Just taking into account the team contracted to work on it, that alone boosts it to a top 10 coin. The team is impressive and scientifically robust. Haven't seen that many PhDs and professors working on any other blockchain project.
PhDs are not a guarantee of succesfull project. PhDs like to research, talk and write articles and so far, this project is just a list of promises. The question is if they deliver.
PhDs and coders work as a team to provide independent assurance on how Cardano is developing and achieving impact. This allows to interfere at any stage of development and to bring at will of the necessary updatings. To my way of thinking it is hard to find a more effective approach to development.