Big Brother, which just wrapped up its 21st season, sees cunning and manipulative players from across the U.S. come together in a massive house to compete against one another for a half-million dollars.
The houseguests are completely isolated from the outside world, only able to communicate with one another. This can understandably drive some players stir-crazy, while others get seriously paranoid. But some people thrive in the game, and know how to align with the right people and quietly pull strings to eventually emerge victorious.
Not every winner of the game was completely deserving, however, while some fabulous players never actually won. When it comes to the men, here are the 10 best players thus far, ranked.
Frank Eudy
Frank played twice, in seasons 14 and 18. And while he never won the game, he was a competition beast, breaking the record to become the first male competitor to ever win six competitions in a season, including three Head of Household (HOH) competitions and three Power of Vetos (POV).
Sure, he had some rifts with other contestants and was chastised for his treatment of women and unsavory comments. But Eudy deserves to be on this list if only for his stellar athletic abilities.
Jackson Michie
In a season filled with controversy, much of it centered on Michie and comments he made during the game that some felt were racist and/or sexist, there’s no denying that Michie played an incredible game. Starting out with the majority alliance, he quickly found himself and his showmance partner Holly on the outs with the group.
Even so, Michie managed to dodge eviction multiple times, win competitions when he needed to, and stay true to his partner so they could work hand-in-hand, picking everyone else off until they were the final two standing. He made moves that would make you cringe, like outright lying about his friend Tommy, bringing the man to tears. But as a game player, his tactics worked.
Frankie Grande
You might not initially consider Grande to be a top player, especially considering he didn’t win. But he made it far in season 16, winning plenty of competitions, being well-liked in the house, and keeping his true identity as the older brother of pop megastar Ariana Grande a secret for quite some time.
What really makes Grande worthy of this list, however, was one pivotal moment when the house turned against him and he was left to compete on his own in what was supposed to be a two-man challenge. He ended up winning anyway, dropping a proverbial mic to all of his haters.
Mike “Boogie” Malin
Part of the “OG” bromance alongside Dr. Will Kirby, Malin played in season 2, and while he didn’t win, he helped his best friend in the house, Kirby, take home the top prize. Malin returned for All-Stars Season 7, which he did end up winning.
One of the originators of some of the dirty tactics still used in the game through his Chilltown Alliance, like backdoor evictions and thrown competitions, Malin has proven to be one of the game’s best, able to finagle his way into other players’ heads to keep himself off their radar.
Paul Abrahamian
Paul made it to the end not once, but twice in the game, only to be named runner-up both times. In both cases, the bearded and tattooed model probably should have won. But while his physical performance in competitions and mental control of the game were flawless, his social game was not.
Butting heads with many housemates who ended up on the jury, and being deemed arrogant, egotistical, and even tyrannical at times, the jury simply couldn’t stomach giving him a win. Nonetheless, minus the social aspect, when it comes to manipulating, forming alliances, and winning comps, Abrahamian had at least three of the four crucial requirements for being an amazing Big Brother player.
Tyler Crispen
Another player who fans believe was robbed of his win, Crispen made it to the final two but was beat in the end, taking home second prize. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that he dominated the game the entire way through, being a part of every alliance, and having secured final two deals with every person remaining in the game.
It’s a wonder no one figured out what he was doing, and even those with suspicions still didn’t turn against him because he was simply so likable and seemingly honest and trustworthy. He was a shoo-in for the finals and remains one of the best players ever in the game.
Hayden Moss
The Brigade was one of the tightest, most successful alliances ever in the series, and Moss was at the helm. He won competitions (four HoHs in total), controlled every vote, and made his own side alliances.
In the end, the final three were all members of the Brigade, and Moss came out victorious thanks to his nice guy persona and clever moves. No one on the jury really felt slighted by him, and his alliance members stayed true to him in the end, even though he beat them.
Dr. Will Kirby
The originator of the bromance and strong alliance on the series, Kirby dominated the game with his partner in crime Mike “Boogie” Malin, as they continuously tricked other players, then gleefully boasted about it in their diary room sessions.
Anyone who can be nominated four times and still survive, and find clever ways to get out of jams, like that one eviction speech he gave that changed the mind of voters, is a Big Brother legend.
Derrick Lavasseur
Lavasseur is a close second for the top spot, having played a masterful game whereby he was never put on the block, and his name never even spoke of to be considered for the block. They might as well have just handed him the win!
Lavasseur was quietly planting seeds with everyone to get the results he wanted each week with the nominations and votes, the other players completely oblivious to what he was doing, and forged friendships with everyone in the game, including a close bond with Cody that helped get him to the end. Cody won and choose to take Lavasseur with him out of loyalty, even knowing he might lose.
Dan Gheesling
Hands down, Gheesling remains the best male Big Brother player ever, and the best player overall, in the game. While Lavasseur was a social game master, and Kirby knew how to lie, cheat, and backstab his way to the top, no one had as clever, cunning, and creative a mind as Gheesling.
About to get sent home, he concocted a plan to hold his own Big Brother funeral, turned on his ally Danielle to get her to vote out her own friend because it served him, and managed to get himself out of jams that seemed done deals. He’s a master of the game. And while Lavasseur was never on the block, it’s far more impressive that Gheesling was on the block several times, yet never had a single vote cast against him.
