026, also has a strong relationship with athletic director John Currie.
It’s only Year 2 for Danny Sprinkle with the Huskies, but things are already starting to heat up in Seattle. The program has spent significant money on Sprinkle’s rosters, but is just 26-32 overall in those two seasons, including 9-27 in Big Ten play. When Sprinkle was hired in March 2024, he’d signed a six-year, $22.1 million contract.
Others to watch: UAlbany, Ball State, The Citadel, East Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Cal State Fullerton, Gardner-Webb, Georgia State, Holy Cross, Little Rock, Niagara, Northern Illinois, Rider, Sacred Heart, Southern Indiana, Tennessee Tech, UNC Greensboro, UTEP, Weber State, Western Michigan
Potential retirements to monitor
The obvious place to start is Creighton’s Greg McDermott, who hired Alan Huss last season from High Point to be his associate head coach and coach-in-waiting. There has been no definitive timeline given by McDermott, although the change could happen as soon as after this season.
While speculation has surrounded Colorado’s Tad Boyle and Oregon’s Dana Altman seemingly every season, both are likely to be back in their positions for the 2026-27 campaign, sources told ESPN. The Buffaloes have struggled since moving to the Big 12, sitting at 29-33 (8-26 Big 12) in two seasons, but there have been no significant retirement discussions at Colorado, as the conversations have been focused on retaining the Buffaloes’ young core for next season. Altman is in the midst of his worst season since going 7-19 at Creighton in 1994-95, with the Ducks currently 10-17 (3-13 Big Ten). Before this season, he had won at least 20 games in 15 straight seasons and went to the past two NCAA tournaments. But after a season beset by injuries, there’s no expectation for any change or a retirement. Oregon also remains fully committed to the longtime head coach.
In the elite coaches tier, there’s annual speculation about Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, Gonzaga‘s Mark Few, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, Kansas’ Bill Self and Michigan State‘s Tom Izzo — but all five programs are ranked in the top 20 and none of the coaches seem overly eager to step away. It wouldn’t be a shock if one of them did, but it’s impossible to predict at this point.
Dayton’s Anthony Grant is also rumored to be mulling a potential retirement. The Flyers entered the week tied for third in the Atlantic 10, but they have gone to only one NCAA tournament since he took over in 2017. It should be noted that the Flyers were tracking for a 1-seed in 2020 before the NCAA tournament was canceled. Grant was also recently named the head coach of the USA Basketball men’s U18 national team for this summer; does that make him more likely to stay?
High-profile candidates to keep an eye on
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State
Otzelberger has established himself as one of the elite coaches in college basketball, and he signed a new contract in December 2024 with a restructured buyout that makes him potentially attainable. If Ohio State were to open, there’s reason to believe the Buckeyes would look to gauge Otzelberger’s interest. That said, he’s happy in Ames, with no signs of him itching to leave, and he has a great relationship with Cyclones athletic director Jamie Pollard.
Chris Jans, Mississippi State
After going to the NCAA tournament in each of his first three seasons in Starkville, Jans and the Bulldogs are limping toward a sub-.500 finish this season. Mississippi State is considered one of the worst jobs in the SEC, so it’s conceivable he could look to jump to another high-major program with the right fit.
Will Wade, NC State
Wade has quickly turned around NC State in Year 1, as promised, with the Wolfpack trending toward wearing home jerseys in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But there is growing speculation that LSU would be potentially interested in a reunion, should the Tigers move on from Matt McMahon. Whether Wade would leave NC State after one season is a different story. He previously led LSU to three NCAA tournaments and an SEC title before being fired in 2022 following an NCAA investigation.
Porter Moser, Oklahoma
It’s true, we had Moser on the hot seat earlier, but he also has a big enough name and résumé to land on his feet at a reasonably strong job — whether it’s by leaving on his own or being let go. He has a Final Four and Sweet 16 on his ledger from his time at Loyola Chicago.
Chris Beard, Ole Miss
Beard is in the same category as Jans: a coach who could look to bounce to a job with a bigger budget if something becomes available. The Rebels are struggling mightily this season, sitting only one game out of last place in the SEC at 3-11 (11-16 overall). But Beard did lead Ole Miss to the Sweet 16 last season.
Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s
Bennett has never shown interest in leaving Saint Mary’s, despite taking the Gaels to 11 NCAA tournament appearances since arriving in Moraga in 2001. But with Arizona State potentially opening, could Bennett — an Arizona native — find that it’s time to make the jump, especially with Gonzaga leaving the WCC?
Shaheen Holloway, Seton Hall
Holloway has guided the Pirates to one of the biggest single-season improvements in the country in 2025-26, going from 7-25 last season to 19-9 entering the week. They’re still trending toward missing the NCAA tournament, but they were picked last in the Big East and their NIL pales in comparison to that of the rest of the conference. Seton Hall hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament under Holloway but did win the NIT in 2024.
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
There’s no sign Byington has interest in leaving Vanderbilt, but of the coaches at the top 20 schools, he is one of the few who could still potentially make a jump up. He has done one of the best jobs in the country this season, guiding the Commodores to a 16-0 start and a second straight NCAA tournament appearance. But Vanderbilt also checks a lot of boxes for Byington, and there doesn’t appear to be anything in line to open that would be a clear step up. There’s also a sizable buyout to get him out of Nashville.
Richard Pitino, Xavier
Rumors connecting Pitino to Providence have been circulating for several weeks, although it’s difficult to see the partnership coming to fruition. His buyout at Xavier is well into eight figures, and Providence would already have to pay close to $10 million to fire Kim English. With a much lower buyout figure? Perhaps it’s possible. But paying the largest buyout on record to lure a coach in the same league — who entered the week with the same 5-11 Big East record as the potential outgoing coach — doesn’t seem viable.
Kevin Keatts
Keatts was fired by NC State last season, just one year after leading the Wolfpack to the Final Four. He could get back into the sport after only one season out, as his résumé is better than those of other potential candidates this cycle. In addition to the Final Four, Keatts has made five NCAA tournament appearances and won two CAA titles at UNC Wilmington.
Who’s ready to make the jump?
Josh Schertz, Saint Louis
After being one of the hottest names on the coaching carousel only two years ago at Indiana State, Schertz is again the crown jewel of the coaching cycle. He has Saint Louis at 25-2 entering the week, ranked inside the top 25 nationally and on track for a single-digit seed on Selection Sunday. The only thing missing from his résumé is an NCAA tournament appearance — something that will change this season. It’s worth noting Schertz isn’t eager to jump at just any high-major job; he can afford to be selective, or even wait until next year.
Jerrod Calhoun, Utah State
The latest to come off the Utah State high-major coach assembly line, Calhoun has the Aggies atop the Mountain West one year after leading them to the NCAA tournament in his first season in Logan. He’s likely to be high on the list of candidates for any Midwest job, given his Ohio roots. He also has high-major experience from his time as an assistant coach at West Virginia. Calhoun’s new contract, which he signed last March, does include a buyout of more than $3 million.
Casey Alexander, Belmont
Alexander has done a tremendous job this season, taking a Belmont team picked fifth in the Missouri Valley to an outright regular-season title. The Bruins have yet to go to an NCAA tournament since hiring Alexander from Lipscomb in 2019 (though they did win the Ohio Valley tournament in 2020), but will be the favorites to cut down the nets at Arch Madness this season. Alexander has won at least 20 games in each of his past 10 seasons as head coach.
Travis Steele, Miami (Ohio)
Steele is at the helm of the last unbeaten team in men’s college basketball. The topic of a new contract has also already been publicly discussed, with Steele acknowledging over the weekend that the school has offered him a contract extension — and that he has yet to sign it. He has the RedHawks on track for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007, and also won 25 games last season. He failed to make the NCAA tournament during his four seasons at Xavier in 2019-22 but could soon get a second chance at the high-major level.
Eric Olen, New Mexico
Olen is in his first season at New Mexico, with the Lobos right on the cutline for the NCAA tournament despite being picked fifth in the preseason Mountain West poll. Last season, he led UC San Diego to 30 wins and an NCAA tournament appearance, and was a consistent winner with the Toreros when they were still in Division II.
Bryan Hodgson, South Florida
Hodgson, a former Alabama assistant coach under Nate Oats, has now shown the ability to quickly turn around programs at two different schools. He won 45 games in two seasons at Arkansas State, including a share of the Sun Belt regular-season title last year, and now has South Florida atop the American in Year 1.
Takayo Siddle, UNC Wilmington
Since a 7-10 record in Wilmington during the COVID-19 2020-21 campaign, Siddle has become one of the most consistently successful mid-major coaches in the country. He has won at least 21 games in each of the past five seasons, leading the Seahawks to the 2022 CAA regular-season title and a 2025 NCAA tournament appearance. This season, UNCW sits in first place in the CAA, and it could be the right time for Siddle to make a jump.
Joe Gallo, Merrimack
Gallo and the Warriors won the outright MAAC regular-season championship, with room to spare, this season, holding a four-game lead with two games to go. It’s Gallo’s fourth regular-season title in seven years at the Division I level, and he has done it in two different conferences. Over the past four seasons — two in the NEC and two in the MAAC — Gallo is 55-15 in conference play. Merrimack also won the NEC tournament in 2023, but was then ineligible for the NCAA tournament. Expect Gallo to be involved in the conversation for bigger jobs in the Northeast.
Tony Skinn, George Mason
A couple of weeks ago, Skinn might have been higher up on this list, alongside Schertz and Calhoun. But the Patriots have fallen apart down the stretch and currently sit third in the Atlantic 10. He did lead Mason to a share of the conference regular-season title last season and has won 68 games in three seasons as a head coach, but he has yet to get to the NCAA tournament. He also has high-major experience from his time as an assistant at Maryland, Ohio State and Seton Hall.
John Groce, Akron
Groce has been one of the most consistent mid-major coaches in the country over the last handful of years, going to three NCAA tournaments in four years and winning the MAC regular-season title last year. The Zips are currently 13-1 in league play, their lone loss coming by three points at unbeaten Miami (Ohio). Groce spent five seasons as Illinois’ head coach from 2012 to 2017, winning 20 games three times but taking the Illini to only one NCAA tournament. With the Midwest seeming like the epicenter of this year’s carousel, he could find himself in the mix for a spot.
Others to watch: Dustin Kerns, App State; Chris Mack, Charleston; Matt Langel, Colgate; Brooks Savage, East Tennessee State; Bob Richey, Furman; Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon; Rob Senderoff, Kent State; Ritchie McKay, Liberty; Rod Strickland, Long Island University; Robert Jones, Norfolk State; Bob Richman, North Dakota State; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; Andy Toole, Robert Morris; Bashir Mason, Saint Peter’s; Chris Mudge, Sam Houston; Herb Sendek, Santa Clara; Richie Riley, South Alabama; Brad Korn, Southeast Missouri State; Matt Braeuer, Stephen F. Austin; Scott Cross, Troy; Eric Konkol, Tulsa; Andy Kennedy, UAB; Russell Turner, UC Irvine; James Jones, Yale
ESPN’s Pete Thamel contributed to this report.
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