Meet the Replacements for the Top 10 Picks in the 2017 NFL Draft
The NFL draft inspires mixed emotions in college football fans. On one hand, fans are excited to celebrate their favorite players' accomplishments and the biggest moment of their young lives—finding out where they'll ply their trades on the next level.
On the other hand, it's a final goodbye as those players join the professional ranks. And the question sets in: How is my team going to replace these guys?
That's easier said than done, obviously. The top 10 picks in the NFL draft are there for a reason; they're talented players with loads of potential and filling their shoes can be difficult. But college football marches on and teams must replace them.
Identifying replacements is a major focus of the offseason, and we'll take a crack at pinpointing those who are most likely to replace the top 10 NFL draft picks.
Selections were based on talent, previous experience and opportunity for playing time in 2017. Players are listed in the order of the NFL draft's top 10, not as a measure of their overall talent.
10. Texas Tech QB Nic Shimonek
1 of 10
The Kansas City Chiefs made waves Thursday night when they traded up to No. 10 overall and snagged Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a first-round selection.
But Mahomes' numbers are hard to argue with. He passed for an eye-popping 5,052 yards with 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 591 attempts in Tech's air raid offense.
That sort of production is difficult to duplicate, especially when you throw in Mahomes' dual-threat ability (285 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns). But Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury has a player he can trust in fifth-year senior Nik Shimonek. The Iowa transfer arrived as a walk-on and served as Mahomes' backup the past two seasons.
He spelled Mahomes multiple times last season when he was knocked out of games with injuries, throwing for 464 yards with six touchdowns against one interception. Tech's offense won't change, and while Shimonek will not run as much as Mahomes, he'll still put up big numbers in the Red Raiders' wide-open scheme.
"I feel really good about that position. This is Nic's fourth year in the program and I think he's going to play at a high level," Kingsbury told reporters, per Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I tell him, 'Don't try to be Pat. If a play's not there, throw it away.' I think our offense will be more of a group approach. Our line will be better and all our receivers are back."
9. Washington WR Chico McClatcher
2 of 10
Last fall, Jake Browning emerged as one of the nation's top quarterbacks, leading Washington to a Pac-12 title and a College Football Playoff berth.
It certainly helped having speedy talent like John Ross to throw to. Ross is lightning fast, timed at 4.22 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which made him a top-shelf deep threat for the Huskies.
He caught 81 passes for 1,150 yards and 17 scores for Washington, and Cincinnati Bengals fans can get excited about him teaming with A.J. Green in the AFC North. But how do the Huskies fill his shoes?
Receiver Dante Pettis (53 catches, 822 yards, 15 scores) is a known quantity as the No. 1 receiver, but he can't fill the void alone. Look for junior Chico McClatcher to have a greatly expanded role.
As a sophomore, McClatcher showed flashes of playmaking ability with 31 catches for 574 yards and five touchdowns. He also displayed versatility out of the backfield with 18 carries for 131 yards and a score.
This September, we'll find out that Chico can be the man for Washington's passing game.
8. Stanford RB Bryce Love
3 of 10
Few players did as much for their team as Christian McCaffrey did for Stanford.
The all-around star was a major force for the Cardinal offense, setting the NCAA's single-season all-purpose yardage record as a sophomore while leading Stanford in rushing, receptions and receiving yards. He was the only FBS player to lead his team in both rushing and receiving yardage.
Last fall, the Carolina Panthers pick battled through leg injuries but still racked up 1,603 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns before leaving early for the NFL.
No one player can approximate his skills, but Stanford has a ready replacement in junior Bryce Love. The speedy back rushed for 779 yards and three touchdowns as McCaffrey's backup.
He averaged 7.0 yards per carry and finished the season with consecutive 100-yard rushing games, including a 115-yard effort in a Sun Bowl win over North Carolina after McCaffrey decided to sit out and head to the NFL.
With a bigger work load, Love could emerge as a star this fall.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Clemson WR Deon Cain
4 of 10
Mike Williams put the bow on an incredible comeback story Thursday night. His 2015 season-opener ended after the first drive, when he ran into a Memorial Stadium goalpost and broke several bones in his neck after catching Clemson's first touchdown of the season. He redshirted and came back better than ever in 2016.
Williams was dominant, catching 98 passes for 1,361 yards and 11 scores and playing a huge role in Clemson's first national championship since 1981.
Declaring for the NFL draft after his fourth year on campus was a smart move, and it paid off when the Los Angeles Chargers took him No. 6 overall.
Clemson must replace some major offensive production; along with Williams, do-everything quarterback and two-time Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson, leading rusher Wayne Gallman, top tight end Jordan Leggett and and Artavis Scott (76 catches, 614 yards, five scores) are all gone.
However, the cupboard is far from bare. Junior receiver Deon Cain is the leading candidate to emerge as the Tigers' No. 1 receiver. He battled through a pair of suspensions for disciplinary reasons as a freshman and had 38 catches for 724 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore.
No matter who emerges as the starting quarterback (junior Kelly Bryant, redshirt freshman Zerrick Cooper or early enrollee Hunter Johnson), Cain will be targeted early and often.
He has great size, speed and some excellent deep-threat ability, and if he can find some consistency, it could be Cain we're talking about replacing in this space next spring.
6. LSU S John Battle
5 of 10
LSU's secondary has become an assembly line for NFL teams, and the latest product is Jamal Adams.
The Tigers' strong safety is a hard-hitter and an energetic player who will be an excellent fit in the New York Jets' secondary. He was a first-team All-American in 2016 after piling up 76 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and adding 5.5 sacks and an interception.
Replacing his leadership will be difficult, but John Battle is ready for the challenge in his final season on campus.
Battle signed in the class of 2014 alongside Adams, but he has spent much of his career as a reserve. He finally got an opportunity last fall after starting free safety Rickey Jefferson suffered a season-ending broken leg.
Battle started the final seven games of the season and racked up 39 tackles and four pass breakups.
He will be more than motivated to be a full-time starter and will be a solid fit in what should be another strong Tigers secondary.
5. Western Michigan WR D'Wayne Eskridge
6 of 10
Western Michigan had a season for the ages in 2016. The Broncos went 13-0 and earned the Group of Five spot in the New Year's Six bowl games, losing to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl.
P.J. Fleck leveraged the success with Minnesota's head coaching job, but he isn't the only one cashing in. Corey Davis raised some eyebrows going No. 5 overall to the Tennessee Titans, but he's one of the most productive receivers in college history.
Davis is the all-time FBS receiving yardage leader with 5,278 yards. His 52 career touchdowns are No. 2 in FBS history, and his 331 career receptions are No. 4.
The Broncos face a titanic challenge in replacing him, especially considering that Michael Henry and Carrington Thompson (who combined for 105 catches, 1,416 yards and 10 touchdowns) also departed.
The clear choice to pick up the slack? Sophomore receiver D'Wayne Eskridge, who is the only returning WMU receiver with more than 10 career catches. He had 17 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown last fall.
Ready or not, Eskridge is in for a major jump in responsibility and production as the Broncos' obvious No. 1 receiver.
4. LSU RB Derrius Guice
7 of 10
Leonard Fournette was one of the most exciting, intriguing players in LSU history.
When he was healthy and plowing through opposing linebackers (or leaving them in his dust), he was a joy to watch. He rushed for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns as a sophomore, sparking questions about whether he'd return for his junior season or sit out and focus on the NFL draft.
Fournette came back, but leg injuries did hamper him, although he still rushed for 843 yards and eight touchdowns while playing in just seven games.
The absence of the Jacksonville Jaguars pick wasn't necessarily bad, however. It gave LSU a chance to see what Derrius Guice could do, and that is plenty.
The sophomore rushed for 1,387 yards with 15 touchdowns, including a 252-yard, two-score day versus Arkansas and a 285-yard, four-score effort versus Texas A&M. He was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2016 and will be a Heisman Trophy candidate as a junior.
Guice is a powerful runner who is a threat to go the distance every time he gets the ball. He'll be a centerpiece for LSU's offense this fall.
3. Stanford DE Dylan Jackson
8 of 10
Solomon Thomas didn't have to move far to find his NFL home. He was unblockable as a Stanford redshirt sophomore in 2016, racking up 62 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks for a tough Cardinal defense.
He made the right decision to give up his final two seasons of college eligibility; the San Francisco 49ers dropped down one spot and snagged him at No. 3 overall. How will Stanford replace him in its 3-4 scheme?
Look no further than redshirt sophomore Dylan Jackson. The 6'6", 261-pound end will be thrust into a much bigger role in 2017. He played in all 13 games in his first collegiate season, making 14 tackles with one tackle for loss.
While it would be a big reach to expect him to replicate Thomas' numbers, Jackson's production should spike significantly this fall.
2. North Carolina QB Brandon Harris
9 of 10
Mitchell Trubisky seemingly came out of nowhere as North Carolina's starting quarterback and as the No. 2 overall selection of the Chicago Bears.
After Marquise Williams led the Tar Heels to an ACC Coastal title in 2015, Trubisky grabbed the No. 1 role and ran with it, throwing for 3,748 yards and 37 touchdowns with six interceptions.
It should be noted, of course, that Trubisky battled Williams for the starting role as a freshman before returning to a backup role as a sophomore and finally finding the spotlight as a junior.
Now that he's achieved NFL draft success, where do head coach Larry Fedora and the Tar Heels turn to continue their offensive flow? It could be a player looking for a fresh start.
Brandon Harris never quite clicked in parts of three seasons with LSU, and he was removed from the starting role last fall after an opening-game upset at Wisconsin's hands.
But he was a poor fit in Les Miles' pro-style offense, and he could thrive under Fedora's watch after landing at North Carolina as a graduate transfer. Harris' QB coach, George Whitfield, said he could be a special player in Chapel Hill.
"Trubisky had 12 games and he's sitting at the same table as Deshaun Watson," Whitfield told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
A trio of players, including sophomore Nathan Elliott and redshirt freshmen Logan Byrd and Chazz Surratt, competed for the job in spring practice. But Harris is the clear favorite to start this fall and seems to be an excellent fit in the Tar Heels' fast-paced, wide-open scheme.
1. Texas A&M DE Qualen Cunningham
10 of 10
Replacing Myles Garrett with a single player is no easy task. The Texas A&M junior defensive end was a one-man wrecking crew during his Aggie career.
A freakishly athletic, high-motor player, he piled up 33 tackles with 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as a junior before making a no-doubt decision and heading to the NFL and the Cleveland Browns.
Who will take his place? The best bet is senior Qualen Cunningham, whom defensive coordinator John Chavis will need to develop from a solid backup into a trusted starter.
Cunningham has spent the past three seasons as a reserve end; last fall, he had 17 tackles and a sack while spelling Garrett and Daeshon Hall.
Cunningham is a disruptive athlete who stands 6'3", 240 pounds, but has never had a shot at extended playing time. To keep the Aggies' defense from slipping this fall, he'll need to be a true impact pass-rusher.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
