ESPN names Amba Etta-Tawo one of college football’s top 50 players

As part of its ongoing college football coverage, ESPN’s been revising its #CFBrank polling every four weeks or so, to reflect the 50 best players in the sport. In the latest update, a familiar face vaulted into the elite group. From the article:

“No. 33 Amba Etta-Tawo, wide receiver/Syracuse Orange

Etta-Tawo has taken the ACC by storm in his one and only year after moving over as a graduate transfer from Maryland. Etta-Tawo is second nationally in receiving yards (1,074), tied for fourth in receptions (66) and leads the ACC with seven touchdown receptions. His six 100-yard games this season place him fifth on Syracuse's career list.”

Considering he’s gotten this high on the list despite not even being on radars to start the season is no small feat. Etta-Tawo’s been a key cog in the explosive Orange offense, and while it’s taken some time, national recognition has been growing for him. This is just the latest in a string of honors, including midseason All-America hype and the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

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For the “where’s Eric Dungey?” crowd, the last quarterback on this list is Houston’s Greg Ward. So while Dungey’s had a fantastic season for Syracuse thus far, that alone should explain how tough the competition is to get your name on this list.

Etta-Tawo was one of eight ACC players included in the top 50. The others: Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (no. 1), Clemson’s Deshaun Watson (no. 8), Florida State’s Dalvin Cook (no. 15), Pitt’s Ejuan Price (no. 23), Florida State’s Demarcus Walker (No. 27), Clemson’s Ben Boulware (no. 35) and Clemson’s Carlos Watkins (no. 44).