College Football 2011: Ranking the Top 10 Breakout Stars of 2011
In 2009, Justin Blackmon caught just 20 passes for 260 receiving yards and two touchdowns. One year later, Blackmon recorded a historic 2010 campaign in which he had 1,782 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. Justin Blackmon had a breakout season in 2010.
Who will be the breakout players of 2011?
Which players will go from barely making a blip on the radar to becoming household names?
Whether a defensive prospect, receiver, running back or quarterback, I believe these players all have the opportunity to explode onto the national scene in 2011.
Do not worry if you are not familiar with all of these prospects right now. In nine months’ time, they will be known far and wide by college football fans everywhere.
10. Travis Benjamin (Miami [FL])
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Travis Benjamin got overshadowed by Leonard Hankerson at the wide receiver position for Miami (FL).
Hankerson led the team in receiving yards and emerged from 2010 as one of the top wide receivers in the 2010 draft class.
Travis Benjamin was a standout prospect in his own right though. The 5’10", 176-lb. Benjamin is not only a productive wide receiver but also a potent player on special teams who returns both kicks and punts.
Benjamin’s blazing speed allows him to make plays downfield, giving the Hurricanes a true home-run threat at wide receiver.
Either Jacory Harris or Stephen Morris will need to deliver the ball to Benjamin consistently in order for this pick to hold weight.
I understand that Travis Benjamin only caught three touchdown passes last season. With Hankerson departed, though, the door is now open for this talented wideout to step in as the No. 1 receiver and make plays.
9. Manti Te’o (Notre Dame)
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Notre Dame is hoping to have a breakout season under second-year head coach Brian Kelly.
The offense appears to have all the pieces in place to run at top speed. The talented trio of quarterback Dayne Crist and wide receivers Michael Floyd and Theo Riddick headline the attack.
The question will be whether the defense can hold its weight next season.
Defensively, it starts and ends with junior linebacker Manti Te’o for the Irish. Te’o recorded an astonishing 129 tackles last season. It goes without saying that he is never too far removed from the play.
Te’o will be the leader of Notre Dame’s defensive unit in 2011. His success will be crucial as to whether the Irish make a splash on the national stage. It is unsure if Te’o can build upon his 129 tackles from last season, but if he plays well and leads Notre Dame to victories, then you can expect football fans far and wide to take notice of him.
8. Spencer Ware (LSU)
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LSU enters the 2011 season with national title aspirations and is still riding high from its 41-24 triumph over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.
For all of the talent that LSU returns, the Tigers must find replacements for running back Stevan Ridley and wide receiver Terrence Toliver on offense.
Spencer Ware showed great potential as both a wide receiver and a running back during his freshman campaign in Baton Rouge. Ware did a little bit of everything last season, accumulating 101 receiving yards, 175 rushing yards and a passing touchdown.
Let me be clear—those stats alone do not earn Spencer Ware a place on this list of potential breakout stars. Rather, it is Ware’s Cotton Bowl performance that leads me to believe he is poised for gridiron greatness next season.
Ware looked awesome in his limited rushing opportunities in the bowl game, gaining 102 yards on 10 carries.
Spencer Ware is a talented athlete that has shown the ability to contribute in a variety of roles on LSU’s offense. Ware ended the 2010 campaign with a bang and should take on a much bigger role for the Tigers next season.
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7. Nigel Bradham (Florida State)
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Nigel Bradham seriously considered making the jump to the NFL, but at the end of the day the linebacker decided it was in his best interest to return to Florida State for his senior season.
Trust me, no one is more excited about this announcement than head coach Jimbo Fisher and Florida State fans. Bradham was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school and was a huge recruiting coup for then-head coach Bobby Bowden and the Seminoles.
The 6'2", 241-lb. linebacker has a combination of punishing strength and speed that makes Bradham a load for opposing offenses to deal with at linebacker. He had his best season yet last year as a junior, recording 92 tackles and five sacks.
Nigel Bradham may be known to those who follow Seminole football, but his name does not resonate on a national level. I am here to tell you that 2011 will be the year that Bradham’s notoriety explodes, along with his NFL draft stock.
6. Ed Wesley (TCU)
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The lethal pass-catching combination of Andy Dalton and Jeremy Kerley is no more. Both players have moved on to the NFL. As fellow Mountain West head coaches celebrate the duo's departure, college football fans are left to wonder who will fill the void in TCU’s offense.
The answer to that question comes in the form of running back Ed Wesley.
Wesley was an all-conference selection last season, gaining 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Wesley played second fiddle to Dalton and the passing game last year, but in 2011 the offense will rely heavily on Wesley and the rushing attack.
Sophomore quarterback Casey Pachall will be eased into the offense during his first season as a starter. Head coach Gary Patterson will look to Wesley to keep the chains moving while Pachall gets his feet wet under center.
Wesley is a punishing back that is not afraid to run up the middle despite his small size at 5'9". Wesley averaged an impressive 6.5 yards per carry during his rushing opportunities last season.
There is no question that Ed Wesley is a talented player. He will finally be the focal point of the Horned Frogs offense, and his star should take flight next season.
5. Tyler WIlson (Arkansas)
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The perception might be that Arkansas’s offense will take a step back without Ryan Mallett at quarterback, but this is a situation where perception does not meet reality.
Tyler Wilson is waiting in the wings to take over as the Razorbacks' starting field general. Wilson was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school with great size for the position at 6'3", 182 lbs.
Wilson does not have quite the arm strength that his predecessor Mallett possessed, but he makes up for that with his sharp accuracy.
Arkansas will continue to favor the passing attack in head coach Bobby Petrino’s spread offense. Expect Wilson to be given the opportunity to make plays and put up big numbers as soon as he steps on the field in Fayetteville.
The fact that Arkansas returns arguably the top wide receiver corps in college football in Jarius Wright, Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Cobi Hamilton bodes well for Wilson’s development. Junior running back Knile Davis ran for 1,322 rushing yards in 2010 as a sophomore. Davis’ presence in the backfield will ensure that opposing defenses do not strictly key in on Wilson and the passing game.
It is always risky to proclaim a quarterback a potential breakout star when he has only thrown 51 career pass attempts in college, but Tyler Wilson is a talented prospect in a situation where he can excel immediately.
4. Tyler Shoemaker (Boise State)
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Quarterback Kellen Moore returns for Boise State, but wide receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis have moved on to the NFL.
It would be silly to think that Moore will not once again put up gaudy passing numbers as a senior next season, but the quarterback needs a quality wide receiver to emerge that he can throw to.
Unless you are a Boise State fan or a serious college football junkie, you probably have not heard of Tyler Shoemaker. My gut feeling, though, is that in nine months Shoemaker will be much more deeply embedded in college football fans’ consciousness.
Shoemaker is a senior wide receiver out of Meridian, Mississippi who will likely be Boise State’s No. 1 wide receiver next season. Shoemaker caught 27 passes for 493 yards and four touchdowns last season as a junior. At 6'1", 207 lbs., Shoemaker has better size than Titus Young. He also showed big-play ability last season, as evidenced by his 18.3 yards per catch.
Boise State’s spread offense will never feature a shortage of passing, especially with Kellen Moore under center. Expect Tyler Shoemaker to be on the receiving end of many deep balls thrown by Moore next season.
3. Ray Graham (Pittsburgh)
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LeSean McCoy and Dion Lewis have both enjoyed successful collegiate careers that eventually translated into spots on NFL rosters.
Junior Ray Graham is next in line to carry on this recent tradition of successful, ground-churning Pittsburgh tailbacks. Like McCoy and Lewis, Graham does not have imposing size at 5'9", 195 lbs. Do not let Graham’s small stature sour you on his rushing ability though.
Graham is a shifty back that benefits from a quick burst of speed. He showed off his skill set last season, rushing for 922 yards and eight touchdowns. Graham’s success last season was unexpected because the aforementioned Lewis was supposed to be the featured rusher in the Panthers backfield. However, Lewis was hobbled by a shoulder injury that allowed Graham to take on the starter's role.
Ray Graham will be the starter and featured tailback in head coach Todd Graham’s offense at Pittsburgh next season. Tino Sunseri returns at quarterback, but the Panthers offense will ultimately rely heavily on Graham.
The Big East is a conference that lacks big names, but if Graham’s 2010 campaign is any indication, then the running back could bring some star power to the much-maligned conference.
2. Juron Criner (Arizona)
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Juron Criner was quarterback Nick Foles' favorite target last season, gaining 1,233 receiving yards and snagging 11 touchdowns. Criner will be back for his senior season this fall, and he will once again have the benefit of catching passes from the talented Foles.
Criner is a true speed burner that Arizona can stretch the field with on the outside. He was by far Foles’ favorite receiving option last season.
Juron Criner has great size for the position at 6'4", 210 lbs., and a productive senior campaign could put him in a solid position going into the 2012 NFL draft.
Head coach Mike Stoops runs a pass-happy spread offense that relies heavily on Foles' passing ability. Criner should once again get plenty of attention on the outside at receiver, and there is nothing that indicates that he should not put up gaudy statistics.
A strong season will push Juron Criner’s name into national discussion as everyone takes notice of the Arizona product.
1. E.J. Manuel (Florida State)
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Head coach Jimbo Fisher enjoyed tremendous success in his first season as head coach at Florida State. Fisher led the Seminoles to a berth in the ACC Championship Game, as well as a victory in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Florida State has all the talent in place to be even more successful in 2011, but some fans are fretting about the departure of quarterback Christian Ponder.
Fear not, Seminole fans—E.J. Manuel is ready to shine under center.
Manuel is a dual-threat quarterback who was a 4-star prospect coming out of high school as rated by Rivals.
The 6'4" Manuel can burn defenses with both his arms and his legs, making him a player that must be accounted for.
E.J. Manuel was always thought to be an elite-level prospect at quarterback, but it was only in his performance in Florida State’s 2010 bowl victory versus South Carolina that he showed off his talents.
Manuel entered the game in the second quarter in place of the injured Christian Ponder. He threw for 84 yards, rushed for 46 yards and threw one touchdown with no interceptions in the Seminoles' 26-17 victory. The quarterback’s performance earned him Chick-fil-A Bowl MVP honors.
E.J. Manuel is certainly known on the Tallahassee campus, but he could be a household name by the time the 2011 season comes to a close. The return of wide receivers Bert Reed and Willie Haulstead will help to ensure that Manuel continues to play at a high level.
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