RANT SPORTS – The WWE, formerly known as the WWF has produced some of the biggest wrestlers of all time, each bringing their unique blend of talent and charisma to the sport. These top wrestlers have excelled in in-ring competitions and become global sensations filling arenas worldwide and attracting fans through unforgettable moments. As we delve into the 2025 list of the greatest wrestlers of all time, we will celebrate the best WWE wrestlers who have cemented their positions in its rich history. 

Best wrestlers of all time | Ranking 2025

Now, let us get to know the best wrestlers of all time. Which one of these legendary WWE wrestlers will be recognized as the best? Read to discover the greatest WWE wrestlers in history.

1. Bret “Hitman” Hart

Starting at number one is Canadian-American retired professional wrestler Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart. He is thought to be one of the greatest WWE wrestlers ever. During his time in the WWE, Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart was a 5 time WWE champion, 2-time intercontinental champion, 2-time tag team champion, king of the ring (1993), winner of the 1994 Royal Rumble with Lex Luger, and Hall of Famer (2005, 2009 with the Hart Foundation). After retiring, he spends much of his time on charitable causes. He is currently married to Stephanie Washington. He was previously married to Cinzia Rota and Julie Smadu with whom he had four children. 

2. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin

Coming in in close second is Steve Autin also known as Stone Cold, a retired American professional wrestler. He was a 6-time WWE champion, 2-time intercontinental champion, 2-time tag team champion, the King of the Ring winner in 1996, and a Hall of Famer (2009). He is widely recognized as one of the best WWE wrestlers of all time having contributed significantly to the establishment and success of the WWE. Currently, he is signed to the WWE as an ambassador. He is married to Kristin Feres and has 3 children. He was previously married to Debra Marshall, Jeanie Clarke, and Kathryn Burrhus.

3. “ Macho Man” Randy Savage

Third on the best wrestlers of all time list is “Macho Man” Randy Savage, a former American pro wrestler. Sportswriter Bill Simmons regarded Randy Savage as “one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever to live”, a statement other stars in the industry reaffirmed. During his time in the WWE, Randy Savage won 2 WWE championships, and one intercontinental championship and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. He was married twice to Elizabeth Hulette and Barbara Lynn Payne. He passed away in May 2011 from atherosclerotic heart disease.

4. The Undertaker

Mark William Calaway, also known as The Undertaker makes an appearance on this list as the 4th greatest wrestler of all time. During his wrestling career, he won 4 WWE championships, the 3 World Heavyweight Championships, 1 Hardcore Championship, 6 World Tag Team Championships, and won the 2007 Royal Rumble match. The undertaker has been named as most iconic wrestler in WWE history. He has five children and is currently married to Michelle McCool. The Undertaker was previously married to Sara Frank and Jodi Lynn.

5. John Cena

16-time world champion John Cena is next on the greatest WWE wrestlers list. John Cena has won the WWE Championship a record 13 times as well as the World Heavyweight Championships 3 times. He also won 5 WWE United States Championships, 2 WWE Tag Team Championships, 2 Royal Rumbles, and one Money in the Bank. John Cena and his wife Shay Shariatzadeh have no kids together. He was previously married to Elizabeth Huberdeau.

6. Bruno Sammartino

Talian-American professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino is one of the most iconic WWE wrestlers. During his time on the WWF, now WWE, he held the WWF World Heavyweight title for 2,803 days. In addition to being the longest world title reign in WWE history, his reign was the longest in the championship’s history. Bruno Sammartino died on April 18, 2018, from multiple organ failure. He was married to Carol Sammartino and had three children.

7. The Rock

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is number seven on this list of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. He was the winner of the 2000 Royal Rumble, the WWE championship eight times, the WCW championships twice, the tag team titles five times, and the Intercontinental titles twice. He is also regarded as one of the most popular wrestlers ever Aside from the WWE, his films have grossed over $12.5 billion globally. In 2016 and 2019, Time named The Rock one of the world’s most important people. He is married to Lauren Hashian and he has three children.

8. Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels, widely regarded as one of the top WWE wrestlers won the world championship 4 times He also won the Royal Rumble twice and is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer ( 2011 and 2019 as a member of D Generation X. He and his wife Rebecca Curci have two children.

9. ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper

Rowdy Roddy Piper is considered one of the most famous WWE wrestlers. He headlined several PPV events and won 34 championships. Ric Flair declared Rowdy Roddy Piper “ the most gifted entertainer in the history of professional wrestling” when he inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He passed away in July 2015, from cardiac arrest. He and his wife Kitty Jo Dittrich had 4 children.

10. Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is considered the most famous wrestler in the world, the most popular WWE wrestler of the 1980s, and one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. During his time in the WWE, he won the WWF championship 5 times and his reign of 1,474 days was the longest of a WrestleMania era ever. He is a WWE Hall of Famer. He is married to Sky Daily and has 2 children.

11. Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle, one of WWE’s best wrestlers won more than 21 professional wrestling championships and is a 13-time world champion. He is the only wrestler who has won the World Heavyweight Championship, WWE Championship, WCW Championships, IWGP Heavyweight Championship, TNA World Heavyweight Championship, and NCAA Wrestling Championship. He is a WWE Hall of Famer. He is married to Giovanna Yannotti and he has 5 children.

12. Rey Mysterio

Many people agree that one of the greatest cruiserweight wrestlers of all time is Rey Mysterio. Rey Mysterio is a 2-time WWE and world champion, 2-time intercontinental champion, 3-time United States Champion, 3-time cruiserweight champion, 5-time tag team champion, and the 2006 Royal Rumble winner. He and his wife Angie Gutiérrez have 2 children.

13. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns, a former football player turned pro wrestler is regarded as one of the best wrestlers of all time. Since joining the WWE, he has won 2 universal championships, 4 WWE championships, 1 intercontinental champion, 1 United States Champion, 1 Tag team champion, and won the 2015 Royal Rumble. He and his spouse, Galina Becker, have five children together.

14. Andre the Giant

Andre the Giant, also known as “the Eighth Wonder of the World” was an iconic WWE wrestler. He was a WWE champion, and tag team champion, and was inducted into the 1993 Hall of Fame. He passed away in January 1993 from congestive heart failure. Andre the Giant is survived by his son Robin Christensen-Roussimoff.

15. Mick Foley

Mick Foley’s impact in the WWE extends far beyond that of a legend and a New York Times bestseller. He is widely recognized as one of the biggest performers of the attitude era and one of the best wrestlers in pro wrestling history. During his time in the WWE, he won 4 world championships, 11 tag team championships, 1 TNA Legends championship and he was the inaugural WWF Hardcore Champion. Mick Foley was elected into the WWE Hall of Fame. He has 4 children with his wife Colette Christie.

16. Chris Jericho

On top of being one of the top WWE wrestlers of all time, Chris Jericho is also an accomplished actor and rock musician. Well-known for his in-ring wrestling skills, Chris Jericho has been mentioned in the list of several greatest wrestlers ever. He won the Undisputed WWF Champion one time, and the WCW/World Heavyweight Champion( 2002-2013) three times. He also held the WWE Intercontinental Championship nine times and is the ninth Triple Crown Champion and Fourth Grand Slam Champion in history. Chris Jericho and his wife have 3 children.

17. Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar has always been considered one of the top WWE wrestlers in wrestling history. He burst onto the scene in 2002 under the guidance of Paul Heyman and wasted no time making an impact. In just five months, he obliterated the Hardy Boyz, captured the prestigious King of the Ring title, dismantled Hulk Hogan in a bloody encounter, and defeated The Rock to become the youngest WWE Champion at the time. He won seven WWE Championships, three Universal Championships, was the King of the Ring in 2002, the Money in the Bank champion in (2019), and the Royal Rumble winner (2003, 2022) He has been married to Sable since 2006 and has four children.

18. Eddie Guerrero

Eddie Guerrero’s father Gory Guerrero was a first-generation wrestler, which made Eddie Guerrero a well-respected member of the Guerrero wrestling family. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. During his time in the WWE, he won 1 WWE championship, 2 European Championships, 1 United States Championship, 1 intercontinental championship, 4 tag team championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006. Eddie Guerrero died in November 2005 from acute heart failure at 35. In a WWE roster survey, he was named one of the top 20 greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. He was survived by his wife Vickie Guerrero and their three children. 

19. Randy Orton

In both his generation and the history of the WWE, Randy Orton is among the most successful wrestlers. Orton is tied for the third most world championship reigns in history, with a career spanning more than 20 years. He has won 10 WWE championships, 4 Heavyweight Championships, one Intercontinental Championship, one United States Championship, and 4 Tag Team championships, and was the winner of Money in the Bank 2013 and the Royale Rumble 2009/2017. With these achievements, he is no doubt one of the iconic WWE wrestlers. Randy Orton and his wife Kimberly Kessler have 2 kids.

20. CM Punk

Despite his controversial personality in the wrestling industry, CM Punk is often considered one of the greatest and most popular WWE wrestlers in history. He won 1 ECW World Heavyweight Championship, 2 WWE Championships, 2 WWE Intercontinental Championship, 3 World Heavyweight Championships, and 1 World Tag Team Championship. He won the Money in the Bank ladder competitions in 2008 and 2009. His tenure as the seventh-longest WWE champion in history lasted 434 days. CM Punk and his wife AJ Mendez have no children.

21. Triple H

Triple H is a 14-time WWE World Champion and is considered one of the top wrestlers in the company’s history. He also won 2 European championships, 3 tag teams championships, 5 Intercontinental championships, and was the King of the Ring in 1997, and the Royal Rumble winner in 2002 and 2016. Triple H has 3 children with his wife Stephanie McMahon.

22. Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan is recognized as one of the biggest professional wrestlers of all time, known for his technical wrestling technique and audience appeal. In wrestling, Danielson has four WWE Championships and one World Heavyweight Championship. He has previously won the ROH World Championship in Ring of Honor (ROH). He is married to Brie Garcia and they have 2 children.

23. Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch helped revolutionize professional wrestling as a member of the Four Horsewomen of NXT. Since 2018, she has been regarded as one of the most popular WWE wrestlers of her time, She is the winner of the women’s Royal Rumble winner in 2019, won the WWE Raw women’s championship 2 times, NXT women’s championship once, the WWE SmackDown women’s championship 4 times and WWE women’s tag team championship once. Lynch was named one of the WWE best wrestlers who changed the game in the 21st century by Glazia Magazine in 2022. She and her husband Seth Rollins have a daughter together.

24. Ric Flair

Ric Flair appeared on the scene in WWE in late 1991 as the “Real World’s Champion” and instantly challenged Hulk Hogan’s claim to be the top dog in the industry. Flair is a 16-time world champion. He has been divorced 4 times and he has 4 children.

25. Edge

Edge came into WWF, now WWE with a unique personality that set him apart. Throughout his 25-year WWE career, he won more than 31 titles, including the World Heavyweight Championship in 2002 and 2013 versions 7 times, 5 Intercontinental Championships, 4 WWE Championships four, 1 the United States Championship, 2 WWE World Tag Team Championships, and 12 World Tag Team Championship. He is the eighth Grand Slam champion and the 14th Triple Crown winner in WWE history. He has 2 children with his wife Beth Phoenix.

26. Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins, a five-time WWE global champion is one of the top wrestlers of all time. He is the only wrestler who has won the Universal Championship, World Heavyweight Championship, WWE Championship, and NXT Championship. He is married to Becky Lynch and they have one kid together.

27. Charlotte Flair

Although she is the daughter of one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time, Charlotte Flair has managed to make a name for herself as one of the best WWE wrestlers ever. She has won the women’s world champion for a record 14 times, the WWE (RAW) Women’s Championship 6 times, and the SmackDown Women’s Championship 7 times. With two NXT Women’s Championships and one Women’s Tag Team Championship, Charlotte Flair is a Triple Crown and Grand Slam champion. She is married to Andrade however, she has no kids.

28. Chyna

Chyna billed as “The Ninth Wonder of the World” overcame barriers and proved that women were capable of sharing the ring with men as well as defeating them. She is regarded as one of the most famous WWE wrestlers from the attitude era. With her singles victories over several famous male wrestlers, Chyna left a lasting legacy as one of the most iconic WWE wrestlers of all time.

29. Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus led women’s wrestling into its golden age in the 2000s. Trish, who was inducted into the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame is widely recognized as one of the WWE best female wrestlers of all time. Her reign as WWE Women’s champion for 448 days is the longest by any female world champion in the 21st century, She is married to Ron Fisico and has two kids.

30. Razor Ramon

Razor Ramon dominated the WWE from the early to mid-1990s as a member of the WWE’s New Generation and made a name for himself as one of the top WWE wrestlers of all time. During his time, he won the Intercontinental Championship 4 times and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2014 and 2020 as part of the New World Order. He died in March 2022 aged 63 leaving behind two children.

31. Kane

Kane is one of the top WWE wrestlers of his generation. During his time, he won several championships including 3 World Championships, 12 tag team championships, and a WWE Grand Slam Championship. Kane was inducted into the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame class. He and Crystal Goins have 2 children.

32. Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts

Jake Roberts is the only wrestler who went his entire career without winning a title but is still regarded as one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time. He is a WWE Hall of Famer. Jake Roberts is currently not married, however, he has 10 children.

33. Booker T

Booker T. has won the most titles in WCW history with 21 wins under his belt including a record 6-time WCW World Television Championships and 11 WCW World Tag Team Championships. Booker is one of only four men to have won both the WWE and WCW Triple Crowns, having won the WCW Triple Crown Championship nine times. He is a WWE Hall of Famer. Booker T. is married to Sharmell Sullivan and he has 3 children.

34. Batista

Batista is regarded as one of the most successful professional wrestlers in WWE history having risen to prominence through three stints in WWE from 2002 to 2019. He won 2 WWE Championships, 4 World Heavyweight Championships, 3 World Tag Team Championships, and a single WWE Tag Team Title. He was the winner of the Royal Rumble in 2005 and 2014. As an actor, Bautista has appeared in almost a billion dollars worth of films. He is currently not married, however, he has 3 children from his first and second marriages.

35. Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat

Ricky Steamboat is widely recognized as one of the best and biggest wrestlers of all time. He won one Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship and is a WWE Hall of Famer. He and his wife Sandi McAlister have one child.

36. The Ultimate Warrior

The Ultimate Warrior was signed by the WWF/E from 1987 to 1992. During his time in the WWF now WWE, he won one WWE championship, and 2 intercontinental championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. Although his partnership with the WWE was rocky at times, the WWE has recently named him one of the company’s most popular WWE wrestlers. He died in April 2014 aged 54. He was married to Dana Viale and had two children.

37. Mr. Perfect

Curt Hennig joined WWE in 1988 and quickly proved to the world that he was exactly what he claimed to be: Mr. Perfect. WWE acknowledged Hennig for increasing the standard of technical wrestling in that industry. Peers, critics, and fans consider him one of the WWE best wrestlers of all time. He won 2 Intercontinental championships and is a WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Perfect passed away in 2003 leaving behind his wife Leonice Leonard and four children.

38. Owen Hart

Owen Hart was in the WWE from 1993 to 1999. Although his time in the WWE was short, he managed to make a name for himself and is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time by many industry colleagues. He was the European Champion, a 2-time intercontinental champion, a 4-time tag team champion, and the king of the ring in 1994. Owen Hart passed away in 1999. He was married to Martha Hart and they had two children.

39. Rob Van Dam

Rob Van Dam joined the WWE in 2001 and in no time, he established himself as one of the top WWE wrestlers. He is a 1-time WWE champion, ECW champion, European champion, 4-time hardcore champion, 6-time intercontinental champion, 3-time tag team champion, and Money in the Bank winner in 2006 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. He and his wife Katie Forbes have no kids.

40. “Superstar” Billy Graham

Billy Graham gained notoriety as the WWF Heavyweight Champion between 1977 and 1978. He won three world titles in major wrestling promotions Billy Graham is considered among the most popular WWE wrestlers of all time. He and his wife Valerie Coleman have 2 children.

41. Sasha Banks

Few women have had as significant an effect on WWE history as Sasha Banks. She was instrumental in transforming the NXT with other WWE women stars like Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair by pushing women’s wrestling mainstream. She is the only female professional wrestler to have won titles in the NJPW, AEW, and WWE. During her time, she won 5 Raw Women’s Champions, 1 SmackDown Women’s Champion, 2 Women’s Tag Team Champions, and one NXT Women’s Champion. All these accomplishments have earned her a spot as one of the biggest wrestlers of all time. Sasha Banks is not married and she has no kids.

42. ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude

Rude competed from 1982 until his injury-related retirement in 1994; a final match took place in 1997. He held four world titles, three WCW International World Heavyweight titles, one WCWA World Heavyweight title, one WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight title, and one WCW United States Heavyweight title, among other honors. He died in 1999 leaving his wife Michelle Rood and three children.

43. Jeff Hardy

One of the best professional wrestlers of all time, Jeff Hardy is also considered to be one of the industry’s biggest risk-takers. He won 5 Intercontinental Championships, 1 WWE Champion, 8 Tag Team Championships, 2 World Heavyweight Championships, 1 WCW Tag Team Championships, 3 Hardcore Championships, 1 United States Championship, 1 Light Heavyweight championship and 1Light Heavyweight championship. Jeff and his wife Beth Brit have two children.

44. Kofi Kingston

Kofi Kingston is the first and only world champion in WWE history born in Africa. Kingston won 3 United States Championships, 4 Intercontinental Championships, the WWE Tag Team Championship two times, and the World Tag Team Championship one time between 2008 and 2013. Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods founded The New Day in 2014. From August 2015 until December 2016, the group broke the record and became the longest-tag team champion in WWE history. Kingston has won 15 WWE tag team titles overall. In total, Kingston has won 15 WWE tag team championships. After defeating Daniel Bryan to capture the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019, Kingston has won 23 WWE titles overall. These accomplishments make him no doubt a top WWE wrestler. He is married to Kori Campfield with three kids. 

45. Asuka

Asuka was the most formidable force in pro wrestling’s most prestigious promotion for 914 days, dominating women’s wrestling in NXT and WWE with an undefeated run. She participated in more WWE matches than any other superstar in 2020. She was listed by WWE as one of the top 5 female superstars of all time in 2021.

46. AJ Styles

AJ Styles has been making a name for himself in the WWE since 2016. He has won 3 United States Championships, 1 Raw tag team championship, and 2 WWE championships. Jones is regarded as one of the best WWE wrestlers of all time and has been a mainstay of the wrestling industry for more than 20 years. He is admired by both fans and colleagues. After winning Wrestler of the Year in 2015 and 2016, he was admitted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. He has 4 children with his wife Wendy Jones.

47. Dean Ambrose 

Dean Ambrose is another one of the best WWE wrestlers of all time, having won 15 titles in all, including six world titles. He was the 2019 Sports Illustrated wrestler of the year and the 2014, 201,5, and 2022 most popular wrestler of the year, according to Pro Wrestling Illustrated. In the 2020 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, which lists the best 500 wrestlers worldwide, he was ranked first as well. He is married to Renee Paquette and they have one child together.

48. Vader

Vader’s status as one of the WWE best super-heavyweight wrestlers of all time is widely acknowledged. Vader is a WWE Hall of Famer and he is also a Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Famer. He is the son of Jake Carter.

49. Lita

As one of the best female performers in WWE history, Lita Dumas was inducted into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame. She won 1 women’s tag team championship and 4 WWE women’s championships. As of 2024, Lita remains single.

50. Big Show

Since making his debut in 1994, Big Show has won 23 titles between WWF/WWE and WCW, including seven world titles and eleven world tag team titles. In addition to winning the Intercontinental, United States, and Hardcore titles, he is the 12th Grand Slam champion and the 24th Triple Crown in WWE history. He is married to Bess Katramados and he has 3 children.

Who is the best wrestler in the world

As of now, Roman Reigns is considered to be the best wrestler in the world. He is currently the top guy on the WWE roster, the face of the WWE, and he is also a big draw for television ratings and ticket sales. Roman Reigns was the Undisputed WWE champion for 1316 days which is the longest championship reign since 1988. He has also won 2 universal championships, 4 WWE championships, 1 intercontinental champion, 1 United States Champion, 1 Tag team champion, and won the 2015 Royal Rumble.

Conclusion

The Best Wrestlers of All Time list showcases wrestlers who left indelible marks through their popularity, championship reigns, ticket sales, and overall business success. Their consistency in major events and charisma have made them iconic figures in WWE history. From the start of the WWE to the attitude era and beyond, these wrestlers have created outstanding moments that helped define the growth of professional wrestling. Their contributions serve as a reminder of why WWE is still considered the peak standard of sports entertainment.

FAQ

Who is the greatest WWE player?

Bret “Hitman” Hart is considered to be the greatest WWE player.

Who is the top rank in WWE?

Roman Reigns is considered the top wrestler in the WWE.

Who is more popular in WWE?

John Cena is the most popular wrestler in the WWE as of now. 

Who is the best one in WWE?

Roman Reigns is currently the best wrestler in the WWE.

RANT SPORTS – Who Does Mark Eckel Think Should Win NFL Awards?

Once upon a time in a land far, far away I had a vote for the Associated Press’ NFL awards. 

One year it was for Coach of the Year, another year it was for Rookie of the Year and every so often it was for Most Valuable Player.

While those days are gone, it doesn’t mean my opinions are. Now, the NFL conducts its awards like the Academy Awards. They nominate five players for each and then pick a winner.

The Oscars? Let’s call these the Rogers. And here’s one opinion. 

Most Valuable Player 

The nominees are.

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore 

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati 

Jared Goff, QB, Detroit

And the winner is.

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia 

This wasn’t easy. You could make the case for Allen and Jackson very easily. But if you take the award at its meaning, “most valuable’’ it has to be a the player who made the Eagles what they are.

Coach of the Year

The nominees are.

Dan Campbell, Detroit 

Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota 

Sean Payton, Denver 

Dan Quinn, Washington 

Andy Reid, Kansas City 

And the winner is.

Dan Quinn, Washington 

Jim Harbaugh, of the Chargers, probably should have been on the list as well. While all those nominated could have won the award almost any other year, this year it’s Quinn. To go from second-worst in the league to second-best in the conference it’s incredible. 

Assistant Coach of the Year 

The nominees are.

Joe Brady, OC, Buffalo 

Vic Fangio, DC, Philadelphia 

Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota 

Aaron Glenn, DC, Detroit 

Brian Johnson, OC, Detroit 

And the winner is.

Vic Fangio, Philadelphia 

The question is why wasn’t Kansas City’s Steve Spagnuolo on the list?

Comeback Player of the Year 

The nominees are.

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati 

Sam Darnold, Minnesota 

J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles

Christian Gonzalez, New England

Damar Hamlin, Buffalo 

And the winner is

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati 

Not sure what this award means anymore. Coming back from injury? Returning to form after a bad year? If it’s most improved that would be Darnold. But he didn’t come back from anything. Same goes for the rest of them.

Defensive Player of the Year 

The nominees are.

Zach Baun, LB, Philadelphia 

Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland 

Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati

Patrick Surtain, CB, Denver 

T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh 

And the winner is.

Patrick Surtain, Denver  

This one is really tough. Any of the five could win. Let’s go with the cover guy who took away the opponent’s top WR every week.

Offensive Player of the Year 

And the nominees are.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia 

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati

JaMar Chase, WR, Cincinnati 

Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore 

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore 

And the winner is.

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore 

Unless Jackson, or Allen gets MVP. Then it has to be Barkley. 

Defensive Rookie of the Year 

And the nominees are.

Cooper DeJean, DB, Philadelphia 

Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia 

Braden Fiske, DE, Los Angeles 

Jared Verse, LB, Los Angeles 

Chop Robinson, DE, Miami 

And the winner is. 

Braden Fiske, Los Angeles 

In a really close decision over his teammate and Mitchell. 

Offensive Rookie of the Year 

And the nominees are.

Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas

Jayden Daniels. QB, Washington 

Malik Nabers, WR, New York 

Bo Nix, QB, Denver 

Brian Thomas, WR, Jacksonville 

And the winner is.

Jayden Daniels, Washington 

If you need an explanation, you shouldn’t be reading this story. 

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward’s college career got one more accolade Wednesday, when he was announced as the winner of the Manning Award as the nation’s top quarterback.

And the now-former Miami star, who quite possibly will be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft later this spring after leading the top-ranked offense in college football this past season, knows the award can be a springboard to good things at the next level.

“Once again, we’ve got just an outstanding young man who had an unbelievable year in Miami,” football legend Archie Manning said. “Their offense just lit up throughout the year. And now he’s preparing for the NFL draft where he’s going to be in a great position.”

Of the 11 quarterbacks with at least 25 touchdown passes in the NFL this season, three of them — Washington’s Jayden Daniels (2023), Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (2019) and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield (2017) — are recent Manning Award winners.

“I think it’s going to help me in a tremendous way,” Ward said. “If you look at the past winners, specifically last year and Jayden Daniels and the rookie season that he’s had, it’s helped him a lot. And just being able to connect with the Mannings at all times — they’re only a phone call away from me — I just think this award is going to just help me just in the long run.”

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football