THIS NCAA DIVISION I-oriented compilation is by necessity not the same as we’ve done in recent years, thanks to everybody’s favorite friend, the pandemic. Given the incertitude of class and meet scheduling, instead of the top 20 eligible performers for the ’21 men’s outdoor season, we’ve only gone 10-deep.
So here’s who we believe the top 10 are, in order of their PRs. Marks are as of January 26. Only wind-legal marks are included. The column on the right has traditionally been the athlete’s finish in the previous year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships. But with no Nationals last year, what we have instead listed is what they did in ’19.
If the athlete didn’t compete in the meet (which includes the rounds held in the Regionals), then the Indoor Champs finish (“i”) is given. A slash followed by another number/letter indicates competition in a different event.
Symbols: h = heat; qf = quarterfinal; sf = semi; fs = false start; rs = redshirt; hs = high school; int = international; jc = junior college; inj = injured; dnf = did not finish; dnc = didn’t compete at Nationals/Regionals; dnq = didn’t advance from Regionals field-event qualifying; (A) = altitude-aided mark (over 1000m); ‘ = not eligible for Team USA.
Classes (outdoors): *** = frosh; ** = soph; * = juniors; all others are seniors. Note that there is no end of confusion over classes at this point because not all schools are reporting classes the same way. Some are using academic standing, others athletic eligibility. The classes we list represent what we believe to be the athlete’s remaining outdoor eligibility.
| 100 METERS | |||
| 9.96 | Raymond Ekevwo’ | (Florida) | 4qf |
| 10.01 | Joseph Amoah’ | (Coppin State) | 8 |
| (A) | Samson Colebrooke’ | (Purdue) | 5qf |
| (A) | Waseem Williams’ | (Purdue) | 4 |
| 10.06 | **Bryand Rincher | (Florida State) | 5 |
| 10.09 | Raheem Chambers’ | (Miami) | 5sf |
| 10.11(A) | ***Matthew Boling | (Georgia) | hs |
| 10.12 | Maxwell Willis | (Baylor) | 6h |
| 10.16 | *Emmanuel Yeboah’ | (Texas A&M) | jc |
| 10.19 | TJ Brock | (TCU) | 6qf |
| Travis Collins | (Houston) | 7sf | |
| 200 METERS | |||
| 20.08 | Joseph Amoah’ | (Coppin State) | 6 |
| 20.09 | *Micaiah Harris | (Texas) | 5 |
| 20.27 | Trevor Stewart | (North Carolina A&T) | 2/400 |
| 20.31(A) | ***Matthew Boling | (Georgia) | hs |
| 20.33 | *Marcus Parker | (Clemson) | 5sf |
| 20.37 | Akeem Sirleaf’ | (North Carolina A&T) | dnc-sf |
| 20.39 | *Eric Harrison | (Ohio State) | inj |
| Akanni Hislop’ | (LSU) | 5sf | |
| Maxwell Willis | (Baylor) | 7h | |
| 20.41 | *Terrance Laird | (LSU) | jc |
| 400 METERS | |||
| 44.25 | Trevor Stewart | (North Carolina A&T) | 2 |
| 44.55 | *Dwight St. Hillaire’ | (Kentucky) | 4sf |
| 44.63 | **Jonathan Jones’ | (Texas) | 4 |
| 44.99 | **Jamal Walton’ | (Florida State) | rs |
| 45.02 | Derrick Mokaleng’ | (TCU) | 4sf |
| 45.03 | **Jonathan Sacoor’ | (Tennessee) | 5qf |
| 45.09 | **Dashawn Morris’ | (Maryland) | inj |
| 45.18 | Bryce Deadmon | (Texas A&M) | 6 |
| 45.19 | Sean Bailey’ | (UTEP) | 6sf |
| 45.20 | *Zach Shinnick | (USC) | inj |
| 800 METERS | |||
| 1:44.76 | Devin Dixon | (Texas A&M) | 2 |
| 1:45.05 | Festus Lagat’ | (Iowa State) | 3 |
| 1:45.98 | Takieddine Hedeilli’ | (Texas Tech) | int |
| 1:46.06 | Cooper Williams | (Indiana) | 5 |
| 1:46.11 | Isaiah Jewett | (USC) | 3sf |
| 1:46.40 | Carlton Orange | (Texas A&M) | 4 |
| 1:46.59 | ***Allon Clay’ | (Texas A&M) | int |
| 1:46.88 | Roshon Roomes | (Iowa State) | 8sf |
| 1:47.02 | ***Jason Gomez | (Iowa State) | -+! |
| 1:47.06 | Daniel Nixon | (Iowa State) | inj |
| 1500 METERS | |||
| 3:35.74 | James West’ | (Oregon) | fs-qf |
| 3:36.44 | ***Sam Tanner’ | (Washington) | int |
| 3:37.88 | Takieddine Hedeilli’ | (Texas Tech) | int |
| 3:38.32 | *Yared Nuguse | (Notre Dame) | 1 |
| 3:38.64 | *Sam Worley | (Texas) | 9 |
| 3:38.72 | *Waleed Suliman | (Mississippi) | 9sf |
| 3:38.76 | *Reed Brown | (Oregon) | 12sf |
| 3:39.33 | *George Kusche’ | (Nebraska) | 6sf |
| 3:39.36+ | Mick Stanovsek’ | (Washington) | 10 |
| 3:39.52 | Luis Grijalva’ | (Northern Arizona) | 15/5K |
| STEEPLE | |||
| 8:27.90 | *Ryan Smeeton’ | (Oklahoma State) | 2 |
| 8:30.10 | Aidan Tooker | (Syracuse) | inj |
| 8:32.59 | *Matt Owens | (BYU) | 8 |
| 8:34.50 | *Alec Basten | (Minnesota) | 7sf |
| 8:36.25 | Clayson Shumway | (BYU) | 10 |
| 8:38.28 | Kigen Chemadi’ | (Middle Tennessee State) | 3 |
| 8:38.29 | John Rice | (Texas) | 8sf |
| 8:38.53 | Nathan Mylenek | (Iowa) | 9 |
| 8:38.90 | Albert Kosgei’ | (Louisville) | 8sf |
| 8:40.36 | *Noah Affolder | (Oregon) | inj |
| 5000 METERS | |||
| 13:16.75 | Luis Grijalva’ | (Northern Arizona) | 15 |
| 13:17.13 | *Cooper Teare | (Oregon) | 22 |
| 13:24.04 | Edwin Kurgat’ | (Iowa State) | 5 |
| 13:28.55 | Alex Masai’ | (Hofstra) | dnc |
| 13:29.73 | *Conner Mantz | (BYU) | 7 |
| 13:31.50 | *Morgan Beadlescomb | (Michigan State) | 13 |
| 13:32.95 | ***Cole Hocker | (Oregon) | hs |
| 13:32.81 | Thomas Ratcliffe | (North Carolina) | 3 |
| 13:33.64 | Amon Kemboi’ | (Arkansas) | rs |
| 13:34.91 | Kasey Knevelbaard | (Florida State) | 6/1500 |
| 10,000 METERS | |||
| 28:11.05 | Alex Masai’ | (Hofstra) | 22h |
| 28:18.18 | *Conner Mantz | (BYU) | 4 |
| 28:22.76 | Blaise Ferro | (Northern Arizona) | dnc-h |
| 28:25.15 | Gilbert Boit’ | (Arkansas) | 9 |
| 28:36.07 | Clayson Shumway | (BYU) | 10/St |
| 28:42.13 | *Emmanuel Cheboson’ | (Arkansas) | 20h |
| 28:42.31 | Jacob Choge’ | (Middle Tennessee State) | inj |
| 28:48.38 | Robert Brandt | (Georgetown) | 7 |
| 28:53.69 | *Adriaan Wildschutt’ | (Florida State) | 19 |
| 28:54.33 | **Tibebu Proctor | (Washington) | 25h |
| 110 HURDLES | |||
| 13.44 | *Damion Thomas’ | (LSU) | dnc-sf |
| 13.47 | *Trey Cunningham | (Florida State) | 4qf |
| 13.49 | **Eric Edwards | (LSU) | dq |
| 13.57 | **Tai Brown | (Kentucky) | 3sf |
| William Session | (Indiana) | inj | |
| 13.59 | Raleigh Adams | (Long Beach State) | dnf-sf |
| 13.60 | Robert Dunning | (Alabama) | 4sf |
| 13.61 | Mason Weh’ | (Iowa State) | 6qf |
| 13.62 | *LaFranz Campbell’ | (Clemson) | inj |
| Jaylan McConico | (Iowa) | 5sf | |
| 400 HURDLES | |||
| 48.68 | *Norman Grimes | (Texas Tech) | 2 |
| 49.09 | *Cameron Samuel | (USC) | 6 |
| 49.67 | **James Smith | (Texas A&M) | 5 |
| 49.75 | Travean Caldwell | (Arkansas) | 4sf |
| 49.92 | Nick Hilson | (Arkansas) | 5sf |
| 49.96(A) | *Kenroy Williams’ | (Kentucky) | jc |
| 50.05 | Jonathan Harvey | (Oregon) | 7sf |
| 50.11 | *Quivell Jordan | (Houston) | 5sf |
| 50.12 | **Thomas Burns | (Florida State) | inj |
| 50.16 | *Malik Metivier’ | (Auburn) | rs |
| HIGH JUMP | |||
| 2.33 | 7-7¾ | Darryl Sullivan | (Tennessee) | dnq |
| *Vernon Turner | (Oklahoma) | rs | |
| 2.30 | 7-6½ | *Earnie Sears | (USC) | =12 |
| 2.29 | 7-6 | *Tejaswin Shankar’ | (Kansas State) | 2 |
| 2.28 | 7-5¾ | *JuVaughn Harrison | (LSU) | 1 |
| 2.27 | 7-5¼ | **Roberto Vilches’ | (Missouri) | =9 |
| 2.26 | 7-5 | Darius Carbin | (Georgia) | =7 |
| Brenton Foster’ | (Virginia) | 16 | |
| Jonathan Wells | (Illinois) | inj | |
| 2.25 | 7-4½ | Clayton Brown’ | (Florida) | /TJ |
| Eric Richards | (Southern Mississippi) | 5 | |
| Justice Summerset | (Arizona) | =12 | |
| POLE VAULT | |||
| 5.94 | 19-5¾ | **KC Lightfoot | (Baylor) | 4 |
| 5.80 | 19-¼ | **Zach Bradford | (Kansas) | 6 |
| (A) | **Branson Ellis | (Stephen F. Austin) | =11 |
| **Sondre Guttormsen’ | (Princeton) | 9 | |
| 5.75 | 18-10¼ | *Clayton Fritsch | (Sam Houston State) | 3 |
| 5.70 | 18-8¼ | Brandon Bray | (Texas Tech) | 7 |
| ***Zach McWhorter | (BYU) | mission | |
| 5.65 | 18-6½ | Adam Coulon | (Indiana) | 10 |
| 5.53 | 18-1¾(A) | Antonio Ruiz’ | (Houston) | dnq |
| 5.52 | 18-1¼ | *Joel Benitez’ | (Virginia Tech) | rs |
| Chase Smith | (Washington) | =15 | |
| LONG JUMP | |||
| 8.25 | 27-¾ | Steffin McCarter | (Texas) | 10 |
| 8.20 | 26-11 | *JuVaughn Harrison | (LSU) | 1 |
| 8.19 | 26-10½ | **Carey McLeod’ | (Tennessee) | Div. II |
| 8.13 | 26-8¼ | *Ja’Mari Ward | (Missouri) | dnq |
| 8.10 | 26-7 | Fabian Edoki’ | (Florida State) | dnq |
| 8.09 | 26-6½ | Rayvon Grey | (LSU) | 21 |
| 8.05 | 26-5 | Justin Hall | (Texas Tech) | 4 |
| ***Wayne Pinnock’ | (Tennessee) | int | |
| 8.02 | 26-3¾ | **Jakub Andrzejczak’ | (Indiana) | inj |
| Laquan Nairn’ | (Arkansas) | dnq | |
| TRIPLE JUMP | |||
| 17.13 | 56-2½ | *Chengetayi Mapaya’ | (TCU) | 1 |
| 17.08 | 56-½ | Jordan Scott’ | (USC) | 2 |
| 16.82 | 55-2¼ | O’Brien Wasome’ | (Texas) | 5 |
| 16.68 | 54-8¾(A) | *Isaiah Griffith | (Oregon) | jc |
| **Carey McLeod | (Tennessee) | Div. II | |
| 16.58 | 54-4¾ | Clayton Brown’ | (Florida) | 13 |
| 16.37 | 53-8½ | *Christian Edwards | (Alabama) | rs |
| 16.36 | 53-8¼ | *R’Lazon Brumfield | (Tennessee State) | 11 |
| 16.35 | 53-7¾ | **Owayne Owens’ | (Virginia) | dnc |
| 16.34 | 53-7½ | *Ja’Mari Ward | (Missouri) | dnq/LJ |
| SHOT | |||
| 21.59 | 70-10 | *Jordan Geist | (Arizona) | 3 |
| 21.15 | 69-4¾ | Andrew Liskowitz | (Michigan) | 8 |
| 21.12 | 69-3½ | *Tripp Piperi | (Texas) | 1 |
| 20.81 | 68-3¼ | *Turner Washington | (Arizona State) | rs |
| 20.63 | 67-8¼ | *McKay Johnson | (USC) | rs |
| 20.50 | 67-3¼ | Jonathan Tharaldsen | (Georgia) | dnq |
| 20.35 | 66-9¼ | *Daniel McArthur | (North Carolina) | dnq |
| 20.33 | 66-8½ | ***Kristoffer Thomsen’ | (North Dakota State) | int |
| **Jordan West | (Tennessee) | rs | |
| 20.25 | 66-5¼ | *Jalil Brewer | (Purdue) | dnq |
| 20.20 | 66-3¼ | **Josh Sobota | (Kentucky) | dnq |
| DISCUS | |||
| 61.43 | 201-6 | David Lucas | (Penn State) | rs |
| 61.36 | 201-4 | **Roje Stona’ | (Clemson) | 13 |
| 61.22 | 200-10 | *Jerimiah Evans | (Michigan State) | 9 |
| 60.65 | 198-11 | **Elijah Mason | (Washington) | 7 |
| 59.84 | 196-4 | *George Evans’ | (Kansas) | dnq |
| 59.61 | 195-7 | **Sam Welsh | (Harvard) | 6 |
| 59.07 | 193-9 | *Iffy Joyner | (Cal) | 18 |
| 58.76 | 192-9 | Charlie Vernoy | (Long Beach State) | dnq |
| 58.64 | 192-5 | *Jamir Gibson | (Army) | dnq |
| 58.58 | 192-2 | Charles Lenford | (Kentucky) | 15 |
| HAMMER | |||
| 78.29 | 256-10 | Gleb Dudarev’ | (Kansas) | 2 |
| 73.24 | 240-3 | *Jake Norris’ | (LSU) | dnq |
| 73.10 | 239-10 | *Thomas Mardal’ | (Florida) | 4 |
| 71.07 | 233-2 | *Kevin Arreaga’ | (Miami) | 10 |
| 70.21 | 230-4 | **Alencar Pereira’ | (Florida State) | jc |
| 69.09 | 226-8 | **Bobby Colantonio | (Alabama) | 16 |
| 68.70 | 225-5 | *Georgios Korakidis’ | (Tennessee) | 13 |
| 68.01 | 223-1 | *Kieran McKeag | (Alabama) | 14 |
| *Aléxios Prodanás’ | (Virginia Tech) | 19 | |
| 67.40 | 221-1 | *Jordan Geist | (Arizona) | 3/SP |
| JAVELIN | |||
| 85.23 | 279-7 | *Ahmed Magour’ | (Georgia) | rs |
| 80.91 | 265-5 | Sindri Guðmundsson’ | (Mississippi State) | 4 |
| 78.78 | 258-5 | **Tyriq Horsford’ | (Mississippi State) | 3 |
| 78.10 | 256-3 | ***Arthur Petersen’ | (UT Arlington) | int |
| 77.15 | 253-1 | **Marc Minichello | (Penn) | 17 |
| 76.95 | 252-5 | ***Tzuriel Pedigo | (LSU) | rs |
| 76.48 | 250-11 | Nils Fischer’ | (Auburn) | Div. II |
| 76.04 | 249-6 | **Ethan Dabbs | (Virginia) | 7 |
| 75.91 | 249-0 | Werner Bouwer’ | (Texas Tech) | 12 |
| 74.78 | 245-4 | *Liam Christensen | (Stanford) | dnq |
| DECATHLON | |||
| 8445 | *Johannes Erm’ | (Georgia) | 1 |
| 8130 | **Ayden Owens’ | (Michigan) | dnf |
| 8101 | **Karel Tilga’ | (Georgia) | dnq |
| 7964 | **Max Vollmer’ | (Oregon) | 5 |
| 7876 | TJ Lawson | (Kent State) | dnf |
| 7722 | *Markus Ballengee | (Arkansas) | rs |
| 7596 | *Denim Rogers | (Houston Baptist) | 7 |
| 7587 | ***Fynn Zenker’ | (Texas Tech) | int |
| 7451 | **Isaiah Martin | (Purdue) | 10 |
| 7427 | Will Daniels | (Iowa) | Div. III |