Top 10 Best Kick Returners in College Football 2022 Rankings | NFL Draft 2023 Kick Returner Rankings

Ranking College Football’s best Kick Returners of the NCAA 2022-2023 season and the 2023 NFL Draft

By admin | February 2, 2023

The outcome of any football game is determined by many different plays that take place in the game while the momentum can flip with one dynamic play.

One of those dynamic plays that is one of the most electric plays that can happen on the football field is a kick return for a touchdown or a big return that sets up an easy scoring drive.

When it comes to the best kick returners in College Football there is a long list of talented football players that are well deserving of landing on the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings list.

One of those kick returners who has been a pure shot of adrenaline for his team while having the ability to take a kick back from a touchdown is the Indiana Hoosiers freshman kick returner and running back Jaylin Lucas.

Lucas was as good as any kick returner in the country while returning two kicks for touchdowns. Joining Lucas on the list of the best kick returners in 2022 include Silas Bolden of the Oregon State Beavers, Devon Achane of the Texas A&M Aggies, Lideatrick Griffin of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and Barion Brown of the Kentucky Wildcats. Here is a look at the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings.

Honorable Mention

Derius Davis

School: TCU Horned Frogs

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

Just missing the top 10 on the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings list is the TCU Horned Frogs senior wide receiver Derius Davis.

Davis, who was a dynamic playmaker for the Horned Frogs at wide receiver, was also the teams primary kick returner and punt returner over the course of the 2022 NCAA Football Season.

Davis finished the season returning 29 kicks for 575 yards while also adding 268 punt return yards and 531 receiving yards.

Keilan Robinson

School: Texas Longhorns

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Texas Longhorns in 2023

While all eyes were Robinson’s Longhorn teammate Bijan Robinson, the latter of the Robinsons ranked among the best kick returners in College Football.

Robinson, who was used in a limited role on the offensive side of the ball, was a key player in the team’s special team’s success as the team’s primary kick returner.

The Longhorns returner finished the season with 403 return yards on 16 total kick returns while also adding three touchdown catches and even one punt return for a touchdown.

Top 10 Best Kick Returners in College Football

10. Johnnie Lang

School: Arkansas State Red Wolves

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

In at number 10 on the list of the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings list is the Arkansas State Red Wolves running back and kick returner Johnnie Lang.

While the Arkansas State Red Wolves might not get the National media attention that the top tier schools receive, it doesn’t take anything away from Lang who returned 37 kicks this past season for 886 yards to go along with one 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

9. Jayce Rogers

School: Houston Cougars

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

After a breakout season on the defensive side of the football and a strong performance as the Houston Cougars key kick returner, Jayce Rogers is looking forward to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Rogers, who had a strong season on the defensive side of the ball including posting three interceptions including one returned for an 82-yard touchdown, also put together a strong season as a kick returner.

Rogers finished the season ranked 13th in the country while averaging 25.7 yards per kick return. In all Rogers finished the season returning 17 kicks for 437 yards including one kick returned for a 100-yard touchdown.

8. Trevor Etienne

School: Florida Gators

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Florida Gators in 2023

In at number eight on the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings list is the Florida Gators freshman running back and talented kick returner Trevor Etienne.

Etienne who is the younger brother of Travis Etienne put together a solid freshman season both as a running back as well as kick returner.

The Gators star posted 719 yards on the ground while returning 17 kicks for 421 yards and averaging 24.8 yards per kick return.

7. Milan Tucker

School: Appalachian State Mountaineers

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Appalachian State Mountaineers in 2023

As you start to look around at the best kick returners in College Football one player that stands out is Milan Tucker.

Tucker, who is in second season with the Mountaineers finished the 2022 College Football season ranked 2nd in the country while averaging 28.2 yards per kick return.

The Mountaineers star returned 22 kicks across the season including one 99-yard kick return for a touchdown. Tucker, who has played limited on the defensive side of the ball, found his niche as a highly prolific returner this season.

6. Malik Knowles

School: Kansas State Wildcats

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

One of the top kick returners over the past two seasons Malik Knowles has made a name for himself as one of the best to return kicks in College Football.

The Kansas State Wildcats senior finished the season returning 23 kicks for 592 yards while finishing the season ranked 12th in the country averaging 25.7 yards per return.

As Knowles prepares for the NFL Combine as well as the 2023 NFL Draft, the former Wildcats star finished his career with 1,691 return yards to go along with three kick return touchdowns.

5. Silas Bolden

School: Oregon State Beavers

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Oregon State Beavers in 2023

Rounding out the top five kick returners on the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings list is the Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Silas Bolden.

The former three-star recruit landed on the All-Pac 12 Second Team as a return specialist during his sophomore season while leading all Pac-12 returners while averaging 27.2 yards per kick return.

Bolden finished the season posting 599 return yards on 23 returns while posting a career long 80-yard return coming up just short of a touchdown.

4. Barion Brown

School: Kentucky Wildcats

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Kentucky Wildcats in 2023

A second talented freshman joining Jaylin Lucas as one of the best kick returners in College Football is the Kentucky Wildcats freshman Barion Brown.

Brown who is from Nashville, Tennessee landed on with the Wildcats while making a name for himself both as a wide receiver and kick returner.

The Wildcats freshman finished the season posting 16 kick returns for 440 yards with one return going for a 100-yard kick return. The future is Bright in Kentucky as Brown also added 628 yards on 50 catches to go along with four touchdown receptions.

3. Lideatrick Griffin

School: Mississippi State Bulldogs

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

When you look around at some of the top game changers around College Football in 2022, Lideatrick Griffin of the Mississippi State Bulldogs is one name that is well worth mentioning.

Griffin, who has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft finished the season leading all kick returners while averaging 32.3 yards per kick return.

Griffin finished the season returning 19 kicks for 613 yards to go along with one kick returned for a 92-yard touchdown. Over the past two seasons, Griffin has posted 1072 return yards to go along with two kicks returned for touchdowns.

2. Devon Achane

School: Texas A&M Aggies

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

One game changer headed to the 2023 NFL Draft is the Texas A&M Aggies star running back and explosive kick returner Devon Achane.

Achane who topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career as a running back also was as good as any kick returner in college football despite only returning nine total kicks this season.

The Aggies star finished the 2022 NCAA Football season returning nine kicks for 301 yards while returning one kick return for a 96-yard touchdown while averaging over 33 yards per return.

1. Jaylin Lucas

School: Indiana Hoosiers

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Indiana Hoosiers in 2023

In at number one on the Top 10 College Football Kick Returners 2023 Rankings list is the Houma, Louisiana native Jaylin Lucas.

Lucas put together a stellar freshman season with the Indiana Hoosiers as he slowly settled in as the team’s primary kick returner while also making some plays at running back.

While topping the 100-yard mark on the ground in his final game of the season, Lucas was a stellar kick returner all season returning two kicks for touchdowns including a 93-yard return.

The Hoosiers freshman finished the season ranked 3rd in all of College Football averaging 28.1 yards per kick return while finishing 12th with 591 return yards.

How would you rank the Best College Kick Returners in the 2022-2023 BCS season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings