Houston Football: 5 breakout candidates for the Cougars in 2017

Like Robinson and several other breakout candidates for the Cougars, Duke Catalon did not start his career at his hometown school. Catalon was ranked as one of the 10 best running back recruits in the nation back in 2013. Recruited by several major schools coming out of high school, the Houston native eventually signed with the 2014 recruiting class at Texas.

After a redshirt season in Austin, though, Catalon elected to return to his hometown to play for Tom Herman. The running back sat out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Catalon became eligible to take the field for Houston at the same time Kenneth Farrow completed his final year of eligibility at the school.

Catalon split time with Dillon Birden at running back last year and made his way into nine games for the Cougars. Birden returns, but with dual-threat quarterback Greg Ward Jr. gone the team will rely more on its running backs for yards on the ground.

Catalon is the better receiver of the pair. That could result in the bulk of the carries going his way as Major Applewhite and new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson look to incorporate new wrinkles into the passing game. In his belated first college season, Catalon caught 44 passes and three touchdowns. He could push 60 catches and a half-dozen receiving touchdowns in 2017 as he breaks out as a backfield run-catch threat.