Ranking the 50 Best College Football Players After 2016 Spring Practice
This past weekend's NFL draft served as the official send-off for many of last year's college football stars, a high-profile way to say goodbye to another great crop of talent. But fear not, fans, because there's never a lack of top talent in the college game.
The best of the best haven't all moved on, as you'll see in our latest rankings of the top players entering the 2016 season. These are slightly tweaked from our previous list, which was published at the beginning of spring practice, reflecting their development this offseason and how it might impact their expected performance in the fall.
Despite some impressive performances by true freshman early enrollees, we have not included any first-year players on this list. Until they've played in actual games, their evaluations are incomplete, and thus they not worthy of being ranked among our top 50.
Disagree with this stance or with any of our rankings? Get the conversation started in our comments section.
50. Shock Linwood, RB, Baylor
1 of 50
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'9", 200 lbs
Baylor's run game has been productive and reliable during the Art Briles era; however, because of the Bears' ability to throw the ball, this often gets overlooked. It's easy to notice what Shock Linwood has done in his career, though, which may end with him being the school's all-time rushing leader.
Linwood had 1,329 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015 but missed Baylor's bowl game—when the team ran for a record 645 yards—because of a foot injury that also held him out of practice this spring. He sits at 3,462 career yards, 213 away from passing Walter Abercrombie for the school's all-time rushing lead.
49. Devonte Fields, LB, Louisville
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'4", 245 lbs
Devonte Fields has been arguably the best defensive player on two different FBS teams, first at TCU and now with the Cardinals. He was the Big 12's freshman of the year in 2012 and should be on the short list for ACC defensive honors this season if he can match what he did a year ago.
After spending time at a junior college in between, Fields came to Louisville in 2015 and erupted with 11 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss.
Fields has 21 sacks and 44 tackles for loss for his career at the FBS level, which has encompassed only 29 games.
48. Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'4”, 205 lbs
Luke Falk has been the perfect quarterback for Mike Leach's pass-happy offense, throwing for more than 6,400 yards in just over 16 games of action. Last year he led FBS in passing yards per game with 380.1, despite getting knocked out in the first half of one contest with a head injury.
In addition to his school-record 38 touchdowns against just eight interceptions, the most impressive part of Falk's game has been his accuracy. He completed 69.4 percent of his 644 throws in 2015, the second-best rate in the country.
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47. Kendell Beckwith, LB, LSU
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 252 lbs
LSU's top draft pick this spring was linebacker Deion Jones, who went in the second round to the Atlanta Falcons. Had Kendell Beckwith turned pro, he might have heard his name called that soon, but instead he chose to return to Baton Rouge and be part of the Tigers' most veteran defense in years.
Beckwith is coming off his best season yet, when he had 84 tackles to go with 3.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles.
46. Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 190 lbs
He's not the most explosive running back in the country, but Northwestern hasn't asked for that from Justin Jackson. Instead, the Wildcats turn to him to provide consistent yardage to help eat up clock and control the tempo, something he's been masterful at in his first two seasons.
Jackson has carried the ball 557 times in his career, rushing 312 times last season en route to 1,418 yards and five touchdowns. He's gained 2,605 yards to this point, putting him seventh on the school's all-time list.
45. Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 186 lbs
Best known for his play on defense, where he's started for the past three seasons at Tennessee, Cameron Sutton added to his value in 2015 by becoming the most prolific punt returner in FBS.
Return touchdowns against Vanderbilt and Kentucky paced Sutton to an average of 18.68 yards on 25 punts, best in the country. That gives him four return TDs for his career, including one on an interception in 2013.
Sutton also has 26 pass breakups, six interceptions and three forced fumbles on his resume.
44. William Likely, CB, Maryland
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'7”, 175 lbs
The tweets no longer exist, but the impression William Likely made last month in declaring himself the "best DB/returner in college football" lives on, via The Score. That confidence has served him well throughout his career, and Maryland's new coaching staff is sure to tap into it this fall.
Defensively, Likely has recorded 197 tackles, intercepted seven passes and broken up 26 throws in his career. He's made the biggest impact as a return man, with five career return scores. Four of those were on punts, including two last year when he was second in FBS with an 18.22 yards-per-return rate.
Likely also began to dabble on offense in 2015, something the Terrapins figure to capitalize on even more in his final season.
43. Marcus Maye, S, Florida
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 207 lbs
A fifth-year player who has seen his role increase steadily throughout his career, Marcus Maye now becomes the leader of a Florida secondary that replaces three starters, including two who went in the NFL draft (Vernon Hargreaves and Keanu Neal). With 23 starts, including 12 in 2015, he's one of the more experienced defensive backs in the country.
Last year Maye had 82 tackles while forcing five fumbles, two of which he recovered. Just as adept in defending the pass, he had two interceptions and broke up another six throws.
42. Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'4”, 240 lbs
Tennessee's run game took a major step forward in 2015, and Jalen Hurd's ability to be an every-down back proved to be the difference. After solid play as a freshman, Hurd established himself in his sophomore year as not just a big back but one who can handle the workload.
He ran for 1,288 yards and 12 touchdowns on 277 carries—the best numbers for the Volunteers since Montario Hardesty in 2009. And Hurd finished strong with 401 yards on 77 carries in Tennessee's final three games, all wins.
Also a proven weapon in the passing game, Hurd has 57 career catches for 411 yards and four TDs.
41. Jake Butt, TE, Michigan
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'6”, 250 lbs
More than just a giggle-inducing name, Jake Butt was a major part of Michigan's offense in 2015 and figures to be just as important this coming season. When the Wolverines needed someone to make a big catch, the quarterback targeted Butt.
Butt had 51 catches for 654 yards, with all three of his touchdowns coming on the road. Eight of his 11 receptions on third or fourth down resulted in a conversion to help keep drives alive.
40. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
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Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'4”, 210 lbs
If Josh Rosen's first season of college is any indication, he has a great shot to be the No. 1 draft pick whenever he finishes school. But to make sure that happens, he will have to continue improving, or he'll end up like past quarterbacks who have started hot and then fizzled out.
Rosen threw for 3,669 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2015, recording the first of his six 300-yard games in his debut with 350 yards and three TDs against Virginia. There were the expected freshman hiccups along the way, such as four games with at least two interceptions, but overall, his performance bodes well for the future.
39. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'6”, 275 lbs
Two years of work alongside Shilique Calhoun and Michigan State's other solid defensive linemen have prepared Malik McDowell for 2016, when he's set to become the leader up front. It's also when we will get to see his overall versatility, one that will see him line up at numerous spots to maximize his value.
In 2015, McDowell had 4.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss as part of his 41 tackles. He forced two fumbles and recorded an interception, which he returned for a touchdown against Penn State.
38. Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'1”, 215 lbs
Wayne Gallman was the unsung hero of Clemson's 2015 offense; his consistent performance all year helped fill in any holes that existed along the way. His early running enabled Deshaun Watson to settle in at quarterback, and down the stretch, Gallman kept the Tigers' push for a national championship alive.
Overall, he finished with a school-record 1,527 yards with 13 touchdowns. He topped the 100-yard mark nine times, going for 187 yards and a TD in the ACC title game and then rushing for 150 yards and two scores in the Orange Bowl.
37. Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'4”, 230 lbs
Vanderbilt hasn't been able to accomplish much from a team standpoint the last two seasons, but if more can happen in 2016, then Zach Cunningham is going to be a part of it. His emergence last fall as an injury replacement was one of the biggest highlights of a 4-8 season.
Cunningham took over a starting spot after Nigel Bowden suffered a concussion that caused him to miss the last nine games of 2015. Cunningham went on to post 103 tackles to lead the team, notching 94 of those after he moved into the starting lineup. He was also tops on the Commodores with 4.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.
36. Thomas Sperbeck, WR, Boise State
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 175 lbs
A stellar performance in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl carried over to the entire 2015 season for Thomas Sperbeck, who has turned into one of the most unguardable receivers in the country. In the past 14 games, he's had at least five catches on 12 occasions, including 30 in a two-game span last season.
Sperbeck had 20 catches for 281 yards against New Mexico in November, both single-game school records. That paced him to 88 receptions, tying the school mark, and his 1,412 receiving yards were the most in school history.
35. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (Florida)
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'4”, 210 lbs
Brad Kaaya is on pace to go down as the most prolific quarterback in Miami history, which is a notable accomplishment at a school that has produced multiple Heisman Trophy winners at the position. Consecutive 3,000-yard passing performances have come during up-and-down seasons, however.
At 6,436 career yards, Kaaya is 3,130 yards away from passing Ken Dorsey atop the Hurricanes' career list. That's well within his range this season, as he's averaged 257 yards per game for his career and has topped the 300-yard mark seven times.
Now paired with coach Mark Richt, who is in his first season after coming over from Georgia, Kaaya is poised for his best year yet.
34. Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 215 lbs
The Ole Miss record book needed a major redo after Chad Kelly's first year with the program, which also coincided with the Rebels' first 10-win season since 2003. When the dust settled on last season, Kelly had set or broken 17 school marks.
The former Clemson and junior college quarterback established new Ole Miss bests in passing yards (4,042), total offense (4,542) and total touchdowns (41), completing 65.1 percent of his passes in the process. He ran for 500 yards and 10 scores, making him the first Rebel since Brandon Bolden in 2010 to have at least 10 rushing TDs.
Kelly also had 13 interceptions, with 11 of those coming in a six-game stretch in the middle of 2015, but overall, his positives far outweighed the miscues.
33. Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 191 lbs
If there were a third position in the secondary that Jalen Tabor could play, he'd probably have already starred there. In his two seasons, he's been a standout at both safety and cornerback, and now he's set to take on the role of the top corner and cover the best wideouts in the SEC.
Last season, Tabor recorded four interceptions and broke up another 14 passes, after he had one pick and eight pass breakups as a freshman. Hargreaves, Neal and Brian Poole have moved on, but the Gators are in good shape in the secondary as long as Tabor is doing his job.
32. Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 240 lbs
Two of the 12 Ohio State players who just got drafted came from the linebacker corps, but with Raekwon McMillan back in the middle, the Buckeyes aren't in danger of struggling in 2016. After all, it was McMillan, not teammates Darron Lee and Joshua Perry, who led OSU in tackles.
With 119 total tackles, McMillan had at least five in every game last season, racking up 16 against Western Michigan. He controlled the center of the field, breaking up four passes along the way, but occasionally he'd head into the backfield, where he recorded 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss.
31. Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'9”, 180 lbs
No other active FBS player has more rushing yards than Donnel Pumphrey, and by the time his career is over, he's set to pass some big names from the college level.
Pumphrey has 4,272 yards in three seasons, including 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2015 when San Diego State won 11 games and finished on a 10-game win streak. He's 317 yards from catching Marshall Faulk for the Aztecs' career mark, and barring injury, he should become the first FBS rusher to reach 5,000 yards since Wisconsin's Montee Ball in 2012.
It's not just rushing that allows Pumphrey to be integral to SDSU's plans. He's caught at least 22 passes in each season, scoring five times along the way.
30. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'3”, 257 lbs
Tennessee's defense has been getting better every the year since Butch Jones took over, and Derek Barnett is a prime example of this improvement. His arrival in 2014 signaled the start of a rise that had the Volunteers rank 36th last year in total defense, compared to 110th in 2012.
"Derek Barnett asserted himself as a true three-down defensive end in Game 1 of his freshman campaign along a defensive line that, at the time, needed an identity," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee said. "He became that identity. He's a monster against the run and is consistently a force in passing situations, making him one of the best defensive ends in the country."
Barnett has logged consecutive seasons with 10 sacks, though after getting 20.5 tackles for loss as a freshman, he dipped to 12.5 in 2015. That figures to be a strong motivator for what could be his final season at the college level.
29. KD Cannon, WR, Baylor
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 180 lbs
The speedster of Baylor's cadre of receiving weapons, KD Cannon can outrace any defender and is a threat to score every time he gets the ball. Last year's numbers dipped with the Bears having injury issues at the quarterback position, or else he'd have done much better than 50 catches for 868 yards and six touchdowns.
Thirty of those catches went for at least 20 yards, and four went for at least 50, a year after he led the nation in receptions of at least 60, 70 and 80 yards.
At 17.57 yards per catch for his career, Cannon could challenge the FBS career record (for players with 200-plus receptions) of 19.0 that Wyoming's Ryan Yarborough set from 1990 to 1993.
28. Artavis Scott, WR, Clemson
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 190 lbs
Clemson lost top receiving target Mike Williams to a neck injury in the first game of 2015, something that would have been a devastating blow for most teams. But most teams didn't have the luxury of a second great wideout to turn to, with Artavis Scott easily transitioning into that top role.
Though he only averaged 9.69 yards per catch, the lowest rate of any FBS player with at least 80 receptions last season, Scott's 93 receptions mostly came in big moments. He recorded 42 first downs and scored six touchdowns, with two of those coming in the red zone.
Scott has caught 169 passes in his career, 72 short of passing Sammy Watkins as the school's all-time receiving leader.
27. Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'1”, 235 lbs
Anthony Walker is coming off one of the biggest defensive seasons in Northwestern history as the first Wildcat with 120 tackles in more than a decade. He also had 20.5 tackles for loss, which led the Big Ten and was the third-most in school history.
Not bad for a player who didn't become a starter until halfway through his redshirt sophomore year.
Walker had six games with at least 10 tackles last season, adding two fumble returns (one he returned for a touchdown) and an interception.
26. Derwin James, S, Florida State
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Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'3”, 213 lbs
Derwin James shared the secondary with a first-round draft pick in Jalen Ramsey in 2015, but at times, he was the best player on the field. No freshman in coach Jimbo Fisher's tenure had ever recorded more than 58 tackles, a number James reached after 10 games en route to 91 to rank second on the team.
Playing more like a linebacker than a defensive back, James had 4.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss while breaking up four passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering one.
25. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
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Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 5'11”, 222 lbs
The Christian Hackenberg era at Penn State is over—an up-and-down three years where the Nittany Lions offense never seemed to be able to gain any traction. It looked best in 2015 when Saquon Barkley got the ball, though not enough to make as much of an impact as he will this fall.
As a true freshman, he ran for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns, though he was held out of two games because of injury and logged just one carry in the 2015 opener. He set the school freshman rushing record and was PSU's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2012.
"While the Penn State offense was full of disappointment in 2015, Saquon Barkley was one of the Nittany Lions' lone bright spots," Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod wrote. "He was arguably the Big Ten's second-best running back behind Ezekiel Elliott a year ago."
24. Quin Blanding, S, Virginia
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 205 lbs
Quin Blanding has consecutive seasons with more than 110 tackles, but because these have come on some bad Virginia teams, the average college football fan has mostly overlooked him. The same can't be said for NFL scouts, who are awaiting Blanding becoming draft-eligible in 2017.
A starter since early in his freshman year, Blanding has held the Cavaliers defense together with 238 total tackles and 128 of the solo variety. He hasn't done much work close to the line of scrimmage, instead serving as the last line of defense, though his work in the open field is second to none.
According to college football expert Phil Steele, Blanding ranks third among active defensive backs in tackles despite having played only two seasons.
23. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'10”, 176 lbs
Statistics play a big part in rating and ranking college football players, but sometimes the standard stats aren't the ones that tell the best story. That's why Jourdan Lewis is so high on this list despite having only four interceptions in his career.
Two of those came in 2015, when Lewis also broke up 20 other passes. Advanced statistics, such as those used by Pro Football Focus, show he only allowed a catch on 36.5 percent of the throws in his direction. Don't expect opponents to pick on him so much in 2016.
Adding to Lewis' value is his return skills, which translated into a solid 25.2 yards-per-return rate last season.
22. Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
29 of 50
Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 5'11”, 200 lbs
Christian Kirk was one of the few parts of Texas A&M's offense that worked last year, when he quickly established himself as one of the top all-purpose weapons in the country. It's scary—and exciting—to see what he'll be like in his second year.
His 80 receptions were third-most among freshmen, as he scored seven touchdowns and topped the 100-yard mark four times (including in his debut against Arizona State). Kirk also scored twice on punts while averaging 24.36 yards per return, a rate that would have qualified for the national lead with just a few more attempts.
With 1,789 all-purpose yards, Kirk had nearly 1,000 more yards in his first season than Christian McCaffrey gained in 2014.
21. Greg Ward Jr., QB, Houston
30 of 50
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 185 lbs
There are two commonalities between the national championship team Ohio State had in 2014 and the 13-1 squad Houston produced this past season: Tom Herman and a dynamic mobile quarterback. Herman turned J.T. Barrett into a star with OSU, and he's done the same with Greg Ward Jr., who is effectively the Group of Five version of Barrett.
With a running ability that on its own would make for a dangerous weapon, Ward has developed into quite an effective passer as well. Last season, he completed 67.2 percent of his passes and threw for 2,828 yards and 17 touchdowns, which paired nicely with his 1,108 rushing yards and 21 scores.
The 21 TDs came on 198 carries—the kinds of numbers normally reserved for option quarterbacks.
20. Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
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Year: Redshirt sophomore
Height, weight: 6'1”, 205 lbs
A cornerback when he arrived at Michigan, Jabrill Peppers converted to safety in 2015 to maximize his ability to handle all facets of the defense. The transition continues, with Peppers now moved up to linebacker, where he'll have even more of an impact.
If that's even possible. Last year, he was all over on defense, registering 45 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 10 pass breakups. Add to that his work on offense (eight receptions, two rushing touchdowns) and healthy averages of 11.4 yards on punt returns and 27.9 on kickoffs, and it's hard to imagine Peppers can contribute even more.
"There isn't a more versatile player in the Big Ten, if not all of college football, than Jabrill Peppers," Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod said. "If there's a defensive player in the country who could find himself in the Heisman conversation this season, Peppers is the safest bet."
19. Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'10”, 230 lbs
The FBS single-game rushing leader was somehow almost a forgotten man in 2015, despite rushing for 1,349 yards and 16 touchdowns. Oklahoma's switch to a more pass-oriented offense overshadowed him, yet he was still integral to the Big 12 title and a playoff bid.
Perine—who first turned heads as a true freshman when he ran for 427 yards and six TDs against Kansas in November 2014—has 3,062 yards for his career. With another 979, he'll surpass Adrian Peterson as the Sooners' all-time rushing leader.
With a body that encourages contact, Perine batters his way through defenses without regard for the consequences. He was hobbled at times with ankle issues, which kept him out of spring ball, but don't expect him to be anything less than ready for the 2016 season.
18. Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 225 lbs
Tennessee went a second consecutive year without having anyone taken in the NFL draft, but that's partly due to players like Jalen Reeves-Maybin sticking around for one more season. A pro career can wait and is likely to be more fulfilling after being a part of what should be the Volunteers' best team in more than a decade.
"JRM is a true leader on a Tennessee defense that doesn't get enough credit," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee said. "He's a tackling machine and has been that way for the majority of his career—even when he was being overshadowed by higher-profile linebackers."
Reeves-Maybin has topped the 100-tackle mark in back-to-back seasons, going for 105 in 2015. That included 14 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups.
17. Jamal Adams, S, LSU
34 of 50
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'1”, 211 lbs
The five LSU players drafted over the weekend included two from the secondary, making it nine Tigers defensive backs who have been picked since 2012. Jamal Adams is almost sure to be the 10th, assuming he does as expected and turns pro after the coming season.
His performance to this point shows scouts will be looking at him. Last fall, he led LSU with four interceptions and forced a fumble, notching five tackles for loss among his 67 takedowns. His ability to defend both the run and pass helped LSU rank 25th in total defense in 2015.
16. Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'3”, 255 lbs
Missouri has made a name for itself when it comes to producing standout defensive linemen, and Charles Harris joined that list in 2015 in his first season as a starter. His play, including notching 18.5 tackles for loss, helped the Tigers deal with the loss of Harold Brantley to injury.
Harris also tied for the team lead with seven sacks, notching one in four consecutive SEC games midway through the season, and he also had two forced fumbles.
A pair of shoulder surgeries this offseason put Harris on the shelf for spring ball, but he's expected to be ready to go as a part of first-year coach Barry Odom's defense.
15. Seth Russell, QB, Baylor
36 of 50
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'3”, 220 lbs
Before suffering a scary neck injury in October, Seth Russell was on pace to have a monster season in his first go-around as the driver of Baylor's high-octane offense. Even with only seven games of action, Russell managed to throw for 2,104 yards and 29 touchdowns while also rushing for 402 yards and six scores.
To put that into perspective, only 12 other FBS passers had more TD throws last year, and they all needed 11 to 15 games to get there. He tallied more yardage than full-season starters from several schools.
Russell returned to action this spring and is on pace to retain his old job, assuming he can beat out sophomore Jarrett Stidham.
14. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 215 lbs
If you're seeing a receiver who can always make the key grab, don't look any further than JuJu Smith-Schuster. USC quarterback Cody Kessler recognized this last season when he kept throwing to the sizable target over and over, and there's nothing to suggest the Trojans passer in 2016 will vary from this approach.
According to Football Study Hall, "no one was as efficient and explosive as JuJu Smith-Schuster" based on the frequency with which he was targeted, how often he caught the ball and what he did with those catches. He had 89 receptions for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns, with nearly 31 percent of USC's passes thrown his way. He caught almost 66 percent of those.
In two years, Smith-Schuster has 143 catches for 2,178 yards and 15 TDs. He's within reach of the school career marks for receptions (252) and yards (3,655).
13. Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'6”, 326 lbs
All Cam Robinson has done at Alabama is start every game the past two seasons at left tackle, including all 15 of the Crimson Tide's national title run in 2015. Along the way, he's been nearly as impenetrable as any offensive lineman.
He allowed three sacks in 2014 and only 2.5 last year, when he also helped pave the way for Henry to run for more than 2,000 yards, per his online bio. His role as the blindside protector for what will be a third different starting quarterback in as many seasons will continue to make him the most important player on Alabama's line.
12. Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
39 of 50
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 230 lbs
Oregon always seems to have a big-play running back to hand off to, but Royce Freeman is on his way to being the best of the lot. He holds the school's freshman and single-season rushing records, scoring 38 touchdowns in 27 career games.
With another 1,800-yard season like he had in 2015, Freeman will also be the Ducks' career rushing leader and part of an elite group of rushers to top the 5,000-yard mark. Add in his pass-catching skills (42 receptions, 506 yards, 3 TDs), and he's as valuable as an offensive weapons as you'll find in college.
Freeman enters this season with nine consecutive 100-yard rushing games and 17 for his career.
11. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'10”, 220 lbs
Nick Chubb has run for 100 or more yards in every game that he's started and finished—a streak of 13 games that ended in October when he suffered a major knee injury. His absence hampered Georgia's offense in 2015, and his return will be a key to success in Kirby Smart's first year.
Now we just have to see when he'll be back to full strength, as Chubb didn't participate in spring practice.
“To say he’ll be ready, I can’t say that,” Smart said recently, per Seth Emerson of DawgNation.com.
Georgia can only hope Chubb will be able to make a recovery like predecessor Todd Gurley, who after tearing knee ligaments in November 2014 went on to rush for more than 1,100 yards as an NFL rookie.
10. Desmond King, CB, Iowa
41 of 50
Year: Senior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 200 lbs
Last year's winner of the Thorpe Award given to the nation's top defensive back, Desmond King turns his side of the field into a no-fly zone with his ability to disrupt passes and often pull them down himself.
King had eight interceptions in 2015, tied for second-most in FBS, while also breaking up 13 passes. Those are the kinds of numbers that usually warrant a jump to the pros, but King decided being with Iowa one more year—and helping to make another trip to the Big Ten championship game—was more important.
"One of the more surprising happenings in college football this offseason, not many expected Desmond King to return to Iowa for his senior season," Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod said. "Already college football's best defensive back, King will now try to take the Hawkeyes to the College Football Playoff after coming up one game short a year ago."
King's value is enhanced by his work as a return man, as he averaged 14.18 yards on punts and 24.4 yards on kickoffs last season.
9. Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'3”, 283 lbs
Alabama had a slew of defensive stars from its national title team get drafted over the weekend, but the cupboard is never bare in Tuscaloosa. Sometimes the team's leader in sacks and tackles for loss decides to return to school for his final season, thus ensuring that the Crimson Tide will again be dominant up front.
Jonathan Allen had 12 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 2015, despite not being a full-time starter due to the talent Alabama had to work with on the defensive line. But because of his ability to handle all facets of the game, Allen was almost always on the field and could work inside or out if needed.
"Jonathan Allen is one of the most athletic defensive ends Nick Saban has ever had in his 3-4 scheme," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee said. "He has the power to be a force against the run and the speed to move sideline to sideline and slow down some of the more exotic offenses in the SEC."
8. Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 185 lbs
Not only is Adoree' Jackson the top multi-threat player in college football, he might enter this next season at USC as an Olympian. Instead of going through spring practice, Jackson has been training toward a potential bid with the U.S. Olympic team as a long-jumper, just adding to his legend.
On the football field, Jackson is all about speed, elusiveness and instinct. He's started at both cornerback and wide receiver—including in the same game—and is USC's main punt and kickoff return man. He's scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams, with a total of five in each of his first two seasons.
The luxury to be able to use Jackson in so many areas is aided by the Trojans' increasing depth at receiver and in the secondary. Whether he also gets involved in the run game—an added emphasis under new coach Clay Helton—might depend on whether he misses any time this summer if he's in Brazil for the Summer Games.
7. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
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Year: Senior
Height, weight: 6'1”, 209 lbs
If you like your quarterbacks to be safe and not take chances, Baker Mayfield isn't for you. But then you'll be missing out on a passer whose gunslinger-like mentality makes for plenty of big plays since he rarely takes the easy way out.
Following a transfer from Texas Tech—which caused him to lose a year of eligibility—Mayfield thrived in Oklahoma's revamped Air Raid offense in 2015. He threw for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns on 68.1 percent passing, throwing just seven interceptions in 395 attempts. And when the pass wasn't there, Mayfield wasn't afraid to take off, as he scored seven TDs and ran for 405 yards.
He also took a few too many hits, though, causing him to get knocked out of a few games with head injuries. He might drive his coaches crazy, but he also keeps opponents on their toes since he's unlikely to ever do the conventional thing on most plays.
6. Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'5”, 262 lbs
It's been success from the beginning for Myles Garrett, who as a freshman set the SEC record for sacks by a first-year player with 11.5. He led the conference in sacks in 2015 with 12.5, helping Texas A&M make a major jump on the defensive side of the ball.
He isn't just a pass-rusher, though, as he's had 33.5 tackles for loss in his career and also had five forced fumbles and an interception last year.
Garrett is in the mold of Jadeveon Clowney—whose freshman sack record he beat in 2014—one that even double-teams can't stop.
5. J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 225 lbs
J.T. Barrett has been starting since his redshirt freshman year, as he was thrust into action when Braxton Miller got hurt. He wasn't around for the end of Ohio State's national title run, but without his play during the regular season, that title probably wouldn't have happened.
The Buckeyes might have been in better position to repeat in 2015 had Barrett started all year long, instead of sharing the quarterback job with Cardale Jones, and this affected his progress. But now OSU's single-season total offense leader is set to be the unquestioned leader of a team in desperate need of guidance and experience.
"For all of the talent Ohio State is losing from last year's team, there's a reason the Buckeyes should still be considered the favorites in the Big Ten," Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod wrote. "If Barrett can build on his strong finish to an otherwise up-and-down 2015, he should find himself in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist at season's end."
Barrett has been responsible for 67 touchdowns in his career, including 22 as a rusher.
4. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'1”, 230 lbs
Leonard Fournette can run around most defenders, but with a monstrous body like his, why bother? As defenders who tried to tackle him the past two seasons have found out, he doesn't go down easily and rarely on first contact.
“Fournette is a freak,” Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee said. “He has the speed of a track star, the power of a Mack truck and the vision of a seasoned veteran. He's one of those players who can succeed even when everybody knows he's getting the ball. Simply put, he's better than anybody he faces, and he knows it.”
One of the most hyped recruits ever has lived up to nearly every expectation so far, setting the freshman school rushing record in 2014 with 1,034 yards and then the overall LSU single-season mark last year with 1,953 yards. Whether he can challenge for the school career rushing record this fall might depend on how much the Tigers use him, which in itself depends on what their quarterback situation is like.
Fournette isn't going to be around after the 2016 season, so make sure to enjoy him while he lasts. No doubt most of his SEC opponents will throw a party when he heads into the NFL.
3. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 5'11”, 202 lbs
A shoulder injury that first occurred before his freshman season caused Dalvin Cook to miss the tail end of Florida State's spring practice, not that he needed those workouts. The first Florida State rusher to top the 1,000-yard mark in consecutive seasons since the mid-1990s, Cook could probably come in cold and run for 100-plus yards.
Cook is less than 1,300 yards from becoming the Seminoles' all-time rushing leader, a number he reached in the 10th game of 2015 en route to a school-record 1,691 yards despite missing all or part of two games with a sore hamstring. While FSU wants to have a more balanced offense this year, it knows that Cook has the skills to be a workhorse and one who somehow gets stronger as the game progresses.
A powerful runner who's also a skilled receiver—he's caught 46 passes in two years, including 24 last season—he will once again be the focal point of FSU's offense.
2. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'2”, 210 lbs
The only player ever to amass both 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, Deshaun Watson is a defensive coordinator's nightmare. Cover his targets or attack the pocket and he'll take off for chunks of yardage; dedicate a spy to him and he'll exploit holes in the coverage.
Watson is a masterful athlete who has developed a keen eye for when to stay and when to go—the product of his learning to protect himself from injury after missing a lot of time as a freshman. Torn knee ligaments shortened that first season, but since his return, he's been getting better by the game and now is as accomplished a passer as he is a runner.
Last year's third-place Heisman Trophy finisher is this season's favorite at 3-1, according to Odds Shark, and his quest to get Clemson back to the national championship game will only add to his chances.
1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
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Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6'0”, 201 lbs
Christian McCaffrey has taken “all-purpose player” to a new level that one no one else in college football has come close to. His FBS-record 3,864 all-purpose yards gained in 2015 obliterated Barry Sanders' 27-year-old record and came via production from every way imaginable.
Just his 2,019 rushing yards alone were impressive, but he was also Stanford's leading receiver with 45 catches for 645 yards. McCaffrey also handled the majority of the Cardinal's punt and kickoff returns, scoring in all four of these ways. And just to add further proof he's the best current player in college football, McCaffrey also threw a pair of touchdown passes last year.
All of this bodes well for a Stanford team that is breaking in a new quarterback and looking for new go-to receivers. Despite what opponents might try to do to stop him, McCaffrey is going to find a way to get his yards. All he needs is a little space, and he can get around or past anyone.
Statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com or Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports, unless otherwise noted. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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