When it comes to being an impact player for a title contender in college football, you have to take the good with the bad and flush both – continuously. It’s the up-and-down mentality pushed by coaches and there are several potential player standouts likely sharing the same mindset ahead of the 2022 season, anxious and ready to silence critics during a bounce-back campaign.
For some, entering the transfer portal and turning the page on a previous program aids in that progression. For others, increased reps, attention to detail and improvements made during the offseason should result in impressive numbers as reputations are rebuilt.
You’ve seen breakout player projections and rankings of college football’s best at each position, but it’s time to check in on the undervalued starters who could be back in the spotlight by year’s end.
Here are eight players we’re keeping an eye on who are primed to prove last season’s inconsistencies are in the past after notable performances this spring.
You could argue no player nationally faced the scrutiny of the media spotlight last season more than Clemson’s starting quarterback, who in his first season as the Tigers’ starter post-Trevor Lawrence, struggled throughout and never found his rhythm. Uiagalelei completed 55.6% of his passes for 2,246 yards and nine touchdowns against ten interceptions. He’s a former 247Sports Composite five-star recruit, who is now being pressed by freshman five-star Cade Klubnik for snaps. Should Dabo Swinney and the Tigers win the ACC after a one-year hiatus and get back to the College Football Playoff, Uiagalelei will be a big reason why.
This former five-star signee rated as one of his recruiting cycle’s top players overall was academically-ineligible at LSU last season and now is the lead running back coming out of spring ahead of Brian Kelly’s first season in Baton Rouge. Emery appeared in nine games with three starts as a sophomore during the 2020 season, galloping his way to 378 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll try and shed the bust label this fall as one of the key cogs within an offense that is entirely new. Emery’s projected emergence would take some of the pressure off LSU’s quarterback situation which, exiting spring, remains a three-player race.
Spencer Rattler doesn’t have an ego problem. Ask South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and he’ll be the first tell you the opposite of what you thought you knew about the former five-star quarterback who lost his starting job at Oklahoma to another elite signal caller. Truth is, Rattler wanted a fresh start and a chance to shine – rebuilding his reputation in the middle of it – at another program after entering the transfer portal last fall with the Sooners. His parachute landing spot with the Gamecocks has passed the eye test up to this point and Beamer expects his offense to be light years improved compared to last.
This fifth-year senior is a returning starter who, for the first time in his career, will be asked to lead at the back end of a Michigan defense replacing arguably its three best players in Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo and Daxton Hill. Green played in 12 games last season with six starts and should produce his most statistically-dominant campaign in his final year with the Wolverines if he stays healthy. Given several top-end quarterbacks Michigan will face this season, Green and the rest of Michigan’s cover guys will need to be at their best in defense of last season’s Big Ten crown.
This former top-100 recruit for the Longhorns is a super senior and was moved to his stronger position this spring at the safety spot after playing corner last fall. Considering the Longhorns are expected to play a lot less zone coverages in 2022, Cook should be in spots to make plays — and has already shown a knack for doing so in camp. Cook managed an interception in the spring game and looked fluid at the back end. The Texas secondary has been a cause for concern in recent years, but Cook is one of several players hoping to change that perception this fall.
Eichenberg projects to be an impact player on defense for the Buckeyes this season after showing out this spring in front of new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Eichenberg was named Ohio State’s Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Rose Bowl following a 17-tackle performance and should start in Knowles’ 4-2-5 look. Despite recording the second-most snaps at linebacker last fall among teammates, Eichenberg didn’t always fit the Buckeyes’ defensive scheme on a week-to-week basis, notes Bucknuts’ Patrick Murphy. Against Rutgers, he played just 11 defensive snaps. Then, when Ohio State played Indiana two weeks later, Eichenberg played 19 snaps on defense. He had seven total tackles in those two games and should have a bounce-back season with increased reps and a better scheme-fit situation.
Here’s a guy who once caught nine passes during a win over Auburn in 2020 as a prolific threat in the Georgia passing game before managing only two starts in 15 games as a fourth-year junior. The opportunity for Jackson to show out with more snaps is now for the defending national champions. With George Pickens leaving for the NFL Draft and Jermaine Burton transferring to Alabama, Jackson has a chance to lead pass-catchers not named Brock Bowers in targets, yards and touchdowns this season as a reliable target for Stetson Bennett. He’s a weapon on special teams too and is a threat to go the every time he touches the football.
With much of the focus on the Alabama backfield surrounding Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs and returning contributor Trey Sanders, analysts have seemed to overlook McClellan, who should have spotlight opportunities this fall in a multi-faceted Crimson Tide rushing attack. Prior to his sophomore campaign being cut short due to injury, McClellan was tied for the team lead with five touchdowns. During Alabama’s win over Mercer, McClellan became the first Crimson Tide player since 2013 to record touchdowns three different ways. He’s a dynamic playmaker and also made four tackles on special teams as one of the unit’s gunners.
Source: 247sports.com