College Football Players Who Have Shot Up the Depth Charts This Spring
Across the nation, programs are wrapping up their spring football practices. Before long, the popping of pads and spring exhibitions will be replaced with the strain and sweat of summer “voluntary” workouts that are as voluntary as breathing oxygen.
We’ll be left to speculate until preseason practice begins the countdown to the first weekend of the 2015 college football season, where, once again, we’ll have games that matter.
Until then, though, coaches will evaluate and reflect upon their players’ efforts this spring. Numerous players found a way to stand out and make a move up depth charts, whether it was to challenge an incumbent or just take advantage of available playing time. Here’s a look at 10 players who have done just that.
Ohio State WR Noah Brown
1 of 10
As the defending national champions, Ohio State didn’t exactly have a ton of playing time available this spring. But one area where the Buckeyes do is wide receiver. Leading receiver Devin Smith (33 catches, 931 yards, 12 touchdowns) is gone, as is receiving rotation member Evan Spencer (15 receptions, 149 yards, three scores).
One player who has taken advantage of the opportunity? Sophomore Noah Brown. Brown played sparingly as a freshman, making one reception for nine yards. But he has remade his body, dropping 22 pounds from his 2014 playing weight of 244 pounds and making himself a more versatile outside receiver.
Cleveland.com’s Bill Landis says Brown has been one of the most impressive offensive forces this spring.
"Noah Brown has had probably as good of a spring as I could've wanted," receivers coach Zach Smith told Landis. "He's dropped 25 pounds. He's at a different level than he was in the fall. He's come a long way and still has a lot to do, but he looks like a guy who's going to contribute in the fall."
Oklahoma State RB Rennie Childs
2 of 10
Oklahoma State had some major opportunity in its backfield this spring. 2014’s leading rusher, Desmond Roland, graduated after rushing for 770 yards and 10 touchdowns. And No. 2 rusher Tyreek Hill, an excellent all-around athlete, was booted from the team following a December domestic violence arrest.
That left the door wide open for junior Rennie Childs, who had 294 yards and three touchdowns last fall. Childs has stepped forward and taken the lead role. The 5’10”, 205-pound back rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown in Oklahoma State’s spring game and was clearly the top back this spring.
He has played more physical and taken on the role of an every-down back, but he also showed the capability of making a big play. He broke off a 60-yard run on Saturday. That’s exactly what OSU needs for an emerging offense led by sophomore quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Louisville S Josh Harvey-Clemons
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Josh Harvey-Clemons arrived at Georgia with huge potential, but he never quite lived up to it. The highly touted 6’5”, 230-pound safety had 11 starts in 25 games but could never quite avoid trouble off of the field.
He piled up 66 tackles but was best known for an infamous moment against Auburn, tipping Nick Marshall’s Hail Mary pass into Ricardo Louis’ waiting arms for a 73-yard game-winning touchdown.
Harvey-Clemons was later dismissed from Georgia after a pair of suspensions for violations of UGA's drug policy, as reported by Chip Towers of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and he transferred to Louisville to join former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.
He has been a perfect fit in Louisville’s secondary, which is replacing departed starters Gerod Holliman and James Sample. Harvey-Clemons is bigger than most safeties, which will make him a unique presence in the Cardinals’ back seven.
If he can prove that he’s on the straight and narrow and a better leader, Harvey-Clemons will make a big impact for Grantham this fall.
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Texas A&M DE Daeshon Hall
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For Texas A&M defensive end Daeshon Hall, potential was never the question. Hall had an SEC-ready body at 6’6”, 260 pounds, and he had the speed to make a difference on the Aggie defensive line. Last fall, he had 27 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss while starting four games, but he was never fully healthy with a pair of injured shoulders.
This spring, he’s healthy, and it has shown. Playing across from Myles Garrett, who set the SEC freshman sack record in 2014, Hall has improved his technique and looked like a smarter, more powerful player who has been much more physical.
If Hall is confident and healthy, he’ll work with Garrett to create a solid bookend defensive end tandem that could give A&M’s defense a major boost in its first season under defensive coordinator John Chavis.
Texas QB Jerrod Heard
5 of 10
Texas entered spring with some uncertainty at quarterback. Last fall, Tyrone Swoopes struggled through his first season as a starter, throwing for 2,409 yards with 13 touchdowns against 11 interceptions as the Longhorns finished Charlie Strong’s first season 6-7.
Jerrod Heard, a talented redshirt freshman, was given the opportunity to challenge Swoopes, and he didn’t disappoint. While he didn’t unseat Swoopes, he made an impression on Strong.
In Texas’ spring game, he completed 20 of 29 passes for 177 yards with an interception and also looked confident running the ball, a key in Strong’s system. Strong said that Swoopes is still the starter, per ESPN.com's Max Olson, but the battle will continue into fall camp.
The Longhorns start the season at Notre Dame, and while it wouldn’t be shocking to see Swoopes start the season, he’ll receive a strong push from Heard.
West Virginia QB Skyler Howard
6 of 10
Quarterback is perhaps the most important position on West Virginia’s roster. Coach Dana Holgorsen runs the Air Raid offense, which needs a very competent signal-caller to keep it moving. Entering this spring, there were lingering doubts about whether that guy was on the Mountaineers roster.
Skyler Howard started the final two games of the 2014 season after Clint Trickett suffered a career-ending injury, finishing the season with 829 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions.
But that effort didn’t earn him much this spring, as Holgorsen threw him into a competition with William Crest, David Sills and Chris Chugunov.
Howard stands only 6'0" but has a solid arm and excellent leadership intangibles, which he has displayed this spring. He’ll be the clear starter entering preseason practice and is poised to put up big numbers for the pass-happy Mountaineers in 2015.
Alabama CB Marlon Humphrey
7 of 10
When Marlon Humphrey went through a redshirt season for Alabama last fall, it was a bit of a surprise. After all, the cornerback was a 5-star signee and one of the top 12 players in the class of 2014, according to 247Sports. But the Crimson Tide had plenty of secondary depth, so Humphrey sat and developed.
If his play this spring is any indication, the son of former Crimson Tide star and Alabama tailback Bobby Humphrey won’t be doing much sitting this fall. While Tony Brown and Cyrus Jones are expected to start, the redshirt freshman made a big impression. In Saturday’s A-Day game, he had eight tackles (one for loss), an interception and a pass breakup.
He has speed, and at 6’1”, 195 pounds, he is a physical corner who isn’t afraid to hit. He drew praise from Alabama coach Nick Saban, per AL.com’s Matt Zenitz.
“I’m happy with the way Marlon played. But again, how you get challenged in a situation like this is something that everyone has to note,” Saban said. “But Marlon has had a good spring. He's improved a lot. He's playing with a lot more confidence. He's developed nicely for us.”
If Humphrey continues that development, he’ll be a huge part of Alabama’s defense in 2015.
Florida State S Derwin James
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Florida State put together an impressive class of 2015, and one of its biggest prizes was safety Derwin James. James, who stands 6’2”, 201 pounds, is a 5-star prospect, rated as the nation's No. 5 overall player by 247Sports. He got to go through spring practice with his new teammates as an early enrollee.
James was very impressive this spring, showing off his skills as a hard hitter with great anticipation and range. He spent most of the spring as a second-string safety, but he started FSU’s spring game due to injuries and intercepted a pass which he returned for a touchdown.
James has excellent versatility, leadership, speed and intangibles and will make an impact in 2015. The only question is just how big it’ll be. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him crack the starting lineup by season’s end.
Oregon QB Jeff Lockie
9 of 10
With 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota off to the NFL, one of the biggest questions in Oregon’s spring practices surrounded the quarterback position. Mariota was essential to the Ducks’ run to the national title game, throwing for 4,454 yards with 42 touchdowns against four interceptions and adding 770 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
Junior Jeff Lockie was the only returning quarterback to throw a pass in 2014, completing 21 of 28 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. But he was part of a crowded field that included redshirt freshman Morgan Mahalak, Georgia Tech transfer Ty Griffin, Taylor Alie and Travis Jonsen.
As Oregon wraps up spring, Lockie appears to have established himself as the No. 1 quarterback, at least for now, per Tyson Alger of The Oregonian. He is a consistent, confident player. Head coach Mark Helfrich has been pleased:
"Jeff Lockie is probably getting a few more by virtue of being the incumbent guy that jumps in and steals reps in drills and things, which is a good thing. We have no timetable for much of that, other than if it plays out. Jeff has been playing really well and the other guys have made a lot of good mistakes, which we want at this point, and we just continue to observe that.
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However, even a standout performance this spring doesn’t cement Lockie in the role. He’ll face a challenge from Eastern Washington star Vernon Adams, a graduate transfer who’ll arrive on campus this summer. Adams is talented, but at the very least, Lockie’s efforts are separating him from the pack.
LSU CB Kevin Toliver II
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This spring, new LSU defensive coordinator Kevin Steele inherited a talented group, but he needed an answer at cornerback for Jalen Collins. He might have found him in early enrollee Kevin Toliver II.
Toliver stands 6’2”, 185 pounds—big for a cornerback—and also possesses excellent quickness, speed, ball skills and change of direction. He had an excellent spring and recorded the only interception of the Tigers’ spring game.
It’s clear that Toliver will play this fall. He hasn’t locked down a starting role yet, but he appears poised to make a big impact in Tiger Stadium in 2015.
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