College Football Recruits with the Best Chance to Start in 2015
Save a few exceptions, the 2015 recruiting cycle is over. We officially know where next year's freshmen will play.
This knowledge brings a new perspective to each team's 2015 depth chart. If the players they recruited fill immediate holes, there's a good chance they start freshmen next season.
The following 10 players mix talent with opportunity. They have college-ready game film and join teams with open positions. In many cases, they also enrolled for spring practice, since that is such a vital part of starting as a freshman. But in some cases, where the talent and the depth chart demanded it, a fall enrollee was included.
Sound off below and let us know what you think.
10 More to Watch
1 of 10
Here are 10 players who just missed the cut, but whose talent demands you should keep an eye on them. There is competition to start at their positions, but each could make me look dumb by September. (Which, by the way, I'd be fine with.)
- DT Terry Beckner Jr., Missouri
- DE Byron Cowart, Auburn
- OT Martez Ivey, Florida
- DE CeCe Jefferson, Florida
- DT Daylon Mack, Texas A&M
- WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama
- DE Darian Roseboro, NC State
- RB Larry Scott, Michigan State
- DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson
- CB Jordan Whitehead, Pittsburgh
DE Jalen Dalton, North Carolina
2 of 10
Overall Rank: 57 WDE Rank: 3 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Dajaun Drennon (So.)
- Junior Gnonkonde (Jr.)
- Shakeel Rashad (Sr.)
- Mikey Bart (Jr.)
North Carolina hired Gene Chizik to run its defense, signaling a shift from the 4-2-5 to a 4-3. "What Chizik wants is speed guys on the edge," wrote Buck Sanders of Inside Carolina. "They are not there to soak up blocks, they are there to make plays." Jalen Dalton is the jewel of the Tar Heels' class and their best chance to make plays off the edge next season. He is enrolled for spring camp, which should alleviate concerns about his youth (he'll still be 17 when the season starts).
DT Breiden Fehoko, Texas Tech
3 of 10
Overall Rank: 50 DT Rank: 8 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Demetrius Alston (Sr.)
- Keland McElrath (Sr.)
- Rika Levi (Sr.)
- Marcus Smith (Sr.)
What does Texas Tech need more than anything? Beef up the middle. Enter freshman Breiden Fehoko, who bench-pressed 185 pounds 42 times at The Opening. He's a hair too small to play 1-technique (6'3", 290 lbs), but he's a perfect fit at 3-technique in David Gibbs' defense. He has the power to disengage, the speed to close on ball-carriers and the attitude to do both with consistency.
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S Derwin James, Florida State
4 of 10
Overall Rank: 5 S Rank: 1 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Tyler Hunter (Sr.)
- Nate Andrews (Jr.)
- Trey Marshall (So.)
Florida State starts five defensive backs. By my count, there are three it can trust: Jalen Ramsey, Tyler Hunter and Nate Andrews. The other two spots are up for grabs, and 5-star DB Derwin James, who fits at either safety or "Star," is a logical choice to take one of them. James is a 6'2", 201-pound missile whose frame looks more NFL-ready than college-ready. That he enrolled for spring camp is a major plus.
OLB Malik Jefferson, Texas
5 of 10
Overall Rank: 10 OLB Rank: 1 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Timothy Cole (Jr.)
- Edwin Freeman (RS-Fr.)
Texas has a hole at weak-side linebacker. Fortunately, that's the spot its top recruit was born to play. Malik Jefferson has a leaner frame (6'2.5", 215 lbs) but historic speed to compensate; he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at The Opening last summer. He's a sideline-to-sideline player in the mold of Notre Dame's Jaylon Smith, and he's enrolled for spring camp. It's hard to see him not starting the opener.
DE Canton Kaumatule, Oregon
6 of 10
Overall Rank: 16 SDE Rank: 3 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Tui Talia (Sr.)
- T.J. Daniel (Jr.)
- Henry Mondeaux (So.)
Tui Talia, T.J. Daniel and Henry Mondeaux are well-and-fine rotation pieces. But Oregon needs a star across from DeForest Buckner, and Canton Kaumatule is the only potential star of the bunch. Kaumatule is a 6'7", 290-pound matchup nightmare who dominated the Under Armour All-America practices and is enrolled for spring camp. With Buckner as a mentor, he shouldn't take long to develop.
DT Kahlil McKenzie, Tennessee
7 of 10
Overall Rank: 6 DT Rank: 2 In For Spring? No
Primary Competition
- Owen Williams (Sr.)
- Dimarya Mixon (So.)
- Shy Tuttle (Fr.)
Michael Felder of Bleacher Report and Bud Elliott of SB Nation have each called Kahlil McKenzie the No. 1 player in the class. Both of those dudes know what they're talking about. The Vols have depth up the middle, so McKenzie will not be handed the starting job next to Danny O'Brien. But he'll prove in short order that he deserves it, the same way his teammate, Derek Barnett, won the starting job last season.
QB Josh Rosen, UCLA
8 of 10
Overall Rank: 12 QB Rank: 1 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Jerry Neuheisel (So.)
- Asantii Woulard (So.)
Josh Rosen could have won this job without enrolling early. That he's already at UCLA makes it an overwhelming likelihood. Jerry Neuheisel is fine as a backup, but nothing about him screams "Starter," and Asantii Woulard lacks the arm to run this offense. Rosen is 6'5", hits all his marks and runs better than most people realize. Even as a teenager, he gives this team its best chance to win.
DT Trent Thompson, Georgia
9 of 10
Overall Rank: 1 DT Rank: 1 In For Spring? No
Primary Competition
- Chris Mayes (Sr.)
- John Atkins (So.)
Georgia loses Ray Drew, Mike Thornton and Toby Johnson from last year's defensive line and doesn't have the in-house pieces to replace them. Trent Thompson will be counted on to start at nose tackle, most likely from Day 1. Thompson has the size (6'2.5", 313 lbs) and explosion to draw double teams up the middle, and he plays with an effortless confidence. Like Robert Nkemdiche at Ole Miss—another No. 1 overall recruit—his impact will be felt beyond the box score.
CB Kevin Toliver II, LSU
10 of 10
Overall Rank: 8 CB Rank: 1 In For Spring? Yes
Primary Competition
- Dwayne Thomas (Jr.)
- Ed Paris (So.)
LSU needs a corner after losing Jalen Collins to the draft and suspending Rashard Robinson indefinitely. Kevin Toliver II has been committed to the Tigers since November 2012—so long that Les Miles said "he could [give] tours of the facility," per Shea Dixon of 247Sports—and looks like an instant contributor. The former No. 1 overall player has freaky size (6'2", 185 lbs) and length, and he doesn't mind getting physical. LSU has never had a problem starting freshmen, and Toliver is as good as any player it has ever signed.
Note: All recruiting info refers to the 247Sports composite rankings.
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