CFB Players We'll Miss Most During the 2020 Fall Season
After the 2019 college football campaign ended with LSU toppling Clemson, we expected the 2020 season to feature all of the nation's best players.
Reality had a different plan.
No matter your opinion on the decisions, the postponements of the Big Ten's and Pac-12's seasons and players' opt-outs have trimmed the group of stars hitting the field in the fall.
Saturdays won't be the same without Justin Fields leading the Ohio State offense and Kedon Slovis trying to bring USC back to relevance. Or Rondale Moore putting a poor defender or six onto a highlight film.
Once the season begins, fans and analysts will adjust. But the sidelined stars deserve a moment in the spotlight.
The list is ordered alphabetically by last name and does not include injured players, such as Clemson wideout Justyn Ross.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
1 of 10
Minnesota wanted to prove its 11-2 season in 2019 was no fluke. And with Tanner Morgan returning at quarterback, Rashod Bateman had a chance to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver.
While sharing the field with the program's all-time leading receiver in Tyler Johnson, Bateman reeled in 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns. He provided the rare blend of high volume and efficiency, ranking eighth nationally at 20.3 yards per catch. Among that group, only Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb and LSU's Ja'Marr Chase averaged more receptions.
We hoped to see Bateman challenge for the Biletnikoff in 2020 as Minnesota's featured target.
Instead, he opted out Aug. 4 to start preparing for the 2021 NFL draft. The Big Ten postponed the season a week later.
Kennedy Brooks, RB, Oklahoma
2 of 10
Jalen Hurts graduated. Trey Sermon transferred to Ohio State. Rhamondre Stevenson may be unavailable for the first five games of 2020, pending an appeal. That trio combined for 2,198 yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground last season for Oklahoma.
Kennedy Brooks accounted for 1,011 of the Sooners' 1,165 other rushing yards, with six scores. However, he opted out of the upcoming campaign.
Brooks averaged just 11.9 carries per game last season yet ranked 23rd nationally at 6.5 yards per attempt. He would've held a larger role in 2020 because quarterback Spencer Rattler isn't as much of a runner as Hurts, and Oklahoma's running backs behind Stevenson have little college experience.
The Sooners will rely on T.J. Pledger, Marcus Major, Seth McGowan and Mikey Henderson to replace Brooks and Stevenson.
Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
3 of 10
Joe Burrow deserves much of the credit for LSU's breakout 2019 season, but Ja'Marr Chase provided a true dynamic element.
Chase soared from a complementary piece as a freshman to the nation's best wideout in his sophomore year. He pulled in 84 passes for FBS highs of 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns, also ranking fourth in the country with 21.2 yards per catch.
Chase, however, opted out in late August and declared for the 2021 draft. Now, other than Terrace Marshall Jr., the defending champs need to revamp their entire offensive skill-position group.
Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
4 of 10
Last season, Ohio State lost to Clemson in the College Football Playoff after Justin Fields finished third in Heisman Trophy voting. This year, most preseason projections had the Buckeyes as a top national title contender, with Fields and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the leading candidates for the Heisman.
Call it revenge, redemption or whatever you'd like, but Fields isn't going to have an opportunity to win those battles.
Fields totaled 3,757 yards and 51 touchdowns from scrimmage in his first season as a starter. It's a major understatement to say that missing his encore is disappointing.
Though he has yet to declare for the 2021 draft, it would be stunning if Fields plays another snap for Ohio State.
Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis
5 of 10
In 2017 and 2018 combined, Darrell Henderson topped 3,500 yards from scrimmage. Patrick Taylor Jr. amassed more than 2,300 as the backup, so he entered 2019 with high expectations. But an ankle injury in the opener against Mississippi sidelined him for two months.
And it created a chance for Kenneth Gainwell.
The redshirt freshman capitalized on the opportunity and quickly emerged as one of the nation's most impressive running backs. He scampered for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns, also catching 51 passes for 610 yards and three scores.
Gainwell opted out of the season Sunday and, like Bateman and Chase, will begin preparing for the 2021 draft.
Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
6 of 10
The worst part of Rondale Moore not taking the field? It basically means two full years without watching him play.
As a true freshman in 2018, he dazzled the nation as a receiver, returner and rusher. Moore caught 114 passes for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns, amassed 744 yards as a kick and punt returner and took 21 carries for 213 yards and two scores. He broke a Purdue record with 2,215 all-purpose yards.
However, Moore suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth game of his sophomore season, ending his year prematurely.
Moore, who opted out before the Big Ten postponed the season Aug. 11, has declared for the 2021 draft. He'll join Bateman as one of the best receivers in the class.
Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
7 of 10
Micah Parsons earned a 5-star billing as a defensive end in high school. After he arrived on campus, Penn State turned a few heads because Parsons started working at middle linebacker.
That turned out to be a good choice.
Parsons had 83 tackles in his freshman season and developed into a first-team All-American last year. Along with a team-best 109 stops, he collected 14 tackles for loss with five sacks, five pass breakups, four hurries and four forced fumbles.
That level of disruption all over the field is flat-out special. And his versatility will likely lead to an early first-round selection during the 2021 draft.
Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
8 of 10
Gregory Rousseau was the nation's returning leader in sacks. The Miami edge-rusher collected 15.5 last season, trailing only Ohio State star Chase Young's 16.5.
Although the 'Canes are playing this fall, Rousseau won't be joining the ACC squad. He opted out and will focus on the 2021 draft.
Miami landed Temple transfer Quincy Roche—the 2019 AAC Defensive Player of the Year—so expectations were high. Factor in UCLA transfer Jaelan Phillips—the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2017 class who had to sit out last season—and the Hurricanes had a stacked edge-rushing trio.
Instead, it's Roche and Phillips leading the way. That's still a terrific pair, but Rousseau would've made the D-line stellar.
Kedon Slovis, QB, USC
9 of 10
JT Daniels seemed like USC's long-term answer at quarterback, but a knee injury in the 2019 opener shoved Kedon Slovis into the lineup.
He took full advantage of the opportunity.
Slovis completed 71.9 percent of his passes with 30 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. The freshman ranked ninth nationally with 291.8 yards per game—a number that would've risen to 342.8 if you exclude his being an injury replacement against Fresno State and his own injury opposite Utah.
Heading into 2020, USC boasted a receiving corps with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tyler Vaughns and Drake London, who combined for 190 catches, 2,521 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. The Trojans likely would've had one of the nation's most productive passing attacks.
The Pac-12 announced it would be postponing fall sports Aug. 11.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon
10 of 10
While left tackle Penei Sewell is arguably the best player in the country, Kayvon Thibodeaux provided the flash at Oregon.
As a true freshman, the edge-rusher posted 35 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks. While the stats officially credit Thibodeaux with four hurries, he undoubtedly created more havoc. He also forced a fumble and blocked a punt.
Since Thibodeaux became a consistent presence late in 2019, this was supposed to be his first chance at making a season-long impact. Nevertheless, he's expected to return for the 2021 campaign and will probably enter the 2022 NFL draft.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research.
Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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