The college season is almost here and while everyone gladly welcomes football's return, for us it means the official start of the 2020 draft season. That's right, the NFL Draft is some eight months off and there's no better time than, well, now to get a jumpstart on those players who head into the 2019 campaign as likely early-round picks.
We'll be going conference by conference leading up to the start of the college football season to key you in on who you should keep your eyes on from an NFL Draft perspective as these teams play. Let's get to it.
Oklahoma
WR CeeDee Lamb
Lamb is an elite route runner, has some of the best hands in college football and his next-level body control allows him to adjust to throws in mid-air.
And while he needs to put on weight, he's a willing blocker -- look no further than the backside block he put on former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson during last year's meeting.
Yes, he needs to get stronger, but bottom line -- Lamb is a game-changer.
TE Grant Calcaterra
Calcaterra can line up anywhere but is primarily used out of the slot where he's a deft route runner who wins at the line of scrimmage with good footwork and makes contested catches downfield because of his size and great hands.
Last season he ran mostly short and intermediate routes and was Kyler Murray's second or third option, but he made the most of his opportunities, hauling in 26 passes for 396 passing yards and six touchdowns. Calcaterra has first-round talent and he could quickly become one of Jalen Hurts' favorite targets.
QB Jalen Hurts
Hurts is a leader, which he exemplified last season while playing behind Tua Tagovailoa. He only attempted 70 passes in 2018 but the highlight came in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia when he replaced an injured Tua and finished 7-of-9 for 82 yards passing and a touchdown, and added another 28 yards on the ground, and another score. Now he's in Oklahoma, where we can't wait to see what he does in Lincoln Riley's offense. Remember, neither Mayfield nor Murray were considered first-round picks -- let alone first-overall selections -- heading into their final college seasons.
RB Trey Sermon
Sermon is a tough, physical back who will run over safeties if he gets to the second level but also has the footwork to leave would-be tacklers grasping at air. That same footwork allows him to patiently set up blocks in the backfield and when the hole is there, Sermon can put his foot in the ground and go. He caught just 12 passes last season but he can stretch the defense horizontally with his ability to run the wheel route. While not a burner, Sermon is another playmaker on the Sooners' offense that is primed for a big season.
Texas
WR Collin Johnson
Johnson, who can line up inside or out, is a matchup nightmare in single coverage and he's surprisingly fluid for his size. He uses his strength to get off jams at the line of scrimmage and is wins on inside routes despite size. And while he needs time to hit full speed, Johnson is good at using hands to create separation on comeback routes. And as a blocker he engulfs defensive backs. Is more athletic than he may first appear and can use that athleticism to win in jump-ball and back-shoulder situations.
He considered entering the 2019 NFL Draft, where he had a chance to sneak into the first round. If Johnson has a strong senior season he'll again find himself in the Day 1 conversation.
QB Sam Ehlinger
Ehlinger is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and he remains a work in progress. That said, he has shown vast improvement not just from 2017 to 2018 but from last September to January; he completed just 53.8% of his throws (two TDs, two INTs) vs. Maryland in the season-opening loss but in the final two games against Oklahoma and Georgia, on the big stage of the Big 12 Championship and the Sugar Bowl, he combined to complete 67% of his passes. His arm strength is a concern and he'll need to be more decisive in the pocket if he wants to improve his draft stock. Worst case, Ehlinger, a junior, could return to school in 2020.
S Brandon Jones
The senior safety is more comfortable coming forward than dropping into coverage, and he has the strength to be very disruptive around the line of scrimmage. That said, he's a smart player who understands route combinations and has the ability to come off his responsibilities to make plays in front of him. He struggles to create turnovers in the secondary but he's a difference-maker in the box.
More to watch
Center Zach Shackleford has made 27 career starts (including 10 last season), was first team All-Big 12, Academia All-Big 12, and is on the preseason watch list for the Rimington Trophy. Senior linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch is finally a full-time starter in 2019 and showed glimpses of his potential last season when he played in 14 games.
TCU
WR Jalen Reagor
An explosive playmaker, Reagor had 72 catches for 1,061 yards and 15 touchdowns last season (13 receiving, 2 rushing). His footwork allows him to win at the line of scrimmage, and at the top of his route, and he's electric with the ball in his hands.
But there's more: Reagor also returns kicks and punts, and he can line up in the backfield too:
Reagor wins at all levels and in myriad ways, which makes him an obvious name to watch ahead of the '18 campaign.
More to watch
Senior offensive tackle Lucas Niang didn't allow a sack during the 2018 season. Junior defensive lineman Corey Bethley was honorable mention All-Big 12 last season, and he's looking to improve on his 9 1/2 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. Senior Anthony McKinney is a 6-foot-8, 315-pound lineman who started nine games at left tackle last season. He arrived in Fort Worth as the No. 3 junior college offensive tackle in the country and scouts will be watching him closely in '19.
Baylor
WR Denzel Mims
Mims is a long-legged strider who gets out of breaks quickly despite his size. He's smooth in his routes, great on comebacks, has soft hands, is incredibly tough to bring down and shows good hand usage to beat press coverage.
He's one of the best high-point and contested catchers in college football and is his size and athleticism makes him tough to defend on back-shoulder throws. Mims also gets after it as a blocker, which he'll have to do consistently at the next level. In his previous two seasons, Mims has combined for 116 receptions for 1,881 yards and 16 touchdowns.
More to watch
Defensive tackle Bravvion Roy is a 6-foot-1, 330-pound bowling ball who started 11 games last season and logged 3 tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks. And while Roy won't be mistaken for Quinnen Williams, there will always be a need for big men to clog the middle. Fifth-year senior linebacker Clay Johnston is coming off a 64-tackle season, including 5 1/2 tackles for loss and a sack and heads into 2019 as a Preseason All-Big 12 first team selection. He can lay the wood but will likely need an outstanding season to work his way into the early rounds of the draft.
Who else to watch
Iowa State: Tight end Chase Allen is 6-foot-6 and was primed for a big 2018 season before a groin injury limited him to just five games. Now healthy, he's looking to finally put it all together. Linebacker Marcel Spears Jr. had 8 tackles for loss, 2 1/2 sacks and two interceptions last season. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, he's a tad undersized but he's also one of the best coverage linebackers in the conference. Senior defensive end JaQuan Bailey had 14.5 sacks and 8 sacks last season and his high motor immediately gets your attention. He's not the best athlete on the field but he has the strength to be a difference-maker on the edge.
Kansas: Mike Lee is undersized by safety standards (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) but he has a nose for the ball; he led the conference with three forced fumbles last season. And according to PFF, he made 18 defensive stops and in coverage allowed only 43 yards after the catch. Hakeem Adeniji started all 12 games at left tackle last season but his future could be as an interior offensive lineman. He has heavy hands and quick feet and a strong season could catapult him into the early rounds of the draft.
Kansas State: Senior defensive end Reggie Walker had 12 1/2 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks a season ago. He also has eight forced fumbles in his career. A consistent tackler, if Walker can expand his pass rush repertoire he'll improve his draft stock in '19. Senior left tackle Scott Frantz started every game last season opposite Broncos second-rounder Dalton Risner. He doesn't play with quite the same mean streak but he has the strength to control the line of scrimmage in both the run and pass game.
Oklahoma State: Junior wideout Tylan Wallace needs to add weight but there's no denying his playmaking abilities as a YAC monster; he hauled in 86 passes for 1,491 yards and 12 TDs last season and another big season could certainly entice him to take his game to the NFL.
Texas Tech: Junior wideout T.J. Vasher is 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds. That's an inch taller and five pounds heavier than Antoine Wesley, who had 88 catches for 1,410 yards and 9 touchdowns last season, declared for the draft and ended up signing as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens. Vasher had 54 catches for 687 yards and 7 scores in '18, and that production should increase with Wesley's departure. But he'll likely need to add weight to find his way into the draft-day conversation. At the other end of the physical spectrum: McLane Mannix, the 5-foot-10 wide receiver who hauled in 50 passes for 875 yards and 7 touchdowns at Nevada last season but transferred to Texas Tech ahead of 2019. His 17.5 yards per catch ranked fifth nationally.
West Virginia: Safety Kenny Robinson Jr. is heading into his junior season and if his first two years Morgantown are any indication, he'll continue to be a ballhawk in the secondary. He had four interceptions last season and three more as a freshman, and allowed the lowest passer rating in coverage among all Big 12 safeties, according to PFF. Senior running back Kennedy McKoy led the team in rushing last season (802 yards, 5.5 YPC) and touchdowns (8). He's a between-the-tackles runner despite his 6-0, 205-pound frame, and he's tougher to tackle once he gets to the second level. A strong season could see him work his way into Day 3 of the draft.