15 College Football Players Who Will Make Names for Themselves in 2015
While the upcoming college football season looks to have plenty of returning star power, from quarterbacks such as Trevone Boykin and Cody Kessler to defensive greats Joey Bosa and Scooby Wright, new stars are destined to break out this fall.
With the constant turnover of college rosters, rising players are always asked to step up into starting roles. Others who are coming off good debut seasons are looking to take the next step and become household names in 2015.
This season, a pair of college football playoff contenders will turn to established backups with loads of potential at quarterback. Down south, several defensive backs are primed to become breakout stars for their respective powerhouses. Others across the country look to live up to their growing hype out wide or in the trenches.
Here are 15 players who look ready to become stars this college football season based on their projected roles, previous successes on the field and reports from those who have covered them in fall practices.
These athletes aren't completely unknown quantities, but they aren't mentioned in the same breath as those who dot All-American teams—at least not yet.
Alabama CB Tony Brown
1 of 15
Class: Sophomore
Last season: 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup
In 2014, Alabama's pass defense had by far its worst season since head coach Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa, surrendering an average of 226 yards per game. This year, Alabama will look to strengthen its pass defense with a more experienced Tony Brown, a former 5-star recruit set to star in the Tide's secondary this fall.
Off the football field, Brown is an accomplished track star, and he earned an All-American nod in the 4x100-meter relay earlier this year. Now with two starts under his belt, Brown will look to use his excellent speed and physical gifts to be a game-changing player for a pass defense that needs big-time improvement.
"That speed is especially essential in Alabama's secondary, which struggled defending deep balls last season," Bleacher Report's Sami Harb wrote. "At 6'0", 195 pounds, he has the size to come down and provide run support as well, a key responsibility of any cornerback in a Saban defense."
Arizona State ATH Kalen Ballage
2 of 15
Class: Sophomore
Last season: 42 carries for 126 yards and three touchdowns; six receptions for 64 yards and one touchdown; six kick returns for 187 yards
If you're looking for the next multiway star out of the Pac-12, look no further than Arizona State's Kalen Ballage. The 6'3" sophomore was a bruising backup running back in his true freshman campaign, but the Sun Devils want to use him in all three phases of play this year.
According to Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic, Ballage is currently listed as the second-string "Devil backer," a pass-rushing specialist off the edge in Arizona State's defense. Haller also writes Ballage will feature in the rotation behind sophomore running back Demario Richard, as well.
With a solid amount of special teams experience under his belt as a return man, Ballage will be all over the field for the Sun Devils this fall. If Arizona State can compete for the Pac-12 South title again, Ballage is a player who will be mentioned alongside USC's Adoree' Jackson and UCLA's Myles Jack for his versatility.
Auburn QB Jeremy Johnson
3 of 15
Year: Junior
Last season: 28-of-37 passing (75.7 completion percentage) for 436 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions
After losing a close battle with speedy, dual-threat quarterback Nick Marshall right before the start of his true freshman season in 2013, Jeremy Johnson has been waiting for his chance to become the No. 1 man in Auburn. This year, he will get it.
Johnson has been extremely efficient in his mop-up work behind Marshall in the last two seasons. His most notable performance came in last season's opener against Arkansas—his first SEC start—when he went 12-of-16 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns in just one half of play.
The 6'5" pocket passer has already received a ton of hype in the SEC, as he was named the league's second-team quarterback. If he can live up to his high potential in head coach Gus Malzahn's hurry-up, no-huddle offense, Johnson will become a household name nationally and a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender.
Baylor QB Seth Russell
4 of 15
Class: Junior
Last season: 48-of-85 passing (56.5 percent) for 804 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception; 32 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns
With the departure of Bryce Petty to the NFL, someone new must step up and take the reins of Baylor's electrifying offense, which has led the nation in points and yardage each of the last two seasons. Art Briles, Baylor head coach and offensive architect, has his man in junior Seth Russell.
"Seth, he is an amazing guy and a great role model on and off the field. He is a great athlete and he can throw the ball as well as anyone in the nation," Baylor star wide receiver Corey Coleman told the Associated Press, via the Waco Tribune-Herald. "We have 100 percent trust that he will get the job done."
Russell brings more than just a strong arm and plenty of experience in Briles' system—he also has an added dual-threat element that Petty couldn't quite bring to the Bears. Like several Baylor quarterbacks before him, the college football world should be well-acquainted with Russell by the end of his first season at the helm.
Boise State DE Kamalei Correa
5 of 15
Class: Junior
Last season: 59 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and one blocked kick
Kamalei Correa started to make some serious noise at the Fiesta Bowl last season, where he finished an All-Mountain West campaign with a pair of sacks in Boise State's victory over Pac-12 South champion Arizona. But Correa is more than just a top pass-rusher in a Group of Five league.
"The sacks are what we always talk about—and this young man gets lots of them—but what impresses me most is how complete of a player he is each and every week," Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer said. "He won't get the same publicity because he plays for Boise State, but I implore you to watch him as often as you can."
Correa returns to the Broncos as one of the most underrated defenders in the country. With the amount of returning experience Boise has this year, the program could make a serious run at another undefeated regular season. If that happens, Correa will be one of the team's biggest stars in the spotlight.
Clemson CB Mackensie Alexander
6 of 15
Class: Sophomore
Last season: 21 tackles, two tackles for loss and six pass breakups
The ACC's crop of cornerbacks is dominated by two names—Virginia Tech's Kendall Fuller and Florida State's Jalen Ramsey. But over at Clemson, the team predicted to win the conference this season, Mackensie Alexander is on the verge of becoming a superstar defensive back.
According to David M. Hale of ESPN, quarterbacks completed a paltry 35 percent of their passes that were thrown Alexander's way last season. In his final nine games of the season, he didn't allow a single touchdown.
Alexander's lockdown gifts at cornerback will be especially important to the Tigers this season, as he is one of only three returning starters from the nation's No. 1 overall defense. Although he doesn't have the name recognition yet of a Fuller or a Ramsey, his stock should explode in 2015 on a legitimate playoff contender.
Florida State S Derwin James
7 of 15
Class: True freshman
Last season: No. 1 S and No. 5 overall player in the country, according to 247Sports
Derwin James is arguably in the best position to succeed out of any high-profile true freshman in college football. He was a top-five recruit nationally and enrolled at Florida State early, gaining valuable practice time and opportunities to show off his incredible talent that many other blue chips did not receive.
"Five-star safety Derwin James will see the field plenty because of the versatility and athleticism FSU wants to play with in the secondary next season," Safid Deen of the Tallahassee Democrat wrote. "His pick-six to begin the spring game was just a preview of what's to come."
James is already commanding playing time in a loaded secondary that returns Jalen Ramsey, Tyler Hunter and Nate Andrews this season. He's already making big plays in Tallahassee, and it's only a matter of time before he starts doing that with the national TV cameras following him.
Michigan State DT Malik McDowell
8 of 15
Class: Sophomore
Last season: 15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks
After creating some buzz in East Lansing as a true freshman last season, Malik McDowell is set to star in the Michigan State defensive line this upcoming year. The 6'6", 285-pound tackle was a 5-star recruit out of high school and has the talent to shine in a big way.
McDowell broke into backfields some last season as a rotational piece in then-coordinator Pat Narduzzi's stellar defense, but his biggest reasons for future success can be found everywhere else on the line. With Michigan State returning senior starters Shilique Calhoun, Joel Heath and Lawrence Thomas, offensive linemen will have a tough time figuring out who to double-team in this loaded unit.
Michigan State could be the nation's strongest team in the trenches, and the addition of McDowell as an every-day starter makes the Spartans even more dangerous heading into the 2015 season. He'll get plenty of chances to flash his 5-star skills for a preseason Top Five team.
Notre Dame TE Aliz'e Jones
9 of 15
Class: True freshman
Last season: No. 1 TE and No. 62 overall player in the country, according to 247Sports
Notre Dame loves its tight ends. The Fighting Irish picked up 30 receptions last season from senior Ben Koyack—and that was a low mark, especially considering the high numbers stars such as Tyler Eifert and Kyle Rudolph put up in recent seasons.
Although he's just a true freshman, Notre Dame may have already found its next elite tight end in Aliz'e Jones, a top recruit out of powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. Jones stands at 6'5" and 240 pounds, and he was just shy of 1,000 receiving yards in his senior season of high school.
According to Nick Ironside of 247Sports, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said Jones was a young player who would be "very difficult to keep off the field" because of his ability as a "matchup nightmare." With the additional athleticism to also line up as more of a traditional receiver, Jones has the look of a potential star for the Irish.
Oklahoma WR Dede Westbrook
10 of 15
Year: Junior
Last season: No. 3 WR and No. 13 overall JUCO player in the country, according to 247Sports
Armed with an Air Raid-loving offensive coordinator and a new starting quarterback, Oklahoma will look to take to the skies a little more this season. Along with Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal, Oklahoma has a new star wide receiver ready to take his place as a top player in Dede Westbrook.
Westbrook led all JUCO receivers last season with an astonishing 185.9 yards per game at Blinn College in Texas, the same program that produced Cam Newton. Westbrook's speed and incredible hands make him a can't-miss receiver in a conference that already has plenty of elite talent at the position.
"That guy can flat out go," Shepard said at Big 12 media days, per Ryan Gerbosi of the Dallas Morning News. "He's definitely a missing piece to the puzzle. I can't wait for him to show his stuff on Saturdays; it's going to wow everybody for sure."
Stanford DE Solomon Thomas
11 of 15
Class: Redshirt freshman
Last season: Did not play
Solomon Thomas, one of the biggest recruits in Stanford history, got a full year to get adjusted to the collegiate level with a redshirt campaign. Now the Cardinal will be relying on the former 5-star to shine this season on a rebuilt defensive line.
Per Michael Peterson of the Stanford Daily:
"Thomas has drawn rave reviews from coaches and teammates alike and has added around 20 pounds of muscle since coming to Stanford a year ago as a five-star recruit. He's never played a snap and [sportswriter] Phil Steele still put him on the preseason All-Pac-12 third team. It wouldn't surprise me if Thomas posted double digits in tackles for loss and sacks.
"
Thomas is now bigger, stronger and more experienced than he was when he arrived down on the Farm as an instant-impact freshman. If he can continue his unblockable ways into the regular season, Thomas will be the next defensive star to come out of Stanford, no question.
Texas LB Malik Jefferson
12 of 15
Class: True freshman
Last season: No. 1 OLB and No. 10 overall player in the country, according to 247Sports
Like Derwin James, Malik Jefferson is one of the few elite recruits who got a head start on the competition this year. Jefferson enrolled at Texas in time for spring camp and wasted no time in pushing his way to the top of the depth chart.
Jefferson should be the star of a younger Longhorns defense this season under head coach Charlie Strong and coordinator Vance Bedford. As Bleacher Report's Zach Shelton noted in his Texas season preview, Jefferson fits the growing trend in college football of teams placing their most athletically gifted players right in the heart of their defenses.
This true freshman is already well-known among Texas fans and those who follow recruiting. Jefferson looks set to be a cornerstone of what could be another classic Strong defense this season, and soon the eyes of everyone will be upon him.
Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk
13 of 15
Class: True freshman
Last season: No. 4 WR and No. 25 overall player in the country, per 247Sports
Texas A&M's wide receiving corps is beyond stacked this season. Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil, Ricky Seals-Jones and Edward Pope each recorded at least 450 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season for the Aggies. But they haven't kept early-enrollee Christian Kirk from already nailing down a starting spot.
According to Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle, Texas A&M listed Kirk as a starting receiver in a depth chart released during July's SEC media days. Jeff Tarpley of 247Sports wrote the former 5-star receiver emerged as a top playmaker heading into 2015 because "he can get separation, understands the offense and is physical."
By breaking into the starting lineup on a team with plenty of returning talent at receiver, Kirk has already proved he has what it takes to be a top player. Texas A&M's addition of this all-around elite receiver will cause nothing but headaches for opposing secondaries all season long.
Virginia Tech TE Bucky Hodges
14 of 15
Class: Sophomore
Last season: 45 receptions for 526 yards and seven touchdowns
Bucky Hodges might have been recruited to play dual-threat quarterback at Virginia Tech, but he looked like a natural as a freshman last season at tight end. The 6'6" Hodges ranked second nationally at the position in receiving yards, and he's only scratched the surface of what he could do for the Hokies.
"His potential and ceiling are off the charts, even while operating in an offense that has struggled mightily," Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer said. "Incredible size and great athleticism for his stature, he's one of the best red-zone options in the nation."
Hodges isn't a big-time name yet, but if the Virginia Tech offense can find more consistency with quarterback Michael Brewer, he should have plenty of chances to become one. A breakout performance in a nationally televised game against Ohio State during Week 1 could be the start of something huge in 2015 for Hodges.
Wisconsin RB Corey Clement
15 of 15
Class: Junior
Last season: 147 carries for 949 yards and nine touchdowns; 14 receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns
Put Corey Clement on almost any other team in college football, and he's most likely a well-established starter at running back. But for the last two seasons, Clement has backed up Heisman finalist Melvin Gordon, who ran for 2,587 yards last year and 29 touchdowns.
Now that Gordon is off to the NFL, it's Clement's time to shine for a Wisconsin program that has had a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last 10 seasons. He told Bill Bender of Sporting News at Big Ten media days that one of his goals for the upcoming campaign is "no less than 2,000 yards."
Clement has track-star speed and the frame of a prototypical stud running back for the Badgers. Gordon will undoubtedly be a tough act to follow—especially behind an offensive line that returns just two starters—but Clement has what it takes to be the next game-changer out of the Wisconsin backfield.
Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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