- Joined
- Oct 2, 2017
- Messages
- 8,620
Let my choice of prefix be the teaser. Via The Athletic...
On Monday, we published our Recruiting Revisited project on the Class of 2018. It’s our annual re-assessment of the top 25 recruiting classes from that year with a focus on which programs did the best job of retaining, developing and winning with their signees. We know how the best classes of that cycle performed. But what about the best recruits? How many of the most coveted prospects of 2018 ended up panning out?
Here’s a look at the top 100 recruits in that class according to the 247Sports Composite industry rankings and how their careers have played out to date. Twenty members of this list have already become NFL Draft picks, including eight first-round selections. Three just played in the Super Bowl on Sunday night. And for a lot of these players, things haven’t totally gone as planned. More than 40 players in the top 100 have transferred during their careers. Thanks to an extra season of eligibility, though, there’s still time for many of these players to make good on their big-time potential.
Here’s how the top 100 of 2018 have fared so far, in order of their ranking coming out of high school.
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: What more can be said about Lawrence’s college career than this: He was everything we hoped he’d be and more. He had one of the all-time great three-year runs at Clemson, from leading a national championship team as a freshman to the 34-2 record to the nearly 11,000 passing yards and 108 touchdowns to how he handled living under college football’s brightest spotlight for two years. The expectations and pressure that came with being a No. 1 recruit and a future No. 1 pick? He never seemed to mind one bit. When was Dabo Swinney sold on him being the best recruit in the country? He still remembers how obvious that was back when Lawrence was a high school sophomore. “That’s when I really recognized that, OK, this kid is just different. He’s a one-in-a-million type guy,” Swinney told The Athletic. “It was a miracle we got him. I was probably the only coach that didn’t offer him as a freshman. I just have a hard time with that, I needed to get to know him better. I told him that. I wanted to watch him play another varsity season. I remember him leaving my office that day and, in the end, I think that’s one of the reasons that we got him. I was honest with him. “But after his sophomore year, watching what he did, I was like, ‘There’s nobody better out there.’ There really weren’t any, even senior guys. Had he been a senior, he would’ve been your first pick then, too. He was just really, really special. And then, man, his junior year was unbelievable. The fact he had to go back and play another year of high school football almost wasn’t fair.”
2. Justin Fields, QB, Georgia: We don’t really need to relitigate the whole Fields vs. Jake Fromm debate in this space, do we? No, let’s not. Fields played a grand total of 173 snaps for the Bulldogs during his freshman season and accounted for nearly 600 yards and eight touchdowns in his supporting role. He left after the season for Ohio State, where he gained immediate eligibility and became one of the best quarterbacks in program history. Fields went 20-2 with the Buckeyes, won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year twice, finished third in Heisman voting in 2019, went to two College Football Playoffs and played for a national title. The first-round pick started 10 games in his rookie season with the Bears
3. Xavier Thomas, DE, Clemson: Thomas looked like he’d probably be a three-and-pro kind of player for Clemson after putting together a Freshman All-America caliber season for the 2018 national champs. But the defensive lineman experienced complications from COVID-19 and strep throat in 2020, which turned into a real setback. He initially planned to take a redshirt season that year but still ended up playing in seven games. Thomas got back into the starting lineup as a senior and had a solid year with 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He decided to return for 2022 and try to play his way back into first-rounder status.
4. Eyabi Anoma, DE, Alabama: Anoma played 90 snaps in 2018, recorded nine tackles and two TFLs and actually made the SEC All-Freshman team. Then he was dismissed from the university at the end of his freshman year. Houston took a chance on Anoma, and he only lasted six months there before he was dismissed for violating team rules. He’s now playing at the FCS level at UT-Martin, where he did lead the team in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (six) in 2021.
5. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: The recruiting experts were right about Parsons, no doubt about it. He’s a freaky talent, and that was clear to see at Penn State. Parsons only played two college seasons but was a Freshman All-American in his first season and a consensus All-American as a sophomore. He opted out of playing in 2020 to get ready for the draft, and the first-rounder was an absolute star in his first season with the Cowboys as an All-Pro linebacker and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
6. Pat Surtain II, CB, Alabama: Here’s another defender who was definitely as good as advertised. Surtain won a starting job right away as a true freshman and was an excellent three-year starter. The shutdown corner won SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American for the 2020 national champs. In his first season with the Broncos, the No. 9 overall pick grabbed four interceptions and made the All-Rookie Team.
7. Nicholas Petit-Frere, OL, Ohio State: The top-rated offensive lineman in the class earned the starting job at right tackle for the Buckeyes in 2020 and then started on the left side in 2021. Petit-Frere was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and, according to PFF, surrendered just two sacks over the past two seasons. He’s the No. 10 offensive tackle and No. 89 overall player in Dane Brugler’s new top 100 rankings for the 2022 draft.
8. Justin Shorter, WR, Penn State: Shorter left Penn State at the end of his redshirt freshman season after playing a minor role in the offense, catching 15 passes in his 14 games there. He transferred to Florida and did see his targets increase quite a bit. Shorter caught 41 passes for 550 yards and three touchdowns for the Gators in 2021 and is returning for another season.
9. Zamir White, RB, Georgia: “Zeus” had to come back from two knee surgeries early in his college career and backed up D’Andre Swift before getting his shot to be Georgia’s lead back in 2020. He rushed for 1,635 yards and 22 touchdowns over his final two seasons and rushed for 84 yards and a score on 6.5 yards per carry in the Bulldogs’ national championship win over Alabama.
10. Jamaree Salyer, OL, Georgia: Salyer took over as the Bulldogs’ starting left tackle in 2020 and was arguably their best offensive lineman for two seasons. The team captain was a second-team All-America and second-team All-SEC selection as a senior. He’s the No. 4 guard prospect and No. 49 overall player in Brugler’s new top 100.
11. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC: St. Brown was very productive in all three of his seasons with the Trojans, finishing with 178 career catches for 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns and picking up first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2020. He slipped to the fourth round of the 2021 draft, but it looks like the Lions got a steal. St. Brown enjoyed an excellent finish to his rookie season with 560 receiving yards and six touchdowns over his last six games.
12. Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia: Campbell proved himself right away at Georgia, moving into the starting lineup as a true freshman and making 30 starts at corner over his three seasons in the program. The Jaguars made him the No. 33 pick in the 2021 draft, and he logged 70 tackles and two interceptions in 14 starts as a rookie.
13. Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: Marshall put up 671 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns during the Tigers’ national title run in 2019, then got his chance to shine after Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase went pro. He was well on his way to an All-SEC season through seven games with 731 yards and 10 touchdowns before opting out for the final two games of 2020. The second-round pick caught 17 passes in his rookie season with the Panthers.
14. K.J. Henry, DE, Clemson: Henry has started a total of 10 games on defense over the past two seasons and developed into a solid pass rusher and great leader for the Tigers’ defense. He put up 28 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble on 339 snaps in 2021 and will return as a fifth-year senior.
15. Palaie Gaoteote IV, LB, USC: Gaoteote saw lots of early playing time at USC and took over a starting spot as a sophomore, but injuries prevented him from taking his game to another level. He transferred to Ohio State before the 2021 season and played sparingly last fall with 78 snaps on defense, but he is returning in 2022.
16. JT Daniels, QB, USC: Daniels has had quite a career. He reclassified to the 2018 class and started 11 games for the Trojans as a true freshman. A season-ending knee injury knocked him out for 2019, and Kedon Slovisstepped up in his absence. Daniels transferred to Georgia and played really well in the final four games of 2020, leading the Bulldogs to a win over Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl. But injuries set him back again, and he lost his starting job to Stetson Bennett last season. He’s now back in the portal as a grad transfer.
17. Jackson Carman, OL, Clemson: Carman was a two-year starter and second-team All-ACC performer for the Tigers who made 27 consecutive starts at left tackle. The Bengals made Carman a second-round draft pick, and the rookie started six games in the regular season for the eventual AFC champs.
18. Adam Anderson, LB, Georgia: Anderson is currently suspended indefinitely from the Georgia program. He’s facing a felony rape charge for an incident that is alleged to have occurred in late October. A second woman also came forward and accused Anderson of rape during his bond hearing. He has played in 46 games during his college career.
19. Caden Sterns, S, Texas: Sterns put together an impressive first season with the Longhorns, earning Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and first-team all-conference honors. He dealt with some injuries over the next two seasons but still left as a 28-game starter and captain when he went pro. The fifth-round pick intercepted two passes and started in two of his 15 games as a rookie with the Broncos.
20. Taron Vincent, DT, Ohio State: Injuries have been the issue for Vincent, but he was able to stay healthy in 2021 and start six games on the Buckeyes’ D-line, including the Rose Bowl win over Utah. Vincent is looking to build on that by returning for his fifth year in the program.
21. Tyreke Johnson, DB, Ohio State: Johnson appeared in 12 games for the Buckeyes over two seasons and transferred to Nebraska, where he got on the field for two games in 2021. According to PFF, he has played a total of just 141 snaps on defense in his career.
22. Cade Mays, OL, Georgia: Mays was ready to play right away, earning Freshman All-America honors and becoming a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. He entered the portal after the 2019 season and transferred back home to Tennessee to play with his younger brother. He was granted a waiver to play right away and has started 17 games for the Vols at right tackle and right guard. The second-team All-SEC selection ranked No. 11 among interior linemen in Brugler’s initial position rankings.
23. Brenton Cox Jr., LB, Georgia: Cox got on the field right away for Georgia’s defense as a freshman and started in their bowl game but was dismissed from the program right before the 2019 season. He transferred to Florida and has been a two-year starter for the Gators who racked up 14.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2021.
24. B.J. Foster, S, Texas: Foster started 27 games in four seasons with the Longhorns and recorded 47 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a team-high three interceptions in 2021 to receive honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. He entered the transfer portal to play his bonus season elsewhere and ended up signing with Sam Houston.
25. Lorenzo Lingard, RB, Miami: A leg injury brought an early end to Lingard’s freshman season and caused him to fall behind other backs. He transferred to Florida after the 2019 season and hasn’t broken out there yet, with 16 carries for 75 yards over the past two seasons.
26. Derion Kendrick, CB, Clemson: Kendrick leaves college with national title rings from two schools. The converted receiver became a first-team All-ACC cornerback in his three years with the Tigers. When he was dismissed from the program in the spring of 2021, he transferred to Georgia and proved himself all over again as one of the best corners in the SEC, grabbing a team-high four interceptions for the national champs. He was the No. 7 corner in Brugler’s initial position rankings.
27. Ricky Slade, RB, Penn State: Slade rushed for 471 yards and eight touchdowns on 92 carries in two seasons with the Nittany Lions. He transferred to Old Dominion in the summer of 2020 but left the program in early 2021 before he played a down there.
28. Olaijah Griffin, CB, USC: Griffin overcame injuries to become a two-year starter for the Trojans who twice received honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition. He went pro after three years, went undrafted and is currently on the Bills’ roster on a futures deal.
29. Brey Walker, OL, Oklahoma: Walker started two games as a redshirt freshman but hasn’t been able to break back into the Sooners’ starting lineup since then. He played a total of 40 snaps at right guard in 2021, according to PFF. Walker entered the portal in December and is still listed as active, but he did rejoin the team for bowl practices.
30. Jaelen Gill, WR, Ohio State: Gill saw limited action in eight games at Ohio State and transferred to Boston College in 2020. He has carved out a solid role in their offense at receiver, catching 53 passes for 704 yards and two scores over the past two seasons while also returning punts.
31. Quay Walker, LB, Georgia: Walker took advantage of his reps on special teams and saw his playing time on defense increase every year until he earned a starting role as a senior. The inside linebacker finished as the third-leading tackler with 67 stops, 5.5 TFLs and 25 pressures for the Bulldogs’ epic No. 1 defense. He’s the No. 3 linebacker and No. 44 overall player in Brugler’s new top 100.
32. Isaac Taylor-Stuart, CB, USC: Taylor-Stuart became a two-year starter for the Trojans and finished with 80 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups in his career. He entered the draft and was invited to the NFL combine.
33. Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami: Jordan came in with big-time hype and played up to it, earning All-ACC honors in all three of his seasons at Miami. He was a Mackey Award finalist in 2019 and recorded 105 career catches for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Texans drafted Jordan in the fifth round and he scored three TDs as a rookie.
How many of college football’s top 100 recruits pan out four years later? Assessing the Class of 2018
Max OlsonOn Monday, we published our Recruiting Revisited project on the Class of 2018. It’s our annual re-assessment of the top 25 recruiting classes from that year with a focus on which programs did the best job of retaining, developing and winning with their signees. We know how the best classes of that cycle performed. But what about the best recruits? How many of the most coveted prospects of 2018 ended up panning out?
Here’s a look at the top 100 recruits in that class according to the 247Sports Composite industry rankings and how their careers have played out to date. Twenty members of this list have already become NFL Draft picks, including eight first-round selections. Three just played in the Super Bowl on Sunday night. And for a lot of these players, things haven’t totally gone as planned. More than 40 players in the top 100 have transferred during their careers. Thanks to an extra season of eligibility, though, there’s still time for many of these players to make good on their big-time potential.
Here’s how the top 100 of 2018 have fared so far, in order of their ranking coming out of high school.
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: What more can be said about Lawrence’s college career than this: He was everything we hoped he’d be and more. He had one of the all-time great three-year runs at Clemson, from leading a national championship team as a freshman to the 34-2 record to the nearly 11,000 passing yards and 108 touchdowns to how he handled living under college football’s brightest spotlight for two years. The expectations and pressure that came with being a No. 1 recruit and a future No. 1 pick? He never seemed to mind one bit. When was Dabo Swinney sold on him being the best recruit in the country? He still remembers how obvious that was back when Lawrence was a high school sophomore. “That’s when I really recognized that, OK, this kid is just different. He’s a one-in-a-million type guy,” Swinney told The Athletic. “It was a miracle we got him. I was probably the only coach that didn’t offer him as a freshman. I just have a hard time with that, I needed to get to know him better. I told him that. I wanted to watch him play another varsity season. I remember him leaving my office that day and, in the end, I think that’s one of the reasons that we got him. I was honest with him. “But after his sophomore year, watching what he did, I was like, ‘There’s nobody better out there.’ There really weren’t any, even senior guys. Had he been a senior, he would’ve been your first pick then, too. He was just really, really special. And then, man, his junior year was unbelievable. The fact he had to go back and play another year of high school football almost wasn’t fair.”
2. Justin Fields, QB, Georgia: We don’t really need to relitigate the whole Fields vs. Jake Fromm debate in this space, do we? No, let’s not. Fields played a grand total of 173 snaps for the Bulldogs during his freshman season and accounted for nearly 600 yards and eight touchdowns in his supporting role. He left after the season for Ohio State, where he gained immediate eligibility and became one of the best quarterbacks in program history. Fields went 20-2 with the Buckeyes, won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year twice, finished third in Heisman voting in 2019, went to two College Football Playoffs and played for a national title. The first-round pick started 10 games in his rookie season with the Bears
3. Xavier Thomas, DE, Clemson: Thomas looked like he’d probably be a three-and-pro kind of player for Clemson after putting together a Freshman All-America caliber season for the 2018 national champs. But the defensive lineman experienced complications from COVID-19 and strep throat in 2020, which turned into a real setback. He initially planned to take a redshirt season that year but still ended up playing in seven games. Thomas got back into the starting lineup as a senior and had a solid year with 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He decided to return for 2022 and try to play his way back into first-rounder status.
4. Eyabi Anoma, DE, Alabama: Anoma played 90 snaps in 2018, recorded nine tackles and two TFLs and actually made the SEC All-Freshman team. Then he was dismissed from the university at the end of his freshman year. Houston took a chance on Anoma, and he only lasted six months there before he was dismissed for violating team rules. He’s now playing at the FCS level at UT-Martin, where he did lead the team in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (six) in 2021.
5. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: The recruiting experts were right about Parsons, no doubt about it. He’s a freaky talent, and that was clear to see at Penn State. Parsons only played two college seasons but was a Freshman All-American in his first season and a consensus All-American as a sophomore. He opted out of playing in 2020 to get ready for the draft, and the first-rounder was an absolute star in his first season with the Cowboys as an All-Pro linebacker and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
6. Pat Surtain II, CB, Alabama: Here’s another defender who was definitely as good as advertised. Surtain won a starting job right away as a true freshman and was an excellent three-year starter. The shutdown corner won SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American for the 2020 national champs. In his first season with the Broncos, the No. 9 overall pick grabbed four interceptions and made the All-Rookie Team.
7. Nicholas Petit-Frere, OL, Ohio State: The top-rated offensive lineman in the class earned the starting job at right tackle for the Buckeyes in 2020 and then started on the left side in 2021. Petit-Frere was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and, according to PFF, surrendered just two sacks over the past two seasons. He’s the No. 10 offensive tackle and No. 89 overall player in Dane Brugler’s new top 100 rankings for the 2022 draft.
8. Justin Shorter, WR, Penn State: Shorter left Penn State at the end of his redshirt freshman season after playing a minor role in the offense, catching 15 passes in his 14 games there. He transferred to Florida and did see his targets increase quite a bit. Shorter caught 41 passes for 550 yards and three touchdowns for the Gators in 2021 and is returning for another season.
9. Zamir White, RB, Georgia: “Zeus” had to come back from two knee surgeries early in his college career and backed up D’Andre Swift before getting his shot to be Georgia’s lead back in 2020. He rushed for 1,635 yards and 22 touchdowns over his final two seasons and rushed for 84 yards and a score on 6.5 yards per carry in the Bulldogs’ national championship win over Alabama.
10. Jamaree Salyer, OL, Georgia: Salyer took over as the Bulldogs’ starting left tackle in 2020 and was arguably their best offensive lineman for two seasons. The team captain was a second-team All-America and second-team All-SEC selection as a senior. He’s the No. 4 guard prospect and No. 49 overall player in Brugler’s new top 100.
11. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC: St. Brown was very productive in all three of his seasons with the Trojans, finishing with 178 career catches for 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns and picking up first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2020. He slipped to the fourth round of the 2021 draft, but it looks like the Lions got a steal. St. Brown enjoyed an excellent finish to his rookie season with 560 receiving yards and six touchdowns over his last six games.
12. Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia: Campbell proved himself right away at Georgia, moving into the starting lineup as a true freshman and making 30 starts at corner over his three seasons in the program. The Jaguars made him the No. 33 pick in the 2021 draft, and he logged 70 tackles and two interceptions in 14 starts as a rookie.
13. Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: Marshall put up 671 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns during the Tigers’ national title run in 2019, then got his chance to shine after Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase went pro. He was well on his way to an All-SEC season through seven games with 731 yards and 10 touchdowns before opting out for the final two games of 2020. The second-round pick caught 17 passes in his rookie season with the Panthers.
14. K.J. Henry, DE, Clemson: Henry has started a total of 10 games on defense over the past two seasons and developed into a solid pass rusher and great leader for the Tigers’ defense. He put up 28 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble on 339 snaps in 2021 and will return as a fifth-year senior.
15. Palaie Gaoteote IV, LB, USC: Gaoteote saw lots of early playing time at USC and took over a starting spot as a sophomore, but injuries prevented him from taking his game to another level. He transferred to Ohio State before the 2021 season and played sparingly last fall with 78 snaps on defense, but he is returning in 2022.
16. JT Daniels, QB, USC: Daniels has had quite a career. He reclassified to the 2018 class and started 11 games for the Trojans as a true freshman. A season-ending knee injury knocked him out for 2019, and Kedon Slovisstepped up in his absence. Daniels transferred to Georgia and played really well in the final four games of 2020, leading the Bulldogs to a win over Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl. But injuries set him back again, and he lost his starting job to Stetson Bennett last season. He’s now back in the portal as a grad transfer.
17. Jackson Carman, OL, Clemson: Carman was a two-year starter and second-team All-ACC performer for the Tigers who made 27 consecutive starts at left tackle. The Bengals made Carman a second-round draft pick, and the rookie started six games in the regular season for the eventual AFC champs.
18. Adam Anderson, LB, Georgia: Anderson is currently suspended indefinitely from the Georgia program. He’s facing a felony rape charge for an incident that is alleged to have occurred in late October. A second woman also came forward and accused Anderson of rape during his bond hearing. He has played in 46 games during his college career.
19. Caden Sterns, S, Texas: Sterns put together an impressive first season with the Longhorns, earning Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and first-team all-conference honors. He dealt with some injuries over the next two seasons but still left as a 28-game starter and captain when he went pro. The fifth-round pick intercepted two passes and started in two of his 15 games as a rookie with the Broncos.
20. Taron Vincent, DT, Ohio State: Injuries have been the issue for Vincent, but he was able to stay healthy in 2021 and start six games on the Buckeyes’ D-line, including the Rose Bowl win over Utah. Vincent is looking to build on that by returning for his fifth year in the program.
21. Tyreke Johnson, DB, Ohio State: Johnson appeared in 12 games for the Buckeyes over two seasons and transferred to Nebraska, where he got on the field for two games in 2021. According to PFF, he has played a total of just 141 snaps on defense in his career.
22. Cade Mays, OL, Georgia: Mays was ready to play right away, earning Freshman All-America honors and becoming a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. He entered the portal after the 2019 season and transferred back home to Tennessee to play with his younger brother. He was granted a waiver to play right away and has started 17 games for the Vols at right tackle and right guard. The second-team All-SEC selection ranked No. 11 among interior linemen in Brugler’s initial position rankings.
23. Brenton Cox Jr., LB, Georgia: Cox got on the field right away for Georgia’s defense as a freshman and started in their bowl game but was dismissed from the program right before the 2019 season. He transferred to Florida and has been a two-year starter for the Gators who racked up 14.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2021.
24. B.J. Foster, S, Texas: Foster started 27 games in four seasons with the Longhorns and recorded 47 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a team-high three interceptions in 2021 to receive honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. He entered the transfer portal to play his bonus season elsewhere and ended up signing with Sam Houston.
25. Lorenzo Lingard, RB, Miami: A leg injury brought an early end to Lingard’s freshman season and caused him to fall behind other backs. He transferred to Florida after the 2019 season and hasn’t broken out there yet, with 16 carries for 75 yards over the past two seasons.
26. Derion Kendrick, CB, Clemson: Kendrick leaves college with national title rings from two schools. The converted receiver became a first-team All-ACC cornerback in his three years with the Tigers. When he was dismissed from the program in the spring of 2021, he transferred to Georgia and proved himself all over again as one of the best corners in the SEC, grabbing a team-high four interceptions for the national champs. He was the No. 7 corner in Brugler’s initial position rankings.
27. Ricky Slade, RB, Penn State: Slade rushed for 471 yards and eight touchdowns on 92 carries in two seasons with the Nittany Lions. He transferred to Old Dominion in the summer of 2020 but left the program in early 2021 before he played a down there.
28. Olaijah Griffin, CB, USC: Griffin overcame injuries to become a two-year starter for the Trojans who twice received honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition. He went pro after three years, went undrafted and is currently on the Bills’ roster on a futures deal.
29. Brey Walker, OL, Oklahoma: Walker started two games as a redshirt freshman but hasn’t been able to break back into the Sooners’ starting lineup since then. He played a total of 40 snaps at right guard in 2021, according to PFF. Walker entered the portal in December and is still listed as active, but he did rejoin the team for bowl practices.
30. Jaelen Gill, WR, Ohio State: Gill saw limited action in eight games at Ohio State and transferred to Boston College in 2020. He has carved out a solid role in their offense at receiver, catching 53 passes for 704 yards and two scores over the past two seasons while also returning punts.
31. Quay Walker, LB, Georgia: Walker took advantage of his reps on special teams and saw his playing time on defense increase every year until he earned a starting role as a senior. The inside linebacker finished as the third-leading tackler with 67 stops, 5.5 TFLs and 25 pressures for the Bulldogs’ epic No. 1 defense. He’s the No. 3 linebacker and No. 44 overall player in Brugler’s new top 100.
32. Isaac Taylor-Stuart, CB, USC: Taylor-Stuart became a two-year starter for the Trojans and finished with 80 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups in his career. He entered the draft and was invited to the NFL combine.
33. Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami: Jordan came in with big-time hype and played up to it, earning All-ACC honors in all three of his seasons at Miami. He was a Mackey Award finalist in 2019 and recorded 105 career catches for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Texans drafted Jordan in the fifth round and he scored three TDs as a rookie.