5 Players to Watch During the College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff semifinal games are set to kick off on New Year's Eve, and with Michigan State, Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma getting set to face off for an opportunity to play for a national championship, some of the best players in college football will be showcased for the nation to see. 

However, most of the attention leading up the semifinals has fallen on players such as Derrick Henry, Deshaun Watson and Connor Cook, and for good reason. All three of those players are essential to the success of their team. But what about the players who don't get nearly enough attention and sometimes go under the radar? 

Here, we will look at five players who don't get the attention they deserve but will make a significant impact in the semifinals. 

This list is not ranked, so don't get angry if you see Baker Mayfield first.

Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

Baker Mayfield may not be under the radar, but the media and the Heisman Trophy Trust glossed over him after snubbing him as a finalist for the Heisman. 

Mayfield has had a terrific season for the Sooners after transferring from Texas Tech, accumulating 3,389 passing yards and 35 touchdowns in addition to 420 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He has been a revelation for the Sooners this season and has been at the epicenter of the team's success.

His play is reminiscent of Johnny Manziel when he played at Texas A&M, and his spirit as a football player is similar too. Mayfield is outspoken and a tough guy to bring down despite his small stature (6'2"). The clip above shows how elusive he is, as he avoids defenders while keeping his eyes downfield for the touchdown. He will need that elusiveness against the likes of Shaq Lawson on New Year's Eve. 

He is the key to Oklahoma's offense against Clemson's defense, which ranks No. 18 in defense in the nation, allowing just 20.2 points per game.

Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama

The SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Reggie Ragland is the centerpiece of the nation's most dominant defense.

The senior leads the Crimson Tide with 90 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. It's not easy to stand out on a unit as good as Alabama's, but Ragland continues to find ways to stymie opposing offenses. Not only can he rush the passer and collapse the pocket, but he can also defend the pass and drop back into coverage.

Two overlooked stats for Ragland are that he has broken up six passes this season and has also forced two fumbles. He was an NFL prospect last season, but returning to Tuscaloosa has only increased his draft stock for next spring.

According to NFL.com, Ragland received a second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board last winter as a junior. He is ESPN's Todd McShay's No. 2 linebacker for the upcoming draft. 

Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma

Samaje Perine is arguably the strongest running back in football, alongside Alabama's Derrick Henry. Perine had a somewhat slow start coming into 2015 under new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, but he has since responded to lead Oklahoma with 1,291 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the season.

Not only is Perine strong, but he is quick and able to keep his head upfield for running room. In the clip above, you can see how he is able to break art tackles with relative ease and gain a first down despite being gang-tackled by the opposition. 

Perine is only a sophomore, but he is already a household name thanks to a stellar freshman campaign that saw him rack up 1,713 and 21 touchdowns. Oklahoma's offense is more pass-heavy this season because of Baker Mayfield's ability to throw the ball downfield and make plays for Sterling Shepard, but Perine is ready to leave his mark on the Tigers defense, which he has commented on. 

“They (were) bigger and faster,” Perine said of the 2014 Tigers in an interview with the State's Matt Connolly. “This year they have pretty good size, but last year’s Clemson defense, they were a lot faster and a lot bigger...they’re a good defense, but they have areas where we can expose. We’re going to make sure we expose it.”

Clemson may not be as big and fast as it was last year, but the defense is still a solid unit led by Shaq Lawson, which could give Perine headaches as he tries to find running room. 

Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson

The clip above may seem like a simple touchdown reception for Clemson running back Wayne Gallman, but this is how the Tigers can beat Oklahoma.

Deshaun Watson was a Heisman finalist, but Gallman was one of the main reason for the quarterback's success. Gallman racked up 1,332 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and also scored one receiving touchdown against North Carolina. He has only caught 18 passes on the season after catching 24 last year, but Gallman has good hands for a running back. The Tigers should utilize his receiving ability in order to avoid losing in the playoff. 

The Tigers offense is balanced, as Watson can throw deep and run effectively, but he can only do so when Gallman gets going out of the backfield. Against UNC, Gallman ran for 187 yards en route to maintaining Clemson's perfect 13-0 record. 

Watson will be the main focus of the Sooners' defensive scheme, but Gallman can be a factor outside of the run game if he can get in space and create plays in the open field. 

Shilique Calhoun, DL, Michigan State

Like Reggie Ragland, Shilique Calhoun returned for his senior season and markedly improved his NFL draft stock with 14.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks this season for Sparty. Todd McShay gave him a second-round tag. 

"I love his relentlessness as a pass-rusher; he has a good sense," said McShay in a teleconference. "Versus the run, (Calhoun is) hit-and-miss a little bit. He's quick, does a good job of disrupting a lot of plays, but there are times where he has to get off blocks and do different things that he kind of struggles a little bit."

Calhoun has come a long way from being a 3-star recruit coming out high school, and he will look to leave his mark when he goes up against Jake Coker and Derrick Henry in the Crimson Tide's backfield.

Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.