Projecting the Top 20 College Football Superstars Who Will Leave Early for NFL
All of the good ones leave early, so we might as well plan for the departures.
The allure of the NFL prompts dozens of college football's top underclassmen to forgo their remaining eligibility and get a jump on their professional careers. This past year saw 84 players with remaining eligibility turn pro, and a good number of them are expected to be among the top picks in the upcoming draft.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has 34 underclassmen on his latest 50-player big board, including six of the top seven.
Who will be the most notable early entrants after the 2015 season? Scroll through to see our predictions.
NOTE: Position rankings are courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com and are based on the player's draft class assuming they were to exhaust their eligibility.
Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
1 of 20
Height, weight: 6'2", 185 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
Tyler Boyd has toppled most of the records that former Pittsburgh wide receiving greats Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald put up, and he's apt to follow their lead and head to the NFL early as well.
Boyd has 163 receptions for 2,435 yards and 15 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Panthers, and last year he took on more punt- and kickoff-return duties to maximize his speed and elusiveness in the open field. That added value will make him even more coveted by NFL teams, especially those that aren't in immediate need of a wideout but could use him on special teams while grooming him for a future starting spot on offense.
Boyd needs 40 receptions and 569 yards to become Pitt's all-time leader in both categories, numbers he's likely to have by the end of September.
Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
2 of 20
Height, weight: 6'5", 285 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
Joey Bosa has been nothing short of dominant on the defensive line for Ohio State the past two years, and he's likely to be even better this fall as a junior. After all, it will be his final audition before what is as close to a lock that he'll declare for the NFL draft as can be put on any college player.
Last year Bosa's work up front was a key to the Buckeyes' push to the national championship, as he terrorized the top offensive stars from Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon during the postseason. He finished the year with 13.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown.
Bosa also showed plenty of flair and charisma, things that will likely get picked apart by anonymous scouts in the months leading up to the 2016 draft but between now and then will make him one of the most watched players in the game.
James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
3 of 20
Height, weight: 6'2", 250 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 3rd
The running back position has one of the shortest shelf lives of any job in professional sports, so it's no surprise that one-sixth of the players who declared for the draft this past year (14 of 84) were ball-carriers. Durability is a key concern because of all the hits they endure on every touch.
James Conner might have a leg up on the rest of the competition at his position because of his size, which seems more fitting of a linebacker but which he's used to his advantage at Pittsburgh. After blossoming late during his freshman year in 2013 (and going for 229 yards in the Panthers' bowl win), he exploded last season with 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns on 298 carries.
Conner had four games with at least 30 carries in 2014, avoiding injury. He's likely to see just as much work this fall, and if he can hold up to the abuse he'll be primed to make the jump to the pros.
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Su'a Cravens, SS, USC
4 of 20
Height, weight: 6'1", 225 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
We're listing Su'a Cravens by the position he's become most associated with, as he was recruited to USC as a safety and was a freshman All-American at that position in 2013. Last year he played a hybrid strong safety/outside linebacker role and went from posting 1.5 tackles for loss the season before to 17 as a sophomore.
That didn't cause his pass-defense numbers to drop, though, as he still got his hands on three interceptions and returned one for an interception.
"Su'a is a guy who can create turnovers, he can make tackles in the backfield, he can blitz off the edge, he can cover well," USC coach Steve Sarkisian said, according to Cravens' USC bio. "I think he's at his best when he’s around the ball."
USC has more depth in the secondary this year, so Cravens figures to see even more time at linebacker. It's where he probably fits best in the NFL, though the fact he can play in various areas will make it even more likely he grades out high enough to turn pro next January.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
5 of 20
Height, weight: 6'0", 225 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
Just as there are a number of college basketball freshmen who are virtual locks to be one-and-done players, there are a handful of college football stars who are almost guaranteed to turn pro after this season. Ezekiel Elliott joined that group after a monster finish to the 2014 that was so superb it had some suggesting he was best off not even playing his junior season at Ohio State.
"With nearly 700 total rushing yards in three high-stakes game played on a big stage, Elliott demonstrated the ability to compete in the NFL," NBC Sports' Mike Florio wrote. "Given the physical demands of the position he plays, he should avoid absorbing further punishment—and losing additional knee cartilage—by playing football for compensation far less than the value he has brought to his school, the Big 10 conference, and the NCAA."
It's a similar argument that came up after Jadeveon Clowney rose up the draft boards following his sophomore year in 2012, but he played for South Carolina that next season and still went No. 1 overall.
Elliott doesn't appear headed down this track, either. He has the chance to back up his 1,878-yard, 18-touchdown performance with another big year, and with OSU's quarterback situation still murky he figures to play a key role in the early games.
The Buckeyes also have other running backs who can share some carries, minimizing Elliott's risk and giving him the best shot to be at full strength when it comes time to declare.
Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
6 of 20
Height, weight: 5'11", 195 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
After a stellar freshman year when he had six interceptions to rank second in the ACC, Kendall Fuller had a quieter season in 2014 at least from a statistical standpoint. But NFL scouts and general managers aren't as interested in numbers as they are intangibles, and Fuller has shown plenty of those in his brief college career.
"Fuller is involved on nearly every play, often breaking up passes or blanketing his receiver," according to Greg Quintero of InsideTheACC.com. "He combines his physical and mental tools better than any secondary player in the conference, and his mere presence on the field has proved invaluable."
With Fuller taking control of one side of the field, Virginia Tech's other defenders have been able to cover the other half and rank 26th in passing defense while allowing only 47.7 completion percentage last year. If he can do that again this fall, Fuller will certainly turn pro and be a high draft pick.
Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
7 of 20
Height, weight: 6'4", 234 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
A subpar sophomore year has taken some of the shine off Christian Hackenberg's star, but ever since he started as a true freshman in Penn State's opener in 2013 he's been tabbed as a very likely early entrant as soon as he became eligible.
Hackenberg threw for 2,977 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, with 15 interceptions and only a 55.8 percent completion rate. It didn't help that he was under constant pressure behind a weak offensive line, which allowed 44 sacks, and he had no run game.
"If anything, he added durability to a set of skills that already included an elite arm, advanced understanding of the position and poise under pressure," wrote Dustin Hockensmith of PennLive.com.
Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
8 of 20
Height, weight: 5'11", 194 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
It's a common practice to project how a top college player will fare in the NFL by comparing their skills and approach to an existing pro. Not surprisingly, Vernon Hargreaves III usually gets matched up with one of the best cover corners in the game, but that's because he's patterned his game after Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman.
Though Sherman is four inches taller than Hargreaves, it's not a physical contrast that most people point out.
"Performance-wise, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more effective cover man in the college game than Hargreaves," Chase Goodbread of NFL.com wrote last summer. That was before Hargreaves had three interceptions and 13 pass break-ups as a sophomore.
Hargreaves has six career interceptions, a figure that likely would be higher if teams threw his way more often. But most have figured out this isn't a smart move, and because he's made big plays when tested he'll be one of the first corners taken next year.
Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
9 of 20
Height, weight: 6'2", 241 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
Durability and wear on the tires is a key concern for NFL teams when drafting running backs, but the pros have been able to breath a little easier when selecting Alabama rushers based on how that program has avoided overusing its backs.
Derrick Henry figures to be the next Crimson Tide rusher to benefit from coach Nick Saban's tendency to spread carries around to several running backs. Henry led the team with 990 yards but only ran it 172 times in 14 games last season, while likely first-round pick (and 2014 early draft entrant) T.J. Yeldon carried it 194 times.
Alabama has only had one running back average more than 20 carries in the last seven seasons, and Henry's use has been even less. In two years he's run it 207 times and might barely top that number this fall with the Tide also having Kenyan Drake back from injury and highly touted Bo Scarborough eligible following academic issues a year ago.
Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State
10 of 20
Height, weight: 6'2", 188 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 5th
Most of the players we're projecting to turn pro early are ones who came into college with a lot of hype and have managed to live up to it. Rashard Higgins was a relatively unknown quantity coming out of Texas, but after his enormous 2014 season at Colorado State he heads into what will probably be his final amateur year as the nation's top wideout.
Higgins led FBS in receiving yards per game (145.8) and touchdowns (17) last fall, catching 96 passes for 1,750 yards and doing it in bunches all year long. He had 10 100-yard games, including a stretch of three consecutive games with at least 175 yards, the first player to do so since Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree in 2007.
What scouts will be most excited about with Higgins is his dependability. According to Bill Callahan of SB Nation, Higgins caught 73.3 percent of the balls thrown his direction last year. The only other FBS player who had more than 80 catches and a higher reception rate was USC's Nelson Agholor, an early NFL departure who figures to be one of the top wide receivers taken in the upcoming draft.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
11 of 20
Height, weight: 5'11", 203 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 13th
The only thing that could slow down Kareem Hunt last season was injury, and even that probably isn't going to stop him from turning pro after another big year for Toledo.
As a sophomore, Hunt gained 1,631 yards and scored 16 touchdowns in only 10 games, missing three because of a sprained ankle. He ran for at least 101 yards in every contest, and after coming back from the injury Hunt averaged 184 yards per game.
The Rockets played two power opponents last season, and Hunt managed to run for 148 yards and three TDs on just 15 carries against Missouri's strong defense while missing a trip to Iowa State. This year he'll get to run against Arkansas' stout defense, but scouts will also get to see plenty of him on #MACtion as Toledo plays three times on Tuesday nights in November.
Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA
12 of 20
Height, weight: 6'1", 235 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
A two-way star for UCLA who managed to get named the Pac-12's offensive and defensive Freshman of the Year in 2013, Myles Jack is the kind of prospect that could do so much for so many teams it seems like a foregone conclusion he'll be in the draft pool after his junior year. The only uncertainty revolves around what position he'd best fit in as a pro.
Jack has scored 10 touchdowns as a running back, but he's been primarily used as a linebacker with the Bruins. He's had 163 tackles and three interceptions the past two years, spending more time chasing down ball-carriers and covering receivers than heading after the quarterback, prompting former UCLA defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to consider Jack more of a defensive back than anything else.
"He's essentially a corner in a 235-pound body—his coverage skills—but at the same time, can support the run," Ulbrich told Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
13 of 20
Height, weight: 6'5", 250 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
Cardale Jones could have turned pro after last season, something that seemed like a very strong possibility after the redshirt sophomore went from little-used backup to the field leader of the national champions in an instant. But Jones ultimately decided his limited experience—three starts, albeit all in the postseason—weren't enough to show he was ready for the NFL.
Don't expect Jones to pass up the opportunity to declare again, regardless of how much he plays in 2015.
Jones is the only fully healthy member of Ohio State's three-player battle for the starting quarterback job, as senior Braxton Miller and sophomore J.T. Barrett continue to rehab injuries. While that doesn't mean Jones is the favorite to be the Buckeyes' starter this fall, it does mean he'll get plenty of time to train and develop this offseason for a likely NFL draft declaration in January.
Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss
14 of 20
Height, weight: 6'4", 280 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
As the top-rated prospect of the 2013 high school recruiting class, Robert Nkemdiche was a strong-side defensive end. But Ole Miss quickly decided to move him inside, where his bulk and strength could provide more value, and that's paid off immensely for the Rebels.
It's also made it so that Nkemdiche should end up being a very high draft choice in 2016, if he turns pro, despite not having the numbers that normally come with being a top pro prospect.
Nkemdiche has only four sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 69 tackles in two seasons, but his presence is still felt on every snap that he's on the defensive line. Opponents work to take the ball away from where he's lined up, which is why he was still a first-team All-SEC selection by the coaches even without massive statistics.
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
15 of 20
Height, weight: 6'4", 270 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
Because Oklahoma State had a down season in 2014, the big leap forward that Emmanuel Ogbah made between his freshman and sophomore years didn't get much attention on a national level. The scouts took notice, though, and with the Cowboys defense expected to be a strength for their team in 2015, Ogbah is going to get a lot more notoriety.
Ogbah had 17 tackles for loss and 11 sacks while breaking up five passes last year, his first as a starter. He made a big impact early on when he sacked Florida State's Jameis Winston twice in the season opener, and he also took down TCU's Trevone Boykin twice in October.
With the NFL moving toward more mobile passers, a defensive end like Ogbah who is able to track down those elusive quarterbacks is going to be in high demand.
Jalen Ramsey, FS, Florida State
16 of 20
Height, weight: 6'1", 204 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
Even though Florida State's defense wasn't as successful in 2014 as during its national championship season the year before, several Seminoles underclassmen made the necessary strides in their development to turn pro early. Jalen Ramsey's emergence last fall would have made him a prime candidate to declare early, too, had he been eligible.
This just means Ramsey will be one of the most likely juniors to forgo his remaining eligibility after this season, one where he may end up playing cornerback in addition to his normal role as a safety.
Last year Ramsey had three sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, both second best on the Seminoles, along with 80 tackles, two interceptions and 14 pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Florida State lost both starting cornerbacks, which could put Ramsey in line for additional coverage duties that will further improve his already valuable draft stock.
A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
17 of 20
Height, weight: 6'3", 320 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
Alabama's defensive line has a chance to be one of the best the program has ever had this season, with all four starters coming back. The best of the group is the youngest one, who figures to be among the highest-rated defensive tackles in the 2016 draft if he continues on the route he's taken so far.
A'Shawn Robinson was the Crimson Tide's team leader in sacks as a true freshman, despite starting only two games, and last year he factored more in stopping the run with 6.5 tackles for loss and 49 tackles as a full-time starter.
Teamed with fellow junior Jonathan Allen and senior Jarran Reed on other side of him, Robinson figures to have a monster 2015 that will ensure he grades high and heads to the NFL after one more season.
Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
18 of 20
Height, weight: 6'6", 318 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
Ronnie Stanley has already shown the ability to play both tackle positions in college, moving from the right side in 2013 to left tackle last year. A junior academically but one with two seasons of eligibility left, Stanley toyed with turning pro after 2014 but decided he needed one more year in college to develop.
"He's matured so much since he first arrived on campus, and this is just another example," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told Keith Arnold of NBC Sports. "Ronnie now has a chance to leave Notre Dame as both a graduate and first-round NFL pick."
With NFL size and the versatility to play multiple spots on the line, there's no doubt that Stanley will be among the top linemen selected in 2016.
Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
19 of 20
Height, weight: 6'2", 229 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 1st
Laquon Treadwell has looked like a surefire top draft pick since his first college game at Ole Miss in 2013, when he caught nine passes for 82 yards in a win at Vanderbilt. And even after suffering a horrific leg injury last November, Treadwell still appears on track to be one of the first wide receivers taken next year.
Treadwell fractured his fibula and dislocated his ankle as he was tackled (and fumbled) just short of the end zone against Auburn on Nov. 1, an injury that kept him down on the field for a while before he was carted off. Yet in mid-February he was seen running full strength in the Rebels' indoor practice facility, and when spring practice began this week Treadwell was out there doing drills with his teammates.
Now all that stands between Treadwell and a high draft spot next spring is showing that he can still perform in games. He had 72 receptions as a freshman and had caught 48 passes for 632 yards and five touchdowns before getting hurt last year. The numbers won't matter as much as how he looks running routes and past defenders.
Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
20 of 20
Height, weight: 6'5", 305 lbs
Position rank (2017 class): 2nd
Laquon Treadwell wasn't the only likely high 2016 draft pick for Ole Miss to get hurt during the 2014 season, as Laremy Tunsil broke his leg during the Peach Bowl loss to TCU when quarterback Bo Wallace fell back on him late in the first half.
The recovery time for Tunsil is going to be far longer than what Treadwell has managed, and it's the third injury he's suffered in two seasons at Ole Miss. When healthy, though, Tunsil has been one of the best offensive linemen in the country, as Hugh Kellenberger of the Clarion-Ledger noted that he's allowed only two sacks in his career.
Tunsil's injury was a fracture, and while it will keep him out of the spring he should be back at full strength for the 2015 season. Assuming he can avoid further injuries that would label him as fragile, Tunsil should put together another big year and then be off to the pros.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
