CFB Players Who Could Be Beaten Out by Freshmen for Starting Jobs in 2016
For every star football recruit who is able to crack the starting lineup in his first collegiate season, there are usually older players who weren't able to stay in front.
Sometimes a true freshman starter immediately steps into a situation where there is a hole on the depth chart thanks to a departed player. These recruits know when they sign they could fill a role left by a graduate or NFL-bound playmaker.
However, some new freshmen are able to beat out players who held starting jobs in previous seasons. Because of the nature of constant competition that a lot of coaches like to bring to spring and fall practices, blue-chip recruits have been able to snag playing time over established veterans.
Here are several returning starters in college football who could—that's a key word, considering these are early projections—lose their coveted jobs to true freshmen in 2016. Whether it's because of a change in coaching staff or scheme, or the outstanding potential of the newcomer, these players will face big-time position battles this offseason.
Tell us who else you think could be on their way out of a starting job in 2016 thanks to an incoming recruit in the comments below.
Arkansas DE Tevin Beanum
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Freshman competition: 5-star DE McTelvin Agim
The Arkansas defensive line didn't have the same amount of effectiveness last season that it had in 2014, when Trey Flowers was terrorizing opposing offensive linemen.
The Razorbacks who were tasked with picking up the slack—Deatrich Wise, Jeremiah Ledbetter and Tevin Beanum—were solid, but Arkansas was missing that star defensive lineman.
Enter McTelvin Agim, a 5-star in-state product who enrolled early in Fayetteville and will go through spring practices as a true freshman. According to Otis Kirk of 247Sports, "the sky is the limit" for Agim, who will bring an added pass-rushing element to the defensive line in 2016.
With the benefit of enrolling early, Agim has a great opportunity to beat out Beanum for the starting defensive end spot opposite seniors Ledbetter and Wise. Beanum will still play a key part in the rotation along the defensive front, but Agim has all the tools to be an instant-impact star for the Razorbacks.
Auburn DT Dontavius Russell
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Freshman competition: 5-star DT Derrick Brown
Dontavius Russell stepped up admirably for Auburn last season on a defensive line that had to go through most of the season without its best player—defensive end Carl Lawson. As a redshirt freshman, Russell posted 42 tackles and 4.5 sacks, the latter of which was second-best for the Tigers in 2015.
But Auburn made the defensive line a high priority in the 2016 recruiting class, and that netted the program 5-star defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who was the No. 1 player out of the state of Georgia. The chance at early playing time was most likely the top reason Brown chose the Tigers over the in-state Bulldogs and defending national champion Alabama.
As Bleacher Report's Michael Felder said on national signing day, Brown has the explosive skill set to play early and often for Auburn in 2016, giving the Tigers the perfect pairing with former 5-star Montravius Adams at defensive tackle.
While Russell's numbers as a redshirt freshman were decent last season, Brown has the look of a lineman who will star immediately on the Plains.
Baylor WR Davion Hall
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Freshman competition: 4-star WRs Tren'Davian Dickson and Devin Duvernay
Baylor's hyperspeed offense is quite adept at plugging in new talent each and every year, and the Bears will already have their paws full trying to replace star wideout Corey Coleman and underrated senior Jay Lee this fall. That shakeup in the outside receiver positions could also lead to a change or two on the inside.
Davion Hall started at inside receiver for Baylor last season, but he only came up with five receptions for 77 yards and a lone touchdown against Kansas. If Baylor keeps Hall on offense, he'll be pushed by a large number of potential breakout players—most notably the tandem of 4-star signees Tren'Davian Dickson and Devin Duvernay.
Duvernay was Baylor's top-rated 2016 signee and will legitimately be one of the fastest players in college football when he takes the field this fall. Dickson didn't receive as high of marks from recruiting analysts, but he enrolled early with the Bears and has the look of a star inside receiver.
Both Duvernay and Dickson have the potential to be big-play machines in their first seasons in Waco.
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Georgia QB Greyson Lambert and TE Jeb Blazevich
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Freshman competition: 5-star QB Jacob Eason and 5-star TE Isaac Nauta
Georgia's passing game left much to be desired last season, as transfer starter Greyson Lambert was woefully inconsistent. And as anyone who has read any recruiting-based article in the past year should already know, 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason is widely expected to push for the starting job after enrolling early in Athens.
But Eason isn't the only 5-star offensive recruit who could have a major impact for Kirby Smart and his staff in their first season at Georgia.
Tight end Isaac Nauta also enrolled early, giving Eason a ready-made target to grow alongside during his early days in Athens. As Bleacher Report's Brian Pedersen noted earlier this week, new Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney is a former NFL tight ends coach who has gotten a lot out of the position in his previous stops.
Junior tight end Jeb Blazevich only caught 15 passes for 144 yards last season, so it wouldn't be surprising if the staff opts for the 5-star, early-enrolling Eason-Nauta combination this fall.
Miami LBs Jermaine Grace and Juwon Young
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Freshman competition: 4-star LB Shaquille Quarterman
Miami returns its top two tacklers in Jermaine Grace and Juwon Young for head coach Mark Richt's first season back at his alma mater, but Shaquille Quarterman, a longtime 'Canes pledge who looks like the prototype at linebacker, will push both of them.
"Let's face it, Quarterman doesn't have much in the way of competition to see instant playing time," Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald wrote. "He's already physically bigger than senior Jermaine Grace (6'1", 221 lbs) and only a few pounds lighter than juniors Juwon Young (6'2", 245 lbs) and Darrion Owens (6'3", 247 lbs)."
Quarterman, an early enrollee, has the perfect opportunity to quickly impress new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and earn time in his attacking 4-3 scheme.
As Navarro noted, Quarterman's frame (6'¼", 233 lbs) makes him an ideal fit as a starting linebacker, and he could snatch a starting job from either Grace or Young in a new system.
Michigan DL Maurice Hurst Jr.
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Freshman competition: 5-star DT Rashan Gary
Rashan Gary, the consensus No. 1 overall player for the class of 2016, has the ready-made skill set to start right away at Michigan. But which player would be on his way out when Gary takes a slot atop the depth chart? Nick Baumgardner, Michigan beat writer for MLive.com, thinks it will be Maurice Hurst Jr.
"This team's top four defensive linemen, in my opinion, would be Chris Wormley, Taco Charlton, Ryan Glasgow and Rashan Gary," Baumgardner wrote. "Maurice Hurst and Bryan Mone are right there as well and have an argument to be included in that grouping."
By moving versatile starting tackle Wormley to a traditional defensive end position in new coordinator Don Brown's 4-3 defense—which doesn't use a "Buck" linebacker—Gary would be the favorite to take an inside spot next to Glasgow, who missed the final few games of 2015.
Hurst will still play an important role in the rotation, but Michigan is going to want to get Gary on the field as soon as possible.
Penn State's Returning Offensive Linemen
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Freshmen competition: 4-star OG Michal Menet
The entire Penn State offensive line is on notice after finishing 113th nationally last season in sacks allowed. With offensive line coach Herb Hand moving on to Auburn and a large line class coming in, there's a chance the Nittany Lions could have several instant-impact players from this year's haul.
The crown jewel of the line class is Michal Menet, who was the No. 1 offensive guard in the entire country for the 2016 cycle. The 273-pound Menet told Bob Flounders of PennLive.com last December he believes he has the ability to push for a starting spot if he can get his weight up for his freshman season.
While Menet was the top interior lineman in the country for his class, he has the length at 6'5" and the versatility to also play tackle for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State returns most of its experience along the offensive line this season, but Menet might be too talented for a struggling front five to leave on the sidelines this fall.
South Carolina QB Perry Orth
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Freshman competition: 4-star QB Brandon McIlwain
South Carolina's tumultuous 2015 season featured three different quarterbacks taking snaps, with Perry Orth leading the way as the usual starter.
Orth finished the season with a 54.8 completion percentage, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Freshman Lorenzo Nunez will continue to push for playing time, and Orth has another dual-threat challenger coming for the top spot this year in Brandon McIlwain.
McIlwain is already on campus and will split time between baseball and football this spring for the Gamecocks. He was the nation's No. 2 dual-threat quarterback and will be stepping into a situation in which everyone on the roster is having to make the adjustment to Will Muschamp's new coaching staff.
"[McIlwain is] most likely their best option at quarterback, even as a true freshman in 2016," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote. "Not to take anything away from Perry Orth, Connor Mitch, Michael Scarnecchia or dual-threat rising sophomore Lorenzo Nunez, but McIlwain is a perfect player to run the offense [Will] Muschamp intends to run."
Texas DBs Dylan Haines and Jason Hall
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Freshman competition: 4-star S Brandon Jones
Brandon Jones was one of Texas' biggest signing-day specials last week when he announced he would play his college ball for the Longhorns instead of in-state rivals Texas A&M or Baylor. Texas returns both Dylan Haines and Jason Hall as starters at safety, but the Longhorns need a lot more out of the position in 2016.
"One of the common themes in Texas’ seven losses were too many big plays given up," Jeff Howe of 247Sports wrote. "Every game the Longhorns lost in 2015 there was a notable breakdown present by a Texas safety at a key point in the game (Notre Dame, Cal and West Virginia were where the most notable miscues took place)."
In Jones, Texas is getting the nation's No. 1 safety—one known for his incredible speed and reactions while patrolling the center of a defense.
Taking over a starting job won't be easy as a true freshman, but Charlie Strong isn't afraid of putting newcomers in those spots. Jones will bring a huge amount of talent to an underwhelming safety group in Austin.
USC WR Darreus Rogers
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Freshman competition: 4-star WRs Tyler Vaughns and Michael Pittman
Darreus Rogers came up with a few highlight-reel plays for USC last season, but the overall production of the rising senior was underwhelming.
USC needs a stronger supporting cast around star wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and the Trojans might have found some quick answers in Tyler Vaughns and Michael Pittman.
Vaughns was rated as the nation's No. 3 wide receiver and has the all-around look of a future star in the USC offense. Michael Pittman, rated shortly behind Vaughns, enrolled early and will have a great chance to grab early playing time thanks in large part to his 6'4" frame. (Fellow early enrollee Josh Imatorbhebhe could also play a big role in 2016.)
The Trojans needed to sign a good-sized wide receiver class in 2016 thanks to the high number of draft-eligible players at the position for next season. But instead of waiting for their chance to start, blue-chippers such as Vaughns and Pittman have the ability to crack the starting lineup this fall over some upperclassmen who haven't been star turns so far.
Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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