Top-10 players on the Wyoming Football Roster? Let’s Crosscheck

LARAMIE -- Collegefootballnews.com Friday released its list of the Top-10 Wyoming football players entering the 2022 season.

Were the selections off base? Not really.

There was no quarterback listed. Not surprising. CFN did add incoming freshman offensive lineman DeShawn Woods as the No. 5 selection. True, he was the prize of the previous recruiting class and only the second four-star prospect in the program's history.

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If only Craig Bohl truly cared about star ratings.

Woods, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing in around 290, received offers from a host of Power-5 schools, including Miami, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas A&M and plenty of others. The Omaha, Neb., product originally committed to Missouri. That didn't pan out.

Will it in Laramie?

That website says Easton Gibbs is the best player on the roster. Maybe? The sophomore linebacker has certainly been productive, tallying 89 tackles and a pair of sacks last fall. He will make the move to the middle in 2022, taking over for Chad Muma, who now cashes NFL paychecks.

Will Gibbs be the next tackling machine destined for the league? Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but his trajectory is impressive.

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I don't have much of a problem with this list overall. Most of the usual suspects are listed. This would be my rebuttal:

My choice for the best player on the roster stands in the backfield and wears No. 2. That man is running back Titus Swen.

Why?

For one, Bohl is going to ride the Fort Worth native maybe more than he's ever run a back not named Brian Hill. If you follow this program, you know that's saying something. The 5-foot-11, 202-pound bulldozer has shown he has the power to get tough yards and the breakaway speed to leave secondary's in the dust.

Just watch the Utah State film from last November.

Swen gashed the eventual Mountain West champs to the tune of 169 yards on the ground on just 15 carries. That included a 98-yard touchdown and a 43-yard jaunt into the end zone in the 44-17 upset inside Maverik Stadium.

Swen is the best player on this roster. He'll need to be if the Cowboys hope to contend this fall.

"There's no slowing him down," UW running backs coach Gordie Haug said this spring. "He's playing faster than ever. He's got full confidence in everything that we're doing offensively.

"... Not only is he a freak of an athlete, but he's got those instincts and understands what it takes to make a big play big."

That's bad news for the rest of the Mo West.

If I was going to add anyone else to this list it would be sophomore cornerback Cameron Stone.

The Texan will be tasked with replacing multi-year starters CJ Coldon and Azizi Hearn, who both left in the NCAA Transfer Portal. He showed last year that he has wheels and instincts. Once again, see the Utah State tape. Stone returned a kick 99 yards for a score against the Aggies.

His contributions on special teams are an added bonus.

What about out on the island?

Stone's stats don't jump off the page. He registered just seven tackles last season in a reserve role. But make no mistake, he's the guy, even with the additions of Jakorey Hawkins (Ole Miss) and Deron Harrell (Wisconsin).

"No," UW cornerback coach Benny Boyd said bluntly when asked if those two veterans are leading the way during spring camp. "Cam Stone is the leader in the room. Unequivocally, in terms of his approach and his play so far and his comfort level with the defense. He's definitely the leader in the room."

Some other names that could've made this list are Andrew Peasley (QB), Frank Crum (OL) and Keonte Glinton (NB). Dawaiian McNeely (RB), Wyett Ekeler (S), Miles Williams (S), Latrell Bible (OL), Sabastian Harsh (DE), DeVonne Harris (DE), Hawkins, Harrell and others, could be a few names that become the household variety this fall.

Will be fun to revisit this list as season's end.

Here's how the rest of collegfootballnews.com list shakes out:

1. Easton Gibbs - linebacker - sophomore

2. Cole Godbout - nose tackle - junior

3. Titus Swen - running back - junior

4. Jordan Bertagnole - defensive tackle - sophomore

5. DeShawn Woods - offensive line - freshman

6. Treyton Welch - tight end - junior

7. Isaac White - safety - freshman

8. Joshua Cobbs - wide receiver - sophomore

9. Eric Abojei - offensive line - senior

10. Parker Christensen - tight end/ fullback - sophomore