College Football: Top 50 players for 2017

From national champions, to All-Americans, to a returning Heisman winner these are the best of the best in college football. Who is number one?

The SEC routinely sends the most talent to the NFL so it’s no surprise that they lead in the rankings of the nation’s elite college football players. 13 players from the SEC made our Top 50, edging out the ACC (10) and the Big Ten (9) while equaling the total from the Big 12 (seven) and Pac-12 (six) combined. Five players from outside the Power-5 conferences made the list.

Preseason all-conference teams have been announced, watch lists have been released and the college football season is here. These 50 are the best of the best, but first some honorable mentions.

Honorable mentions: Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame), Dorance Armstrong Jr. (Kansas), Orlando Brown (Oklahoma), Iman Marshall (USC) and Clelin Ferrell (Clemson).

The Washington Huskies have to replace their top receiver, John Ross, who was a first round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Who better to do that than Dante Pettis? The senior receiver has continued to see his role in the Washington offense grow, and this is going to be the year he takes the next step.

Pettis had one touchdown in each of his first two seasons. His production soared in 2016 where the 6-foot-1 Pettis hauled in 15 touchdowns. That was second on the team to Ross, who managed to grab 17 touchdowns. Both of the Huskies’ pass catchers finished in the top ten in the nation in receiving touchdowns, Ross third and Pettis seventh.

Even while playing second fiddle to Ross, Pettis was one of the most productive receivers in college football. In fact, he had more receptions and receiving yards in his junior season than he had combined in both his freshman and his sophomore year combined. He enters the 2017 season as the No. 1 option for an offense led by Jake Browning that averaged 41.8 points per game in 2016.

The Huskies rolled through the Pac-12 North a season ago and are set to repeat the feat this year. Being the go-to guy for a potential Heisman finalist in Browning makes Pettis’ continued upswing a near certainty in 2017.

At 5-foot-11 and 188 pounds, Jaire Alexander isn’t the most intimidating guy on the field. That didn’t stop him from being one of the most active and effective defensive backs in the ACC in 2016. Alexander led the Cardinals in interceptions (five), but his impact went far beyond pure numbers.

Two of his picks came in the Cardinal’s most important game of the year, a visit to Death Valley to take on the undefeated Clemson Tigers. In addition to intercepting Deshaun Watson twice, Alexander forced a fumble in what would be a 36-42 defeat. Louisville was leading Clemson at the moment of each of his interceptions. Short of taking the ball into the endzone himself, there’s not much more Alexander could have done to help the Cardinals win that game.

Alexander is already being talked about as a potential first round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. What’s not to like? His active hands and eye for the football are both traits that evaluators on the next level absolutely love.

The Cardinal secondary was above average against the pass (39th in the nation in passing yards allowed), but not elite. After Alexander there were some question marks, particularly at the safety position. That made his pass break ups and picks all the more important. He’s a gamer and an impact player that makes his presence felt in a big way.

Shaquille Quarterman finished fifth in the ACC in defensive rookie of the year voting after a tremendous season. He, alongside fellow freshman linebackers, Zach McCloud and Michael Pinckney were key pieces in a Hurricane defense that finished 20th in the nation in total defense. They were the only all-freshman trio of starting linebackers in the nation.

The Hurricanes saw an uptick in their defense as soon as Quarterman arrived on campus. At 6-foot-1, 240 pounds he has a rare combination of size and power that stops ball carriers in their place. His 10 tackles for a loss are proof of his knack for getting into the opposing backfield and wrecking havoc.

Miami finished 20th in total defense last season, allowing a hair less than 350 yards per game. Their 4.75 yards allowed per play was ninth best in the nation and on par with eventual national champion Clemson, who allowed 4.63 yards per play. A big reason for the ‘Canes stellar defensive stats was their strength against the run. They allowed 160.1 yards per game against ranked opponents and 118.9 yards per game against unranked teams.

He and his compatriots received high praise from Winston Moss, a Miami linebacker in the mid ’80s. He called the trio of linebackers “young lions”. If that’s the case, then Quarterman is the Alpha male of an incredibly promising pride.

If Micah Kiser played for a blue blood program he’d be one of the most talked about defenders in the nation. The junior inside linebacker at Virginia led all players from Power-5 conference teams in total tackles last season. He also forced five fumbles, third-best in the ACC. Kiser is a hard-hitting, tackling machine.

Early reports have him listed as the No. 1 inside linebacker in the upcoming draft class. The measurables are all there. He’s big guy (240 pounds) with wide arms (he’s 6-foot-2). He has a nose for the quarterback and the football. Not many linebackers spent as much time in the opposing backfield as Kiser.

However, the stats are a bit inflated by the Cavaliers porous defense. Virginia allowed 446.6 yards per game. That’s worse than programs like New Mexico, Buffalo and Toledo. They kept their opponents under 20 points once in 2016 (and still lost that game 13-10 to UConn). A hapless defense meant a lot more offensive plays to defend and increased opportunities for Kiser to shine. You can’t hold the lack of success of his unit against him, rather he deserves added credit for taking every opportunity to make a game-changing plays.

Kiser made some of his biggest plays against No. 5 Louisville in what could have been the Cavaliers biggest win of the year. It would have been if it weren’t for 18 fourth quarter points by the Cardinals to squeak out the win. Kiser finished that game with 14 tackles (tied for the second most of any game he played all season) and 2 sacks.

Is  J.T. Barrett is under-rated? Quite possibly. The commander of the Ohio State offense had a rather up-and-down 2016 campaign, but when he was on his game it meant trouble for his opponents. Barrett and the Buckeyes gutted Oklahoma 45-24 behind his four passing touchdowns. He had his fifth 4+ touchdown performance later in the season against Nebraska, a game in which Ohio State won 62-3.

Barrett topped 300 yards passing in a game just once in 2016 and exceeded 250 yards only three times. His numbers were limited, not by his ineffectiveness, but because of the dominance of the Ohio State running game. The Buckeyes were 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game. A little more than a quarter of those 3,188 team rushing yards were gained by Barrett.

While he might not be as quick as some of his predecessors like Braxton Miller, Barrett still averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 15.6 carries per game. He was 55th in the nation in carries per game, higher than several 1,000 yard running backs. Ohio State returns one of those such players, sophomore Mike Weber. A backup to NFL draftee Curtis Samuel, Weber still managed a tremendous freshman season.

The Ohio State offense is going to be more than formidable in 2017 and once again Barrett will lead the charge. With marquee games against Oklahoma, Penn State and Michigan he’ll have plenty of opportunities to enter the Heisman conversation.

The nation’s leader in interceptions last year, Tarvarus McFadden was a game changing force for the Florida State Seminoles. A Florida native, McFadden has met and exceed all the expectations  placed upon him at Florida State. His length (6-foot-2) and incredible vision with the ball in the air have made him one of the best defensive weapons in the country, leading the nation in interceptions with eight.

After playing sparingly as a freshman, he took over the starting role in 2016 and had one of the most impressive seasons of any cornerback in Seminole history. The last FSU player to lead the nation in interceptions was Terrell Buckley in 1991.

Six of his eight interceptions came away from Doak Campbell Stadium. He had a pick in six of the Noles 10 wins as well. No matter how you slice it, McFadden has a nose for the football. He’ll be ready to start the 2017 season against the Alabama Crimson Tide and Jalen Hurts.

The interception total is hard to replicate from year to year. It’s reasonable to expect that to decline in 2017, but don’t mistake a lower pick total for a lesser impact on the field. With Derwin James behind him, there won’t be a safe place to throw the football against the Noles in 2017.

There’s no question that Equanimeous St. Brown is a member of the all-name team. He’s also one of the best wideouts in the nation. Brown was one of the lone bright spots on a Notre Dame team that woefully whimpered to a 4-8 finish. Sophomore running back Josh Adams was the only member of the Irish offense to gain more yards from scrimmage than St. Brown. He outpaced the receiver 1,126 yards to 961 yards. Adams had 179 touches. St. Brown had 58.

After those two, the Irish offense was not very good. In those situations you rely on the guys that have proven they can produce. The 2017 team should be a bit more experienced, but they’ll have to replace their quarterback Malik Zaire. Who will take the first snap for Notre Dame next season? That’s almost impossible to forecast. The uncertainty only raises the ceiling for St. Brown in 2017.

Must Read: Notre Dame's projected 2017 2-deep depth chart

The Irish return three of their top four receivers, but the unit will only go as far as St. Brown can take them. He was targeted at a slightly higher rate than Torii Hunter Jr. (89 targets compared to 62), but didn’t secure a disproportionate amount of catches. He’ll see both of those numbers climb in 2017 and will easily exceed the 1,000 yard receiving mark.

Tom Gatewood set he school record for receiving yards in a single season with 1,123 in 1970. It’s in real danger of being shattered if St. Brown is able to play up to the level he’s capable of in 2017.

Deondre Francois began his freshman season with a bang. He torched the Ole Miss defense to the tune of 419 yards passing and two touchdowns in addition to 59 yards rushing. That began a solid first year campaign and a top 10 finish in the AP rankings for Florida State.

One of the best offensive players on an offense that scored more than 35 points per game, Francois will be relied upon again to contribute in both phases of the Seminole offense. Although they do lose Dalvin Cook, they add Cam Akers, a highly touted freshman ball carrier. The offense won’t miss a beat.

Florida State’s opening game of the 2017 season comes against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide. Both teams figure to be ranked in the top 10, and both return talented sophomore quarterbacks. Francois might just be the difference maker that the Seminoles need to take down the Tide.

Mobility has been the name of the game when it comes to downing Nick Saban. From Chad Kelley to Johnny Manziel, its been the guys that can move around the pocket that have had the most success. Francois has some quickness. If he can take down Alabama, he’ll earn his spot among the best players in the game and vault Florida State into the early College Football Playoff conversation.

A converted defensive back, Courtland Sutton has thrived as a wide receiver at SMU. He finished among the leaders in the American Athletic conference in nearly every major statistic. Sutton was third in receiving touchdowns, fourth in receiving yards, fourth in yards per reception (16.4), seventh in receptions and eighth in total yards from scrimmage.

What’s working against Sutton is his inconsistent offense. Quarterback Ben Hicks completed only 55.5 percent of his passes and had a pedestrian 19:15 touchdown to interception ratio. It should go without saying that it’s hard to catch passes that don’t reach your general vicinity.

While he might not have been accurate, Hicks pumped the ball to Sutton at an extremely high rate. Sutton was targeted a team high 127 times, that was more than 40 more than the next closest Mustang. To put that into perspective, only 23 pass catchers had more targets in 2016 than Sutton. Of those above him, only three reached averaged more yards per catch than he did.

Chad Morris has shown a greater propensity than most to the run the football in his two seasons at SMU. The Mustangs ran the football on 487 out 735 plays (67 percent). When SMU does throw, it’s headed straight to Sutton.

Trace McSorley became the first Penn State quarterback since Matt McGloin (2012) to lead the Big Ten in passing. The difference between that 2012 team and last year’s squad? A bowl game appearance. McSorely’s team fell short in one of the most epic Rose Bowl games of all time. After carrying his team to the edge of a College Football Playoff berth, McSorely isn’t done yet.

Penn State had one of the most explosive offenses in the country thanks to the combination of McSorley, receiver Chris Godwin and running back Saquon Barkley. The Nittany Lions ranked 49th in the nation in total offense. Good, but nothing special. However, they ranked ninth in the country in yards per passing attempt.

McSorley can throw the deep ball. Every Penn State receiver with at least 15 catches last season averaged at least 14 yards per reception. That’s a first down for each pass caught. The offense under McSorley was so efficient even that they averaged 9.3 yards per attempt – nearly a first down for every pass thrown.

The offense will have to replace Godwin, but they have plenty of pieces capable of stepping up. As long as McSorley is captaining that team they’ll be just fine. His precision and pension for the long play make him a threat on every snap.

According to Pro Football Focus, McSorley was accurate on 48.4 percent of his deep attempts last season. That was 13th best among Power-5 quarterbacks. His four passes of 70+ yards rank fifth most in the nation in 2016. He’s going to keep taking shots this season.

Here is the list of Pac-12 quarterbacks that had more touchdown passes in 2016 than Luke Falk:

1. Jake Browning, Washington

That’s it. That’s the whole list. Falk was a touchdown machine last year. He threw for four or more touchdowns in six of the Cougars’ 13 games. During that time he only had two games with multiple interceptions: at Stanford and at home against Browning’s Washington Huskies.

Although he attempted more passes than any other player in college football, Falk wasn’t a product of stat-stuffing. He was the second most accurate quarterback in the country (to Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield) with an unheard of 70.0 completion percentage. If 60 percent is good and 65 is excellent, 70 percent might have to be considered “near perfect”.

Falk throws touchdowns, doesn’t throw interceptions and is midway through rewriting every passing record in Washington State history. His sophomore and junior seasons rank second and third all time in Wazzou history in terms of total passing yardage. He’s overtaken the likes of Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf, and he’s got one more year to play.

The quarterback play in the Pac-12 is steallar. Watching Falk duel with Sam Darnold in Week 5 and Browning in the Apple Cup are tantalizing matchups for college football fans across the country. Falk has a decent chance to out gun both of those two guys which are currently whispered to be some of the top picks in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The 2016 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Quinton Flowers is a human highlight reel. However, there isn’t anything about his passing stat line that seems all that remarkable. He’s a competent thrower that has limited bad mistakes and kept his interception totals down. Then you watch highlight videos like this:

He is a dynamic runner with athleticism on par with the likes of Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson. Flowers had just 41 fewer rushing yards than Jackson in 2016.

It will be interesting to watch what his development looks like under new head coach Charlie Strong. Former head coach Willie Taggert rode the Bull’s 11-2 record in 2016 to a new position as the head man at Oregon. While Strong has never been explicitly labeled a “quarterback whisperer”, he did coach up Texas quarterback Shane Buechele into a viable division one starter.

Now combine Flowers, already one of the better runners at the quarterback position, with another year of experience and coaching. He stands a good chance to progress enough as a passer in 2017 to garner attention at a national level. However, if that’s going to happen he’s going to have to do something spectacular and carry USF to a New Year’s Six Bowl. The Bull’s most high-profile contest in 2017? A September 21 game with Illinois.

Flowers can’t control the schedule. He’s going to take the field in 2017 ready to run circles around defenders. The Bulls have conference-title aspirations this season and those hopes will rest on the shoulders of their senior quarterback.

“This obsession with greatness, he has that.” That’s how Boston College head coach Steve Addazio described senior to-be Harold Landry. Landry had 17.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks in his career entering his junior season. He would go on to finish second in the ACC in tackles for a loss (22) and lead the nation in sacks (16.5).

BC boasted one of the nation’s best defenses. The Eagles’ defense finished in the top 10 of most major statistical categories including yards allowed per game and  turnovers forced. The driving force in their success was Landry. There wasn’t much he didn’t do for that defense in 2016.

After missing the first game, he was held sackless in just two of Boston College’s final twelve games. That includes three games of two or more sacks.  He’s already set the single season sack record for the school, but he has one more objective before moving on to the NFL: leave BC as the all-time career sack leader.

If he’s going to do that he’s going to have to build on a tremendous junior season. BC’s all-time leading sack man is Mathias Kiwanuka who finished his four-year collegiate career in 2005 with 37.5 sacks. Landry has 19.5, putting him 18.5 away from claiming the sack record for himself. That’s a tall order.

Only two players in college football history have amassed that many sacks in one year Washington pass rusher Hau’oli Kikaha (2014) and NFL great Elvis Dumervil (Louisville, 2005). Currently Landry owns the sixth spot all by himself.

The Vanderbilt Commodores had the No. 100 passing offense in college football last season. It was worse than Charlotte, San Jose State and Ball State. Their total offensive ranking wasn’t any better. The ‘Dores finished 110th in the nation in total yards per game. To call their offense underwhelming would be a hyperbole. But don’t forget about Ralph Webb.

South Bound & Down

Webb was the fourth leading rusher in the SEC on an offense that didn’t go anywhere. 10 SEC running backs topped 1,000 yards on the ground last season, but none of them were a part of an offense nearly as dysfunctional as Webb.

Already the all-time leader in career rushing yards at Vanderbilt, Webb will pad his stats in 2017. He won’t have much help from junior quarterback Kyle Shurmur who threw more interceptions than touchdowns. The Commodores’ offensive line is undergoing some changes as well and returns just 41 career starts (13th best in the SEC).

For all the adversity he faces, Webb has continued to make play after play. He lead the SEC in total carries and will find himself with plenty of time with the ball in 2017.

Last season the Commodores reached their first bowl game under head coach Derek Mason. Their bowl eligibility-clinching win came in upset fashion over the Tennessee Volunteers. Who iced that game? None other than Webb who busted a 28 yard touchdown run in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to put the game away for good.

Show up and make the tackle. That’s exactly what Josey Jewell has been doing for three straight seasons. Jewell has started 30 consecutive games at linebacker for the Hawkeyes over the past three years and has been recognized for his efforts. A team captain, Jewell was a finalist for the Butkus award in 2016 and Iowa’s team MVP.

Jewell registered seven or more tackles in every Big 10 game except one (against Minnesota) and led the charge for an Iowa defense that was known for their stinginess. The Hawkeyes were the No. 11 scoring defense in the nation, allowing less than 19 points per game. That included four games in which their opponent failed to reach the double-digit points. Among all of the ups and downs they had as a team, it was the offense that struggled the most. The weren’t able to consistently move the ball despite the many opportunities provided to them by their defense.

More: Looking ahead at the 2017 Iowa season, previews and predictions

What puts Jewell over the edge is the pressure put onto him by the struggling Iowa offense. The Iowa defense was on the field for 893 plays last season, which ranked somewhere around the middle of the pack nationally. In general, the better the defense, the less time they spend on the field. Unless of course your offense is that bad. Their offense was that bad, converting less than 33 percent of their third down opportunities.

That left Jewell on the field for a lot of plays, consequently he made a lot of tackles. Time and time again he was the consistent stopper that the Hawkeyes needed. Jewell finished second in the Big Ten in tackles and sixth in the nation in assisted tackles. He had plenty of help when it came to taking down the ball carrier.

As a defender in the Big 12 you have to do a lot to earn individual recognition. You have to do even more to be seen when playing for a defense that allowed 28 points and 426.7 yards per game. That’s the quandary that Travin Howard found himself in last season.

The Big 12’s leading tackler, Howard was one of two Horned Frogs to cross the 100 tackle mark, the other being fellow linebacker Ty Summers. You can’t hold that against Howard, who also finished tied for the lead in the conference in solo tackles. In a league where runaway touchdowns have become the norm, Howard did everything he could to keep the Frogs in position to compete.

That didn’t become any easier when a Kenny Hill interception would set up short field situations. TCU’s red zone defense was horrific. They allowed a score on 90.7 percent of red zone opportunities. However, the Frogs ranked 29th in the nation in touchdown percentage allowed in the red zone. Their opponents didn’t seem to struggle to drive down the field, but when they got close the TCU defense clamped down.

A short field limited opportunities for the TCU secondary to get burned deep. With the ball in front of him Howard made play after play. His tackle for a loss numbers were modest (just four of his 130 total tackles), but it’s hard to get must pressure in the backfield in a defense playing on their heels. Howard is the heart and soul of the TCU defense. He’d like some help, but he’s proven he can do it all if he has to.

With the departure of receiver Chris Godwin, Mike Gesicki becomes the No. 1 target on an offense that took shots down the field. While he might not have the top-end speed of Godwin, Gesicki has the size to create mismatches all over the field.

At 6-foot-6, 252 pounds Gesicki can go toe-to-toe with defensive ends when blocking on the interior. For reference, Rob Gronkowski is currently listed at 6-foot-6, 265 pounds. I’m not saying Gesicki is Gronk 2.0, but it’s worth pointing out the matchup problem he presents whenever he takes the field. Big men that can run and catch give defensive coordinators nightmares. When he’s split out, he can absolutely manhandle smaller corners.

Gesicki is the type of pro prospect that scouts are already drooling over. You can teach route running, blocking and run schemes but you can’t teach size. CBS sports has him slotted in as the No. 1 tight end prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft.

The combination of Gesicki and McSorley has the chance to become one of the better pairings in all of college football. There just aren’t many other schools that have a weapon like Gesicki. There are a lot of big tight ends in college football, but the number of tight ends with hands as good as his are few and far between. He’s going to make some noise in 2017 and possibly become the greatest red zone threat in the Big Ten.

As an offensive tackle, there’s not much higher praise than being called “a young Joe Thomas“. That’s what one scout told Bleacher Report’s Matt Miler about Texas’ junior tackle Connor Williams. The Longhorns have had a rough stretch when it comes to the NFL Draft. Over the past two seasons they have had just two players selected, D’Onta Foreman (Third Round, 2017) and Hassan Ridgeway (Fourth Round, 2016.)

Williams has the potential to become the first Longhorn drafted in the first round since Malcolm Brown (2015) and possible the first top ten overall selection since Michael Huff who was taken by the Oakland Raiders in 2006. With new head coach Tom Herman at the controls, a top round NFL selection could go a long way to earning the Horns some recruiting momentum in Texas.

Related Story: 5 Reasons why Texas can win the Big 12 in 2017

A huge talent in more ways than one, Williams checks in at 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds. He wasn’t considered a slam dunk prospect out of high school, but he won the starting left tackle job as freshman in 2015 and never looked back.

In 2016 he was named a consensus first-team All-American, becoming the fourth sophomore in Texas’ history to achieve such a distinction. The most recent to do so? Earl Thomas in 2009. That’s some good company to keep. Williams won’t be seen on Sports Center top 10 clips in the fall, offensive lineman seldom earn that right. But that doesn’t mean you won’t hear his name early once draft conversations start to pick up in the spring.

When asked about sophomore defensive end Rashan Gary, Michigan Defensive Coordinator Don Brown could not have given a more glowing review. “Best I’ve ever seen”, said Brown, “Best I’ve ever seen combining speed, strength, change of direction, and the mental curve. He’s unbelievable. The sky is the limit. The good thing is I think he understands that there’s a lot on his shoulders.”

That’s a ton of praise for someone with less than one career collegiate sack to his name. But it’s not his fault he was slotted into the depth chart behind first round pick Taco Charlton.

Gary was the No.1 overall recruit in the 2016 recruiting class. He had his choice of every school in the country and picked the maize and blue. He stands an impressive 6-foot-5, 287 pounds and can move so quickly for a big man that it’s down right freaky. His stature and his reputation have landed him on almost every preseason Big Ten team.

It’s hard to be anything but optimistic about a blue chip recruit sliding into a starting spot on a defense that ranked second in the nation in 2016. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has transferred the suffocating defenses of his early 2000’s Florida teams to the North. Gary is just the latest installment in a long line of Harbaugh goons that is going to crush the opposing quarterback.

Entering his senior season, Troy Fumagalli should see his role in the Wisconsin offense continue to increase. He’s nearly doubled his catches in each of the past two years. Now, a 94 catch season would absolutely put NFL scouts on notice, but let’s not get carried away. In 2017 Adam Breneman of the Massachusetts Minutemen led all tight ends in receptions with 70. Fumagalli will continue to be a favorite target, but he’ll probably stay closer to the 50 to 60 reception plateau.

The 47 catches that Fumagalli snagged last year led Wisconsin. Yes, you read that correctly, a tight end lead a Power-5 program in catches. Fumagalli had four more grabs than the Badgers’ next leading receiver, an actual receiver, Jazz Peavy.

Fumagalli’s touchdown numbers were down last season, even for a ground-and-pound rushing attack like Wisconsin. While Peavy averaged one touchdown every 8.6 receptions, Fumagalli scored on average once every 23.5 receptions.

The dual quarterback system didn’t seem to faze him. He caught touchdown passes from both Alex Hornibrook or Bart Houston. But there is something to be said for chemistry. With Hornibrook taking the reigns full-time in 2017 it will only help the senior tight end get into a rhythm.

As good as he is as a pass catcher, his value as a blocker might be even higher. Fumagalli is an integral piece of the Badger rushing attack. It might not be sexy, but those are the kind of things that have developed him into a more complete prospect. Tight ends that can’t block in the NFL don’t get on the field very often. He can do it all, and he’s ready to cement his legacy with one final victory lap at Camp Randall Stadium.

Sam Hubbard has covered a lot of ground in his first two seasons on the field at Ohio State. He joined the Buckeyes in 2014 and has seen some time at safety, linebacker, defensive end and jack linebacker – a hybrid outside pass rusher. His versatility alone makes him one of the more athletic defensive players in the country although all reports say that he’ll stick at the defensive end position in 2017.

It’s a fair to note that Hubbard’s stat line took a dip last season. As a redshirt freshman in 2015 he registered 8.0 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. While his numbers might have stagnated, the Buckeye defense continue on full-bore. Ohio State as a team averaged just under seven tackles for a loss per game in 2016, thriving at the line of scrimmage.

Ohio State allowed 143 plays of 10 yard or more in 2016. For reference, only seven programs in the country allowed fewer 10+ yard plays than the Buckeyes. Things like that happen when you have a defensive front that includes Hubbard, Alec James and Garrett Dooley. They were ferocious at all ends of the field. No Power-5 program allowed fewer plays of 40 yards or more than Ohio State.

While Hubbard isn’t chasing down wide receivers in the defensive secondary, his tenacity at the line is the table setter for the entire Ohio State defense. Hubbard was an honorable mention to the 2016 All Big Ten team. And that was following a season that didn’t stand out as being anything beyond the ordinary. That’s the floor. Hubbard can define his own ceiling in 2017.

Austin Allen might have a death wish. That’s what it looked like every time he took a snap behind that wretched Arkansas offensive line in 2016. The Razorbacks allowed 35 sacks. Only 21 FBS programs had a more porous offensive line than that. For the first time under head coach Bret Bielema, Arkansas allowed more sacks on offense than they recorded on defense (25). That just doesn’t seem to jive with the hard-nosed football that Hogs’ teams of the past have been known for.

Despite almost losing his head on every offensive play, Allen’s poise as a passer was near perfect. The younger brother of former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, Austin did something that his older brother never did: he lead the SEC in passing last , racking  up 3,430 yards through the air. His 25 touchdowns were second in the conference behind Joshua Dobbs, but Allen did all his throwing while being chased for his life.

For what it’s worth, all five projected starters on the offensive line for the Razorbacks have at least two years in the system. They are led by starting center and All-SEC selection Frank Ragnow. He made it be known at SEC Media Days that a repeat performance of last year is flat-out not acceptable.

The 2017 crop of SEC quarterbacks is already shaping up to be significantly better than the year prior. Jarrett Stidham joins the conference and guys like Jake Bentley and Jacob Eason have one more year of experience. Allen, provided he stays healthy, will lead them all through the air. He’s got an elite arm, above-average accuracy and is hands down the toughest quarterback in the SEC.

James Washington was one of three unanimous selections to the Preseason Big 12 First-Team. That’s the kind of thing that tends to happen when you rack up more receiving yards than any other returning receiver in the conference. Washington’s name was all over the Big 12 receptions leader board in 2016. He finished in the top five in receptions, yards per catch and receiving touchdowns.

Having the luxury of Mason Rudolph as his quarterback won’t hurt his chances to climb further up the ranks in 2017. Rudolph is in the argument for the best true passer in the conference after finishing with a statistical season that was on par with Oklahoma passer Baker Mayfield.

It’s not just Rudolph that props up his value. Washington has the added benefit of sharing the field with junior receiver Jalen McClesky. Better receivers than Washington have been shut down by double coverage thanks to the lack of a supporting cast. Opposing defenses can’t throw all of their pressure to Washington. McClesky will keep them honest and force them to cover the who width of the field. Advantage: Washington.

More: Washington and Rudolph should be first round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft

The sky is the limit for Washington in 2017. He managed a nine catch, two touchdown and 296 yard game against Pittsburgh last year. In total, he surpassed 100 yards six times last season. Playing receiver in the Big 12 can sometimes best be compared to a track meet. Nothing he’s done up to this point suggests he’ll break a sweat replicating the 2016 season. Rather, with one more year under his belt, he’ll be ready to set some new records of his own.

Next up is another Big 12 wide receiver, Allen Lazard. He too put up a 1,000 yard season but was without the help of a stud quarterback to get him the ball. Jacob Park is a serviceable passer, but he lacks the tremendous upside of Rudolph. Nevertheless, Lazard put up some of the best marks by any receiver in Iowa State history.

His 2,419 career receiving yards put him second all-time in Cyclone history entering the 2017 season. He also ranks second in receptions and touchdowns. Todd Blythe holds all of those receiving records (3,095 yards, 31 touchdowns and 176 receptions). Lazard should break most of those by the time he’s finished with his collegiate career.

What sets Lazard apart from the rest of his counterparts is his combination of speed and size. Lazard is 6-foot-5 and checks in at 220 pounds. He looks to be built in the same mold of current Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout and former Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans. While he doesn’t appear to be quite as athletic as Evans, he has another season to grow and develop before he moves on to the NFL.

Iowa State threw for 258.8 yards per game in 2016. That’s was 40th best in the FBS, but only sixth best in the Big 12. You can’t knock a guy who did everything he was asked and proved to be the best offensive weapon his team had on the field. 50 of Lazard’s 69 receptions last season went for a first down. He’s the go to guy in an offense that needs him, and like Evans, putting a few guys on him to slow him down doesn’t seem to faze him.

Everyone knows how deep and talented the roster of the Alabama Crimson Tide is. With that as your reference point the recognition due to ‘Bama quarterback Jalen Hurts should be a no brainer. It’s not often that a true freshman earns a starting job at any position on Nick Saban’s team but Hurts walked in last season and took the starting job away from Blake Barnnett without much resistance at all.

The young, mobile quarterback wasn’t perfect, but for the most part he had his way with the SEC in 2017. Hurts scored 23 touchdowns (nine rushing) and threw eight interceptions against SEC opponents. That included a five touchdown game against Mississippi State.

Related Story: Can anyone stop Alabama from winning the SEC again in 2017?

Entering the new season Hurts has the starting job locked up, even if newcomer Tua Tagovailoa is breathing down his neck. Saban hasn’t had a returning starter since AJ McCarron in 2013. He’s going to roll with the proven commodity, and why wouldn’t he?

Hurts ranked third in the SEC in total yards and finished in the top five of nearly every important passing statistic: completion percentage (third), yards (fourth) touchdowns (third) and efficiency (fifth). Only one SEC player, Nick Fitzgerald was responsible for more touchdowns (passing, rushing or receiving) than Hurts. Fitzgerald has 37, Hurts had 36.

The first player to crack the top half of the list is Oregon running back Royce Freeman. In the midst of what could generously be labeled a disappointing season for the Ducks in 2016, Freeman saw his production fall as the offense fizzled. One bad year doesn’t diminish the outstanding career Freeman has had so far, and isn’t necessarily indicative of a decline in production in 2017.

Freeman led the Pac-12 in touchdowns from scrimmage with 19 scores in each of his first two seasons. In three seasons at Oregon he already owns the single season rushing record (1,836 yards as a sophomore in 2015). He’s climbed all the way to second on the Duck’s all time rushing records, sitting less than 1,000 yards behind LaMichael James.

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This is a guy that’s scored 48 touchdowns, rushed for 4,148 yards and caught 65 passes in three years. Yes, the Ducks finished 4-8 last season. But their woeful defense and freshman quarterback didn’t do Freeman any favors. It’s hard get enough touches to do some damage when your team is losing by 49 points to Washington, 25 points to USC, 25 points to Stanford and 18 points to Washington State. You don’t run the football when you’re down by three or more touchdowns, you air it out.

Oregon’s offense is expected to take a step forward in 2017 under the direction of new head coach Willie Taggart. While at South Florida last season, Taggart’s offense ran for 285.3 yards per game on an average of more than 40 carries per game. That was fifth best in the nation and more productive than Georgia Tech’s triple option offense. A good amount of that rushing success can be attributed to their stud quarterback, Quinton Flowers.

The Ducks’ passer, Justin Herbert doesn’t have that kind of mobility. That means the job will fall to Freeman. He’s more than capable of carrying the load. He’s done it before. Freeman is set for what could be a record-shattering season.

Christian Wilkins is a big, bad dude. The Clemson defensive end was a Nagurski Trophy finalist in 2016 as well as a first-team All-American selection. His statistical profile seems average to the naked eye, but going one step deeper proves Wilkins has tremendous value to the Tiger defense.

The Springfield, Massachusetts native had 41 combined pressures in 2016, his first year playing on the outside of the defensive line. He also had nine pass knock downs, tied for the most by a player since Pro Football Focus began keeping track of the statistic in 2014.

Wilkins doesn’t fit the profile most coaches look for in a defensive end. That didn’t stop him from excelling at the position. Either he’s a freakishly talented athlete or Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables is a wizard. Or both? It’s definitely a possibility.

Whether or not he possesses the quickness to play end at the next level is up for debate. He held his own against some slippery ACC quarterbacks in 2016. He could transition back to the inside in the NFL. His talents will be highly sought after regardless of where he ends up playing on the line.

In addition to the defensive feats, Wilkins holds one rather interesting Clemson record. He is the only defensive lineman in school history to score a touchdown in an offensive formation.

Just edging out Christian Wilkins on the defensive line is Ohio State defensive end Tyquan Lewis. While Wilkins might be the scarier athlete, Lewis outpaces him in on-field production and experience. In three seasons at Ohio State Lewis has 16.5 career sacks (compared to Wilkins’ 5.5). Lewis has led Ohio State in sacks in each of the last two seasons. There’s no reason to think he wouldn’t repeat that again during his final season in Columbus.

Lewis was just a redshirt freshman in 2014 when the Buckeyes took home the National Title, defeating Oregon 42-20. He had one tackle in the Championship game. Fast forward to his junior campaign and there was just one game (against Michigan) in which Lewis did not register either  a tackle or a sack.

After the season he was named the Big Ten Conference defensive lineman of the year. Included in the voting were Michigan studs Taco Charlton and Chris Wormley as well as Malik McDowell of Michigan State. Lewis was recognized as being the best of the best, and he earned it.

He has a few notable names in front of him on Ohio State’s all-time sack leaderboard. That includes Vernon Gholston (22.5 – 6th), Joey Bosa (26.0 – 3rd) and Mike Vrabel (36 – 1st). One more eight sack season would put Lewis in fourth place all-time while a 10 sack year would put him second. A lot of elite pass rushers have come through Ohio State. Tyquan Lewis will be recognized as one of the best by the time he’s through.

If we’re being honest, nobody knew who this guy was in March. Then the earliest versions of the 2018 NFL Mock Drafts started to come out. Somewhere at the top, sandwiched between Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold was this gunslinger from Wyoming,

More: Way-too-early 2018 NFL Mock Draft First Round

Last season the Cowboys were the 25th best scoring offense in the country, averaging just shy of 46 points per game. The knock against Wyoming’s offensive attack was their inability to hang on to the football. They turned the ball over 24 times, 15 of which were interceptions by Allen. Cutting down on the turnovers will make an already productive offense that much more dangerous in 2017.

When guys like Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock are bringing up your name on national television, chances are you’ve done something to warrant the attention. Allen has done enough, and then some. He was invited tot he Manning Passing Academy over the summer and is on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award.

Josh Allen won’t surprise anyone in 2017. Wyoming will be near the top of the Mountain West once more. College Game Day might not make the trip out to Laramie, Wyoming this fall, but the Cowboys could play their way onto the national stage. The top ranked team outside of the Power-5 is going to be playing in a New Year’s Six Bowl, likely against a name-brand team. Allen versus Darnold on New Year’s Day? Grab the popcorn.

Dexter Lawrence was just a freshman a year ago, albeit a freshman with lofty expectations. The No. 2 recruit in the nation according to 247 Sports, Lawrence chose the Tigers over the Florida Gators. Our colleagues over at Rubbing the Rock went as far as to make this bold statement:

"Dexter Lawrence will be one of the most talented defensive linemen to ever step foot on campus at Clemson."

After just one year that claim looks to become reality. He stepped up immediately and made a name for himself. Lawrence was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 and a Freshman All-American. He was an integral part of what ended up being a national championship-caliber defense.

Lawrence and Carlos Watkins, the Tigers’ leading pair of sack-men last season, are both returning and both ranked in our Top 50. Those two, paired with Clelin Ferrell (44 tackles, six sacks) and Austin Bryant (20 tackles, 2.5 sacks) will form what could be the most intimidating defensive line in the country.

The Tigers aren’t expected to repeat in 2017. It’s hard enough to win two titles in a row in college football. Having to attempt it with a new starting quarterback is that much more difficult. It’s going to take some heroics by Lawrence to put the offense into positions where they can succeed.

More: 5 players with the best chance to win the Bednarik Award

Lawerence was named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given every year to the best defensive player in College Football. Last year’s finalists were Myles Garrett, Jonathan Allen and Jabril Peppers. Lawrence is good enough to be a finalist this year. That’s some pretty lofty company.

The Auburn rushing attack is one of the fiercest in the nation and it’s led by junior running back Kamryn Pettway. Five teams had more rushing yards per game than the Tigers who churned out a whopping 271.3 yards per game. That’s a lot easier to do when you have a tandem of elite backs. That’s the case for Auburn who has both Pettway and fellow junior Kerryon Johnson.

Johnson and Pettway were one of two tandems of running backs in the SEC to collectively top 2,000 yards on the ground. The other pair was Stanley “Boom” Williams and Benjamin Snell Jr. of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Pettway is a power runner that overwhelms the opposition with pure strength. At 6-foot, 240 pounds, he can bowl over even the tougher linebackers in the SEC. The only way to stop a guy like Pettway is to crowd the box and force him to run into a wall of defenders. That’s going to be much more difficult to do in 2017 because of the arrival of Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham.

Stidham brings a vertical passing threat to the Tigers that the combination of John Franklin III, Jeremy Johnson and Sean White lacked last season. Landing Stidham vaulted the Tigers into serious contention for the SEC West Title. They wont’ be favorites – Alabama isn’t going to be any easier to topple, but they have all the pieces to take down the Tide in the Iron Bowl. If that happens they’ll be thinking playoff.

More: Malzahn says Stidham not a lock to start Week 1

If Pettway wasn’t sharing touches in the backfield he’d be in the Heisman consideration. He has a certain Bo Scarboroug-lite build and runs with just as much physicality. Even still, Pettway was fourth in the SEC rushing attempts in 2016. He’s due for another big season this year.

As much as any player from Alabama can qualify as under-the-radar, Calvin Ridley‘s potential might be the best kept secret in Tuscaloosa. His teammates Jalen Hurts, Bo Scarborough and even true freshman Tua Tagovailoa have garnered much more attention this offsesaon than the All-SEC first team receiver.

More: Saban says Tagovailoa will see the field in 2017

He won’t be overlooked when the games start. Ridley is the No. 1 receiving option for an Alabama team that has continued to embrace the new-world spread offense that has quickly become ubiquitous with college football. Even a team that’s known for their tenacity up front like Alabama has started to air it out a bit more. Alabama ran more than 1,000 plays last season, but finished fairly close to an even split between rushing yards (3,675) and passing yards (3,154).

Ridley was responsible for 24.4 percent of those receiving yards, which is a good chunk. His target share paints an even more intriguing picture. Ridley was targeted a team high 115 times, fourth most of any receiver in the SEC. One more year with Hurts should only increase Ridley’s involvement in the offense. That’s especially true when you consider that the Tide’s No. 2 target from a year before, Ardarius Stewart, is now with the New York Jets.

There is a reason why Ridley is the front-runner for this year’s Biletnikoff award, given to college football’s top receiver. His role in the offense will grow as Hurts becomes more comfortable as a passer rather than just a runner. His 2016 stats took a dip, but the 2017 season is a fresh canvas that will be filled with Ridley’s incredible talent and jaw-dropping plays.

If Nick Chubb can stay healthy he deserves to be in the Heisman Trophy discussion. The Georgia offense, under the command of sophomore quarterback Jacob Eason just could not move the ball in 2016 without the aid of Chubb and fellow backfield member Sony Michel.

The Bulldogs finished 87th in the country in total offense last season. Broken down a bit further, Georgia was the No. 97 passing offense and the No. 50 rushing offense in the nation. It’s a bit surprising that those two marks are even that close. Both Chubb and Michel topped 800 yards rushing, each having at least 150 carries. Auburn and Kentucky were the only other SEC schools to feature a pair of runners with that much production and that much usage.

The rushing prowess contrasted heavily with Eason’s freshman campaign. The young signal caller has a good arm and the profile of a top-of-the-line passer. He’ll continue to get better in the years to come, but his 55.1 completion percentage and paltry 6.6 yards per attempt didn’t scare opposing teams away from loading the box.

More: Eason ranked as one of college football’s most pro-ready quarterbacks

Chubb did the best with what he had, and it turns out his best is pretty darn good. Just one year removed from season-ending knee surgery, Chubb ran through some of the stingy defenses in 2016. That included a 23 carry, 101 yard game against Auburn (No. 27 run defense) and a 16 carry, 101 yard game against Louisiana-Lafayette (No. 23 run defense) one week later.

He didn’t just look good against the better defenses. He gashed a poor North Carolina defense to the tune of 222 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener. If Chubb stay’s healthy, and that’s a legitimate concern, he’s going to prove himself tobe one of the better running backs in the nation, not just the SEC.

Like Chubb, Armani Watts is another SEC stud that’s had to battle through injuries. Health will be important for him this season if he wants to secure his spot in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Watts hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Aggie safety Justin Evans, a top 50 pick in last year’s draft.

Watts enters the 2017 season as a preseason All-SEC first-team selection. He’ll be the leader of an Aggie defense that needs to make some serious strides in 2017 for head coach Kevin Sumlin to comfortably keep his job. Texas A&M finished in the top 20 in passes defended last season, a stat all the more staggering when you consider they allowed 191.8 yards per game rushing.

Texas A&M hasn’t been known for having an impenetrable defense under Defensive Coordinator John Chavis, but they’ve been incredibly opportunistic. Watts has led the charge. He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and making the big play when the Aggies need it most. Some guys can do it every now and then. Watts is there to make the play nearly every time. Exhibit A: the game clinching interception in overtime against Tennessee.

Watts has been described as the “heart and soul” of the Aggie defense. That defense included three NFL draft picks last season, but Watts was the guy that kept the unit moving forward. When he left the field midway through the Ole Miss game the impact on the entire unit was noticeable. Ole Miss rallied from a 21-6 deficit to stun the Aggies at Kyle Field. True freshman quarterback Shea Patterson was kept in check during the first half, but with Watts out of the game the Rebels began to move the football.

Texas A&M is not going to replicate the shut-down defense of Alabama, Florida or LSU this season. They’re going to have to score to win football games. But with Watts commanding the defense, the burden on the offense might not be as heavy as some might expect. Especially if he’s able to get into the endzone once or twice himself.

Death, taxes and Skai Moore bringing down the ball carrier. Moore might be the most consistent tackler in the SEC. He’s also a shoe-in to be on the shortlist for SEC Comeback Player of the year. A herniated disc in his neck caused him to miss the entire 2016 season. Moore is unquestionably a first round talent. As a redshirt senior, he’ll have one more season to prove it before he enters the draft next spring.

In 2015 his stat line was as follows: 110 tackles (6.5 for a loss), 2 sacks, 4 interceptions, 4 passes defended and 3 forced fumbles. That’s a bit more impressive than the empty space next to his name on the stat sheet last season. Moore finished fourth in the SEC in tackles in 2015 and fourth in interceptions.

A linebacker by trade, Moore has the size and quickness more akin to a traditional safety. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds he profiles similarly to current Arizona Cardinal linebacker Deone Bucannon. Bucannon’s versatility has made him a fixture at the heart of one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses. Moore will serve the same role for the Gamecocks in 2017.

The intangible benefits of having Moore back on the field will be significant for South Carolina, but they won’t outweigh what he brings between the white lines. With Moore on the field South Carolina allowed a 97.7 quarterback rating in the fourth quarter in 2015. Last season that number jumped to 115.2. The Gamecocks needed someone to step up and make a play when the game is on the line. Moore is that guy, and he’s back.

If you give the 2016 leaderboards even the most cursory of glances you’ll see one name jump out at you: Baker Mayfield. The Oklahoma quarterback finished third in the Heisman voting last season and led the conference in a myriad of passing statistics including touchdowns, completion percentage, passing efficiency and yards per play.

Of course, there’s no denying that having Dede Westbrook as your number one target might help your stats every so slightly. But even without Westbrook, Mayfield should be more than capable of continuing to put up video game-like numbers in 2017. Last season he posted a 40:8 touchdown to interception ratio while attempting 358 passes.

More: 5 places where Bob Stoops could come back to coach

This season Bob Stoops will be sipping a Mai Tai or two on a beach with his missus, enjoying his retirement. That makes it all the more critical that Mayfield is firing on all-cylinders from day one. There’s no reason to expect otherwise. Even sans-Stoops, Oklahoma is the favorite to win the Big 12 and they have Mayfield at the helm. He won’t be the favorite to win the Heisman, but he’s been invited to New York in each of his seasons in Norman so far.

Oklahoma was the only top 30 passing offense to average less than 30 attempts per game in 2017. Part of that was the inclusion of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine, but Mayfield deserves credit too. There are a lot of gunslingers that throw the ball all over the field in the Big 12, but there are few that are as accurate and as efficient as Mayfield.

Let the controversy begin. Coming in one spot above Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is Oklahoma State passer Mason Rudolph. For all you Sooner faithful, this isn’t some cheap gimmick, and we’re not alone with this ranking. CBS Sports has Rudolph as a top five prospect in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft. Where is Mayfield? No. 35. That’s not too shabby, but it’s not elite.

Why so much love for Rudolph? For one he checks all the prototypical quarterback boxes.

• He’s big (6-foot-5, 235 pounds)
• There’s a proven track record of health and success
• He can hit the deep ball (third in FBS in completions of 30+ yards)
• He’s improved each season in completion percentage and touchdowns

What’s not to like? Rudolph has a big body, a big arm and one of the most deadly receivers in the country in James Washington. The Cowboys also return their No. 2 wide receiver Jalen McCleskey and their lead running back Justice Hill. They have 95 returning starts combined between their offensive line, the 11th most in the nation. In short: Rudolph was excellent last year and he’ll have a full allotment of weapons and blockers to set him up for a monster senior season.

If things go according to plan for head coach Mike Gundy, Rudolph will get to put all doubts of his superiority to bed with a season-defining victory in the Big 12 Championship game. The Sooners might be out front for now, but Bedlam is sure to ensue when the season gets under way.

Is Texas back? Honestly, that question is starting to get a bit overused. However, if the Longhorns are able to return to prominence this season they’re going to need a monster year out of junior linebacker Malik Jefferson.

More: 5 reasons why Texas could win the Big 12 in 2017

When head coach Charlie Strong beat out the Aggies for Jefferson’s pledge it looked to be a monumental moment for Texas football. The No. 1 player in the state of Texas in 2015, Jefferson was supposed to be the guy that turned things around for the Longhorn defense.

His first two seasons in burnt orange were solid. In two seasons he collected 121 total tackles (16 for a loss) and nine sacks. That wasn’t enough to bolster a thin defensive backfield or save Strong’s job. Those are good numbers, but the expectations for Jefferson are astronomically higher.

Now, entering year three with the Longhorns, Jefferson is ready to make his statement. The 2016 linebacking corps underwent a lot of shuffling and permutations. Jefferson should remain in place on the outside in his natural position in 2017. His natural athleticism and fine-tuned instincts make him a candidate for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a first round NFL Draft selection. He has a nose for the football and will be in the backfield creating havoc all season.

Jefferson led the Longhorns in sacks and solo tackles. He’s going to be both the statistical leader and the on field leader for a young team with a promising upside. He has all the measurables and looks like a top-flight, NFL-caliber linebacker. He can’t be docked for the lack of support around him. Make no mistake, Jefferson is elite.

A freshman in 2016, Ed Oliver had one of the best seasons of any defensive tackle in the country. He led all defensive tackles in the nation in tackles for a loss. If that was his opening act, what can he do in his second season?

Defensive coordinators around the country would give their left leg to have the opportunity to work with Oliver. He’s the kind of plug-and-play talent that makes every one else on the team better when he’s on the field. Houston did not lose a game in which Oliver had at least one sack.

It won’t be without its challenges. Tom Herman left the Cougars to take the job in Austin. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando went with him. That leaves Oliver and the rest of the Cougar defense with the challenge of assimilating into the new defensive schemes of Major Applewhite and Mark D’Onofrio.

When Oliver committed to Houston and Tom Herman he had to have know that the up-and-coming new coach wasn’t going to be there forever. Now that Herman has in fact moved on to green pastures the onus is on Oliver to prove that he isn’t dependent on any other coach or player to make game-changing plays. I’m not worried.

If Josh Rosen had been healthy last season a lot of things would look different today. He might be the favorite to be the number one pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. His head coach, Jim Mora, wouldn’t be on the verge of losing his job. UCLA would be in the conversation for a Pac-12 title. Instead, Rosen missed the second half of his sophomore season after suffering a shoulder injury and here we are.

Back and ready to go, Rosen is set to be one of the best passers in the entire nation. He returns a full array of pass catchers and a pair of running backs.

How good is Rosen? FanSided’s Matty Breisch calls him a sure-fire franchise quarterback. There is almost nothing that he can’t do when it comes to throwing the football. Briesch elaborated on the quality of Rosen’s passing skills:

"Rosen has an absolute cannon for an arm. He can make any throw in the book and does so with the touch, anticipation and velocity of a seasoned pro. Josh will routinely throw into double, triple and even quadruple coverage and deliver the ball directly into his receiver’s hands."

Rosen plays on the west coast. Unless you’re a fan of #Pac12AfterDark, chances are you haven’t seen him play as much as you’ve seen Jalen Hurts or Deondre Francois, two players that finished much lower in this ranking. He’s not afraid to step up in the pocket and allow plays to develop. Rosen has great vision and awareness, two things that will given him a step up on the competition when it comes to transitioning to the next level.

If he can stay healthy, people are going to be kicking themselves for forgetting about the “other” Los Angeles quarterback in all the hysteria that surrounds the Sam Darnold hype train.

There has been one repeat Heisman trophy winner in the history of the award.  Archie Griffin, the Ohio State running back, won the award in 1974 and 1975. Beyond him there have been 14 returning Heisman winners that have produced a mixed bag of results. Nine of those 14 have finished in the top five of Heisman voting in their second season.

Since 2000, seven of the eight returning winners were quarterbacks. As you can imagine, there are quite a few stars on the list such as Matt Leinart, Tim Tebow, Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston. Jackson profiles more closely to Manziel. They both topped 1,400 yards on the ground and added more than 3,500 yards through the air in their Heisman winning seasons.

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Jackson burst onto the scene in 2016 after showing glimpses of magic in his freshman season. He had the help of plenty of experienced players around him. Many of those key pieces in the Cardinals’ offense have run out of eligibility including Jackson’s three leading wide receivers (James Quick, Cole Hikutini, and Jamari Staples) and lead running back Brandon Radcliff.

New faces will emerge through the season, but it’s going to depend even more so on Jackson to work out the kinks as they go. They won’t have much time to figure it out as they face defending champion Clemson in their third game. However, if Jackson can rally his troops and stun the Tigers he’ll have an early Heisman moment in his cap. One more win over Florida State on the road in October and Jackson could cement himself as the front-runner once again in 2017.

Voter fatigue is a real thing, and it’s going to take even more impressive numbers this year for Jackson to repeat. Second Heisman or not, there are few collegiate passers (and runners for that matter) more exciting to watch than Lamar Jackson.

In just two seasons Jake Browning has vaulted himself into the top five on the all-time passing list for Washington. If he keeps steady with another 3,000 yard season he’ll be second on that list behind Cody Pickett. Passing Pickett would put him in rarefied air among Pac-12 quarterbacks. 16 Pac-12 passers have surpassed 10,000 yards through the air. That’s a legitimate possibility for Browning in 2017.

The record doesn’t matter. With or without a historic 2017 campaign, Browning is one of the most intelligent quarterbacks in college football today. He posted a mind-boggling 43:9 touchdown to interception ratio last season. Over the span of 14 games that equates to an average of 3.1 touchdowns and 0.6 interceptions per contest. Quarterbacks like that who can find the endzone and don’t turn the ball over win football games.

The Huskies finished 12-2 last season with losses to Alabama and USC. Both teams finished in the top three schools in the final polls. If there’s ever a time to chalk up a loss as a “quality defeat” it’s those two circumstances. Browning brought his team to the edge, and the Huskies are expected to be back atop the division in 2017.

Must Read: 5 reasons Washington won't repeat as Pac-12 champs

Losing first round draft selection John Ross will be noticed. However, with returning pass catcher Dante Pettis, who also made the Top 50, Browning will be locked in and ready to lead the Huskies to another Pac-12 North title.

Christian Kirk led the Texas A&M Aggies in targets and receptions in 2016. Texas A&M has to replace three of their four starting wide receivers this season. Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil and Rickey Seals-Jones are all NFL bound. That leaves Kirk as the only proven commodity on the wide receiver depth chart for the Aggies.

They’ll likely have a new face at quarterback too. True freshman Kellen Mond or red-shirt freshman Nick Starkel look to be the favorites over last year’s backup, Jake Hubenak. Kirk is the safety net that either of the three quarterbacks will go to early and often, making him an even more critical piece of the maroon and white offense.

More: Who will start at QB for the Aggies in 2017?

Kirk has been projected as a first round pick in many 2018 NFL mock drafts. He’s been included on the watch list for the Maxwell trophy which awarded to the player of the year in college football. No one is going to be caught off guard by this shifty slot receiver from Arizona.

Dangerous every time he has the ball in his hands, Kirk already holds the all-time Texas A&M record for return touchdowns. Remember, he’s only a sophomore. Last season he returned three punts for scores, two of them in the same game.

Kirk is going to be an All-American. Defenses are going to focus in on Kirk, but if the Aggies can find ways to keep getting him the football he could find his way to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist this season.

To call the Alabama backfield “loaded” might be the understatement of the year. Their best three backs are all 5-star recruits and Bo Scarbrough might be the most fearsome of that trio. He’ll share the backfield with junior Damien Harris and true freshman Najee Harris. Despite being in a time share, Scarbrough is hands-down one of the best backs in college football.

If you put Scarbrough on any other roster in the country he’s be the starting running back. There are a few exceptions (there is at least one running back higher on the Top 50), but he’s proven himself to be everything you could want in a ball carrier. He’s physical, agile and has the propensity to make big plays out of small opportunities. Remember when he did this?

Scarbrough’s 6.5 yards per carry ranked eighth in the SEC in 2016. His touchdown total (11) was also eighth best. There were 22 running backs with more carries that him. The numbers are good, but the productivity that Scarbrough was able to bring on so few touches make him one of the most deadly offensive threats in college football. Opposing defenses can’t stop him. It takes more than one man to bring him down. When you have a running back like that on your team it opens up opportunities in the passing game and elevates the level of play for the entire offense.

Alabama is known for their defense. But Lane Kiffin made his mark in Tuscaloosa and the offense has improved dramatically. The Crimson Tide were a top 15 scoring offense last season, thanks in large part to Scarbrough’s presence in the field.

Saquon Barkley is an absolute monster. The undersized, quick running back ran roughshod through the Big Ten in 2016. He capped off his season with a 356 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl against USC. Returning for his junior season, Barkley will once again be the bell cow running back for Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin.

Only six FBS rushers scored more touchdowns last season than Barkley and all of them but one (Anthony Wales of Western Kentucky) had more touches per game than he did. Barkley was third in the Big Ten in carries (272), falling just shy of Northwestern’s Justin Jackson (298) and much further behind Wisconsin’s Corey Clement (314). Barkley played in 14 games, but had 18 touchdowns.

He might have been even more dominant had the Nittany Lions not also benefited from the services of quarterback Trace McSorley. With McSorely back in 2017, the Penn State offense will look to pick up right where they left off. In fact, Penn State is tied for second most returning offensive starters in the nation with nine.

More: Penn State should be the favorite to win the Big ten

Penn State is widely considered to be the favorite to win the Big Ten. That’s because of guys like Barkley that can carry the load week in and week out. He’s a true work house running back that is producing at one of the highest levels in college football.

First it was a leave of absence, then it was shoulder surgery. Now it’s time for football. Arden Key has had an interesting offseason, but when that first kickoff happens he’s going to be dialed in and ready to punish some quarterbacks.

Key finished second in the SEC with 11 sacks in 2016. The next closest LSU defender to Key’s sack total was Davon Gaudchaux with 6.5 sacks. Key is that much better than his next closest teammate and that much better than just about every other edge rusher in college football.

More: 5 reasons that Arden Key will be better than Myles Garret

Only a junior, Key has drawn comparisons to the explosiveness of a healthy Myles Garrett. They’re two different players, but being compared to a No. 1 overall pick is usually a good sign. The knock on Key might be that he doesn’t realize quite how athletic he is:

"Key seems to never run out of energy. He has an endless motor and his speed around the edge is elite. If you watch his film, there will be some plays where his speed causes him to over-pursue a play because he doesn’t always expect to make it to the quarterback that fast – Connor Muldowney"

Key was named the No. 1 underclassmen outside linebacker in this year’s draft class. Like Jadeveon Clowney when he was coming out of school, Key’s NFL position is still a bit uncertain. He hasn’t been asked to do much pass coverage at LSU, but his ability to recognize the play as it develops and explode into the backfield will add to his versatility at the next level. Whether he’s an NFL linebacker or an NFL defensive end, this Tiger junior is going to be top draft pick and a terror to passers on the next level.

As a true freshman in 2015 Derwin James drew comparisons to legendary Miami safety Sean Taylor. Fresh out of high school he was already being linked to one of the better safeties to ever play in the NFL. He lived up to the billing, earning All-ACC third team honors as a true freshman in 2015 as well as being named to USA Today’s Freshman All-American team.

James suffered a lateral meniscus in the Seminoles’ week two game in 2016 and missed the rest of the season. Florida State missed him dearly. The Noles were the 21st rank passing defense in 2015 and the 57th ranked passing defense in 2016. Those disparate finishes had a lot of overlapping players, with the major exception of James.

A preseason All-American selection, James has garnered high praise from media outlets around college football. Pro Football Focus says he may be “the best player in the nation regardless of position”. Why? Because there simply aren’t many holes in his game. He can play the ball in the air, blitz the quarterback off the edge, stop the run and command the defense.

He’s not shy either. Sports Illustrated called James the No. 1 player in the nation entering 2017. In an interview with Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times this offseason, James offered a not-so-humble admission: “I do think I’m the best player in the country,” he said.

His newest teammate, 5-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson called him “a real freak of nature.” That’s about right. It’s been a long time since people had the chance to see James on the field, but he’s hands down one of the best players in the country.

Derrius Guice led the SEC in rushing yards in 2016 and he was a backup to Leonard Fournette. With Fournette playing on Sundays this season it’s going to be all slice and Guice for the Tigers in 2017.

LSU’s passing offense was putrid. The Tigers haven’t had a great quarterback since the days of Zach Mettenberger. Danny Etling was ineffective and inaccurate. In fact, LSU hasn’t had a passing offense that ranked in the top 100 since 2013. They’ve only broken the top 50 once since 2009. At LSU it’s always been run first, run second and then run some more. That means a high volume of carries for Guice and plenty of opportunities to do damage with his legs.

Other than an occasional fake field goal under Les Miles, the Tiger offense has been extremely predictable over the past decade. It really hasn’t mattered. They’re going to line up with a few tight ends and run the ball up the gut. They know what they’re going to do. Their opponents know what they’re going to do. And LSU does it anyways. On third down and three yards or less Guice averaged an astounding 10.3 yards per carry.

Guice was able to wear teams down and still remain fully functional late in games. When the defense got tired Guice was just getting started. He averaged 8.74 yards per carry in the second half or overtime, the best mark of any running back in the SEC. His home run power makes him the fiercest running back in college football. Guice had 11 carries of 20 yards or more after half time.

More: Could Derrius Guice already be better than Leonard Fournette?

Elite running backs don’t grow on trees, but it’s quite possible that Guice will follow in Fournette’s foot steps as a first round NFL draft pick. He has the backfield to himself this season and will be asked to carry his team once more. New Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada is going to try to open up the offense. His Pittsburgh team averaged more than 446 yards per game last season. If he can’t get those yards through the air it’s going to fall on Guice to grind them out.

Sam Darnold is the Heisman front-runner and the projected first overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft and he gets to play in a mediocre Pac-12 South. He threw for an average of 295 yards and 2.9 touchdowns in 10 games as a starter last year. Given a full season to work, Darnold is going to dazzle the nation in 2017.

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A freshman last season, Darnold has already proven he can carve up even the toughest defenses with relative ease. On the biggest stage, Darnold threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-49 victory over No. 5 Penn State at the Rose Bowl. The Nittany Lions allowed 25.4 pointer per game last season. Darnold decimated them. He did the same against Washington, an eventual College Football Playoff team. He’s going to do it again.

This time around the USC Trojans have their eyes set higher than the Rose Bowl. In their eyes it’s finally the year that this college football blue-blood program gets back to the college football championship game.

USC has a weird scheduling quirk that leaves them without a bye week in 2017. It’s going to be a grind, but their schedule shapes up as well as it could given that consideration. Their toughest games (Stanford, Utah, Arizona and UCLA) are all at home.

Darnold plays for Southern Cal so the expectations are going to be off the charts. They haven’t been to a national championship game since they lost to Vince Young and Texas at the Rose Bowl in 2005. If anyone can live up to the hype and lead the Trojans to their first College Football Playoff appearance, it’s Darnold.

The best player in college football entering the 2017 season is Minkah Fitzpatrick. It’s not shocking to see an Alabama defender at the top of the list. He’s an All-American that’s going to add more trophies to his shelf this year. Fitzpatrick was named to eight preseason watch lists.

Fitzpatrick’s vision and instinctiveness on the football field is unmatched by any other defender in college football. He’s snagged eight interceptions in his Alabama career and returned four of them for touchdowns. His average return length is 34.3 yards. He’s a center fielder wearing shoulder pads that can play anywhere that Nick Saban needs him to. He’s seen snaps at safety and cornerback for the Crimson Tide. Versatility is the name of the game in the NFL. The more you can do, the longer you’ll be around. There flat-out isn’t anything that Fitzpatrick can’t do.

Quarterbacks didn’t fare much better when Fitzpatrick wasn’t able to intercept passes thrown into his coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Opposing passers had a passer rating of 10.1 on passes thrown 20 yards or more downfield against Fitzpatrick. If you expand that statistic to include the full range of the field, Fitzpatrick allowed a 37.8 passer rating against all balls thrown in his direction. That was second best in the country.

The New Jersey native is as close to a lock down defender as there is in college football. There are other guys, like Derwin James, that have excellent cover skills and good tackling. But no one else combines elite athleticism, intuitive play recognition and instantaneous reflexes like Fitzpatrick does. He’s the best player on a defense that sends multiple players to the NFL every season.

Next: College football's top 50 breakout players in 2017

Fitzpatrick is one of the few defenders in the country that you’re going to see on highlight reels in 2017. That’s because he’s going to outscore some of the nation’s best players on his own more than once this year. A ballhawk and a nearly unbeatable man in coverage, Minkah Fitzpatrick is on a mission to return the Alabama Crimson Tide to the top in 2017.