The nature of the constant change in college football means opportunities are always opening up for the next big breakout star. Starters graduate or move on to the NFL and that creates chances for the next wave of talent to establish themselves on a national level. Here is a look at five college football players poised to make big strides this season.
QB: Tyler O’Connor
Michigan State Spartans
O’Connor showed flashes of his potential when he took over for an injured Connor Cook and helped lead Michigan State to a win over Ohio State last season. Cook moved on to the NFL in the offseason and that opened the door for O’Connor to step in as the No. 1 quarterback this spring. The fifth-year senior has shown a strong presence in the pocket with a strong enough arm to make all of the throws. The pressure will be on him to step right in and prevent the Spartans from missing a beat after they won the Big Ten title and went to the College Football Playoff a year ago, but if he can handle the spotlight he will deliver with a breakout season.
LB: Rashaan Evans
Alabama Crimson Tide
Evans played sparingly by the Crimson Tide a year ago but even in limited snaps he showed incredible speed and an ability to get after opposing quarterbacks. Evans finished with just 10 tackles on the year, but four of them were sacks and the coaches raved about his explosiveness off the edge. Evans was moved to the inside linebacker position in order to fill a void and it didn’t take long for him to make an impression as he registered a team-high 17 tackles with one sack in the spring game. Expectations are high for Evans heading in to his junior year so keep an eye out for him as a player poised to make big strides this season.
WR: Ishmael Zamora
Baylor Bears
K.D. Cannon will attempt to fill the void left by Corey Coleman as Baylor’s No. 1 receiver this season but the Bears will need a viable No. 2 to step up in order to put up elite numbers. Zamora is the perfect candidate to fill that role as a 6’4’’, 220-pound former high school track star that has an incredible blend of size, speed and hands. Zamora looked good in the spring game with seven catches for 43 yards and if he can produce at a consistent level as the No. 2 receiver in the Bears’ offense, he should be in line for a breakout season. We know that the Bears will give him plenty of opportunities as they’re a high-flying offense that scores plenty of points and piles up the stats.
DL: Christian Wilkins
Clemson Tigers
Clemson lost both Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd to the NFL Draft so they have a tremendous need for defensive linemen that can step in and help replace them. Wilkins had 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks as a tackle in his freshman year but the Tigers need help on the edge and are eager to see what he can do at the defensive end position. Wilkins has an intriguing blend of size, strength and quickness with excellent hands and a powerful burst so expectations are high heading in to this year.
DE: Sam Hubbard
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes have several holes to fill on both sides of the football but one area where they should be just fine is defensive end, even after Joey Bosa was selected with the third-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. That is because Hubbard looked dominant in spurts towards the end of last year and appears poised to take another step forward with another year of experience. Hubbard recorded 6.5 sacks last season and he spent the offseason building his strength and power in an effort to become a more complete all-around player. Hubbard is primed for a big year rushing after opposing quarterbacks off the edge on the Ohio State defensive line and he appears poised to take major strides overall this season.
