College Football Underclassman Who Will Dominate in 2012

College football should have no shortage of underclassmen who leave their mark on the national landscape in 2012.

While most freshman and sophomores need seasoning and time to develop before realizing their potential, there are some exceptionally talented underclassmen who make their impact right away.

It takes the right combination of opportunity and preparedness and when those two collide, it can be huge boost for their team.

Here are some of the best underclassmen in the nation who will dominate.

QB Wes Lunt, Oklahoma State

Wes Lunt, a true freshman, was named the starter after spring practice by head coach Mike Gundy.

Lunt led his high school team to the state championship last season and has experience in a wide-open offense. He has the type of arm that Oklahoma State needs at the quarterback position and he should be able to make all the throws to stretch the field both horizontally and vertically as the Cowboys like to do.

Replacing the aerial triumvirate of departed quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receivers Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper won't be easy, but Lunt's ability should keep one of the nation's most explosive offenses humming in 2012.

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri

Dorial Green-Beckham was one of the most sought after and highly publicized recruits in the country this year, and when it was all said and done, he decided to stay in his home state and become a Missouri Tiger.

By choosing the Tigers, Green-Beckham chose a team where he will make a big impact right away. Last season, the Missouri passing attack had noticeably less punch than they have become accustomed to having. Leading receiver T.J. Moe only had 649 yards on 54 receptions and four touchdowns.

Green-Beckham should take over as the team's top receiver from the beginning of the season and at 6'6" and 220 pounds, he should add the big target that Missouri needs.

Expect big things from DGB early and often in his career.

WR DaVaris Daniels, Notre Dame

DaVaris Daniels sat out his first season with Notre Dame, but with Michael Floyd now a member of the Arizona Cardinals, the time is now for Daniels to become a playmaker for the Fighting Irish.

Daniels came to Notre Dame in 2011 as a four-star recruit, and at 6'3" 190 pounds he has a good frame and good quickness. He has the tools to succeed right away and should become a favorite of whoever wins the quarterback job in South Bend.

Coach Brian Kelly is a strong believer in Daniels' ability. He had this to say about Daniels when speaking with NBC Sports about his young receiver:

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“He probably tested out at tops in the skill position, ahead of guys like Cierre Wood, ahead of guys like Theo Riddick... His numbers are off the charts in terms of vertical jump. He tested comparable to a number of the wide receivers at the NFL combine. He’s got great numbers.”

"

Daniels should have a breakout sophomore season if he is able to stay out of trouble—he was recently cited for consumption of alcohol by a minor.

RB Johnathan Gray, Texas

Texas football is quickly getting back to what made Texas football great before Vince Young and Colt McCoy became stars—running the football.

Last season, the Longhorns featured a stable of running backs that included freshmen Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron along with Junior D.J. Monroe. While the Longhorns rode their running-back-by-committee to the 21st rushing attack in the country, they'll be even better in 2012 with Johnathan Gray joining the fold.

Mack Brown plans on using the talented freshman right away and, given that he scored 61 touchdowns last season, he should be able to make an impact immediately.

The most promising thing about Gray is his style. Oftentimes young backs tend to dance around and juke defenders, but with Gray, he just explodes through the hole and uses his acceleration to get his yards.

That style should fit in very well with Texas' offense and Gray should dominate when he's on the field.

RB Randy Johnson, Miami (FL)

Randy "Duke" Johnson could make fans of The U forget about NFL draftee Lamar Miller very quickly. The true freshman five-star recruit has a nice combination of elusiveness and quickness that will make him an instant impact offensively in space.

He likely won't be an every down back, but the 'Canes will have senior running back Mike James should be able to help carry the load—especially between the tackles while playing thunder to Johnson's lightning.

Johnson will need to dominate as the 'Canes attempt to move on without quarterback Jacory Harris and Miller after a disappointing 6-6 campaign.

WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson

Sammy Watkins burst onto the scene in 2011 as the nation's most explosive freshman and even earned All-American honors.

Watkins used his speed and versatility to hurt defenses on his way to 1,219 yards receiving, 231 yards rushing and 838 return yards for 13 total touchdowns. Watkins is a threat to break a big play anytime he touches the ball.

With quarterback Tajh Boyd returning, Watkins and Boyd presents one of the nation's most dangerous quarterback-receiver tandems in the nation.

Watkins was arrested in the offseason on drug possession charges, so he will need to maintain his focus on the field if he wants to continue his success. However, there isn't a more dangerous underclassman in the country.

Watkins should once again be an All-American in 2012.

WR Marquise Lee, USC

Junior wide receiver Robert Woods and senior quarterback Matt Barkley are sure to get all the headlines for the USC Trojans in 2012, but Marquise Lee is the team's true x-factor.

As a freshman, Lee put up great numbers as the No. 2 option behind Woods in the USC offense. Lee's 73 receptions for 1,143 yards and 11 touchdowns would have led many teams, but for a team with one of the top offenses in the country, he still flies under the radar.

With Woods deservedly drawing special attention from opposing secondaries, Lee should be able to improve on his already impressive numbers in his sophomore season. Lee's speed and ability to create separation downfield makes him one of the nation's top deep threats.

RB De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon

With quarterback Darron Thomas and LaMichael James now gone from Eugene, Oregon, it's time for Chip Kelly to reload on offense.

With sophomore De'Anthony Thomas, the Ducks shouldn't miss a beat. The super-fast Thomas is a versatile threat that fits in perfectly with the Ducks' fast-paced wide-open offense.

Thomas has the speed to get to the edge in Oregon's triple option packages and is a weapon in the passing game. Thomas was an asset for the Ducks in the receiving department last season as he caught 46 passes for 605 yards and nine touchdowns and that was with James being the primary back for the team.

With James gone, Thomas should see even more carries and could be the nation's top sophomore as he will be the focal point of the Ducks high-octane offense.

QB Brett Smith, Wyoming

Sophomore quarterback Brett Smith just may do the impossible—put Wyoming football on the map.

Smith took over at quarterback for the Cowboys in 2011 when former starter Austyn Carta-Samuels decided to leave Laramie and transfer to Vanderbilt. Smith immediately injected life into the traditionally poor Wyoming team as he passed for 20 touchdowns and added 10 more on the ground.

Smith's dual-threat capabilities bring a different wrinkle to the Cowboy offense. Smith rushed for 710 yards to add to his 2,622 passing yards.

Beyond the stats that Smith put up, he also took Wyoming to a higher level than they are accustomed to, as the Cowboys finished behind only TCU and Boise State in the Mountain West.

With TCU Big-12 bound and Boise looking to replace NFL draftees all over the field, Wyoming is a true threat in the Mountain West and Smith will be the catalyst behind any run the team makes.

QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville

Teddy Bridgewater took over as the starting quarterback for the Louisville Cardinals as a freshman last season to mixed results. After the team struggled to a 2-4 start, Bridgewater was at the helm when the team reeled off a 5-1 end to the season to qualify for the Belk bowl where they ultimately lost to North Carolina State 31-24.

Bridgewater's stats were rather pedestrian, but he did show improvement throughout the year and there's no denying his talent. Bridgewater came out of high school as a four-star quarterback and he showed flashes of dominance in 2011.

With many of the Cardinals weapons on offense coming back including receivers Eli Rogers and DeVante Parker, Bridgewater should enjoy some continuity as he continues to grow into this offense and makes the Cardinals a legitimate BCS contender in the Big East.