(Highlights here)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are planning on a return to glory as Husker alum Scott Frost enters his first season as head coach in Lincoln. Frost is coming off of a "National Championship" season (depending on who you ask) with the UCF Knights, so things certainly are looking up for Nebraska. But to expect immediate success is setting the bar high to say the least; it's difficult to just drop a coach into a program and expect him to make any and all problems vanish immediately. I do think Frost will be awesome at Nebraska, but give him a few years to implement his system and field his recruits. In the meantime, Nebraska will be a threat in the BIG 10, especially thanks to having one of the top receivers in the country with Stanley Morgan Jr.
Morgan is ranked on NFL.com as the No. 30 best player heading into 2018. He has been a consistent contributor to Nebraska's offense since his freshman year, but his junior season in 2017 was easily his most impressive. Morgan finished last season just short of the 1,000 yard mark with 986 reception yards on 61 catches, along with 10 receiving touchdowns (16th most in the country). At 6 feet 1 inch and 195 pounds, Morgan does not mind getting physical with defensive backs. He's a wildly talented player who plays the game with extreme passion, which is a fantastic combination for us lucky spectators. Morgan will be on a mission for his senior season as he campaigns to establish himself as an early NFL Draft pick once the spring rolls around.
Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami Hurricanes
(Highlights here)
The Miami Hurricanes are believed by many to be capable of making a return to the ACC Championship Game in 2018, and one big reason for that is their junior middle linebacker Shaquille Quarterman. Quarterman has started every game that he has been on the 'Canes roster, being a significant contributor since freshman year. Shaq is listed at 6 foot 1, 240 pounds and ball-carrier pursuit is far from an issue for him.
In both his freshman and sophomore seasons, Quarterman tallied up the exact same number of solo tackles with 43. In 2016 his assisted tackles were final with 41, and things looked eerily similar in 2017 where he recorded 40 assisted tackles. In those two seasons he also picked up 6 total sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown (scoop and score off of a Georgia Tech fumble in 2016).
The Miami squad will certainly be looking for Quarterman to step in as a major leader on the defensive side of the ball now that he has 26 starts under his belt, and I certainly think he's a reliable anchor. Quarterman is ranked as the No. 23 player on NFL.com's list. The experience he has gained through his first two seasons will pair very nicely with his raw talent, as the U looks to continue last year's resurgence of success.
David Sills V, WR, West Virginia Mountaineers
(Highlights here)
David Sills V is undoubtedly Will Grier's go-to weapon this year in West Virginia's passing game; last season we saw Grier connect with Sills in the end zone 18 times. Sills was tied with Anthony Miller of Memphis for the most receiving touchdowns in the country. Sills also totaled 980 reception yards on 60 receptions, averaging 16.3 yards per catch.
David Sills is a wildly deceiving player. It is shocking to see someone built like Gumby split defenses in the manner he does. I mean seriously, when this kid's jersey comes untucked he looks like a JV kicker coming off of the bus for a road game. But don't judge a book by its cover, clearly, because David Sills is the real deal. I've said before that I'm high on West Virginia entering this fall, and the Grier-to-Sills air threat is a large reason for that. It seems like whenever Grier is feeling pressure in the pocket, he can just toss one up to his 6 foot 3 inch receiver and all potential problems are wiped away.
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes
(Highlights here)
Nick Bosa is one of the biggest "sure-things" on this list of players to watch, and everyone knows it. The Bosa surname and the film should lead everyone to believe that Nick Bosa will be a top-10, likely top-5, NFL Draft pick in 2019. Bosa has been so consistently great in his college career that there's honestly not much to say about him, at least anything that would be a surprise.
Nick Bosa is listed as 6 feet 4 inches and 270 pounds. He totaled 34 tackles (19 solo, 15 assisted) in his sophomore season, with 16 of those being tackles for loss. He also had two passes defended in 2017 as a defensive linemen. Bosa is very quick off the snap and makes it incredibly difficult for offensive linemen to engage with him. Bosa's talent is certainly not a secret, so teams will often throw multiple blockers at him but that rarely seems to bother Bosa's pursuit. Bosa is versatile in the sense that he can rush the pass as a down lineman or even as a linebacker if necessary.
Per usual, the Buckeyes are expected to perform near the top of college football's hierarchy in 2018. However, a strengthened BIG 10 may pose more obstacles for Urban Meyer and the boys than in recent years. I'm looking forward to Ohio State's first big test at TCU on September 15th.
Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic Owls
(Highlights here)
Florida Atlantic running back Devin Singletary enters his junior season with some serious swagger for multiple reasons; for starters, he has Lane Kiffin as his head coach. Kiffin's time at FAU has been a lot of fun so far. The guy really knows what he's doing in terms of marketing his program and utilizing self-awareness to his benefit. But not all of Singletary's confidence is a trickle-down product from Lane Kiffin; in 2017 Singletary rushed for 32 touchdowns. Only Barry Sanders and Montee Ball have rushed for more touchdowns in a season than Devin Singletary.
Singletary rushed for over 1,000 yards in both of his first two seasons (freshman year: 1,021 yards, sophomore year: 1,918 yards). He won the Conference USA MVP award last season, and received second team All American honors this preseason. He is also on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award. The junior running back is capable of contributing to the passing game as well, totaling 19 receptions for 198 yards and a touchdown in 2017. The FAU Owls finished 11-3 for Lane Kiffin's first year with them, and they open up 2018 with a major challenge at Oklahoma.
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