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Cincinnati was a consistent winner last season and that led to an opportunity representing Group of Five schools in the College Football Playoff. There is a lot of talent coming from Conference-USA, the American Athletic Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, the Mid-American Conference and the Mountain West Conference.

The transfer portal has certainly created a more volatile landscape year-to-year. For example, Louisiana would have had a presence on this list had it not been for offseason changes. Once head coach Billy Napier departed for Florida, the Ragin' Cajuns lost six transfers to Power 5 schools, including five to the SEC. 

Here is a preseason look at the 10 best draft prospects among Group of Five schools:

10. Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane

Williams is aggressive flying downhill from his linebacker position. He wraps up and tackles through the core with consistency. The South Carolina native offered little as a pass rusher last season, but registered a tackle on 19.4% of rush plays, according to PFF. In 2020, his 98 total tackles were enough to lead the American Athletic Conference. The opposition completed 83.3% of passes against him as a primary defender, however, according to TruMedia.

9. Scott Matlock, DL, Boise State

If there was just one Bronco on this list, most would have guessed safety J.L. Skinner. However, Matlock has good size at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds. The Idaho native shows good movement skills and does a good job of shedding blocks in the run game. He managed seven sacks from his interior defensive line position last fall. 

According to PFF, it took Matlock 2.55 seconds, on average, to apply pressure. 

8. Viliami Fehoko, EDGE, San Jose State

Fehoko has had at least six sacks each of the past two seasons. He has a thicker lower body that allows him to hold his ground on the edge. Powerful by nature, the California native is continuously working to get off blocks. He displays good burst and has a few  counters in his war chest. Fehoko was credited with 10 missed tackles in the run game so that number would ideally come down. 

7.  Darrell Luter Jr., CB, South Alabama

The third-year cornerback is coming off a season in which he recorded four interceptions. Practices against Jalen Tolbert -- who would go on to be picked in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft -- were among the most difficult assignments on his schedule. The Mississippi native is able to get up to speed and throttle down quickly. Good speed allows him to mirror routes up the boundary. 

Luter had the second lowest completion percentage against as the primary defender (24.5%) among defensive backs with at least 250 coverage snaps, according to TruMedia. 

6. Davonte Brown, CB, UCF

Brown is a boundary cornerback who is not afraid to be physical at the line of scrimmage. He has an athletic build and is able to flip his hips with ease. The Florida native has average top end speed, but at 6-foot-2, he is a difficult matchup downfield in jump ball situations. With essentially one season of extended playing time, Brown could really help himself by being a similar contributor in 2022. 

The Knights sent three defensive backs (Aaron Robinson, Richie Grant and Tay Gowan) to the next level in the 2021 NFL Draft. Incoming Alabama wide receiver transfer Javon Baker is one to watch. 

5. Jalen Cropper, WR, Fresno State

Cropper was an incredibly productive player last season, amassing 85 receptions for 899 yards and 11 touchdowns, in addition to 19 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Most of his action was happening near the line of scrimmage, which was evidenced by his 7.71 air yards per target, according to TruMedia. The California native is a keenly aware talent that displays a good catch radius and great body control. 

4. Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State

The offseason was one of uncertainty for Haener. Fresno State head coach Kalen DeBoer accepted the same position with Washington. A report quickly surfaced alleging that Haener, who had entered the transfer portal, was following his former coach to play for the Huskies just as he had from 2017-2018. Jeff Tedford cozied into a head coaching chair that was still warm from the last time he served in the role for the Bulldogs from 2017-2019. Tedford was Fresno State's head coach when Haener originally joined the program. When the dust had settled, Haener elected to remain in Fresno.

Haener is undersized but tough as nails gritting out some late finishes a year ago. The California native has a good sense of pressure and throws with great touch. His attention to detail with menial tasks, like selling a fake, is impressive. Arm strength will not stack up to others in this class but talent evaluators should have a level of comfort with Haener's floor as a prospect.

3. Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston

Dell is a thin-framed wide receiver but there is room for that type of player in the modern day NFL. A smooth athlete by nature, he does a good job of slowing his feet to set up breaks, which are crisp. The Florida native is not a burner but he puts himself in position to make plays in space. There is room for improvement in regards to concentration drops. There are times where he is spying his next move before securing the catch. According to TruMedia, Dell ranked No. 12 in reception drop percentage (7.9%).

2. Quindell Johnson, S, Memphis

Johnson is a great communicator with a fiery spirit. He is able to get up to speed quickly and shows fluid hips to transition in coverage. The New Orleans native has had six interceptions over the past three seasons. Preseason honors include Chuck Bednarik Award, Jim Thorpe Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Wuerffel Trophy watchlist inclusions. 

1. DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB

McBride has near prototypical size for today's game. He gets up to speed quickly and maintains good balance through contact. The Florida native was rarely used in the pass game beyond blocking and tied for fifth-most among running backs with four fumbles. McBride ranked highly in multiple categories, according to TruMedia, among running backs with at least 100 carries. He finished No. 10 in tackle avoidance (41%), No. 6 in average yards post-contact (4.72) and No. 8 in yards per carry (6.67). 

Texas-San Antonio did not have any representatives on the list, but safety Rashad Wisdom and wide receiver Zakhari Franklin have the potential to shake it up by season's end.