Will De'Anthony Thomas or Sammy Watkins Be CFB's Most Electric Player in 2012?

Just like every sport, you have different types of players.

There are the players who are consistent, but don't get talked about because they're not as flashy. You have the average players that contribute, but don't draw much attention to themselves.

Then you have the players that many will pay to see: the electrifying players that have a chance to take it the distance every time the ball is in their hands.

Those are the players that everybody loves watching and often receive majority of the attention. Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins and Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas are two of the most exciting players in all of college football.

Who is the most electrifying player heading into the 2012 season?

Let's take a look.

De'Anthony Thomas

Also known as the "Black Mamba," De'Anthony Thomas has been a huge contribution to the Oregon Ducks success this season. The freshman running back finished the season with 55 rushing attempts for 595 receiving yards. He is also a solid receiver as he caught the ball 46 times for 605 yards. He also returned 36 kickoffs for a total of 983 yards.

He finished the season with 18 total touchdowns.

Thomas had plays of 91 yards, 69, 62 and 45. You get this guy in the open field and the defense might as well walk back to the sidelines, because you're not catching him.

With LaMichael James heading to the NFL draft, you can expect Thomas to grab even more attention now.

Sammy Watkins

Has there been any better freshman player in college football this season than Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins? The answer is no.

Watkins has quickly made a name for himself his freshman season and is a huge reason Clemson is in the BCS Orange Bowl right now. He caught the ball 77 times for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those stats are with him missing a game due to injury and playing a few where he wasn't 100 percent.

His receiving yards are the 18th-most in the country and the most this season for a freshman receiver.

Watkins has an extremely bright future next season and eventually at the next level. With weapons like this on the Clemson football team, they will be in the hunt for several more ACC Championships and BCS bowl games.

The Rest

While there are several players that we could make an argument for, here are just a few other players that could earn the title next season as most explosive.

Michigan QB Denard Robinson

Robinson will likely return for his senior year and you can't talk about explosive without putting his name in the conversation. He's extremely fun to watch because of his big plays and his running ability.

This was the second year in a row where he threw for over 2,000 yards and ran for over 1,000.

South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore

Many people forget just how good Lattimore is since he missed majority of the year with a season-ending injury. Missing the final six games of the year, he still finished with over 800 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns. He had plays of 52 yards, 36 and 31.

With a healthy Lattimore, the Gamecocks become a legitimate contender in the SEC East.

LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu

You have to put the "Honey Badger" on this list as well.

He was the leading tackler for the Tigers this season and seemed to make every big play for them on defense. He had his interceptions, he forced fumbles ad he sacked the quarterback. He's also a major threat in special teams, as he returned two punts for a touchdown this year.

Not too many defensive players are labeled as explosive, but Mathieu isn't your average defender. 

Prediction

There are tons of explosive players in college football. Several of them will be worthy of this title, but I'd have to go with Sammy Watkins.

He'll be one of the top receivers in the country again next season, with a year under his belt. He has a solid quarterback in Tajh Boyd throwing him the ball, who also gained a year of experience. And he's on a team surrounded by so many other offensive weapons.

It's easy to focus on one guy when you're really the only threat, but that's not the case with this Clemson team. There are many players who are capable of hurting you, and that only makes Watkins' job much easier.

With De'Anthony Thomas, I have concerns about his size. Sure, with LaMichael James leaving, it opens the door for more touches, but just how many can his 5'9", 160-pound body handle?

I expect him to put up similar numbers as he did this season, but Kenjon Barner will be the starter in Oregon.

Regardless, next year will feature quite a few explosive players and will provide us with another reason to be excited about the 2012 season.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]