Predicting the 10 Hardest Hitters for 2015 College Football Season

What’s the nastiest hit you’ve ever seen?

Was it South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney blowing up Michigan’s Vincent Smith in the 2013 Outback Bowl?  What about Nebraska’s Kenny Bell violently blocking Wisconsin’s Devin Smith in the 2012 Big Ten title game?

All big hits have the same components: a skilled athlete with speed, girth, opportunity and aggression.

Here’s a look at 10 guys who are not only capable of being destructive on the football field but have a history of hitting hard.  They’ll play enough this season to deliver a repeat performance.

Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

At 6’5”, 278 pounds, Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is a living, breathing weapon.

As a sophomore last season, he racked up 21 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, which is perhaps the only statistical indicator of big hits.

He ranked tied for No. 5 in the FBS in tackles for a loss, No. 4 in sacks and No. 3 in forced fumbles.

In 2015, he’ll return along with six fellow starters from a unit that finished ranked No. 19 in total defense and No. 26 in scoring.

Bosa was a 4-star prospect from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2013.  Rivals.com ranked him No. 4 among strong-side defensive end prospects.

Quincy Mauger, SS, Georgia

As only a sophomore in 2014, Georgia safety Quincy Mauger finished tied for No. 3 in the SEC and No. 6 in the FBS in interceptions.

He has also served as the team’s No. 6 tackler in back-to-back seasons, despite being an underclassman on a unit that ranked No. 20 in total defense last year.  It was enough to earn him AP Honorable Mention All-SEC honors.

In 2015, he’ll return along with fellow starters Aaron Davis at cornerback and Dominick Sanders at free safety to a secondary that ranked No. 5 in the nation last year.

Mauger was a 3-star safety prospect from Marietta, Georgia, in 2013.

Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron

Not a household name by any stretch of the imagination, Akron linebacker Jatavis Brown was an absolute stud as a junior last season. 

He registered 99 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks and three forced fumbles.  He finished No. 3 in the MAC and No. 44 in the FBS in tackles for a loss and tied for No. 2 in the conference and No. 4 overall in forced fumbles.

It all added up to first-team All-MAC honors for the second consecutive season.

In 2015, he’ll be one of six returning starters to a defense that quietly managed a No. 28 finish in scoring.

Brown was a 2-star outside linebacker prospect from Belle Glades, Florida, in 2012.

Isaiah Johnson, SS, South Carolina

After two seasons as a starter at Kansas, fifth-year graduate senior safety Isaiah Johnson is set to burn his final year of eligibility at South Carolina.

He racked up 75 tackles (52 solo), one interception and one forced fumble last season, coming in as the Jayhawks’ No. 2 tackler and No. 22 in the Big 12.  That's not bad since he played for a defense that finished ranked No. 106 in scoring.

Everything changes with the transfer to South Carolina, where he’s expected to play behind Jordan Diggs on a secondary that struggled to a No. 10 finish in the SEC and a No. 53 mark in the FBS ranks last year.

Johnson was a 3-star junior college safety prospect from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 2013.

Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor

At 6’9”, 280 pounds, Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman is like a freight train—only, the Oakman Express gets to fly off the rails and run over opposing players.

He registered 19.5 tackles for a loss (No. 11 in the FBS), 11 sacks, eight quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles as a junior in 2014.  He also finished No. 15 in the nation in tackles-for-a-loss yards (89).

This season he returns along with a whopping eight other starters to a defense that finished No. 16 in the FBS versus the run.

Oakman was a 4-star strong-side defensive end prospect from Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, in 2011. 

Scooby Wright III, MLB, Arizona

Though Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright may not be the hardest hitter on this list, the sheer number of times he tackles opponents means that he’ll have as many big hits as any player.

Wright led the nation in tackles as a sophomore last season (163).  He finished No. 2 in solo tackles (99), No. 1 in tackles for a loss (29), No. 3 in sacks (14) and No. 1 in forced fumbles (six).

His stats aren’t driven by his size—he’s 6’1”, 246 pounds—but instead by his exceptional tenacity and awareness.  He earned last season’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defender), the Rotary Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker), the Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year) and the Jack Lambert Award (top linebacker).

He did all this for a defense that struggled to a No. 80 rank in scoring.

Wright was a 2-star inside linebacker prospect from Santa Rosa, California, in 2013.

Deon Bush, S, Miami (Fla.)

ACC offenses beware—Miami senior safety Deon Bush will blow you up and take your ball away.

He forced five fumbles as a junior in 2014, tying for the most in ACC and No. 2 in the FBS.  He also registered 53 tackles, four tackles for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and three broken-up passes.

This season he’ll join fellow starters Artie Burns (cornerback) and Jamal Carter (safety) on a secondary that ranked No. 3 in the ACC and No. 17 in the nation versus the pass.

Bush was a 4-star prospect from Miami in 2012.  Rivals.com ranked him No. 6 among all safeties.

Kentrell Brice, SS, Louisiana Tech

Louisiana Tech’s Kentrell Brice finished 2014 tied at No. 1 in Conference USA in solo tackles (65), No. 2 in forced fumbles (four), No. 8 in total tackles (86) and No. 20 in sacks (four).   

He was part of a defense that finished No. 39 in the FBS in scoring and No. 1 in forced turnovers (42).  It’s the same unit that returns three of the four starters to its secondary and six overall on defense.

Brice was a 3-star cornerback prospect from Ruston, Louisiana, in 2012.

It’s worth noting that the many of the highlights featured in the video are against the likes of Oklahoma and Illinois—power programs with top-tier athletes.

Dadi Nicolas, DL, Virginia Tech

Proving that speed and size can have painful consequences for opposing athletes, Virginia Tech’s Dadi Nicolas is a beast.

He registered 71 tackles as a junior last season, 18 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks and two blocked kicks.  He finished tied for No. 2 in the ACC and No. 16 in the FBS in tackles for a loss and No. 3 in the conference and No. 33 overall in sacks.

Perhaps most impressive were his 26 quarterback hurries; compare that to Missouri’s Shane Ray (three) and Clemson’s Vic Beasley (six).

In 2015, Nicolas is one of five returning starters to the front seven of a unit that finished No. 14 in scoring and No. 21 in total defense.

He was a 3-star defensive end prospect from Delray Beach, Florida, in 2011.

Reuben Foster, MLB, Alabama

After waiting in the wings for two seasons, junior Reuben Foster is the heir apparent at middle linebacker for Alabama in 2015.

As a sophomore, he contributed 23 tackles, two tackles for a loss and one sack in 12 games of limited participation.  Included was this violent hit on Leonard Fournette in the 20-13 win over LSU. 

It may turn out to be a glimpse into the future of Alabama football.

This season Foster will have the help of seven returning starters from a defense that ranked No. 6 in the nation in scoring and No. 4 versus the run.

Foster was a 5-star recruit from Auburn, Alabama, in 2013.  Rivals.com ranked him No. 1 among inside linebacker prospects.

Statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com.  Star ratings courtesy of Rivals.com.  Returning starter data courtesy of Phil Steele.