The first round of the NFL draft garners plenty of attention. Countless mock drafts map out the first round. There's a green room full of players and a red-carpet entrance. But it's a very exclusive club. This season, only 31 first-round picks were made. That leaves plenty of players waiting for Friday night, when the second and third rounds take place.
As we saw again in 2016, the second and third rounds feature plenty of talented collegiate players. Those players leave significant holes behind for college coaches to fill this spring and summer. Who'll step forward into starring roles for college programs in 2016? Here's a look at replacements for the top second and third-round NFL draft selections.
Florida's defensive line has become an NFL factory. The Gators produced three consecutive first-round picks from their defensive line, and defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard just missed making it four, lasting until the third round when the Chicago Bears snapped him up.
Bullard was a productive force for the Gator line, and he'll be missed. But Caleb Brantley has an excellent shot at picking up the slack. The redshirt junior was solid last fall, making 29 tackles and three sacks while starting 10 games.
With Bullard gone, there's no question that Brantley is Florida's best defensive lineman. Now, he'll have to play like a leader and a more consistent every-down player to help the Gator defensive line forward.
As with many spots on Ohio State's roster, opportunity will be the operative word at wide receiver this fall. The Buckeyes' top two receivers (Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall) left for the NFL, and Braxton Miller[1] graduated following a lone season as a talented but sometimes underutilized wideout. That leaves H-back Curtis Samuel (22 receptions, 289 yards, two scores) as the leading returning receiver, but the top option to replace Thomas' production might be a guy who didn't play a down last fall.
Noah Brown had just one reception for nine yards in 2014, but was expected to play a much larger role in 2015 before breaking his leg in preseason practice. At 6'2", 222 pounds, Brown has prototypical size and skills and could easily emerge as J.T. Barrett's top target in the passing game. He'll lead a cadre of young, similarly unproven receivers.
Myles Jack is one of the most versatile players in recent memory. How unique is he? The UCLA junior won the Pac-12 Offensive AND Defensive Freshman of the Year awards in 2014. He excelled as a linebacker and also contributed nicely as a running back.
His future in the NFL, however, is at linebacker, where he can stuff opposing running backs or drop into coverage with equal amounts of skill. However, UCLA got a preview of what life without him would be like last fall. Jack tore his meniscus three weeks into the season, ending his junior year and, as it turned out, his college career.
Jack declared for the NFL draft, giving the Bruins plenty of time to find his replacement. Jayon Brown did an excellent job. He emerged as a starter and made a team-leading 93 tackles, finishing sixth in the Pac-12 in total tackles per game. There are no questions: he'll be a leader for UCLA's linebacker corps in 2016.
Carl Nassib was one of the best stories in college football last fall. Nassib came to Penn State as a walk-on, but kept developing and had a huge breakout season as a senior, leading the FBS with 15.5 sacks. That's a huge amount of production to replace, but the Nittany Lions' pass-rush cupboard isn't bare.
Torrence Brown served as Nassib's understudy in 2015 and should make a big move forward this fall. Brown measures in at 6'3", 257 pounds and is very athletic. He played in every game as a redshirt freshman, making 11 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and recovering a fumble. With more playing time, those stats should significantly increase in 2016.
Southern California went through plenty of turmoil over the past four years, but one constant was the play of quarterback Cody Kessler. Kessler was a solid leader for the Trojans' offense, throwing for 3,536 yards with 29 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 2015 and leading the charge to a Pac-12 South title.
He has graduated, however, and was picked by the Cleveland Browns late in the third round. His departure means new coach Clay Helton must pick a new leader for the offense. This is Max Browne's time. The junior served as Kessler's understudy for his first two seasons on campus. Last fall, he completed eight of 12 passes for 113 yards in limited action.
Browne was pushed hard by freshman Sam Darnold in spring practice, but should have the experience to hold him off and start the season under center vs. Alabama.
In recent years, Clemson's defensive end spot has become a springboard for NFL talent. Malliciah Goodman was the first, followed closely by Vic Beasley. In 2015, Shaq Lawson went from backup and freshman All-America to consensus All-America, and bookend Kevin Dodd used a strong performance in the College Football Playoff that pushed him into the NFL draft as well.
How will the Tigers replace Dodd? They got a preview in the Orange Bowl when Lawson left with a sprained knee. Austin Bryant saw little regular-season action, but excelled in place of Lawson, making eight tackles in 63 snaps and thriving against Oklahoma's high-powered offense.
It'll be a natural progression for Bryant to step into a more prominent role in 2016 and provide much-needed pass-rush punch for Brent Venables' defense.
Vonn Bell got a lot done in three years in Columbus. The Ohio State safety was an athletic, talented piece of a defense that won a national title in 2014 and came within a last-second loss to Michigan State of going to another College Football Playoff.
But when Bell became one of nine underclassman Buckeyes to declare for the NFL draft, Ohio State was faced with the unpleasant prospect of replacing him. One strong candidate is junior Cameron Burrows. Burrows has played both cornerback and safety in his college career, and pushed Bell for a starting role in 2014. He is coming off a season-ending foot injury but has the talent to make a real impact in a thinned-out secondary this fall.
One way or another, Notre Dame was going to face life without Jaylon Smith this fall. The star linebacker was likely headed for the NFL well before he suffered a serious knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl that will sideline him for 2016.
Either way, Brian Kelly[2] and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder were likely contemplating the next step for their linebacker corps following Smith's departure. The most obvious name to replace him at "Will" linebacker? Sophomore Tevon Coney.
Coney spent his freshman season as Smith's backup, and replaced him in the Fiesta Bowl. Coney suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of spring practice, delaying his development. But assuming he returns healthy this fall, Coney will be the natural replacement for Smith.
One of the biggest factors in Michigan State's rise to a College Football Playoff berth in 2015 was an excellent, tough defense. That defense took several hits, however, including the graduation of top pass-rushing defensive end Shilique Calhoun.
Mark Dantonio and Co. have a ready-made replacement, however, in junior Demetrius Cooper. Cooper weighs in at 6'5", 252 pounds and can impact the game from the edge. Last fall, he had 22 tackles, five sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. As a full-time starter this fall, those numbers should rise significantly.
Kendall Fuller was the last of four Fuller brothers to play at Virginia Tech, and possibly the best. Fuller was one of the nation's top cornerbacks, a second-team All-American in 2014 ticketed for even bigger things in 2015. But Kendall's year ended in late September following a season-ending knee injury that turned out to end his college career.
He declared for the NFL draft, and the Hokies got an extended look at replacing him. Terrell Edmunds stepped forward. He started eight games and logged 400 defensive snaps, making 33 tackles, 1.5 for loss with a fumble recovery. With another year in Bud Foster's system, Edmunds should be even better in 2016 and entrenched as a starting corner.
C.J. Prosise played a number of roles in his Notre Dame career, but came up biggest in 2015. Following injuries at running back, Prosise stepped in and led the Fighting Irish in rushing, going for 1,032 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 26 receptions for 308 yards and a 56-yard touchdown.
His departure hurts, but Notre Dame does have depth in the backfield. Josh Adams rushed for 835 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman, and then there's the guy whose injury opened the door for Prosise. Tarean Folston was the starter last fall before tearing his ACL in the season opener against Texas. As a sophomore, he rushed for 889 yards and six touchdowns.
Folston is working his way back to health and should be ready for preseason practice. If he's healthy, expect the 5'9", 214-pound back to reclaim his starting role and lead a deep backfield.
Reggie Ragland is a tough player for Alabama's defense to replace. Ragland excelled in the middle of the Tide D last fall, making 102 tackles and 6.5 for loss. He was an excellent leader and the emotional heart of a very good defense.
How do you fill that gap? Reuben Foster is showing signs that he can be the guy. Foster made strides playing beside Ragland as a junior, making 73 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks along with nine pass breakups.
The 6'1", 240-pound senior makes plays all over the field, has an excellent motor and is a very hard hitter. If he continues to progress as expected, Foster will be a great leader for the linebacker corps and Alabama's defense in his final season in Tuscaloosa.
Chris Jones was a major force for Mississippi State's defense. The 6'5", 300-pound defensive tackle was a versatile force, moving with speed and athleticism and causing major problems for opposing offensive linemen.
With Jones gone, Dan Mullen and his staff will have a tough time replacing that skill set, but Nick James will try. The senior defensive tackle emerged as a regular last fall, and he has a great frame at 6'5", 325 pounds.
James is an emotional player who must harness those emotions and become a true every-down player for the Bulldogs. He's the best bet to approximate what Jones brought to the defensive line.
One of the biggest factors in Oklahoma's run to the 2015 Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth was transfer quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield worked well in the Sooners' fast-paced offense, throwing for 3,700 yards and 37 touchdowns. But as 2016 looms, he'll need to find some new targets.
Sterling Shepard and his 86 catches, 1,288 yards and 11 scores are in the NFL, and No. 3 receiver Durron Neal also graduated. But there is hope. No. 2 receiver Dede Westbrook returns, and Oklahoma also has a talented graduate transfer in Penn State's Geno Lewis. Lewis had just 17 catches for 196 yards and three scores as a junior, but was excellent as a sophomore, making 55 catches for 751 yards and two scores.
If Lewis is more like his sophomore self, he'll rack up huge numbers catching passes from Mayfield in the Air Raid system as a No.1-type receiver.
Replicating what Su'a Cravens did for Southern California will be very hard, for several reasons. First of all, Cravens was a two-time first-team All-Pac 12 pick who had the versatility to play either linebacker or safety, as good in coverage as he was rushing the passer. He had 86 tackles and 15 tackles for loss before declaring for the NFL draft following the 2015 season.
New defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast is employing a 5-2 scheme, which means that no one player will truly emulate what Cravens did under former defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox's watch. Osa Masina showed promise as a freshman linebacker, making a 46-yard fumble return for a touchdown in his collegiate debut against Arkansas State.
Masina is capable of covering the run, dropping in coverage or rushing quarterbacks with a 6'4", 245-pound frame. He'll make a significant impact this fall.
N.C. State is on the right path under Dave Doeren following consecutive bowl berths. A third will require success against a tougher schedule and with a new starting quarterback. Dual-threat quarterback Jacoby Brissett was a great pickup as a Florida transfer, but his graduation means State is back to square one under center.
Freshman Jakobi Meyers competed with Jalan McClendon and did some impressive things in spring practice. He was the more complete player of the two in N.C. State's spring game, completing 12 of 20 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown and carrying 10 times for 47 yards and a score. He was elusive and athletic, and while the quarterback race is far from over, Meyers gave Doeren a lot to think about this summer.
Christian Hackenberg was one of the most polarizing players in college football over the last two seasons. Following a promising freshman season, he regressed under James Franklin's watch, with his completion percentage dropping in each of his three seasons at Penn State. After throwing for 20 touchdowns against 10 interceptions as a freshman, he combined to throw 28 touchdowns with 21 picks over the next two seasons.
Regardless, he's gone to the NFL as a second-round pick of the New York Jets, which leaves an opening under center for Joe Moorhead's new spread offense. This spring, Trace McSorley showed he's ready to lead. He completed 20 of 40 passes for 185 yards and two scores as a freshman, but looked much improved in the spring game, completing 23 of 27 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns.
Entering summer, it appears to be McSorley's job to lose. Perhaps the biggest plus for Penn State fans? He isn't Hackenberg.
Oklahoma State's 2015 success was built with offense, not defense. That said, Mike Gundy's defense faces some serious challenges up front. Both starting defensive ends – Emmanuel Ogbah and Jimmy Bean – are gone, and Ogbah, the first pick of the second round, takes 24 sacks over his last two seasons with him.
There's plenty of opportunity for playing time, and Jarrell Owens plans to take advantage. Owens served as a backup end as a freshman, but will get the hot spotlight on him this fall. He emerged as a starter in spring practice and needs to improve his consistency, but he can add pass-rush punch to the Cowboys front in 2016.
Last fall, Alabama rolled to its fourth national championship under Nick Saban[3]'s watch, overcoming an early-season loss to Ole Miss and going unbeaten the rest of the way to claim the title. While Lane Kiffin[4]'s offense was varied, it leaned very heavily on Derrick Henry. The Heisman Trophy-winning tailback rushed 395 times for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns, carrying 46 times for 271 yards and a touchdown against Auburn and 46 times for 189 yards and a score against Florida.
It's hardly surprising that Henry opted to leave early for the NFL, but his departure and backup Kenyan Drake's departure creates a big hole in the Alabama backfield. How do you fill it? Bo Scarbrough. Scarbrough had scant work as a freshman, carrying 18 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. But he was very impressive in spring practice, and his size (6'2", 240 pounds) combined with punishing power and speed makes him a natural to carry the Crimson Tide's load in 2016.
AL.com's John Talty[5] says that Scarbrough lived up to the hype in spring practice, although Alabama coach Nick Saban said the young back still has things to improve on.
I certainly think he's capable of doing all the things that we need him to do. I think part of it is confidence, knowledge, experience. Having confidence in what he's supposed to do, how he's supposed to do it, why it's important to do it that way. I think when he understands that he plays fast and he's very effective. So those are the kinds of things that we can improve on.
Mackensie Alexander played only two seasons at Clemson but still managed to make a significant impact on Brent Venables' defense. Following a redshirt season, he was an immediate starter in the secondary, and before his sophomore season, he declared himself the best corner in America. Alexander backed up that talk with an All-America season as a key cog of the Tigers' defense. He left following a national runner-up finish as a draft-eligible sophomore.
Replacing him is a big challenge, but Clemson has someone it can count on. Senior Cordrea Tankersley got little attention alongside Alexander, who drew opposing offenses' top receivers on a weekly basis. But he is a very solid cover corner in his own right. This fall, the pressure will be squarely on his shoulders as the only returning starter in Clemson's secondary.
References
- ^ Braxton Miller (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Brian Kelly (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Nick Saban (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Lane Kiffin
(bleacherreport.com) ^ AL.com's John Talty (www.al.com)
