The college football conveyor belt is a beautiful thing, constantly churning out the NFL stars of tomorrow. Colleges are forced to let go of their best players and instantly start looking for replacements. 2024 has been particularly interesting in this regard as teams look to replace the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, and Trey Lance, all of whom formed a stellar class of young quarterbacks.
In this article, we will talk about the hottest players in college football as they all vie for the stats and 5-star scouting reports that will see them selected in next year’s NFL draft. Which players do you have your eye on with the hope that your favorite NFL team will sign them in the offseason? If you enjoy betting on your favorite college teams, Doc’s Sports Service is worth consulting, since they provide the ultimate resource to help you find the best bets each day.
College football is as big as it has ever been in the US, as fans appreciate the fact that their team cannot just be moved out of town by a new set of owners like an NFL franchise can.
Matt Corral – QB @ Ole Miss
Source: redcuprebellion.com
Any quarterback who can harness an offense to challenge the might of Alabama in the SEC West is always going to turn the heads of NFL team scouts. Matt Corral at Ole Miss has done just that, posting NCAA leading QB stats last season, and boosting his name up the NFL Draft betting odds for which player will be the overall number 1 pick. What will make him a solid betting favorite to be selected in at least the top 10 is the fact he comes from an increasingly rare breed of pass-first quarterback, but one who can also step out of the pocket and motor when he has to. As expected, the college football odds at OddsChecker will reflect this as winter rolls on and Corral racks up countless touchdown passes to a group of wide receivers who do not realize how lucky they are to have him. 2024 was a rich year for QB picks but Matt Corral could be one of the few standout QBs on offer in 2024.
The NFL is the promised land for these players, all of whom will want their names in up lights by the time the 2024 NFL Draft comes around
Breece Hall – RB @ Iowa State
Source: dynastynerds.com
Iowa State has a football team packed with talent, but Breece Hall is arguably the standout performer, having notched up over 1,500 rushing yards in his sophomore year. He will be looking to be every bit as impactful this term. Even the downturn in fortunes of star quarterback Brock Purdy should not hold Hall back from being a force to be reckoned with.
Brandon Joseph – S @ Northwestern
Source: nusports.com
One player who will not be making himself available for the draft this time around is Brandon Joseph, who delivered a standout freshman year last season that included him picking off six passes, one of which came at a clutch moment in the Big Ten championship battle. Head honchos at NFL franchises will be tracking his progress carefully this time around, with a view to signing the safety down the line.
Devin Lloyd – LB @ Utah
Source: sandiegouniontribune.com
Utah is many peoples’ dark horses to go all the way in the NCAA this season and part of the reason why is linebacker Devin Lloyd who is broadly considered to be the best player in his position in the college system. In his sophomore year alone he racked up 91 tackles. He also started as he means to go on this term, picking up the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week award for his performance in week 1 against a Weber State offense that did not know what had hit it.
Spencer Rattler – QB @ Oklahoma
Source: azcentral.com
The Sooners have a strong recent record when it comes to their quarterbacks winning the Heisman Trophy before making a seamless transition to the NFL’s big leagues. Spencer Rattler is hoping to add to that rich tradition and appears to have the requisite talent to do so. At the moment there is a huge amount of speculation about where Rattler could move to next after Oklahoma, with the likes of Arizona State University being touted as his possible destination. Whichever college he ends up at, they will be fortunate to have him.
Tank Bigsby – RB @ Auburn
Source: al.com
Tank Bigsby is renowned among NCAA coaches as being one of the toughest players to tackle in the college system. His numbers back up this fearsome reputation, although he did start the recent pre-season campaign slowly, largely due to some terrible blocking provided by those around him. Because of this cooling of his form, the man once talked about as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate must now knuckle down and try to rebuild his status as one of college football’s stand-out stars.
Jahan Dotson– WR @ Penn State
Source: inquirer.com
At the time of writing Dotson leads the Big Ten when it comes to catches, having reeled in a load of them from the trusty arm of Sean Clifford. What really makes Dotson stand out is his willingness to improve. This was epitomized in his reaction to missing a vital over-the-shoulder catch against Illinois towards the end of October. Not willing to let the drop slide, Dotson was reportedly out training the very next day, putting in extra work to rectify this potential weakness in his game. It is that sort of dedication and attention to detail that NFL scouts are always on the lookout for. And it is not as if this wide receiver has that many weaknesses to begin with, after all, that fateful drop against Illinois was his first in 78 targets, a staggering stat for a man who is often up against immense amounts of coverage. Only injuries to his beloved Penn State QB, Clifford, will be able to hold Dotson back from posting some seriously eye-popping stats this season.
