2017 JUCO Transfers Who Impressed During College Football Spring Practice

Recruiting classes mostly offer hope for the future, but college football teams sometimes add talent from the junior college ranks to fill a starting role or provide depth at a thin position.

Spring practice marks the first opportunity for many of the JUCO transfers to make a positive impression, and several players around the country took advantage of the recent chance.

We're highlighting 10 of the most noteworthy performers—players who not only turned heads during the spring but also have a legitimate shot at occupying a significant role in 2017.

The list, which only considered transfers from the 2017 recruiting cycle, is organized alphabetically by school.

Isaiah Buggs, DE, Alabama

Alabama has a few vacancies on its defensive front, and Isaiah Buggs looks prepared to secure a regular role.

That shouldn't be a surprise, considering his JUCO production. He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where the 6'5", 292-pound defensive end posted 134 total tackles with 18 stops for loss and seven sacks.

Buggs displayed that skill during his first spring in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

"He looks good," starting left tackle Jonah Williams said, per Tony Tsoukalas of BamaInsider.com. "He's doing a good job. You can tell he's a hard worker and he's learning the defense."

Raekwon Davis and Quinnen Williams are Buggs' primary competitors for the starting job, but he's a lock to impact the 2017 rotation.

Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn

Todd J. Van Emst/Associated Press

Another day, more offseason attention for Jarrett Stidham.

A unique member of the list, he didn't play organized football in 2016. After leaving Baylor, Stidham took classes at McLennan Community College and retained three years of eligibility.

The gunslinger joined Auburn in time for spring practice, and Stidham backed up his 5-star billing while making a positive impression on his teammates.

"He comes in every day ready to work," running back Kerryon Johnson said, per Justin Ferguson of SEC Country. "He's a very vocal leader. Some people vocally, some show by their actions. Jarrett is one of those guys who really comes in every day. He brings energy."

Stidham only played one half in the spring game, but he completed 16-of-20 attempts for 267 yards and earned MVP honors.

Dante Wigley, CB, Colorado

Colorado must try to replace Ahkello Witherspoon and Chidobe Awuzie at corner and Tedric Thompson at safety. Each of those players heard their names called in the 2017 NFL draft.

Dante Wigley, who redshirted at Georgia Tech in 2015 before playing JUCO for a year, might be one answer.

"We're excited about having Dante here," head coach Mike MacIntyre said, per Adam Munsterteiger of Scout.com. "He is a very physical, athletic corner. He is catching on to everything, working hard and doing great in school, so I am excited about what Dante has done so far and I expect him to help us a lot this fall."

While playing for Holmes Community College last season, he recorded 30 tackles, six pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Matt Eaton, WR, Iowa State

Iowa State's offensive makeover under Matt Campbell may have received a boost with 4-star receiver Matt Eaton.

"He's got some dynamic ability to him that when he moves on the field, you take notice," position coach Bryan Gasser said, per Austin Anderson of the Iowa State Daily. "He has a really good attack off the line and a really good attack in his routes. I think he's going to be a guy that's going to be fun to watch these next couple years."

Per Anderson, starting quarterback Jacob Park added: "Y'all ain't seen Matt Eaton yet, but he's a freak too."

At Pearl River Community College, the 6'4" target led the team with 37 catches and 392 yards. The JUCO season followed two years—one of which Eaton redshirted—at Temple.

Peyton Bender, QB, Kansas

The position battle is undecided, but Peyton Bender left a promising impression on Kansas' practice field.

During the spring game, Bender recorded an 11-of-15 line with 143 yards and two touchdowns—including a game-winning five-yard score to Daylon Charlot in the fourth quarter.

"Peyton has a poise about him that I really like," head coach David Beaty said, per Benton Smith of the Lawrence Journal-World. "I saw it on the tape when we were recruiting him ... He's got little bit of a poise to him that's pretty unique that I like."

Bender began his college career at Washington State, redshirting in 2014 before throwing 91 passes and making one start in 2015. He moved on to Itawamba Community College last season, tallying 2,733 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Carter Stanley is competing with Bender for the starting nod.

Kereon Merrell, CB, Marshall

Joel Auerbach/Associated Press

Marshall returns a pair of starting cornerbacks in Rodney Allen and Chris Jackson, but defensive coordinator Chuck Heater likes what he's seen from Kereon Merrell.

"He's got a good skill set and he's done a good job coming in new," Heater said, per Grant Traylor of the Herald-Dispatch. "Coming in new, it's always hard in the middle of winter, but he adapted to that and did a good job of battling through it."

Merrell played one season at Dodge City Community College, registering 26 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions.

The 5'11" corner is expected to secure a regular role for 2017. And since Jackson missed a portion of the spring, Merrell shouldn't be counted out of the starter discussion, either.

Kendall Sheffield, CB, Ohio State

Credit: Scout

Kendall Sheffield

Kendall Sheffield watched from the sideline as Alabama won the national championship two years ago, and he notched 31 tackles and two interceptions for Blinn College last season.

Now, he's looking to replace either of Ohio State's first-round NFL draft picks, Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley.

The 6'0", 183-pound Sheffield earned some attention from head coach Urban Meyer, who said the sophomore unsurprisingly put together a better spring than the Buckeyes' early enrolling freshmen, per Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch.

Plus, per Tim Shoemaker of Eleven Warriors, cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said Sheffield "had a fantastic spring."

Sheffield will compete with Damon Arnette for the starting spot opposite Denzel Ward, but there's little doubt a reloading Ohio State secondary will use the JUCO transfer this fall.

Marcelias Sutton, RB, Oklahoma

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Replacing a 4,000-yard rusher in Samaje Perine and a versatile back in Joe Mixon will be a team effort for Oklahoma. Marcelias Sutton seems likely to join that endeavor.

"You watch him and he just runs angry," quarterback Baker Mayfield said, per Abby Bitterman of the OU Daily. "And it's fun to watch because he doesn't quit until it's over, so he's always fighting for the extra yards."

Sutton made his first semi-public appearance in the spring game, gaining 63 yards on 10 carries and scoring once. By no means does that performance buy him carries in the fall, but he showed his value as a backup to Abdul Adams and Rodney Anderson.

Additionally, the Sooners might choose to utilize Sutton—who tallied 2,004 all-purpose yards over two seasons at Lackawanna College—as a returner on special teams.

Kai Higgins, DE, Purdue

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Kai Higgins isn't a household name. But after eight tackles with three sacks in Purdue's spring game, he's earned some attention.

"I haven't met someone who can come in so fast and have such an impact," defensive tackle Gelen Robinson said, per Mike DeFabo of CNHI Sports Indiana (h/t the Herald-Bulletin). "He's been an important part of our defense."

The Boilermakers have shifted Robinson to the inside, creating a space for Higgins to become a first-teamer on the edge. Even if he doesn't secure that role, shaky depth will keep Higgins in the rotation along with Austin Bryant and Antoine Miles.

As a freshman at Chaffey College last season, Higgins recorded 25 tackles and three sacks.

Corrion Ballard, S, Utah

Before spring practice even started, Utah showed confidence in Corrion Ballard as a potential starter. The coaches listed him as the first-team free safety on the initial depth chart.

And it doesn't appear that will be changing soon. Dirk Facer of the Deseret News noted head coach Kyle Whittingham listed Ballard among the standout players late in the spring.

He collected 41 tackles, eight pass breakups and three interceptions as a teammate of Sheffield's at Blinn College last year. Ballard also had 17 tackles and three PBU in 2015.

Barring an unexpected rise from Phillip Afia, Ballard will soon officially replace 2017 second-round draft pick Marcus Williams.

All recruiting information via Scout. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.