College Football Predictions: 25 Breakout Stars To Watch in 2011
College football's 2010 season has come to an end and there were plenty of breakout stars to watch this past year. Names like Cam Newton, Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus broke onto the national scene this past season after being unknowns for the most part of 2009.
But now, with this season coming to a close, it is never too early to look ahead to next season and what players might take that next step and become college football's breakout stars. With the departure of a record-setting amount of underclassmen entering April's National Football League draft, many players will have the chance to start their own college football legacy in 2011.
Let's take a look at 25 guys who could have breakout seasons in 2011.
25. Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston
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Edwards has been putting up solid numbers since his freshman year, but now with his senior year approaching, he will be sure to become a household name.
The only reason that people haven't heard about Edwards yet is because he plays for a small school in Conference USA. But if you take a look at his numbers, Edwards has already caught over 200 balls for 2,755 yards and 23 touchdowns in his three years at Houston.
With the likely return of Case Keenum next season, Edwards could very well be one of the nations best receivers in 2011.
24. Dillon Baxter, RB, USC
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Baxter was considered by many to be the highest recruited running back coming into college football this season.
In his freshman season at USC, he was thrown into a crowded running back group that included Allen Bradford and Marc Tyler. But with Bradford's departure, the door is open to Baxter to have a breakout season in 2011.
He was so impressive in camp that the Trojans did not want to red shirt him last year. In limited time, Baxter rushed for 252 yards and a touchdown, while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Next year should be his year to shine in Southern California.
23. B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan State
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B.J. Cunningham has steadily been one of the best receivers in Michigan State history, and they have produced some good ones.
The to-be-senior wideout has totaled just under 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns in his three years at MSU. He is a three-year starter whose numbers have increased with every season he has played. With the graduation of the Spartans' other top receiver, Mark Dell, the passing game will be in the hands of Kirk Cousins and Cunningham in 2011.
Look for Cunningham to be the next big name receiver to come from Michigan State and potentially make an impact not only in 2011, but at the next level as well.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Malcom Brown, RB, Texas
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Malcom Brown is considered by many National recruiting analysts to be the top running back in next year's freshman class.
The 6'0", 220 pound Brown has committed to Texas and should be the best rusher on the Longhorn's roster from the second he arrives on campus. Texas struggled in every phase on offense this past season, but their lack of production in the running game was a huge factor that Mack Brown had to address in this year's recruiting class.
Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, Malcom Brown? We shall see.
21. Tyler Shoemaker, WR, Boise State
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Talk about someone who has a real chance to breakout in 2011. Boise State wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker could very well be just that guy.
Shoemaker, a talented athlete from Meridian, Idaho, has shown signs of brilliance in his first three years at Boise State. The only problem here is that he has been forced to play behind two of the top receivers in the country in Austin Pettis and Titus Young. With a new year approaching, that is not the case anymore.
Shoemaker should be the No.1 option in the Broncos passing game next year, and with standout quarterback Kellen Moore returning, that could very well mean big numbers for Shoemaker in 2011.
20. Cliff Harris, DB, Oregon
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Not only is he one of the most explosive return men in the college football, but he is also one of the top cover corners.
Harris had a great year in 2010, but with his speed and wide range of skill, he should be one of the biggest names in college football next season.
Harris tied for fourth in the nation this season with six interceptions. With Oregon expected to be in the national spotlight again in 2011, you can only assume that Harris will be one of the main factors in all that preseason hype.
19. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
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Geno Smith showed signs of greatness in his first year as the full-time signal caller for West Virginia.
The Mountaineers' sophomore quarterback threw for 2,763 yards and 24 touchdowns, compared to just seven interceptions in 2010. He was proficient as a passer and also showed the ability to run, with three games of over 40 yards rushing.
This will be a new look year for West Virgina as four-year starter Noel Devine will depart, and Smith will be looked at to put up the big numbers in this offense.
18. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford
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Taylor had an exceptional season for one of the best teams in the country, but because of how effective Stanford's passing game was, he was often overlooked at times.
With the graduation of some of Andrew Luck's top targets, Taylor should play an even bigger role in 2011. He rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, and should surpass those numbers in the upcoming year.
Taylor is more athletic and faster then former Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, who was a Heisman finalist two years ago and is now with the Minnesota Vikings. Taylor could be that next big name in line at Stanford.
17. Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
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Griffin very well could have more potential than any college football quarterback.
At 6'2", 220 pounds and elite speed, Griffin is a menace for opposing teams to game-plan for. In one game against Colorado earlier this year, Griffin passed for 234 yards and ran for 137 yards. He suffered a devastating injury in his sophomore year, but came back strong last year and should be even better in 2011.
It is fair to say that Griffin could be one of those dark horse Heisman candidates heading into next year's college football season.
16. Robbie Rouse, RB, Fresno State
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After Ryan Matthews took off for the NFL last year, Rouse stepped up and had a tremendous sophomore season. He rushed for 1,129 and eight touchdowns, while averaging well over five yards per carry.
Rouse hit the 200-yard mark in back-to-back games this season against Louisiana Tech and Nevada. He was just 14 yards away from reaching 300 yards in the Bulldogs 40-34 win over Louisiana Tech.
Just like some of the other guys that appear on this list, Rouse does not play one of the better conferences in football, so the national exposure is simply not there. No worries, it should be in 2011.
15. Jonathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
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There was a period there where UCLA was producing some of the best running backs in the nation with guys like Deshaun Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew going on to have successful professional careers.
But as of late, those types of running backs have been hard to find in Westwood. Not anymore.
At 5'10" 200 pounds, with great speed and power, Franklin could be that next big name in line for UCLA. He rushed for 1,127 yards and eight touchdowns in his sophomore season. Keep in mind that UCLA did not have a good season and were forced to throw the ball more then would have liked this past year.
If the Bruins can get back to winning games and running the football then Franklin should have a breakout season in 2011.
14. Dan Persa, QB, Northwestern
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If it wasn't for a season ending rupture of his Achilles tendon, Dan Persa very could could have been the Big Ten's offensive player of the year.
Persa threw for over 3,000 yards in his junior season and finished his season with the ninth-best passer rating in the nation. He also showed the ability to get it done with his feet as he gave opposing Big Ten defenses fits all season long.
If he is able to recover from his injury, look for Persa to hit the national spotlight in a big way in 2011.
13. Robert Lester, DB, Alabama
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Lester hit the scene in a big way during his sophomore season, becoming Alabama's most reliable defensive back.
Lester ranked second in the country with eight interceptions this season while leading the Crimson Tide to a 10-3 season. He was a known name this season, but with the departure of Patrick Peterson, Lester very well could become the most well known name of any corner in college football next season.
Assuming he stays healthy, look for Lester to have another exceptional year in 2011 and be an NFL first round draft pick whenever he is ready to come out.
12. Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State
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If it wasn't for playing in the Mountain West conference and a couple of guys by the name of Marcus Lattimore and Michael Dyer, Hillman very well could have been the most talked about freshman running back in all of college football.
In his freshman season, Hillman rushed for 1,532 and 17 touchdowns while helping lead San Diego State to a 9-4 season.
If he can top those numbers in 2011, Hillman very well could be one the biggest breakout stars in college football next year.
11. Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii
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There weren't many quarterbacks in the country whose numbers can compare to Hawaii junior Bryant Moniz.
Moniz passed for 5,040 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2010. But again, like so many players on the list, he was not recognized because his team played such a poor strength of schedule.
If I remember correctly, former Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan became a household name late in his career at Hawaii, and with those type of numbers, Moniz should be right there with him.
10. Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Troy
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If you don't know about Jonathan Massaquoi, you should. If you wait until midway through next season to read about him, it might very well be too late.
Massaquoi was a force this season for the Troy Trojans. He ranked second in the nation with 13.5 sacks, only trailing Bruce Irvin and Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers, who is a projected top-5 pick in this year's NFL draft.
Like I said, if you don't know now, you will soon.
9. Wisconsin RB's James White and Montee Ball
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There might not be a team in college football that is more well known for consistently producing some of the most productive running backs than Wisconsin.
After John Clay announced that he would be declaring for the NFL draft, perhaps fans thought that trend would come to an end for the Badgers. Not so fast there.
Out goes Clay, enter James White and Montee Ball, who each rushed for nearly 1,000 yards this season. In addition to their yardage, White also added 14 touchdowns. Ball topped him with 18 scores of his own. This should be the best two-headed monster in all of college football next season.
8. E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State
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This Florida State phenom has been waiting in the wings while Christian Ponder finished up his career at Florida State.
Now that Ponder has moved on to the NFL, the quarterbacking job will belong to Manuel, and is he ever a good one.
In limited time this season, Manuel showed signs of greatness and exactly why he was such a prized recruit coming out of high school. He has the ability to throw the ball with accuracy, as well as take off and run when needed. He reminds many of an unpolished Tyrod Taylor, that very well could be polished in no time.
7. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia
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When you put up the type of numbers that Murray did as a freshman quarterback while playing in the best conference in college football, chances are you are going to be special.
Murray threw for over 3,000 yards with 24 TD and just eight interceptions in his first year as the Bulldogs signal caller.
Now that he has a full year of starting experience under his belt, he should be not only one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, but in all of college football.
6. Roy Finch, RB, Oklahoma
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With Oklahoma entering the 2011 college football season as the popular No.1 pick in the polls, they are going to get a lot of the national spotlight.
And with the graduation of four-year starter DeMarco Murray, that spotlight will now fall on Roy Finch as he stands next in line to take over the running back duties for the Sooners.
Finch rushed for just under 400 yards and two touchdowns while backing up Murray. Now with the starting job all to himself, he should fill the role of under the radar stars to breakout in 2011 perfectly.
5. Stephen Garcia, QB, South Carolina
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Stephen Garcia has been the ultimate project for South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier.
Garcia has played good at times, but not great. He has shown that he can throw a respectable deep ball, but again, not great.
But Garcia improved in 2010 and was able to lead the Gamecocks to the SEC championship game. Now entering his senior year, Garcia should continue to improve and become one of the top quarterbacks in the country next season. There was a reason he was so heavily recruited out of high school, and he will show just what that reason was in 2011.
4. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
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With the likes of A.J. Green and Julio Jones going off to the NFL, South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery could very well be the next big name receiver in college football.
He will join Justin Blackmon as one of the top receivers in the NCAA next year. The only reason that Blackmon did not make this list is because he led college football in receiving last season. He has already had his breakout season, but Jeffrey was shadowed by guys like Blackmon, Green and Jones. Not anymore.
It would not surprise me that with the explosive firepower that South Carolina returns on offense next season, Jeffery is the hottest name of any wide receiver in college football next year.
3. Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State
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If we are talking about players who have put up good, but not amazing numbers in their college career and have the potential to be a breakout star in 2011, look no further than Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins has put up very solid numbers in his two years as the Spartans' signal caller, and now entering his third year, he is prepared to take that next step. Cousins was one of the most underrated quarterbacks in all of college football this past year, passing for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns while leading Michigan State to an 11-1 regular season record.
The Spartans return a lot on offense next season, and if Cousins continues to improve in his senior season, which he should, he very well could be a Heisman trophy dark hose in 2011.
2. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
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When playing behind the best running back in college football, it isn't easy to always top the list in the rushing statistics category.
But now that Mark Ingram has moved on to the NFL, Richardson will take over the starting job in the Tide's backfield. He ran for 6.3 yards per carry this year but was limited to just 700 yards rushing and six touchdowns due to Ingram's presence.
Next year will be a different story as Richardson enters the year prepared for a breakout season and worthy of some serious Heisman consideration.
1. Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn
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Fans across the country got to see a glimpse of just how good Michael Dyer was in his freshman season at Auburn.
With all of headlines going to Auburn's big name players like Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, Dyer quietly rushed for over 1,000 yards and five touchdhowns while sharing carries in the Tigers' backfield.
With Newton gone, and the focus remaining on the running game, Dyer has the chance to have a monstrous year in 2011. It would be a fair assumption that if Auburn is anywhere close to as successful as they were this past season, Dyer will be one of the main reasons why.
He might not be a Heisman candidate coming into the year, but when it is all said and done, no one should be surprised if he becomes the second consecutive Auburn Tiger to hoist that trophy at the end of the season.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
