2021 D1 Outdoor Top 25 Rankings (Men): Update #3

These rankings do take some indoor track performances from this past winter into account. However, the introduction of events like the 10k and the steeplechase, as well as the return of certain seniors who have not raced in over a year, has forced us to reshuffle our rankings and leave out some highly accomplished distance talents.

Was not ranked in our last update.

First number indicates how much the individual has moved in the rankings.

The second number indicates where they were ranked in our last update.

His 13:34 (5k) and 28:25 (10k) times from earlier in the season are still the major highlights of his resume, but Hicks did drop down in distance this past weekend to run 3:43 (1500) and 8:02 (3k) in a dual meet against California.

The Stanford underclassman took home victories in both events and although the competition wasn't as strong as he has faced in past races this season, it's still a nice double and a pair of promising results. He drops in our rankings, but that's not really his fault. We're just making room for a few others names.

Has not raced since our last update.

Has not raced since our last update.

We'll be honest, we don't really know where Ferro should be ranked. Running 13:31 (5k) and 27:56 (10k) in the same season would usually put you in the top-10 portion of our rankings during a normal year.

Of course, as we all know, this isn't a normal year.

Ferro has perfectly translated his cross country success to the outdoor oval and it's clear that he's at his best when he's competing in the longer distances. He has shown just how dangerous he can be when he's entirely healthy and he seems to hold his own even when the pace is aggressive. That should benefit him in the postseason when he faces off against guys like Kiptoo, Mantz and Wildschutt.

Gosh, it feels absolutely crazy that a guy who has run 3:36 (1500 altitude converted), 3:38 (1500) and 13:24 (5k) this spring is only listed at TSR #21. That, however, is just a testament to how insanely loaded the men's distance events are this year.

Clinger is obviously a supremely talented runner and his recent performances in the 1500 meters and mile have shattered our expectations. It's not just how fast he's running, but it's who he's beating. His ability to contend with and take down some of the nation's best 1500 meter runners is not something I thought I would be saying about him this season.

Will this BYU runner contest the 5k in the postseason? Yes, probably. However, I think there may be an argument that he has been a better 1500 runner this spring, which seems like a bit of a wild thought for someone who has run 13:24.

The young superstar is just as good as many thought he was. The NAU rookie threw down a monster time of 13:24 at the Drake Relays to earn an OTQ mark. It was a dominant display of fitness and one that truthfully blew us away despite already knowing his supreme talent.

I won't lie, I wasn't 100% convinced that Young would go under 13:30 this year. He struggled in a 3k time trial back in November (running 8:10), failed to run under 13:40 at the Sound Running Track Meet back in December and his 1500 time of 3:44 from earlier this season was admittedly underwhelming.

However, it's clear that Young is someone who gets better as the distance gets longer. He isn't afraid to mix it up with the nation's most elite talents and he seems to thrive off of aggressive paces (i.e. the NCAA XC Championships).

After pacing his teammates in the 10,000 meters at Fresno State, Young also toed the line for the 1500 meters, although he posted a modest mark of 3:45.

Young won't be contesting the 10k this season and his 1500 meter efforts haven't been anywhere close to his 13:24 mark that we just saw. The Lumberjack star does seem a bit confined to the 5k distance this year, and his lack of middle distance speed isn't ideal for a postseason setting.

The good news is that the NCAA Championships will likely feature aggressive pacing in the 5000 meters. On paper, that should greatly benefit Nico Young.

To be clear, we don't want to drop Eduardo Herrera in our rankings. His three-spot fall is only the result of the performances that we've seen from others. Running 13:24 earlier this season and taking down BYU's elite distance trio is impressive.

However, running 3:38 for 1500 meters is speed that we didn't think he had. It validates that his strong finish against the Cougars wasn't a fluke and it gives his resume a spark of versatility that he didn't previously have. He may be dropping in our rankings, but he likely solidified his place in our Top 25 with that result.

After running an early-season mark 1:46.99 in the 800 meters, it was only natural that an experienced veteran built off of that mark. The USC star ran 1:45.80 this past weekend in a race that he won with relative ease. On paper, that result has to put him in the national title conversation.

Jewett is a reliable middle distance talent, but we would like to see how he responds when he's tested by another top All-American candidate. He's run well in races where he's the overwhelming favorite, but it would be good to see how he handles top competition after failing to make it out of the prelims at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

It's not often that you see someone run 1:46 (800) and 3:39 (1500) in the same season. Don't get me wrong, it happens, but I'd still consider it to be a rarity. Festus Lagat and Cole Hocker are the only collegiates who have run sub-1:47 and sub-3:40 this season...although Suliman is extremely close with a recent PR of 1:47.00.

A recent 1:46.09 effort from Lagat was huge, but it was truthfully expected. He's run 1:45 before and it's rare that he ever has a poor performance. He also defeated Texas Tech star Takieddine Hedeilli this past weekend, a result that should not be overlooked, especially as we get closer to the postseason.

Garcia Romo falling to our TSR #16 spot feels like a crime. This man has run 1:47.93 (800) and 3:37.17 (1500) this spring after an indoor track season where he ran 7:48 (3k). That half-mile mark is the only recent mark he has on his resume, but it shows some crazy fast speed -- something that we already knew he had given his closing abilities from the SEC Indoor Championships and NCAA Indoor Championships.

While it was unfortunate to see Jaziri’s 8:23 mark be invalidated due to starting line issues at the EKU track, it was fantastic to watch him take down Smeeton at the Kansas City Qualifier in a time of 8:32 while the Oklahoma State standout settled for an 8:33 mark.

Was Jaziri's time as fast as before? No, clearly not, but it was a windy night and he took the win over Smeeton, someone who many think can win the national title in this event.

The one part of Jaziri's race that I want to highlight is his finish. He was in the lead pack with 200 to go, but then made a huge move, coming over the last barrier to separate himself from Smeeton. That kind of closing speed could be the difference between a gold and a silver medal at the NCAA Championships.

As for Smeeton, he narrowly lost, but he still ran a fantastic race. He already took down Kigen Chemadi earlier this season (who has ran 8:35 this past weekend) and we know that he can at least take down Jaziri on the right day. Smeeton is still very much in the national title conversation despite his recent runner-up finish.

Much like his teammate, we do struggle having a mile bronze medalist, who has run 1:47.00 (800) and 3:36.53 (1500), at only TSR #13 in these rankings.

Is there an argument that he should be higher? Absolutely.

However, for the time being, this seems like a good spot, especially with the overwhelmingly fast marks and high-level experience that we've seen from a few other athletes ranked ahead of him. Plus, his 1:47 mark seemed like it was well within his range, so that was not a total surprise for Suliman.

Fast is fast. Sometimes, there's no other way around it. Abdi Nur has thrown down jaw-dropping times of 13:26 (5k) and 27:47 (10k) as of late. The rising Northern Arizona star has thrived on fast paces and, a lot like Ferro, seems to be at his best the longer the distance is.

Now, admittedly, Nur's 10k was essentially just a time trial. He was paced by his teammate Nico Young and his closest competition was his teammate Blaise Ferro who was nine-seconds back. Will Nur be able to replicate this success in a stronger and more crowded field? I guess we'll find out in June.

The good news is that Nur has proven that he can likely hang with the pace that Kiptoo will surely enforce at the NCAA Championships. However, it's more just a matter of how well Nur responds to the surges and random moves made throughout that race.

After seeing him run 13:16 in Decemeber and beat Cooper Teare, it's not surprising to see Grijalva run 13:29. However, what was a good sign was his finishing speed in the last lap to destroy the rest of the field. He looked beyond smooth in those final moments and displayed speed that could be incredibly dangerous on the national stage.

While he may not be back to where he was in the fall, this Lumberjack star seems like he is close to that point and if that is the case, then he may be ready to peak perfectly for the postseason.

Has not raced since our last update.

Hunter was one of the most difficult runners to rank this week. In his first completed race of the outdoor season, he ran 1:47 and finished 3rd behind two NCAA legends in Michael Saruni and Isaiah Harris. There is absolutely no shame in losing to either of these professional runners, but it was surprising to see Hunter finish 3rd and not run any quicker than 1:47 on his home track.

While this is not the fantastic result that we have come to expect from him, it is by no means a bad one. He still deserves to be the title favorite in the 800 meters, but only by a little. With Finley McLear on his heels and Isaiah Jewett recently dipping into the 1:45 range, this Aussie Duck will have plenty of competition come June.

Has not raced since our last update.

After pacing his teammates to a quick mile at the BYU Robison Invitational, Mantz went the full distance in the 1500 meters at Fresno State and came back with a huge PR of 3:37.

For a 10k runner, this is an incredible time and it really shows how versatile and talented the Cougar superstar is. While the 10k at the NCAA Championships may be quick from the gun, this race shows that Mantz has plenty of speed, and like Robert Brandt, he should be able to close hard if needed at the end of a 10k.

If it does get to the point where a fast finish is needed, Mantz could potentially lean on this 3:37 leg speed and use his stamina to drag out the final lap or two of an all-out 10k race. On paper, that gives him an excellent shot at NCAA gold.

Like his teammate Kiptoo, it was encouraging to see Kurgat's performance at the Oregon Relays as he finished 3rd behind Hocker and Teare in the 5000 meters. Running 13:20 and narrowly falling to two elite Oregon superstars was impressive and a good reminder of just how talented this Iowa State superstar is.

The 2019 NCAA cross country champion looks like he is in great shape and will be a force in the 10k and likely the 5k as well. Will he be able to take what he learned from that Oregon Relays 5k and apply it to the national meet? Maybe, but it's clear that positioning will be a major factor for everyone in both the 10k and 5k fields.

After his great 800/1500 weekend double, the Alabama runner came back in the 5k at the John McDonnell Invitational and ran 13:39 to finish 3rd overall. It was a solid time from the miler, but he was not competitive at the end of the race as Tulsa's Patrick Dever ran away from him (and the rest of the field) at the end.

Even so, it was good to see Kipsang stretch himself and still run a very quick time in the 5k. His best event remains to be the 1500 where he will be one of the top contenders to dethrone Cole Hocker. And after running 2:17 for 1000 meters in a time trial / workout, that seems somewhat possible.

Has not raced since our last update.

Although he finished 4th in the 5000 meters at the Oregon Relays, it was still a strong performance from Kiptoo who has already solidified his spot as one of the national title favorites in the 10k. When you look at his 5k mark of 13:21 and look at the way he was able to compete with the Oregon duo, this is a good sign of his fitness and is racing abilities.

Now, admittedly, he'll need to employ some better tactics than just running away from everyone. Conner Mantz proved that that tactic won't always work and the Oregon guys showed that they can run just as fast as Kiptoo. Positioning will be the biggest factor, but the Iowa State star can certainly build upon this performance.

In the 10k, he still looks primed to take down a very impressive field. We also like to think that he has learned a thing or two from his overly aggressive front-running plan that we saw at the NCAA XC Championships.

At the Oregon Relays, the Duck duo of Teare and Hocker were able to take down the NCAA’s biggest and best names in the 5000 meters. Hocker took the win with his signature kick while Teare finished a close 2nd in 13:20. Both men will likely be the title favorites in whatever event they enter, especially after taking down two top contenders in Wesley Kiptoo and Edwin Kurgat.

The times and the wins are impressive from both of these men, but their consistency has been staggeringly good. Neither has had a bad race this year. With Hocker likely to enter the 1500 and Teare in the 5k, Oregon looks primed to dominate the NCAA Outdoor Championships much like they did during indoors.

Nico Young (Northern Arizona)

Blaise Ferro (Northern Arizona)

Abdi Nur (Northern Arizona)

Ryan Adams (Furman)

Casey Comber (Villanova)

Eric Hamer (Colorado State)

Kigen Chemadi (Middle Tennessee State)

Ryan Adams (Furman)

Casey Comber (Villanova)

Eric Hamer (Colorado State)

Lucas Bons (BYU)

Bennett Pascoe (Central Arkansas)

Parker Stokes (Georgetown)

Takieddine Hedeilli (Texas Tech)

Sam Tanner (Washington)

Jackson Mestler (Oregon)

Ky Robinson (Stanford)

Sean Dolan (Villanova)

Jesse Hamlin (Butler)

Athanas Kioko (Campbell)

Vincent Kiprop (Alabama)

Colton Johnsen (Washington State)

Aaron Bienenfeld (Cincinnati)

Adriaan Wildschutt (Florida State)

Morgan Beadlescomb (Michigan State)

Brandon Garnica (BYU)

Jonathan Davis (Illinois)

Tibebu Proctor (Washington)

Luke Beattie (Utah State)

Brandon Miller (Texas A&M)

Amon Kemboi (Arkansas)

David Too (Iowa State)

Kameron Jones (Clemson)

Luke Meade (Arkansas)

John Dressel (Colorado)

Isai Rodriguez (Oklahoma State)

Kasey Knevelbaard (Florida State)

Patrick Dever (Tulsa)

Alex Masai (Hofstra)

Adam Fogg (Drake)

Alec Basten (Minnesota)

Euan Makepeace (Butler)

Simon Bedard (Butler)

Barry Keane (Butler)

Jack Salisbury (Georgetown)

Talem Franco (BYU)

Shane Streich (Lipscomb)

Matthew Payamps (Georgetown)

Marco Vilca (Texas Tech)

Alek Parsons (Stanford)

Clayson Shumway (BYU)

Zach Litoff (Santa Clara)

Traen Warnick (Weber State)

Remi Schyns (Butler)

Brody Smith (Purdue)

Jason Gomez (Iowa State)

Reed Brown (Oregon)

Samuel Voelz (Notre Dame)

Timothy Doyle (North Florida)

Fitsum Seyoum (Virginia Tech)

James Mwaura (Gonzaga)

Brandon Tubby (North Carolina)

Callum Bolger (Stanford)

Jack Antsey (Illinois State)

Pedro Garcia-Palencia (Eastern Kentucky)

Eric Brown (Auburn)

Nathan Mylenek (Iowa)

Luis Peralta (Oregon)

Cade Bethmann (Ole Miss)

Jacob McLeod (Arkansas)

Duncan Hamilton (Montana State)

Cameron Ponder (Furman)

Baldvin Magnusson (Eastern Michigan)

Alec Sandusky (Cincinnati)

Ackeen Colley (Western Illinois)

Adam Swanson (Eastern Illinois)

Daniel Nixon (Iowa State)

Cooper Williams (Indiana)
 Roshon Roomes (Iowa State)

Baylor Franklin (Ole Miss)

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