Meet the Replacement for Every First-Round NFL Draft Pick of 2016
Thursday night was the culmination of years of hard work for college football's top players, who now are headed into the NFL as first-round draft picks. Each leaves behind a great legacy at their former school, not to mention a big void that somehow has to be filled.
It's the cyclical nature of college football, where the best of the best are only around for a few years and teams have to be prepared for their eventual departure. In most cases there's been time to plan for this, since the majority of Thursday's draft selections were players who have been pegged as top picks for quite some time.
Still, that doesn't make the process of having to replace a first-round pick any easier. Here's who stands to inherit their starting jobs—not to mention some lofty expectations—for the 2016 college football season.
1. Chase Forrest, QB, California (Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams)
1 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'2”, 205 lbs
Jared Goff started all 37 games while he was at California, which didn't leave much room for his backups to get work. Chase Forrest only appeared in three games, and after going 10-of-17 for 162 yards and a touchdown in the 2015 opener, he attempted just one pass the rest of the season.
That's made this offseason serve as the real start of Forrest's college career, which began without much fanfare as a 3-star prospect who was rated by 247Sports as the 52nd-best pro-style passer in the 2014 recruiting class. He's the leader in a competition with redshirt freshman Ross Bowers, true freshman Max Gilliam, senior Zach Kline and junior Luke Rubenzer, who was Goff's backup in 2014 but spent last year as a safety.
The job looks to be Forrest's as long as Cal doesn't end up landing a graduate transfer who has already committed to another Pac-12 program. Texas Tech's Davis Webb pledged to Colorado in January, but since he's still in school, he's continuing to visit other teams, including the Golden Bears in early April.
2. Easton Stick, QB, North Dakota State (Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles)
2 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'2”, 221 lbs
North Dakota State's five consecutive FCS national titles helped bring pro scouts to Fargo, which hadn't been a regular destination beforehand. That's enabled Carson Wentz to be the Bison's first-ever first-round draft pick even though he missed eight games in 2015 with a broken wrist.
And it was during that time that NDSU realized it's going to be just fine without Wentz, since Easton Stick stepped in and was perfect in eight starts. He threw for 1,144 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 498 rushing yards and five scores.
Stick ran for 124 yards and two TDs and threw for 126 yards and a TD in his first start, and also had a pair of four-TD games while holding down the job before Wentz returned in the FCS title game.
3. Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State (Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers)
3 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'5”, 265 lbs
A two-sport star in high school who at one time appeared to be headed to Notre Dame, albeit on a lacrosse scholarship, Sam Hubbard has shuffled through several positions at the college level before finding his calling on the defensive line. That required adding 35 pounds and building up the strength necessary to be able to swat away offensive linemen in his pursuit of quarterbacks.
Hubbard looked quite comfortable in this role during limited action last season, managing to notch 6.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss along with an interception and a forced fumble. Much of that work was while spelling Joey Bosa, but after Bosa was ejected in the opening minutes of the Fiesta Bowl, Hubbard took over the position and wowed in his early audition with four tackles and a sack.
So well-regarded, Hubbard is already getting mentioned as a top draft pick in 2017 when he's first eligible. ESPN.com's Chris Low listed him among 20 players who could go in the top 10 next year.
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4. Mike Weber, RB, Ohio State (Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys)
4 of 31
Year: Redshirt freshman
Height, weight: 5'10”, 215 lbs
Mike Weber's Ohio State career began with drama, then disappointment. In 2016, he's hoping all of that will lead to success as he is set to step in for a workhorse running back.
Originally a Michigan commit, Weber added fuel to the white-hot rivalry with Ohio State by flipping to the Buckeyes in December 2014. He was on track to play as a true freshman last fall, but a knee injury in mid-August required surgery and led to a redshirt season.
There's no more time to wait, though, since Ohio State has lost not only Ezekiel Elliott, but also every other nonquarterback who ran for more than 190 yards last season. Bleacher Report's David Regimbal noted that Weber looked great during the spring game and “seems poised for big things this fall after showcasing nice vision, toughness and two goal-line touchdowns.”
Weber is all but guaranteed to have the most carries by a Buckeyes freshman running back since at least 2002, when Maurice Clarett ran it 222 times.
5. Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State (Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars)
5 of 31
Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'2”, 201 lbs
Tarvarus McFadden was a big get for Florida State in the 2015 recruiting class, a big-bodied defensive back who was pegged early on as the successor to Jalen Ramsey. But since Ramsey rarely left the field last year, that meant McFadden's freshman season was one where more progress came in practice than in games.
"This year was a rough year for me at first, but I was behind two great corners," McFadden said to Safid Deen of the Tallahassee Democrat in January, referring to Ramsey and Marquez White, who will be a senior this fall. "I’m not going to say I was happy about it, but I’m content with where I am now. I learned a lot from them two guys, and I’m ready to go next year."
McFadden logged just four tackles in seven games in 2015, but is in line to replace Ramsey this fall, assuming he can hold off incoming freshman Levonta Taylor. Taylor, the top-rated corner in the 2016 class, will arrive this summer.
6. Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame (Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens)
6 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'7 1/2”, 310 lbs
Mike McGlinchey's experience to this point has been entirely at right tackle, where he started all 13 games last season along with one in his sophomore year in 2014. His superb play at that position made him the natural choice to slide over to the left side, where now two straight previous starters (Ronnie Stanley and Zack Martin) have been first-round picks.
Assuming the move goes well, McGlinchey could make that three in a row. Per Mike Vorel of the South Bend Tribune, NFL Network's Mike Mayock has pegged McGlinchey as Notre Dame's next top pick.
"It’s something I want to live up to, if not exceed," McGlinchey said of the left tackle lineage, per Lou Somogyi of Rivals. "I certainly had the best examples to look from the last four years, and I’m hoping I can set my own path and have guys look up to me and see how I’ve done things, and hopefully try to emulate that along the way."
7. Henry Mondeaux, DL, Oregon (DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers)
7 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'5”, 280 lbs
Two years of being part of a large defensive line rotation has Henry Mondeaux in line to replace DeForest Buckner up front this fall. However, his role might not be exactly the same as what Buckner was in from 2012-15—when he had 18 sacks and 36 tackles for loss—since Oregon is changing things up under new defensive coordinator Brady Hoke.
Hoke, the former Michigan head coach, is shifting the Ducks to a 4-3 alignment, but he's doing so with a crop of players who were nearly all backups a year ago. Six of Oregon's front-seven starters from 2015 have moved on, though Mondeaux is among the most experienced of those coming back.
In his two seasons with the Ducks, Mondeaux has appeared in 28 games and recorded 31 tackles, notching four sacks and 6.5 TFLs last year.
8. Dennis Finley, OT, Michigan State (Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans)
8 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'6”, 282 lbs
Dennis Finley would probably be a lock for Jack Conklin's left tackle job if he wasn't coming off an injury-shortened 2015 season, one that saw him miss the final nine games with a broken fibula. Yet it was hard to tell Finley had missed so much time based on his performance this spring, when he looked like the better option over redshirt sophomore David Beedle.
Tyler O'Connor, one of two quarterbacks battling to replace Connor Cook this year, raved at the kind of work Finley did while injured to make sure he was ready for 2016.
"When you can’t be out there practicing, you gotta take mental reps and you have to be in the film room more," O'Connor said, per Chris Solari of the Lansing State Journal.
Finley is in his fourth year with the program, having played six games as a redshirt freshman in 2014.
9. Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia (Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears)
9 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'6”, 242 lbs
Ranked as one of the top defensive end prospects in the country when he arrived at Georgia in 2014, Lorenzo Carter has found a home on the second line where his size combined with good speed turns him into a battering ram coming off the edge. He just needs to put that all together into consistent in-game performance.
Carter had 4.5 sacks in 2014, notching five starts, but last year he only started twice, didn't take a quarterback down once and only managed 19 tackles. Some of that was because the Bulldogs were loaded at linebacker and Leonard Floyd took nearly all of the snaps, but he also failed to do much when given a chance.
"Georgia needs its linebackers to play big in 2016, and the duo of Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter look like they can be two of the best pass-rushers in the country," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote in mid-April.
10. Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State (Eli Apple, New York Giants)
10 of 31
Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 5'11”, 180 lbs
Because Ohio State has managed to redshirt most of its freshmen during Urban Meyer's tenure, it has meant only getting two good years out of them before they turn pro. Eli Apple is among several redshirt sophomores who were a part of the Buckeyes' 2016 draft class.
Denzel Ward made it too hard to redshirt him last year, as he got into 11 games on special teams thanks to great speed and pursuit. He recorded seven tackles, including two in the Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame.
Ward and redshirt sophomore Marshon Lattimore battled this spring to replace Apple, but Ward has the edge because he's managed to stay healthy while Lattimore hasn't.
11. Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida (Vernon Hargreaves, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
11 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'1”, 211 lbs
With 11 starts in his first two seasons, including nine last year as both a corner and nickelback, Quincy Wilson has had many opportunities to play alongside Vernon Hargreaves, and occasionally fill in for him. Now he's taking over full-time for the first-rounder, though not completely, as junior Jalen Tabor is projected to handle the top receiver assignments while Wilson gets the second-best opponent.
Wilson intercepted two passes and broke up five others last year, with both picks coming in critical moments. Leading 14-9 at Kentucky with a minute to go, Wilson intercepted Patrick Towles to seal the victory and a 3-0 start. Two months later, his pick of South Carolina's Perry Orth locked up a 24-14 home win.
With Tabor locking down the main targets, Wilson figures to be the corner that quarterbacks will try to exploit.
"I’m just working hard so that when the season comes I can make my plays," he told Scout.com's Bob Redman. "I need to capitalize on my opportunities, catch the ball and get interceptions when the ball comes my way."
12. Drew Bailey, DL, Louisville (Sheldon Rankins, New Orleans Saints)
12 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'5”, 285 lbs
A junior college transfer who served as Sheldon Rankins' backup last season, Drew Bailey has referred to the 2016 season as his "step-up year," according to Steve Jones of the Courier-Journal. That means being the made on the Cardinals' defensive line that can handle both the run and the pass, which was Rankins' speciality.
Bailey had nine tackles with a half-sack and one tackle for loss last year, his first with Louisville. He won't be asked to rack up big numbers since the Cardinals also have a strong veteran linebacker group led by Devonte Fields (11 sacks, 22.5 TFLs in 2015).
The key for him this summer will be refining his technique, as Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino told Jones that he's relied on brute strength to this point. "Drew will mess up, but he’ll mess up so hard that he just actually makes the play," Petrino told Jones.
13. Gregory Little, OT, Ole Miss (Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins)
13 of 31
Year: True freshman
Height, weight: 6'5”, 305 lbs
The top-rated offensive lineman in the 2016 recruiting class, per 247Sports, Gregory Little won't show up at Ole Miss until this summer, but he already has a job waiting for him. That's what Rebels coach Hugh Freeze said on signing day, noting Little will need to "earn it" but is expected to start right away.
Ole Miss allowed 29 sacks last season, but only one per game in the six contests that Tunsil played after serving an NCAA suspension to start the year. Quarterback Chad Kelly is mobile and likes to take off, which means Little will have to recognize when to go from pass protection to run blocking, but his dominance at the prep level in Texas and in various all-star competitions has him on pace to do fine in those areas.
If Little starts Ole Miss' Sept. 5 opener against Florida State in Orlando, that will already put him ahead of Tunsil, who didn't make his debut in the starting lineup until the third game of 2013.
14. Jarrod Harper, S, West Virginia (Karl Joseph, Oakland Raiders)
14 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 210 lbs
Karl Joseph only played four games in 2015 because of a knee injury, but West Virginia was in good hands (and hits) at the position with Jarrod Harper. Nine starts on the back line were the audition, and his fifth year with the program is when he'll become a leader in the secondary.
Harper had 36 tackles, 29 of them solo, with three tackles for loss and four pass breakups last season. Not as adept at intercepting the ball at Joseph—who picked off five passes in those first four games and nine for his career—Harper will need to work on that aspect of his game before his final season begins.
"I was incredibly happy with his overall production," West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen said last season, per ESPN.com's Max Olson. "He played well and I expect him to continue to get better."
15. Ishmael Zamora, WR, Baylor (Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns)
15 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'4”, 220 lbs
Corey Coleman is the first Baylor wideout taken in the first round since Kendall Wright went 20th overall to the Tennessee Titans in 2012. Since then there's seemed to be a never-ending supply of great pass-catchers on the Bears roster, and Ishmael Zamora could be the next one.
A big body who only saw limited action last year as a redshirt freshman, Zamora is similar in size to Coleman and has the kind of hands that will make him open no matter where he is on the field. In 2015, he caught nine passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns while also averaging 28.4 yards on kickoffs.
While speedy junior KD Cannon figures to take on the lead receiver role that Coleman held last season, Zamora is the first option for where Cannon operated.
16. Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State (Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions)
16 of 31Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'5”, 310 lbs
Jamarco Jones has been groomed for this spot for two years, and the official word that he'd be starting on the left side in 2016 came shortly after a spring period in which he stood out in every practice.
He's appeared in 23 games in his first two seasons, either on special teams or spelling Taylor Decker at tackle. Each year saw him play at least 100 snaps, and not just when the games were out of hand.
Decker started all 42 games at left tackle from 2013-15, and by having Jones step in without having to continue to battle for the job, Ohio State can hope for consistency on an offensive line that's replacing three starters.
17. Nick Washington, S, Florida (Keanu Neal, Atlanta Falcons)
17 of 31
Year: Redshirt junior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 198 lbs
Nick Washington's first three seasons with Florida have seen him get more and more playing time as he's grown into the safety position, now putting him in line to take over Keanu Neal's starting free safety position.
An injury limited his 2013 season to two games of special teams action, resulting in a redshirt. The following year he played in 12 games, getting his first looks on defense and finishing with five tackles. Then, in 2015, he became a regular in the secondary rotation, with plenty of opportunities to spell or play alongside Neal on the back line.
Washington had 28 tackles, half a tackle for loss and forced a fumble while scooping up two other takeaways.
18. Ross Pierschbacher, C, Alabama (Ryan Kelly, Alabama Crimson Tide)
18 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'4”, 304 lbs
Ross Pierschbacher started every game of Alabama's national title run at left guard, helping to clear a path for Derrick Henry to set school and SEC rushing records on his way to the Heisman Trophy. Now he'll be handling run-blocking duties as well as being the focal point of the offensive line with each and every snap.
Ryan Kelly started for three seasons at center, and to ensure there were no hiccups for 2016, Pierschbacher was tabbed as the best option to shift over because of his experience.
"I think he’s done a nice job and made that transition fairly well," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, per the Daily Bama Blog.
Per his bio page on the school's official website, Pierschbacher only allowed 1.5 sacks last season.
19. Richard Yeargin, DE, Clemson (Shaq Lawson, Buffalo Bills)
19 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'3”, 255 lbs
Clemson's defensive line is going through a complete revamp in 2016 thanks to the loss of three starters, including both edge-rushers. Shaq Lawson led the FBS with 25.5 tackles for loss, making his replacement an important piece of the Tigers defense this year.
Richard Yeargin only got into nine games last season as a redshirt freshman, logging eight tackles with one sack, but his coaches are confident that he can elevate into a starting role without too much of a dropoff from Lawson.
"If Clemson's 2016 season started today, [defensive coordinator] Brent Venables says he'd have no issue starting Richard Yeargin at one of the two defensive end spots," Brad Senkiw of the Independent Mail wrote in March.
20. Chris Worley, LB, Ohio State (Darron Lee, New York Jets)
20 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 225 lbs
Junior Raekwon McMillan, himself a possible first-round pick in 2017, will anchor the middle of Ohio State's linebacker corps while also having to mentor younger players on either side. Chris Worley is in position to replace Darron Lee as the strong-side 'backer, assuming he can hold off playmaker Jerome Baker in the summer.
Worley has played in 25 games over the last two years, recording 28 tackles with a sack, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble in 2015.
"Worley backed up Lee the past two seasons, playing primarily on special teams while waiting his turn to be on the starting defense," Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch wrote.
Baker, also a junior, made highlight reels earlier this month when he pulled down a one-handed interception in OSU's spring game. That alone won't be enough to have him overtake Worley, though.
21. Torii Hunter Jr., WR, Notre Dame (Will Fuller, Houston Texans)
21 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 195 lbs
The two best candidates to replace big-play wide receiver Will Fuller at Notre Dame are the sons of former pro athletes, though ones from different sports. In the end, there's something about the athleticism that Torii Hunter Jr.—whose father, Torii Sr., was a star baseball player—that makes him stand out over ex-NBA standout David Robinson's son, Corey Robinson.
If you don't believe us, check out this catch that Hunter made during the Fighting Irish's spring game. You'll have no trouble believing he's the son of one of the best defensive outfielders ever.
Hunter, who redshirted in 2013, has caught 35 passes at Notre Dame, including 28 last season. Two of those went for touchdowns, including in the two-point loss to Clemson. And not surprisingly, his first career catch in September 2014 against Syracuse went for a 13-yard score.
22. Deante Gray, WR, TCU (Josh Doctson, Washington Redskins)
22 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'10”, 175 lbs
Deante Gray is only in line to succeed Josh Doctson as the Horned Frogs' deep threat because he missed all of what would have been his senior season in 2015. While in the short term that was bad for him and TCU, it should pay off this fall on both ends.
Knee surgery kept Gray out last year, when injuries ravaged TCU on both sides of the ball. It eventually impacted Doctson, the school's career receiving leader, though he still ended up with 79 catches for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Gray, who began his career on defense, had 36 catches for 582 yards and eight TDs in 2014. He may also get touches as a running back and work on returns, though slot receiver KaVontae Turpin will be the first option in those areas.
23. Damore'ea Stringfellow, WR, Ole Miss (Laquon Treadwell, Minnesota Vikings)
23 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 220 lbs
When Damore'ea Stringfellow left Washington after the 2013 season, he probably had no idea he'd one day be asked to replace a first-round draft pick. But that's now his reality as he is set to rise to the No. 1 receiver spot with Ole Miss, a school he ended up with at the last minute.
He originally pledged to Nebraska in the spring of 2014, but a few weeks later he flipped to the Rebels. However, he still had to sit out that season. Last year, he had 36 catches for 503 yards and five touchdowns, putting him slightly behind Quincy Adeboyejo in all three categories.
Stringfellow is a better option to replace Treadwell because of his size, which is almost that of a small tight end—Ole Miss' starting tight end, Evan Engram, is 6'3” and 227 pounds—as Adeboyejo is 6'3” and 195 pounds.
24. J.J. Dallas, CB, Houston (William Jackson III, Cincinnati Bengals)
24 of 31Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'0”, 200 lbs
No FBS teams showed interest in J.J. Dallas coming out of high school in Corpus Christi, Texas, but he became a coveted recruit after one season at the junior college level. The 15th-best JUCO cornerback in 2016, per 247Sports, Dallas had two interceptions for Blinn College in only eight games played.
That was enough to impress the Cougars, who needed an impact player to step in for William Jackson III after he picked off eight passes in three seasons, including five last year.
Houston led the FBS in takeaways in 2015 with 35, so Dallas and his ball-hawking skills should fit right in.
25. Corn Elder, CB, Miami (Artie Burns, Pittsburgh Steelers)
25 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'10”, 175 lbs
Known much more for his work as a return man, Corn Elder started seven games in Miami's secondary last year, but was overshadowed by Artie Burns and the Hurricanes' other defensive backs. He had 41 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions, his pick in overtime against Nebraska setting up the game-winning field goal.
But it's Elder's return work that stands out most. Last year, he averaged 13.8 yards on punt returns and 33.8 yards on kickoffs, though he didn't have enough plays in either to qualify for the national rankings. Elder scored on a punt against Bethune-Cookman, and was the final member of the 'Canes to touch the wild kickoff return against Duke, running the final 87 yards after weaving through defenders.
Never mind that the play shouldn't have counted, based on replays, as Elder's speed and elusiveness did the trick after the point when a Miami player had his knee touch. If he can translate those skills into his work at corner, Elder might be getting looked at as a first-round pick in 2017.
26. Riley Ferguson, QB, Memphis (Paxton Lynch, Denver Broncos)
26 of 31
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'4”, 190 lbs
Riley Ferguson's college career began at Tennessee, where he enrolled in 2013 but never played. A broken leg caused him to redshirt that first season, and then he left school, sitting out all of 2014 before going to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.
It was there that Ferguson resurrected himself, throwing for 2,942 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2015, finishing with the sixth-most passing yards in the NJCAA, per his online bio.
Ferguson appears to be the guy that Memphis' Mike Norvell, a first-time head coach, will be turning to this fall. He will be hard-pressed to perform as well as Paxton Lynch, who threw for 3,778 yards and 28 TDs with just four interceptions last season.
27. Eli Ankou, DT, UCLA (Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers)
27 of 31
Year: Redshirt senior
Height, weight: 6'3”, 305 lbs
When UCLA lost defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes to injury early in the 2015 season, it turned to Eli Ankou to fill the void. He responded by starting the final 11 games and finishing with 47 tackles, including five tackles for loss.
Now that Vanderdoes is back, he figures to retake his starting job, but luckily there's an opening next to him left by Kenny Clark's decision to turn pro. It's the nose tackle spot, but Ankou showed enough in 2015 to indicate he's ready for the minor change in technique.
Ankou is a late bloomer after getting into only three games in 2012-13, mostly because of injuries. He has appeared in 26 consecutive contests without missing any further time.
28. Brandon Fanaika, OG, Stanford (Joshua Garnett, San Francisco 49ers)
28 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'3”, 318 lbs
Joshua Garnett started every game at left guard for Stanford over the last two seasons, but when he got breaks during 2015, it was Brandon Fanaika taking his place on the line. Now Fanaika moves into the full-time job, where he'll be asked to live up to the standards that Garnett set before him.
Fainaika's jobs are clearly defined: First and foremost, keep interior defenders from getting past him and taking down whoever Stanford turns to at quarterback, either Ryan Burns or Keller Chryst. The other is to pave the way for Heisman runner-up Christian McCaffrey to churn up big yards, much like he and Garnett did so well last season.
29. D.J. Jones, DT, Ole Miss (Robert Nkemdiche, Arizona Cardinals)
29 of 31
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 324 lbs
D.J. Jones and Robert Nkemdiche were both part of the 2013 recruiting class, and both ended up being the No. 1-ranked player at their respective position. Just in different years and through different routes.
Nkemdiche was the top overall prospect in 2013, per 247Sports, and went on to have a tremendous career at Ole Miss after moving from defensive end to tackle. Jones went the junior college route, coming out of South Carolina to star for two years at East Mississippi CC, where he became the top-rated JUCO defensive tackle.
Originally committed to Florida State, he ended up with the Rebels and had a strong debut in 2015 with 40 tackles, four sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.
30. Courtney Wallace, DT, Louisiana Tech (Vernon Butler, Carolina Panthers)
30 of 31
Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'2”, 336 lbs
Louisiana Tech is replacing one massive run-stuffer with another gigantic player in the middle of its defensive line. Courtney Wallace is listed at 20 pounds heavier than what Vernon Butler played at during his senior year, when he had 50 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.
The Bulldogs would love to get something close to that from Wallace, but will be happy just to see him build off his freshman year. He appeared in all 13 games, but had just five tackles, combining on a tackle for loss in the season opener against Southern.
Wallace's father, also named Courtney, played defensive tackle at Louisiana Tech as well. He was part of teams from 1985-88, the 1988 team being one of the most memorable in school history as it went 4-7 as an FBS independent while facing numerous power-conference opponents.
31. Koda Martin, OT, Texas A&M (Germain Ifedi, Seattle Seahawks)
31 of 31
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'6”, 300 lbs
Koda Martin's on-field experience has been limited in his two years at Texas A&M, but his size and skill set still make him the best choice to replace three-year starter Germain Ifedi. If he can continue to develop, Martin may end up joining Ifedi in the Aggies' recent string of first-round picks from the offensive line.
A scout team standout during his 2014 redshirt season, Martin's opportunities last year mostly came when Ifedi needed a breather or when games were out of hand. One of those times came in a September win over Ball State, when he fell on a fumble in the end zone and was credited with the touchdown.
Martin hasn't won the job outright, still needing to beat out sophomore Keaton Sutherland this summer. Sutherland, who started games at left guard in 2015 but has been moved to tackle, missed spring ball because of shoulder surgery.
Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com or Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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