Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some college football players may opt out of the season
The COVID-19 pandemic is going to have a major impact on the 2020 college football season. As a result of the uncertainty surrounding the season, amount of games likely to be played, along with health risks associated with COVID-19, some players may choose to opt out for the 2020 season. The list of players opting out could grow into August and Athlon Sports will track these announcements by players throughout the offseason. As of Saturday, Aug. 8, 45 players have opted out of games for the upcoming year. Some of the players that opted out include preseason All-America picks in Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley and Purdue receiver Rondale Moore.
College Football Players Opting Out 2020 of Season
ACC
Duke
OL Jacob Rimmer
Rimmer opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. Rimmer did not play in 2019.
LS Ben Wyatt
Wyatt opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The North Carolina native was the team's long snapper on punts in 2019.
Florida State
DE Jamarcus Chatman
Chatman opted out of the upcoming college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Georgia native played in four games with the Seminoles in 2019.
Miami
DE Gregory Rousseau
Rousseau informed coach Manny Diaz on Thursday, Aug. 6 he will opt out of the 2020 college football season. The Florida native was an Athlon Sports first-team All-American for 2020. Rousseau recorded 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss in 2019. He will likely be one of the first defensive players off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.
North Carolina
S D.J. Ford
Ford opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Alabama native was a projected starter at safety after playing in 13 contests and recording 54 stops in 2019.
OL Triston Miller
According to the News & Observer, Miller has opted out of the 2020 season due to family reasons. The Charlotte native took a redshirt year last fall and was expected to push for time in the two-deep.
DB Javon Terry
Terry opted out of the 2020 season on Friday, Aug. 7. The North Carolina native played in all 13 games for the Tar Heels in 2019 and recorded four tackles.
CB Bryce Watts
Watts opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Virginia Tech transfer was slated to play a key role in North Carolina's secondary this fall.
Pitt
DL Jaylen Twyman
Twyman announced he would opt out of the season on Saturday, Aug. 8. Twyman was one of the top defensive linemen in college football for 2020 and was an Athlon Sports second-team All-American. Twyman played in 13 contests for the Panthers and recorded 41 tackles and 10.5 sacks last year.
Syracuse
DL Cooper Dawson
Dawson tweeted his intention to opt out of the 2020 college football season on Thursday, Aug. 6. The South Carolina native redshirted in his first year on campus last fall.
Virginia Tech
CB Caleb Farley
Farley ranked among the nation's top cornerbacks and was an Athlon Sports third-team All-American for the 2020 season. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks had a 26.8 passer rating when targeting receivers on Farley's side in 2019. Farley is expected to be one of the top cornerbacks off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Here is former Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley’a announcement that he is opting out of the college football season to train and turn pro, sent to ESPN: pic.twitter.com/5j4FmQvGKy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 29, 2020
American
Houston
DL Sedrick Williams
Williams was a member of Houston's 2020 recruiting class, and chose to opt out of the upcoming college football season on Saturday, Aug. 8.
USF
WR Jernard Phillips
Phillips opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. He's played in 28 games over the last three years and tallied 20 receptions in that span.
DL John Waller
Waller opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Florida native played in five games and recorded two tackles last season.
Big 12
Kansas State
S Jonathan Alexander
Alexander announced on Friday, Aug. 7 he would opt out of the 2020 college football season. The Texas native played in 12 games and recorded 25 tackles for the Wildcats in 2019. He was slated to start for Kansas State in '20.
West Virginia
S Kerry Martin
Martin tweeted on Wednesday, Aug. 5 his intention to opt out of the 2020 college football season. Martin was expected to play a key role in West Virginia's secondary this fall and was a projected starter. The West Virginia native played in 12 games and recorded 50 tackles as a freshman in 2019.
Big Ten
Illinois
RB Ra'Von Bonner
According to the Chicago Tribune, Bonner is sitting out the 2020 season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. “Playing football, I feel we’re more at risk with the amount of guys we have," Bonner told the Tribune. "In football you have to touch someone else. You can spread that to family members. That’s not what I want. I don’t want to not see my family, my sister, my girlfriend.” Bonner hopes to return to the team in 2021.
Maryland
DL Jalen Alexander
Alexander was one of six Terrapins that chose to opt out for the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Virginia native made one tackle in six appearances in 2019.
DB Vincent Flythe
Flythe chose to opt out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. He played in eight games as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and recorded three tackles.
OL Austin Fontaine
Maryland coach Mike Locksley indicated Fontaine would opt out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. Fontaine played in 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and was expected to play a key role in the trenches this fall.
QB Josh Jackson
Maryland coach Mike Locksley indicated on Friday, Aug. 7 that Jackson would opt out of the 2020 college football season. The Virginia Tech transfer was projected to start at quarterback for the Terrapins this fall.
OL Johnny Jordan
Jordan was one of six Maryland players coach Mike Locksley indicated on Friday, Aug. 7 would opt out of the 2020 college football season. Jordan started six games for the Terrapins in 2019 and was projected to start in '20.
LB TJ Kautai
Kautai was an incoming JUCO recruit who opted out on Friday, Aug. 7. The Texas native played at Independence Community College and recorded 32 stops in 2019.
Michigan State
OL Jordan Reid
Reid tweeted he will opt out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Michigan native started 13 games for the Spartans in 2019 and has played in 39 overall contests. He will redshirt and return to the team in 2021.
Minnesota
WR Rashod Bateman
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Bateman announced via Twitter his intention to opt out of the 2020 college football season and begin preparing for the NFL Draft. The Georgia native was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a second-team All-American by Athlon Sports for 2020. Bateman caught 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns last year.
Wishing wellâ¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/fxV1FI7r7o
— Rashod Bateman (@R_bateman2) August 4, 2020
Michigan State
LB Marcel Lewis
Lewis opted out of the 2020 season on Saturday, Aug. 8. He played in three games as a freshman in 2019 and was slated to push for a spot on the two-deep in '20.
DE Jacub Panasiuk
Panasiuk tweeted his intention to opt out of the 2020 college football season on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The Illinois native was one of the top returning defensive ends in the Big Ten after recording 11 tackles for a loss and five sacks in 2019. Panasiuk intends to redshirt 2020 and return to the team for '21.
OL Justin Stevens
Stevens was a member of the 2020 recruiting class for Michigan State and chose to opt out on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Penn State
LB Micah Parsons
According to Yahoo Sports and Lions247, Parsons has decided to opt out of the 2020 season. Over the last two seasons, Parsons has emerged as one of college football's top defenders and was a first-team All-American by Athlon Sports for 2020. In 13 games last season, Parsons recorded 109 tackles (14 for a loss) and five sacks. He's expected to be one of the first defenders off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Purdue
WR Rondale Moore
Moore was one of the nation's top all-around players and an Athlon Sports first-team All-American for 2020. He caught 114 passes as a freshman in 2018 but was limited to 29 in four contests as a sophomore in '19. The Indiana native decided to opt out of the 2020 season on Thursday, Aug. 6.
Rutgers
WR Everett Wormley
Wormley opted out of the 2020 college football season on Saturday, Aug. 8. The New Jersey native caught five passes in 23 games with the Scarlet Knights.
Conference USA
FAU
DB Quran Hafiz
Hafiz opted out of the season on Saturday, Aug. 8. The Jacksonville native played a key role in FAU's secondary over the last three years and recorded 33 stops over 14 games in 2019.
UAB
RB DaQuon Godfrey
Godfrey tweeted on Tuesday, Aug. 4 his intention to opt out of the 2020 season. The Alabama native played in two games for the Blazers in 2019.
Independents
New Mexico State
LB Rashie Hodge
Hodge was slated to be one of the top defenders for New Mexico State in 2020. However, the standout linebacker opted out of the season on Friday, Aug. 7. Hodge recorded 90 tackles (10 for a loss) in 2019.
DL Myles Vigne
Vigne opted out of the 2020 college football season on Friday, Aug. 7. Vigne has played in 36 career games with the Aggies and recorded 69 tackles and three sacks over that span.
DL Jomaious Williams
Williams decided in late July to opt out of the 2020 college football season. He accumulated six tackles (1.5 for a loss) in six appearances with New Mexico State in 2019.
Pac-12
Arizona
QB Kevin Doyle
Doyle tweeted on Aug. 1 his intention to opt out of the 2020 season. The Washington D.C. native took a redshirt year in 2018 and did not appear in any games with the Wildcats in 2019.
Washington State
WR Kassidy Woods
According to the Spokesman-Review, Woods will opt out of the 2020 season due to health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas native played in four games during a redshirt year in 2018 and caught six passes over 12 appearances in 2019.
DB Pat Nunn
According to the Spokesman-Review's Theo Lawson, Nunn has decided to opt out of the 2020 season. The California native played in 12 games and collected 10 tackles for the Cougars in 2019.
SEC
Auburn
DB Traivon Leonard
Leonard opted out of the season on Friday, Aug. 7. The Florida native played in two games as a reserve in 2018-19 and was slated for a similar role in '20.
LB Chandler Wooten
Wooten tweeted on Thursday, Aug. 6 his intention to opt out of the 2020 college football season. The Georgia native played in 30 career games from 2017-19 and recorded 27 tackles as a junior in '19. He will take a redshirt year and return to the team in 2021.
LSU
DL Neil Farrell
Farrell opted out of the season on Saturday, Aug. 8. The Alabama native played in 15 contests and recorded 46 tackles for the Tigers in 2019. He was slated to be a key cog in the defensive front for 2020.
South Carolina
OL Mark Fox
According to GamecockCentral.com, Fox will opt out of the 2020 season. The Miami native was slated to be a redshirt freshman this fall.
OL Jordan Rhodes
According to GamecockCentral.com, Rhodes has decided to opt out of the 2020 college football season. Rhodes started 10 games for South Carolina in 2019 and was projected to play a key role in the trenches this fall.
Vanderbilt
K Oren Milstein
Milstein tweeted on Monday, Aug. 3 his intention to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Milstein was a transfer from Columbia expected to push for time as the team's starting kicker in 2020.
