The 10 Best Sidekicks to College Football Superstars in 2018
Every Batman needs a Robin. Chewbacca bailed Han Solo out multiple times. Where would the Lone Ranger be without Tonto?
The sidekick doesn't get many of the headlines, but that doesn't take away from his value. It's the same way in college football. In most cases, the superstar wouldn't be where he is without at least some of the attention going to his teammate.
During the 2017 season, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick thrived for the national championship-winning Crimson Tide, but Ronnie Harrison was a standout safety in the same defensive backfield. While everybody knows Georgia's Nick Chubb, fellow senior Sony Michel elevated his game to help beat Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff.
Spinning forward to the '18 season, college football's top teams and conference contenders aren't just one-man shows, either. From lightly regarded Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello to the "other" guy on Clemson's stacked defensive line, Austin Bryant, there are countless unsung heroes.
For some teams, it's the quarterback's go-to target at receiver. Others have major contributors coming back who don't get the same acclaim as their teammates but are just as valuable.
Looking at past performance, potential and the possibility of an increased role with others out of eligibility, here are the top sidekicks in college football.
Juwan Johnson, WR, Penn State
1 of 10
Superstar teammate: QB Trace McSorley
Johnson's past: The sophomore receiver had 54 catches for 701 yards in 2017, emerging as one of McSorley's go-to weapons. With DaeSean Hamilton and his 857 yards and nine touchdowns off to the NFL, Johnson was more of a big-bodied possession receiver, but he'll have to emerge as Target No. 1 in 2018.
2018 outlook: Not only is Hamilton gone, but so are deep threat Saeed Blacknall, do-it-all tight end Mike Gesicki and megastar running back Saquon Barkley. It is vital that McSorley can depend on Johnson to be an offensive force as the Nittany Lions break in more weapons.
The only scoring grab Johnson had a season ago was massive. He hauled in the game-winning score to beat Iowa on the final play of the game. The 6'4", 226-pound pass-catcher found his comfort zone in the team's last four games, totaling 22 catches for 312 yards.
That needs to be a sign of things to come if McSorley is going to continue as one of the most productive quarterbacks in the nation. For PSU to be successful, Johnson needs a 1,000-yard season and to replace the scoring output of Hamilton.
K.J. Costello, QB, Stanford
2 of 10
Superstar teammate: RB Bryce Love
Costello's past: Stanford's fortunes turned around in 2017 when the Cardinal inserted Costello for Keller Chryst, and he wound up completing 59 percent of his passes for 1,573 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions.
That's the only collegiate production from the rising junior who'll need to play a bigger role in 2018 if the Cardinal are going to compete for a Pac-12 title in Heisman Trophy runner-up Bryce Love's final season in Palo Alto.
2018 outlook: Nobody is expecting Costello to carry the team, including head coach David Shaw. That wasn't his role last year, and it won't be again this season. Against Stanford, you know what's coming, and the Cardinal still dare you to stop it.
Shaw wants to run the football a lot, and there's no reason he shouldn't with college football's biggest playmaker returning in home run threat Love. But everybody in the nation knows what Love can do now. That puts pressure on Costello.
When teams load the box, Costello has to be able to distribute the ball to playmakers in the passing game. With Love and a veteran offensive line returning, all the pieces are in place for Costello to improve that completion percentage while maintaining what has been a stellar touchdown-to-interception ratio.
DaMarkus Lodge, WR, Ole Miss
3 of 10
Superstar teammate: WR A.J. Brown
Lodge's past: After grabbing just one ball as a freshman, Lodge has seen his production steadily increase. In 2016, he caught 15 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Then, last year, he teamed with Brown and D.K. Metcalf to prove Ole Miss didn't need Shea Patterson to field a prolific passing attack. He wound up with 41 catches for 698 yards and seven touchdowns.
2018 outlook: Brown is the best wide receiver you've probably never heard of, and with Alabama's Calvin Ridley and Texas A&M's Christian Kirk off to the NFL, he'll carry the torch as the SEC's top playmaker.
But one of the main reasons for his production is that opponents can't just key on him. They have to deal with Metcalf and Lodge, who should each put up big-time numbers with senior quarterback Jordan Ta'amu flicking the ball all over the field.
The Rebels may not be bowl-eligible for a second consecutive season because of NCAA issues under the Hugh Freeze regime, but Lodge is a 6'2", 199-pound reason to watch Ole Miss.
That offense is must-see TV, and it isn't out of the realm of possibility for Lodge to post 700 to 800 receiving yards and approach double-digit touchdowns.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
4 of 10
Superstar teammate: RB Rodney Anderson, WR Marquise Brown
Lamb's past: CeeDee Lamb may have looked like just another stat hound in a 2017 Oklahoma offense that put up ridiculous numbers every game, but he burst onto the scene as a true freshman to post some of the top numbers in the Big 12. He finished with 46 catches for 807 yards and seven touchdowns.
2018 outlook: Those Nintendo numbers Oklahoma posted in 2017 probably won't be quite so prolific with Baker Mayfield gone to the NFL, but there are still plenty of playmakers available for expected starter and Texas A&M transfer Kyler Murray.
The big-play guy in that offense will remain Brown, who has the wheels to turn any catch into a touchdown. There's also a dynamic duo in the backfield with Anderson and Trey Sermon. But Lamb could build off his quality freshman season again.
This likely won't be the same type of Sooners offense with Murray's dual-threat ability, but head coach Lincoln Riley is still going to throw it around, which is good news for Lamb and Co.
Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
5 of 10
Superstar teammates: DE Clelin Ferrell, DTs Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins
Bryant's past: Austin Bryant came out of relative obscurity for a huge season in '17, finishing with 50 tackles, including 15.5 for a loss, 8.5 sacks and an interception. As a productive role player his first two seasons for the Tigers, he had 6.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks.
2018 outlook: If you haven't heard that much about Bryant, you're in the majority. Clemson fans know who he is, because all the 6'4", 265-pound edge-rusher does is make plays when he's on the field.
The NFL scouts drool over Ferrell, who is a pass-rushing marvel who returned to Clemson despite being projected as a high draft pick, and Wilkins, who already looks like a 10-year NFL vet. Then there's Lawrence, who is an imposing physical presence who can play in any base package.
But Bryant is known by scouts, too. He is big and physical and still extremely fast off the edge. Coach Dabo Swinney has an embarrassment of riches on the defensive line, and there's no way offenses can prepare for them all. Bryant could reach double-figure sack totals in his senior season.
Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
6 of 10
Superstar teammate: Deondre Francois, QB
Akers' past: As one of the most highly regarded first-year tailbacks in college football, Cam Akers didn't disappoint. The Mississippi product finished with 1,025 yards and seven touchdowns on a 5.3-yard average, and that was with Francois out for the season.
2018 outlook: Can you imagine what Akers' numbers are going to look like with balance on that offense?
Perhaps the best thing that could have happened to Akers was the hiring of Willie Taggart, who is known as one of the best running back developers in the country. It also helps that FSU can rely on rising senior Jacques Patrick to spell him. But this is Akers' running game, and he'll have an even more expanded role.
Francois will try to build on an immaculate freshman season after last year was spoiled because of injury. With Akers behind him, that will be much easier to accomplish. He may wind up being the top running back in the ACC and one of the best in the country.
Alex Hornibrook, QB Wisconsin
7 of 10
Superstar teammate: RB Jonathan Taylor
Hornibrook's past: In his second full season as the starter, Alex Hornibrook was excellent, leading the Badgers to an undefeated record until the Big Ten Championship Game loss to Ohio State. He had 2,644 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while completing 62 percent of his passes.
As a redshirt freshman in '16, he completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,262 yards, nine touchdowns and seven picks.
2018 outlook: Though the Orange Bowl was not the Badgers' desired postseason game, they finished the season with a resounding win over Miami. They also realized over the course of the 2017 campaign that they could rely on Hornibrook, who emerged as more than just a game manager.
True freshman Taylor was one of college football's top stars, running for 1,977 yards and 13 touchdowns, but Hornibrook made sure it wasn't a one-man show. Look for his numbers to improve even more in the signal-caller's final two seasons in Madison.
He'll never have the biggest arm or be able to hit the deep ball with precision, but Hornibrook can do a ton within the framework of Paul Chryst's offense, and he will.
Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
8 of 10
Superstar teammate: DE Nick Bosa
Jones' past: Like most Buckeyes, Dre'Mont Jones had to watch his first season in Columbus, but the past two years were successful. He registered 51 tackles, including four for loss in 2016. Those numbers dipped with all the talent around him in '17 with 20 tackles, including five for loss and a sack, but he did the things defensive coordinator Greg Schiano wanted him to do.
2018 outlook: It's a major boost to Ohio State to have Jones coming back for his redshirt junior season when he was expected to be a high draft pick. The 6'3", 295-pound defensive tackle will help plug the middle and make things easier on the Buckeyes' pass-rushing terrors.
Bosa has high hopes for OSU with Jones' decision to return, believing the Buckeyes could field the "best pass-rushing unit ever," he told Cleveland.com's Doug Lesmerises. Sam Hubbard and Co. are gone, but the Buckeyes still have star talents such as Chase Young ready to step in and be studs.
With Jones in the middle, it will allow them to. It would be a big season for Jones to finish with 30-40 tackles and a few sacks while plugging up the middle against the run. If he stays healthy, the NFL awaits.
David Sills V, WR, West Virginia
9 of 10
Superstar teammate: QB Will Grier
Sills' past: There are few more windy roads to the cusp of stardom than David Sills V's at West Virginia. He was a 13-year-old quarterback commit to Lane Kiffin's USC Trojans but nearly fell off the map at the position and signed as a signal-caller with the Mountaineers. After struggling his first year, he went the JUCO route and re-emerged in Morgantown last year as a junior receiver.
All he did was become a Biletnikoff Award finalist for the nation's top receiver, grabbing 60 passes for 980 yards and 18 touchdowns.
2018 outlook: With those numbers above, you'd think Sills would be considered a star. But once Will Grier went down with a season-ending injury, the pass-catcher really struggled as nobody could get him the ball.
With Grier returning to West Virginia and the tool set to be the nation's top quarterback, Sills should shine again. The dynamic duo need each other, and the 6'3", 201-pound receiver can be as prolific as any pass-catcher in the nation when Grier is healthy.
They should team up to be the nation's top QB-WR tandem if they both remain healthy, and then the only question will be where Sills is selected in the NFL draft.
Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington
10 of 10
Superstar teammate: QB Jake Browning
Gaskin's past: This may seem like a stretch to say Myles Gaskin isn't a superstar, but few in the NFL seem to think so. That's just fine with Washington, which will return one of its offensive centerpieces in 2018 to go along with stud quarterback Jake Browning.
In each of his first three seasons in Seattle, Gaskin has rushed for more than 1,300 yards, and he has amassed 49 total touchdowns, including an eye-popping 24 last year.
2018 outlook: There's no better sidekick in all of college football than rising senior running back Gaskin. As a matter of fact, he probably qualifies as a star.
At 5'10", 203 pounds, you'd think Gaskin would be coveted by NFL teams, but while he certainly has a pro future, he isn't one of the guys who has scouts drooling. With Browning back, the Huskies again are expected to be a balanced attack, and with Lavon Coleman off to the NFL, this is exclusively Gaskin's backfield.
Offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith has gone to Oregon State to be the head coach, and how that changes Washington's offense remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Gaskin will be one of the biggest parts of it.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
