To help get everyone pumped up for the 2017 college football season, I will be doing a five-part series of posts, each post featuring five players to watch for this fall. Some players on this list are so obvious that you don't need a reminder to watch them, some could be busts, and there will certainly be players outside of these 25 that will have impactful seasons. Also, I must add that the order in which these players are listed is not a ranking system. Without further ado, part five of five:
(Part One)
(Part Two)
(Part Three)
(Part Four)
Iman Marshall
Iman Marshall enters his junior year as one of the nation's top defensive backs on a squad that I firmly believe we'll be seeing in the College Football Playoff. The 6'5" 200 pound cornerback has started 25 games in his two seasons for the Trojans. In 2016, he earned All-Pac 12 honorable mention, which is stellar considering he had 18th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Adoree' Jackson, playing opposite him. It takes a special talent to stand out next to greatness.
Marshall was one of 45 players named to the Jim Thorpe Award watch list, which is the award given to the nation's top defensive back. The same award that Adoree' Jackson took home in 2016. In his sophomore campaign, Marshall recorded 51 total tackles, three interceptions, and eight deflections. The USC defense looks to be a strong corps even aside from Iman Marhsall, with linebackers Cam Smith and Porter Gustin expected to anchor the unit.
USC has high expectations this season, and rightfully so with the depth of talent on both sides of the ball. The Trojans have a pretty awesome out-of-conference schedule, opening up against Western Michigan, hosting the Longhorns in week three, and traveling to South Bend to take on the Irish on Oct. 21. Not to mention the Pac 12's increase in strength this season; USC should be (at least slightly) challenged by Washington State, Utah, and Colorado. But as I said before, I fully expect to see USC in the final four come December.
Nick Bosa
Let me preface this by explaining that my levels of hate in sports have been on the rapid decline as I've gotten older. But that doesn't take away from the fact that I despise Ohio State. I despise their success, and therefore despise Joey Bosa. Since I despise Joey Bosa, I might as well despise his younger brother, Nick Bosa. But the fact that I irrationally despise this kid seemingly does not affect his on-field performance, because his freshman season showed promise of a future NFL star.
Bosa stands at 6 foot 4 and weighs in at 270 pounds. That's a big boy. His ability to beat O-lineman in one-on-one battles is what makes him so good. Bosa recorded 29 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and five sacks. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has Bosa as the third best edge rusher in college football, only behind BC's Harold Landry and LSU's Arden Key.
I think there's no good argument in existence denying that Nick Bosa will be drafted by an NFL franchise. Has/will his last name assist in getting more recognition? Without a doubt. But that privilege has been given to plenty of guys, the difference is that Nick Bosa is capable of fulfilling the forecast.
Troy Fumagalli
The Badgers' senior tight end has a name that sounds like an ex-boyfriend of Carmela Soprano before she became the wife of the man who ran North Jersey. And on top of that, he didn't need any subpar advice from Jackie Jr. to become a great football player.
I'm a big Badgers guy. The beautiful, happy, hospitable state of Wisconsin served as a fantastic three-year home for me, so to see the Sconnies get riled up on Badger success is something I'm always on board with. The 6'6", 250 pound stallion is great for Wisconsin's offense, as his size allows him to help out the B1G farm boys with blocking up front. But his big hands and wingspan make him a reliable target.
In 2016, Fumagalli caught the ball 47 times for a total of 580 yards and two touchdowns. Fumagalli's journey in Madison has been a glorious one, starting out as a walk-on, and now entering his senior year on the preseason John Mackey Award watchlist for the country's best tight end. In Wisconsin's season opener against LSU at Lambeau, Fumagalli assisted in the victory by racking up 100 yards on seven receptions.
The first half or so of Wisconsin's schedule doesn't propose too many major obstacles, and I genuinely believe they'll be entering their Nov. 18 home matchup against Michigan with a zero in the loss column.
Royce Freeman
Things have gone a little downhill in recent years for the Oregon Ducks, and that problem became even bigger when star wide receiver Darren Carrington II was arrested for a DUI leading to a dismissal from the team. But regardless of all the issues the program is facing, they've got a gift in senior running back Royce Freeman. Freeman is 5'11" and 230 pounds. He's short enough and strong enough to effectively lower the shoulder because he sure as hell brings the velocity to make that impact work in his favor. His breakaway speed also certainly isn't hurting him.
Freeman carried the ball 168 times for 945 total yards (5.6 yards per carry), getting the ball in the end zone niiiiineee tiiiimmess. His rushing numbers were better in his sophomore year, recording 1,836 yards and 17 touchdowns, while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Even his freshman year numbers were better than in 2016, as he ran for 1,365 yards and 18 touchdowns. Freeman's best performance last year was easily his clinic in a week two hosting of Virginia, where averaged 9.9 yards per carry, ran for 207 yards, and scored two touchdowns.
Freeman has proven himself as a legit receiver also, catching the ball 23 times for 144 yards and a touchdown in 2016. In his ridiculous sophomore season he caught the ball 26 times for 348 yards and two touchdowns.
Last season Royce Freeman finished the year as an All-Pac 12 honorable mention, and he enters this season on the Maxwell Award watchlist. If Freeman matches last season's nine touchdowns, he'll become the Ducks' leader in all-time rushing touchdowns. He also needs 936 yards to become the rushing yards leader in school history, so he essentially just needs to match his worst season ever in order to become an Oregon Ducks legend.
Ronnie Harrison
Ronnie Harrison, no not Rodney the two time Super Bowl champ, is the prototypical Alabama defensive player; he's athletic, has great football IQ, and scores on defensive plays. He's the type of player that makes Alabama defenses so fun to watch every year. The 6'3" 216 pound d-back out of Tallahassee, FL is listed by NFL.com as the 25th best player in college football.
Harrison, along with fellow Tide safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, were both named to the preseason Jim Thorpe Award watchlist. The duo of these two is incredible. In 2016, Ronnie Harrison tallied 86 total tackles, which was the second most on the team behind Reuben Foster who had a whomping 115 total tackles. Harrison scored two touchdowns last year, one of which came from an interception and the other from a fumble recovery. The combination of his awareness and playmaking ability is lethal. He also had seven pass deflections on the year.
There's no doubt in my mind that Alabama will roll through the SEC and land a playoff spot, but the main focus for now is the week one showdown with Florida State. I've been so back and forth on who I think will come out on top in that one. I'm currently leaning toward the Seminoles, and that might change a million times until kickoff, but for now I'm taking FSU.
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