10 College Football Players Who Will Take Huge Strides Forward in 2015
As good as Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott’s 1,878 rushing yards looked in 2014, did you know he only posted 262 yards in 2013?
That’s when he was a freshman playing behind Carlos Hyde and Jordan Hall, seniors who posted 1,521 and 536 yards, respectively.
Elliott, once a 4-star prospect from St. Louis, proves an important point—even if you’re talented, the situation has to be just right for you to flourish.
The following athletes are all really good, but each has been waiting, some longer than others, for the right combination of factors to allow them to shine.
The time is here.
Da’Shawn Hand, DL, Alabama
1 of 10
Alabama’s Da’Shawn Hand recorded seven tackles (two for a loss) and two sacks in nine games as a true freshman in 2014.
Though it’s hardly the stuff that means he’s living up to his promise as a 5-star prospect, at programs like Alabama, it’s all about waiting your turn. Even when you’re one of the best players in your recruiting class.
Hand will come one step closer to success in 2015, when many expect him to play along a defensive line that returns three starters. It’s the same unit that anchored the No. 6 scoring defense in college football and also ranked No. 4 versus the run last year.
Here’s what Nick Saban had to say about Hand, according to Matt Zenitz of AL.com:
"I think with these young guys, there’s physical maturity that he’s certainly made improvement in. ... You’re trying to learn everything when you’re a freshman. People have high expectations for you. He’s a lot more confident in what he’s supposed to do. He’s playing a lot faster, reacting a lot better. … And we have every confidence that he’ll be a very good player for us next year.
"
Rivals.com ranked Hand as the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2014.
Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas
2 of 10
After spending two years in the shadow of Malcolm Brown, Johnathan Gray is set to be Texas’ No. 1 option at running back in 2015.
As a true freshman in 2012, Gray got the most action of any Longhorns back, but he spent 2013-14 in the 150-carry range, while Brown averaged nearly 200 touches.
Notably, Brown got 36 more carries than Gray did last season but only gained 71 more yards. Gray outgained Brown in yards per carry (4.3 to 3.9) and scored seven times compared to Brown’s six.
In 2015, Gray will run behind a Longhorns line that returns all five of its starters. This was a ragtag group that ranked No. 101 in the FBS in rushing yards and No. 101 in tackles for loss allowed, but now it’s had a full season to jell.
Gray was a 5-star recruit from Aledo, Texas, in 2012. Rivals.com had him as the No. 1 running back in his class.
Jabrill Peppers, DB, Michigan
3 of 10
After participating in only three games due to injury and earning a medical redshirt, Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers is technically restarting his college career in 2015.
Peppers recorded eight tackles and six punt return yards early last season but has exploded this spring. He garnered a strong emotional response from new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who, according to Nick Baumgardner at MLive.com, graded him with an “A-plus” in effort.
"He wants to keep getting better and better. … You start to fall in love with guys like that," Coach Harbaugh said.
In 2015, he’ll join a secondary that returns three starters from a unit that finished last year ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten and No. 19 in the FBS versus the pass.
Peppers came to Michigan as a 5-star prospect from Paramus, New Jersey, in 2014. Rivals.com had him as the No. 1 cornerback in the class and No. 3 prospect overall.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Storm Woods, RB, Oregon State
4 of 10
After rushing for 940 yards on 192 attempts as a freshman in 2012, Oregon State’s Storm Woods dropped to 477 yards on 127 carries in 2013 and 766 yards on 121 attempts in 2014.
Despite this, his 6.33 yards per carry last season ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 and No. 41 in the FBS.
In 2015, not only do the Beavers return their entire starting offensive line, but they’ll debut a new starting quarterback and new head coach, who historically likes to run the ball.
While Oregon State has averaged a No. 29 finish in passing yards versus a No. 109 mark in rushing yards since 2010, Gary Andersen has averaged a No. 80 mark in passing versus a No. 18 rank in rushing in his six years as a college head coach at Utah State and Wisconsin.
It’s logical to assume that the Beavers will run the ball more in 2015, a change that should be amplified by a new guy under center.
This sets up for Woods—a former 3-star from Pflugerville, Texas—to have an explosive season.
Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State
5 of 10
With the exit of Curtis Grant, sophomore Raekwon McMillan is set to take over the coveted role of middle linebacker at Ohio State this fall.
McMillan joins Joshua Perry, who led the team with 124 tackles last season, and Darron Lee, the team’s No. 3 tackler, on what should be one of the elite linebacker corps in the Big Ten.
He played in all but two games as a true freshman, racking up 54 tackles (30 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and an interception for a 24-yard touchdown in the win at Maryland.
According to Bill Rabinowitz at the Columbus Dispatch, here’s what Urban Meyer had to say about McMillan: "What I’ve seen is a young man who since he got here is A-1A. ... He’s first class. He takes care of his business off the field. He jells well (with teammates), has natural leadership skills."
McMillan was a 5-star recruit from Hinesville, Georgia, in 2014, when Rivals.com had him as the No. 1 inside linebacker in the class.
Travis Rudolph, WR, Florida State
6 of 10
Whether Sean Maguire, J.J. Cosentino or De’Andre Francois replaces Jameis Winston as the starting quarterback at Florida State, look for 2015 to be a breakout season for sophomore wide receiver Travis Rudolph.
With last year’s top targets Rashad Greene and Nick O’Leary gone, Rudolph should get the bulk of the action. Keep in mind that while his 38 catches as a true freshman paled in comparison to Greene’s 99 and even O’Leary’s 48, his 14.61 yards per catch was the best of the team’s top four receivers.
If one of the quarterback candidates explodes on to the scene, a la Winston in 2013, look for Rudolph to become a national sensation.
Rudolph was a 5-star recruit from West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2014, when Rivals.com rated him the No. 1 receiver in the class.
Michael Brewer, QB, Virginia Tech
7 of 10
After spending two years waiting in the wings at Texas Tech and then finally getting the starting job at Virginia Tech last season, Michael Brewer enters his final campaign as a collegian in 2015.
In 2014, he completed 59.4 percent of his passes (No. 6 in the ACC) but threw 15 interceptions versus only 18 touchdowns. The good news is that he threw 11 picks (73 percent) in his first six games but a mere four down the stretch.
What bodes well for improvement in 2015 is the return of the top three receiving targets, who were all freshmen last season, including Cam Phillips, a 4-star prospect in 2014.
Remember that Brewer didn’t get to Virginia Tech until last summer, which means he didn’t have a lot of time to get into rhythm with a young receiving corps and offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.
Brewer was a 3-star dual-threat prospect from Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, in 2011.
Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
8 of 10
Last season, one of the most important questions that found an answer in Georgia football was, “Who is Todd Gurley’s backup?”
In 2015, the question gets updated to “Who is Nick Chubb’s backup?”
The answer, which could be just as key a year later, is Sony Michel, a 5-star prospect from Plantation, Florida, whom Rivals.com had as the No. 3 running back in the nation in 2014.
Michel had 64 carries in eight games last season, picking up 410 yards and five scores. The bulk of the performance came in the Bulldogs’ 66-0 rout of Troy, when he picked up 155 yards and three scores on a mere 10 carries.
His 6.41 yards per carry was No. 3 on the team but qualified him for No. 5 in the SEC and No. 40 in the FBS.
Michel will be the No. 2 back on a team that returns four starters to the offensive line. It’s a squad that ranked No. 12 in rushing yards last season versus a No. 90 mark in passing yards. In addition, Georgia will break in yet another new starting quarterback this year.
Tre’ Williams, LB, Auburn
9 of 10
Auburn’s Tre’ Williams is in the same situation as Alabama's Da’Shawn Hand—he's a talented, young athlete playing behind a group of seniors at a big-time program.
Williams was a 5-star recruit in 2014 and the No. 2 inside linebacker, according to Rivals.com, behind Ohio State’s Raekwon McMillan.
As a true freshman, he played in a backup capacity, contributing 16 tackles, the bulk of which came in relief of Kris Frost in the win over Louisiana Tech.
In 2015, Williams is set to play behind Frost and Cassanova McKinzy, the team’s No. 2 tackler from last season.
The bottom line is that Williams has a ton of talent and should get more playing time this season. Throw in the unknown factor of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, and it’s reasonable to think he’ll start the 2016 season as a star.
Remember, Auburn finished No. 63 in scoring defense, No. 69 against the run and No. 70 versus the pass last year, which means that the starters who are coming back haven’t necessarily nailed it yet.
Devan Demas, RB, Boise State
10 of 10
Boise State’s Devan Demas was the team’s No. 2 running back in 2014, second to Jay Ajayi, who loped along for 1,823 yards and 28 scores.
If Demas can establish himself as the clear starter in 2015, he’ll walk into a situation that is tailor-made for a breakout season.
First, the entire offensive line returns; it's a unit that paved the way for the No. 9 scoring offense in college football. Next, Boise State is faced with replacing a successful starting quarterback, in this case Grant Hedrick, who was also the team’s No. 2 rusher with 155 carries.
Throw in that Demas is an explosive runner, averaging 6.92 yards per carry to Ajayi’s 5.25 last year, and you get the picture—this could get good.
Boise State returns a whopping 16 starters from its 12-2 product from 2014, so whoever headlines the offense will have superstar status.
Demas was a 3-star prospect from Cypress Creek High School in Houston in 2012.
Statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Star rankings courtesy of Rivals.com. Returning starter data courtesy of Phil Steele.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
