College Football Summer Enrollees We're Excited to See Most in 2016
Some of the biggest stars of the college football offseason are the early enrollees who start turning heads in spring practices. But those players represent just a portion of the elite recruits coming onto campus for the 2016 campaign.
This summer, it will be time to get reacquainted with the blue-chip prospects going the traditional route of arriving on campus ahead of their first fall camps.
Among those arriving this summer on campuses all across the country is the nation's No. 1 overall recruit, who is a lock to make a big impact for one of the game's most talked-about programs at the moment. Legacy recruits and can't-miss 5-stars will also take hold of the headlines as they transition to life in college over the next few months.
Here are 10 summer enrollees we're excited to see the most in the 2016 season. All of these star recruits have opportunities to play right away at their new homes and have the skill sets needed to become breakout stars this fall.
Of course, this is just a list of one writer's opinion, and fans everywhere will undoubtedly be excited to see their schools' top prospects make their debuts later this offseason. Tell us who you're most pumped about from the class of 2016 in the comments below.
Arizona State WR N'Keal Harry
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Size: 6'4", 210 pounds | Hometown: Chandler, Arizona (Chandler)
WR Ranking: 7 | Overall Ranking: 52
Arizona State is undergoing a complete offensive overhaul heading into the 2016 season. The Sun Devils will have a new quarterback. They'll also have a new offensive coordinator. The wide receiver room lost three of its top four players from a season ago.
That's the perfect opportunity for an elite player such as N'Keal Harry to jump in and carve out immediate playing time in the Pac-12. Arizona State's top recruit in the class of 2016, Harry decided to stay in-state and already has the mandate from former Sun Devils star Jaelen Strong to "break every record" he had at ASU.
Harry has the talent to do just that for the Sun Devils. He has incredible size and a ton of athleticism, making him a virtual nightmare matchup on vertical routes and jump-ball situations. In December, Harry shattered the backboard during a basketball game. He's got plenty of hops and power.
The former 4-star wide receiver will be a prime candidate to play early and often at Arizona State, and he has the skill set that seems tailor-made for highlight reels of future #Pac12AfterDark action.
Clemson RB Tavien Feaster
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Size: 5'11", 196 pounds | Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartanburg)
APB Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 29
What do you get for the offense that has everything? Clemson is already returning star quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman, seven of its top eight receivers from last season and 2014's No. 1 wide receiver Mike Williams.
Now steps in Tavien Feaster, the nation's No. 1 all-purpose back in the class of 2016 and an absolute speed demon on the football field. With his jaw-dropping quickness and agility, the Tigers would be smart to find some sort of spot for Feaster in 2016—even with all the star power coming back to the offense.
Clemson has options behind Gallman in Adam Choice, Tyshon Dye and C.J. Fuller, so Feaster's best shot at early playing time might be in the slot. Last season, elite athlete Ray-Ray McCloud, a high school running back, saw the field as a true freshman for Clemson primarily as a wide receiver.
Feaster had surgery in February to repair a torn labrum, and David Hood of TigerNet.com wrote that head coach Dabo Swinney wasn't expecting the true freshman to be ready for contact at the beginning of fall camp. But Feaster's rehab has reportedly gone well, and it'll be exciting to see what kind of impact he can make for Clemson on perhaps the nation's best offense for 2016.
Florida State CB Levonta Taylor
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Size: 5'11", 182 pounds | Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia (Ocean Lakes)
CB Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 7
Florida State's lone consensus 5-star of another loaded recruiting class, cornerback Levonta Taylor is definitely one to watch for the Seminoles in 2016. Although FSU is deep with options in a secondary led by superstar sophomore Derwin James, Taylor has the talent to play right away.
"He's a difference-maker," Josh Newberg of 247Sports said. "He can play corner, he can play safety. He's probably going to play a little bit of the nickel in the beginning for Florida State, just to get him on the field. I also think he's also going to make an early impact at punt returner, maybe kick returner."
With 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash and tremendous versatility, Taylor will find a way to get on the field for the Seminoles from Week 1. If he continues to impress in collegiate play as much as he impressed coaches and recruiting services in high school, he'll have a chance to be a breakout star much like James was last year for Florida State.
Taylor has been compared to former Seminoles star Jalen Ramsey and has already gotten Deion Sanders' seal of approval as an instant-impact recruit. Now it's time to see what that will look like in 2016.
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Georgia ATH Mecole Hardman Jr.
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Size: 5'10", 169 pounds | Hometown: Elberton, Georgia (Elbert County)
ATH Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 13
First-year Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has an incredible athlete on his hands in Athens after landing the pickup of Mecole Hardman Jr. on national signing day. Hardman has the ability to play both sides of the ball and be a game-changer in special teams, and he told Kipp Adams of 247Sports he will start his Georgia career on defense.
"I think I am going to start out at DB, just because of the defensive scheme they are doing, and what they need on the defensive side," Hardman said, per Adams. "I think I am definitely going to have some reps at receiver, no doubt about it. But I think I am going to start out at defensive back."
Hardman is ready to show why he was such a highly coveted prospect in the class of 2016, and Georgia could see him make an early three-way impact in the style of a player such as USC's Adoree' Jackson. He is a legitimate track star with a skill set that lends itself well to a number of roles.
Georgia could use an extra boost in its receiving corps as it sorts out its quarterback situation, and a player of his talent could be a star in a Smart defense. Wherever he plays, he'll be a fun one to watch this fall for the Bulldogs.
Houston DT Ed Oliver
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Size: 6'2", 277 pounds | Hometown: Houston, Texas (Westfield)
DT Ranking: 3 | Overall Ranking: 6
This selection is a no-brainer. Whenever a 5-star athlete—especially a top-10 talent—decides to stay close to home at a "Group of Five" program such as Houston, immediate playing time is a definite lock.
Ed Oliver became the cornerstone of the "H-Town Takeover" on the recruiting trail. His commitment to the Cougars last May was stunning, and he stayed true to it through the rest of the cycle. Now he's due to be a star for the nation's premier program outside the Power Five conferences.
Houston returns a good bit of talent on its defensive line for 2016, but Oliver is too good to keep on the sidelines. He's an uber-athletic defensive tackle with the ability to shed blocks with ease and puncture opposing backfields. Even though he doesn't have that elite size teams crave at defensive tackle, he more than makes up for it with his explosion up front.
The Cougars open the season in Houston against defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma. Expect to see the exciting, potentially program-changing talent of Oliver be on full display in that Week 1 showdown.
Michigan DT Rashan Gary
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Size: 6'5", 293 pounds | Hometown: Paramus, New Jersey (Paramus Catholic)
DT Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 1
Let's go for two easy calls in a row. Rashan Gary was the unanimous No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2016, and top programs all over the country pushed hard for him until national signing day, when he picked head coach Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines. Now it's time to see what all the fuss was about.
Gary is stepping into a transitioning Michigan defense that has a solid amount of talent coming back in the trenches. But even with those returning veterans, Gary is widely expected to come in and immediately become a key part of the rotation—if not crack the starting lineup early in the 2016 campaign.
The New Jersey native has the ideal size for a defensive tackle, and he couples it with a college-ready skill set that marks off all the boxes. Technique? Check. Power? Check. A ridiculous 40 time for someone of his height and weight? Check. Even with all the pressure on him at the Under Armour All-America Game, Gary still took over with a record three sacks.
Gary can play inside or outside for Don Brown's 4-3 defense, and there is an opportunity for him to shine as soon as he steps onto campus in Ann Arbor. Expect to hear his name a lot this fall.
Ohio State DE Nick Bosa
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Size: 6'4", 265 pounds | Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (St. Thomas Aquinas)
SDE Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 8
While Rashan Gary takes up so much freshman hype in Ann Arbor, rival Ohio State has a star of its own firmly in the spotlight in Nick Bosa. The younger brother of Buckeyes star-turned-top-five NFL draft pick Joey Bosa, the Florida native is expected to contribute right away in Columbus.
Instead of pumping the brakes on his hype train, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has done the complete opposite this offseason by noting the progress the younger Bosa has already made, according to Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch and Patrick Murphy of TheOZone.net.
Bosa's older brother was college football's most dominant defender, swallowing up double- and even triple-teams for the Buckeyes on the line. The younger Bosa has a chance to get off to a quicker start in his college career, and he's stepping into a roster that will be filled with first-time starters.
The potential of this Bosa is already sky-high, and it'll only get better moving forward.
Oklahoma LB Caleb Kelly
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Size: 6'3", 215 pounds | Hometown: Fresno, California (Clovis West)
OLB Ranking: 3 | Overall Ranking: 25
Oklahoma is returning its fair share of star power from a Big 12 championship team with the likes of quarterback Baker Mayfield, running back Samaje Perine and defensive back duo Jordan Thomas and Steven Parker. What the Sooners need is replacements at linebacker, where five of the top six from 2015 are gone.
That opens the door wide open for Caleb Kelly, one of the most intriguing 5-star prospects from the class of 2016. Kelly is the latest and perhaps the best pickup from Oklahoma's growing talent pipeline in the Fresno area, and he fills an immediate need for a team expected to contend for a national championship again.
"Don't be surprised if Kelly pushes [Ogbonnia] Okoronkwo and the two wind up with a timeshare, likely with Okoronkwo becoming a third-down pass-rushing specialist," Kevin Flaherty of 247Sports wrote. "The special thing about Kelly is with his fluidity and the way he runs, he's a wonderful fit on the outside in the Big 12."
Kelly is coming in with a great amount of hype as Oklahoma's only 5-star signee, and he should be a lock to play early in Norman. He could be a difference-maker for an Oklahoma defense needing to replenish ahead of a huge 2016 campaign.
Ole Miss OT Greg Little
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Size: 6'5", 305 pounds | Hometown: Allen, Texas (Allen)
OT Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 3
At one point in time, Greg Little was pushing hard for the No. 1 overall recruit ranking in the 247Sports composite rankings. His otherworldly talents at offensive tackle made him such an elite prospect for teams all across the country, especially in Texas and SEC country.
Ole Miss lost the majority of its first-choice offensive line this offseason, including former star left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Like Tunsil, Little is the best offensive tackle in what could be a legendary recruiting class for the Rebels, and he could step in right away and pick up where Tunsil left off in 2015.
Part of what made Ole Miss' offense so great last season was the protection around gunslinging quarterback Chad Kelly, who helped set offensive records in Oxford. The Rebels have experienced reserves ready to step up across the offensive line, but none of them have the talent like Little.
If Ole Miss can keep Kelly upright, this offense's potential is quite impressive, even with the loss of wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. A lot of that will fall on Kelly's blindside protector, and Little has the chance to live up to his incredible hype with an instant-impact season for the Rebels.
UCLA LB Mique Juarez
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Size: 6'2", 231 pounds | Hometown: Torrance, California (North)
OLB Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 11
UCLA returns a huge amount of talent to a defense that is switching to a 4-3 scheme this offseason, but two of its biggest departures came at the same position—linebacker. The Bruins are replacing Myles Jack, who was one of college football's brightest stars before an injury robbed him of most of his final season in Los Angeles.
Fortunately for the Bruins, a major reinforcement is arriving in the form of Mique Juarez, the nation's No. 1 outside linebacker in the class of 2016. And his playing style in high school is eerily similar to what Jack was able to do for UCLA during his time on campus.
"A supernatural athlete who plays linebacker but is capable of contributing just about anywhere, including on offense," Colin Becht of Sports Illustrated wrote. "[Juarez] even played some quarterback and scored 60 touchdowns (23 passing, 36 rushing, one kick return) this past season. ... He made 397 career tackles at North Torrance (Calif.) High and had 21 tackles for loss as a senior."
Juarez is right at home rushing the passer, stopping the rusher, dropping back into coverage and even toting the ball in his hands. Anyone with the potential of multiple roles like Jack—especially at UCLA—is someone who should command plenty of attention in 2016.
Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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