Top 5 special teams players to watch out for in Week 3 of college football ft. Noah Whittington

While the contributions of special teams players are often overlooked, they can play a major role in determining the outcome of a game as we saw in Week 2 of the 2024 college football season. The now-No.9-ranked Oregon Ducks' matchup with the Boise State Broncos was a perfect example of special teams swinging the tide as the former needed two return touchdowns to escape with a 37-34 victory.

The first two weeks of the college football season have already seen 24 separate Division I players return either a kick or punt for a touchdown. Additionally, several kickers have made an impact with 13 making at least five field goals and 27 making at least 10 extra points. Take a look at five special teams players to watch out for heading into Week 3.

Top 5 special teams players to watch out for in Week 3 of college football

#5: Dominic Zvada

Dominic Zvada kicks off the list as he has made all three extra point attempts and all five field goal attempts, one of which came from 55 yards out, for the Michigan Wolverines. The unranked prospect in the 2022 recruiting class is 74-75 on extra point attempts and 39-45 on field goal attempts during his three-year career.

#4: Ryan Fitzgerald

Ryan Fitzgerald has also been perfect, albeit on fewer attempts as the Florida State Seminoles kicker is 2-2 on extra points and 4-4 on field goals. He was able to convert a 59-yarder, the longest of any kicker this college football season, against Georgia Tech. The two-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class is 166-170 on extra points and 49-65 on field goals over his five-year career.

#3: Peyton Woodring

Peyton Woodring has been big for the Georgia Bulldogs all season. The three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class has been perfect over the first two games, connecting on all 10 extra point attempts and all four field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder. He has made all 81 extra-point attempts in his two-year career and 21 of 25 field goals.

#2: Tez Johnson

Tez Johnson did not have the mental lapse of his teammate as he returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown earlier in the Oregon Ducks' victory over the Boise State Broncos. The three-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class has returned 48 punts for 464 yards and one touchdown in his five-year career.

#1: Noah Whittington

Noah Whittington nearly became the talk of the college football world for all the wrong reasons in Week 2. After taking a kickoff back 100 yards, he dropped the ball before crossing into the end zone. Fortunately, Jayden Limar picked up the ball to bail him out and allow the Oregon Ducks to tie the score at 34.

While much of the focus was on the end of the play, the explosiveness of the two-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class cannot be overlooked. Whittington displayed game-changing ability and has shined in limited action as a returner in his five-year career, bringing back seven kickoffs for 204 yards.