10 Unheralded College Football Players Who Could Become Stars in 2015

As the 2014-15 season winds down with just a few bowl games left, the new wave of stars of next season are getting set to take the stage. 

There's plenty of guys waiting for their time under the lights, including guys like Corey Clement and Jeff Lockie, who will replace Melvin Gordon and Marcus Mariota, respectively. 

Let's check out 10 guys who could rise from the ashes of this season and become stars next year. 

KD Cannon

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Despite being just out of high school, this Baylor Bears freshman hauled in 58 balls for 1,030 yards and eight scores this year, proving to be one of Bryce Petty's favorite targets. 

Now with a year under his belt, Cannon is bound to improve in year two at Waco, and he'll likely be a favorite target of Seth Russell, who is pegged to replace Petty at quarterback. 

Joe Hubener

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Joe Hubener was Jake Waters' backup this year, but he could very well be the next former Bill Snyder walk-on to shine for Kansas State. 

Despite seeing limited action this year, Hubener made the most of his snaps. He threw for 235 yards on just 17 attempts and also had a touchdown, while also rushing for 5.3 yards per carry and finding pay dirt three times on the ground. 

Dual-threat signal-callers like Hubener are Snyder's go-to weapons year in and year out, so Hubener should fit right in. 

Corey Clement

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All the talk in Madison this year surrounded Gordon and rightfully so. 

But let's not forget about his partner in crime, Clement. 

Clement averaged 6.4 yards on 132 carries and scored nine touchdowns as the perfect complement to Gordon. Now, he'll have firm control of the reins as a junior next year and could very well become the next guy to graduate out of Running Back U. 

Seth Russell

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Despite playing second fiddle to Petty this year, Russell was still one of the Big 12's best quarterbacks despite receiving limited action. 

He did start a game this year against lowly Northwestern State, as he racked up 438 yards and five touchdowns through the air. 

On the year, Russell threw eight touchdowns and just one pick. 

Quarterbacks have a way of flourishing under head coach Art Briles, so don't expect Russell to buck that trend. 

Royce Freeman

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While the spotlight loves to shine on Mariota in Eugene, Royce Freeman has quietly been one of Oregon's best offensive weapons. 

The freshman tailback accumulated 1,299 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns, and he will also get experience in the national title game next week. 

So Freeman will have plenty of experience under his belt plus more of a green light with Mariota likely headed to the pros. 

Nick Chubb

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Nick Chubb is no secret at Georgia anymore, but he was still ultimately just a stopgap for Todd Gurley this year. 

Now, as Gurley is set to leave the Bulldogs, Chubb is the main guy. 

He finished the year with 1,547 yards and ended the campaign with a monstrous 266-yard, two-touchdown outing in the Belk Bowl victory over Louisville. 

Expect Chubb, who'll be a sophomore in 2015-16, to be possibly the SEC's best back. 

Jeff Lockie

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There's not much tape on Lockie, but he's certainly had the best mentor in Mariota. 

Now, as he's projected to become Oregon's signal-caller next year, he could be the next rising star at quarterback for the Ducks. 

In Oregon's Week 1 matchup against South Dakota, Lockie went in late and completed 11 of 12 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. That's efficiency, yes? 

Like Russell at Baylor, Lockie should fit in well to the system in Eugene and find immediate success. 

Baker Mayfield

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With Oklahoma's late collapse, particularly against Clemson in its bowl game, and the lack of consistent quarterback play from Trevor Knight, Bob Stoops and Co. are looking for answers. 

Well, they may have one in renowned Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield. The former Red Raider starred under head coach Kliff Kingsbury for a while before deciding to head north to Norman. 

Mayfield outplayed Knight in last year's spring game, and he could be in the running for the starting job next season. 

Tommy Armstrong

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New head coach Mike Riley could be the perfect mentor for quarterback Tommy Armstrong, who is already a very talented gunslinger. 

Riley mentored Sean Mannion at Oregon State, who was one of the most prolific passers in the nation. 

Now, Armstrong, who threw for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns this year, could put up even gaudier numbers next year. That could help Nebraska turn things around. 

Storm Woods

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While Riley might help improve Armstrong at Nebraska, new head coach Gary Andersen may take the magic he used for Gordon and find a use for it with Storm Woods. 

Woods ran for just 766 yards and five touchdowns this season, but that was in Riley's air-raid offense. He also averaged 6.3 yards per carry. 

In a more run-heavy offense that Andersen will bring, that could very well turn Woods into a superstar.