College Football Players Turning Heads During 2022 Spring Practices
Spring is the time for opportunity.
With some holdovers still nursing injuries following postseason surgeries and vacancy signs flashing as departing teammates prepare for the NFL draft, it's a perfect chance for guys to move in and make their case for playing time.
In some cases, erstwhile stars are trying to recapture their previous form. There are several mid-term freshmen looking to make an impact and already off to brilliant starts. Others are transfers trying out their new digs for the first time and wanting to prove to their new coaches they're the real deal.
Then there are players who are trying to return from injuries and making a big first step in that direction.
No matter where you turn, there are good-news stories about guys leaping forward this spring and stealing headlines. Your program has them, and while it's hard sifting through all the lip service, a handful of these players have gotten too much positive publicity to ignore.
Let's take a look at some of the college football players turning heads midway through spring practices.
Dominick Blaylock, Georgia Wide Receiver
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You've probably forgotten about just how promising Georgia receiver Dominick Blaylock's career once was.
Two knee surgeries, a pulled hamstring, a global pandemic and a Bulldogs national championship all have passed by since he was a factor in UGA's offense.
With him back this spring, it's a story that can't be told enough. He has battled so many injuries since his 2019 true freshman campaign when he caught 18 passes for 310 yards but scored five touchdowns. The 6'1", 205-pound former top-50 player from Marietta, Georgia, has a comeback on his mind.
With Jermaine Burton transferred to Alabama and George Pickens off to the NFL, major reps are available for the national champions at pass-catcher. While Adonai Mitchell and Ladd McConkey are going to hold down two of those receiving spots, Blaylock has a lot to prove.
He reportedly showed out in Saturday's scrimmage in Athens, according to DawgNation's Mike Griffith, and that is huge news for coach Kirby Smart. Blaylock is "close to being back in the same form he showed in 2019 as a freshman," Griffith wrote, per his sources.
Smart already told Griffith's DawgNation compadre Connor Riley earlier this spring that Blaylock was "wired in the right way" and "came up tough," and Blaylock noted the repaired knee is "feeling awesome." If he can return and make an impact on UGA's passing game, he could be a big weapon for quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Jadon Haselwood, Arkansas Wide Receiver
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If you had any doubts about just how Arkansas coach Sam Pittman sees his shiny new toy, Jadon Haselwood, at wide receiver, listen to what he said about him this week.
He thinks Haselwood, who is replacing Treylon Burks, has the opportunity to fill the huge void left behind by a guy who could be selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
"He's basically playing the same position which Burks played," Pittman told HawgBeat's Andrew Hutchinson. "He's very athletic and can do a lot of things we asked Burks to do. Certainly not trying to compare him to Treylon Burks—it's not fair to him—[but] we believe he can be that guy."
It's not a stretch for the Oklahoma transfer to think that way, either. He's the first of two former OU star prospects on this list who are looking for greener pastures after some up-and-down times in Norman.
The 6'3", 211-pounder has a couple of seasons of eligibility remaining, and he has some ground to make up. He was the nation's No. 4 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class, but he dealt with injuries while in Norman.
In three seasons with the Sooners, he caught 62 passes for 736 yards and seven touchdowns. His best season was his last, as he hauled in 39 receptions for 399 yards and six scores. But that's really just the tip of his potential.
Haselwood could wind up being a star in Fayetteville, and he's off to a great start.
Will Johnson, Michigan Cornerback
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At 6'3", 190 pounds, Will Johnson is tailor-made to play right away, even for a team that made the College Football Playoff a season ago.
The former 5-star prospect from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, was one of the nation's top playmakers coming out of high school and coach Jim Harbaugh's highest-rated pull in what was a very strong recruiting class. Coming in as a midterm enrollee, he was going to have every opportunity to carve out a role for himself.
Johnson didn't disappoint in spring practices, which just wrapped up for the maize and blue.
With most of the focus centering around who is going to start at quarterback for the Wolverines and where they are going to find a pass rush, Johnson is making a name for himself on the back end of the defense. It's going to be hard to keep him off the field and perhaps out of the starting lineup.
The Detroit News' Angelique S. Chengelis listed Johnson as one of the five players to watch in Michigan's spring game.
With the Wolverines needing to replace a couple of starters in the secondary, departing DB Brad Hawkins told WolverinesWire's Isaiah Hole that Johnson and Keon Sabb are a couple of freshmen standing out.
"I'd say Keon Sabb, freshman—Will Johnson," Hawkins said. "I haven't had the opportunity to really see, but from what I know and what I see around, I think for sure [those guys]."
There's a lot to love about the future of the secondary with a guy like Johnson leading the way.
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Bangally Kamara, Pittsburgh Linebacker
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Want a deep cut and a guy you've never heard of who is making a major splash this spring?
Try Pittsburgh Panthers' Swiss Army knife outside linebacker/safety Bangally Kamara, who looks like he is going to be a major playmaker this fall for a team in dire need of his services.
You know Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is always going to have players on that side of the ball who step up and answer the call on every level, and the Panthers need some impact linebackers. Kamara is somebody who is taking a big step forward.
The former little-known 3-star safety wasn't an instant game-changer, but he has grown and developed, and it may now be his turn. Though he only logged 80 total snaps a year ago, Kamara is ready.
When asked who caught his attention at a recent scrimmage, Narduzzi told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Johnny McGonigal, "Bangally was out of his mind. On Saturday, he was all over the place. He was impressive."
With Phil Campbell and Johnny Petrishen gone and Cam Bright transferring to Washington, two outside linebacker spots are up for grabs this spring, and Kamara is seizing control of one of them. At 6'2", 225 pounds, he is the ideal size to play the hybrid DB/LB "Money" position.
His teammates think he is a breakout player, according to Pittsburgh Sports Now's Karl Ludwig. So far, Kamara is living up to those expectations.
Shane Lee, USC Linebacker
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At one point in time, Shane Lee was the next big thing for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
That's no small feat when you're excelling as a freshman on a Nick Saban-coached team chock-full of talent. But that's exactly what Lee did back in 2019 when he was a 6'0", 240-pound starting middle linebacker for Alabama and earning Freshman All-American honors.
That season, he had 86 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and two forced fumbles for the national runner-up. The future was wide-open.
Then, suddenly, Lee was dealing with tons of injuries, opening the door for other players, and he never made it back into a starring role in Tuscaloosa. A sports hernia injury held him to five games in 2020, and he couldn't quite crack the rotation afterward.
Those circumstances led him to seek greener pastures, and he wound up across the country with Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans. While everybody wants to talk about Riley's offense, he's got to do a great job fixing the defense if the Trojans are going to make noise in the Pac-12. Lee is a big part of that.
Riley recently compared Lee's early time in Los Angeles to another former Crimson Tide transfer, Jalen Hurts, who starred for him as Oklahoma's quarterback. Riley told the Trojans Live program that Lee has been "instrumental within our program," since getting to USC.
"He adds a lot to the room," inside linebackers coach Brian Odom told Yahoo's Ryan Kartje. "His experiences, the way he talks, the way he carries himself, the way he works, his demeanor, he's all about ball. Everybody enjoys being around him, knows he's a serious guy. He's built quite a reputation to start."
Chandler Morris, TCU Quarterback
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Anybody who thought Max Duggan was going to run away with TCU's quarterback battle this spring doesn't know much about new coach Sonny Dykes.
The new head Horned Frog loves to "toss that tater," as they say in the Lone Star State, and Duggan is more of an athletic, dual-threat type. Chandler Morris is the best passer of the two, and he seems to have adapted well to the new system.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see him take the job in Fort Worth this season.
So far this spring, Morris is proving he can adapt and adjust. Dykes' offense never really asked much of his signal-callers throwing downfield, only executing a Air Raid offense with the short and intermediate passing game, which plays to Morris' strengths. He has shone so far.
Jeremy Clark of Horned Frog Blitz noted 10 players who have performed well this spring, and Morris was on that list.
"There were a couple of throws that Morris made that no other quarterback has been able to make this spring," Clark wrote. "Morris showed TCU fans what he could do against Baylor last year, and it looks like he's ready to take over the reins full-time. However, the battle is far from over."
Clark is referencing the 5'11", 175-pound quarterback's 461-yard performance in an upset win over the eventual Big 12 champion Bears. This won't be the first rodeo for the son of former SMU and Arkansas head coach Chad Morris, and he seems ready for the opportunity.
There is a lot of competition to go, but Morris is positioned well.
Isaiah Neyor, Texas Wide Receiver
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With the media frenzy surrounding Quinn Ewers this spring for a big-name, high-visibility program like the Texas Longhorns, it's hard to get any headlines.
But Isaiah Neyor is seizing them.
The Wyoming transfer who is originally from Arlington, Texas, took a bit of a circuitous route back to his home state school, but he's in Austin now, and everybody in burnt orange is glad he is. The 6'3", 218-pound pass-catcher looks like a guy who can take some of the pressure off Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington.
A season ago, Neyor was making plays all the way up in Laramie for the Cowboys as a second-year freshman following the COVID-19 season. He pulled down 44 passes for 878 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.
When he hit the transfer portal this spring, he committed to Tennessee but went ahead and visited Texas. Then, he flipped to the Longhorns. They're thrilled.
"I really like Isaiah Neyor," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian told the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton. "He's probably got a little more speed than I gave him credit for when we got him. He's a competitive guy. He's a great learner. He's dedicated to his craft is and what he's doing. So, on that front, very impressed with him."
With his long strides, big catch radius and explosive athleticism, Neyor has all the tangibles to be a star. He's showing that quickly in his new home.
Xazavian Valladay, Arizona State Running Back
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Given everything the Oklahoma Sooners lost when Lincoln Riley decided to leave for USC, it's not surprising to see a couple of former players on this list.
But to see two Wyoming Cowboys transfers turning heads for big-time programs in spring practice? Yeah, that's really unexpected and shows you just how well that Mountain West team has recruited recently and just how tough it's going to be to replace talent like WR Isaiah Neyor (Texas), QB Levi Williams (Utah State) and Xazavian Valladay (Arizona State).
Despite the NCAA concerns facing the Sun Devils, Valladay decided to close his college career in the desert playing for coach Herm Edwards.
He was an unheralded star in the Mountain West, but that didn't mean he'd translate in the Power Five. But, he's making a name for himself very early. With Rachaad White off to the NFL and DeaMonte Trayanum off to Ohio State to play linebacker, Arizona State needs runners.
Daniyel Ngata is back and could have a big season, but Valladay is making a name for himself, too. A season ago, he led Wyoming in rushing with 1,063 yards on 209 attempts and scored six times, adding 23 catches for 233 yards.
Running backs coach Shaun Aguano said Valladay can be "special" after seeing him this spring.
"X is that slasher guy," Aguano told SI.com's Donnie Druin. "I love his ability on a one-cut and getting vertical, he's quick. I think he is versatile in the pass game as well, kind of Rachaad-ish in a way. I think he's a little bit smaller than Rachaad [White], but I think he hits the first and second level with authority."
Adam Randall, Clemson Wide Receiver
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Sometimes it's tough sifting through all the positive words coaches heap all over freshmen through the spring and determining what is real.
On one hand, they may be excited about what they're seeing from the youngsters who are midterm enrollees, but those gushing comments don't always equal playing time come fall.
It sounds genuine, though, coming from Clemson coach Dabo Swinney with regard to Adam Randall, a former top-150 prospect from Myrtle Beach who is showing everybody he may be the next great pass-catcher for the Tigers.
That would be massive news for a team desperately needing to hang a "Help Wanted" sign over the offensive skill positions after a miserable offensive season a year ago. The 6'3", 215-pound receiver looks like he's going to be a valuable piece of the puzzle right away.
Not everybody owns a nickname like "Baby Julio," a reference to former Alabama and Atlanta Falcons future Hall of Fame receiver Julio Jones. Randall has a college-ready body, and while he still needs to learn the offense, the raw skill set is dynamic.
"He's rare," Swinney told the Post and Courier's Jon Blau. He went on to say Randall was right there with former receivers Sammy Watkins, Justyn Ross and Beaux Collins as the most physically ready to play at the position.
The Tigers could use a game-breaker at receiver, and while it's asking a lot of Randall to do that, players like Ross and Tee Higgins have done it recently. He could be the next youngster to be too good to keep off the field.
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina Quarterback
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Spencer Rattler's story is a cautionary tale that shows you just how quickly you can go from the top of the college football world to just another guy trying to make it.
A season ago, he was poised to be Oklahoma's redshirt sophomore starting quarterback and a favorite for the Heisman Trophy.
But after an uneven start to the season rife with inconsistency, he lost his job to Caleb Williams and wound up spending the rest of the season watching from the sideline. After the season, he entered the transfer portal and wound up at South Carolina with former assistant Shane Beamer.
Ironically, Williams is also no longer in Norman, following Lincoln Riley to USC as the Sooners and new coach Brent Venables start over with Dillon Gabriel at the helm. That's transfer portal-era football for you, right?
While Rattler may need to resurrect his career in Columbia, it's far from over. As a matter of fact, he's making the kind of noise this spring you'd hope for, and it's viable he could be the SEC's most impactful transfer if he can take the Gamecocks up a notch in 2022.
In an interview with Brandon Marcello of The College Football Daily podcast, Beamer said Rattler's decision to come to the Gamecocks may be a "program-changer."
So far in spring practice, Rattler is the unequivocal leader. Running back MarShawn Lloyd said the new signal-caller is the "real deal", according to Saturday Down South. Can that translate into consistent excitement on the field? If so, South Carolina may be a sleeper in the SEC East.
Nick Singleton, Penn State Running Back
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Head coach James Franklin is in an odd spot.
Do you play the veterans at Penn State like quarterback Sean Clifford and a stable of running backs who've been largely mediocre just because they're back in Happy Valley after leading the offense to two subpar seasons for a middle-of-the-row Nittany Lions team?
Or do you roll with uber-talented young freshmen who may not fully know what they're doing but have the ability to take the team to another level?
Quarterback prospect Drew Allar has been buzzworthy this spring, but Clifford is still getting first-team reps. But the place that should have the biggest opportunity is at running back, where Keyvone Lee and Devyn Ford are back but haven't done a ton in their college careers.
Midterm freshmen Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are on campus, and they certainly look the part. While Allen just missed being ranked in the top 150 prospects in the country (coming in at No. 153), Singleton was the nation's top-ranked running back, a 6'1", 210-pound prospect from Reading, Pennsylvania, who looks college-ready right now.
That's a massive one-two punch already making a mark.
"They're impressive. Those two guys are going to make it ultra competitive in that room," Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich told Lions247. "They're very explosive. And what's impressive to me is that they came out of high school and physically they're at a stage where they can do all things."
Either of those guys belong here because both could carve huge roles right away for a Penn State team that finished 13th out of 14 Big Ten teams a year ago in rushing. They need an overhaul in that area, and while the offensive line needs to do its part, the Singleton-Allen combo is a next-level tandem.
Ameer Speed, Michigan State Cornerback
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As badly as Penn State needs help running the football, on the other side, Michigan State getting some assistance in the defensive backfield is necessary.
This is a program on the cusp of greatness, nearing the same stratosphere as Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten. But the Spartans have to fix the secondary in a huge way.
Not only were the Spartans last in the Big Ten in pass defense a season ago, but they were also dead-last out of 130 teams nationally. All that said, they went 11-2 and beat the hated rival Wolverines, who went to the College Football Playoff.
Fix the defense, and Michigan State could be a national championship contender.
The team helped that cause by going and getting Georgia defensive back Ameer Speed, who was mired in that deep and crowded defensive backfield for the national champion Bulldogs and finished last year with just 13 tackles (25 for his entire career).
While that doesn't sound like a guy who is going to make too much of an impact, he's helping turn things around in East Lansing this spring.
"He's a great DB," Michigan State receiver Tre Mosley told Spartan Tailgate's Stephen Brooks. "Has the length, has the speed. So it's great seeing something like that in practice, so when you get to the game it's not a surprise when you're playing against a longer DB. It gives you a great opportunity to get some good work in here in practice."
It's still very early in spring drills at Michigan State, but the Spartans need some new faces to make major impacts, and the sixth-year senior could do that and bring championship aspirations, too. He just needs to build on what he's already doing.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference. Player rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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