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Newcomers to Watch These 10 freshmen, juco transfers could contribute in '02
By Glenn Kasses, CNNSI.com Some of the names are somewhat familiar from the recruiting wars months ago; others are probably complete mysteries. But as is the case almost every season, some newcomers to the major college football scene are sure to raise eyebrows and turn heads on the field right away. Most freshmen won’t see the field at all this season, but there are a few -- as well as a number of junior college transfers -- who have crashed the right situation at the right time to make their names known on the national scene. Many of this year’s impact players could be wide receivers, gifted athletes who could step onto the field immediately and cause defensive coordinators headaches. Not surprisingly, no quarterbacks make the list, with their grooming process usually taking more time.
But these 10 players are all in a good position, be it from high school or junior college, to be impact players without much of an adjustment period. Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon: After committing verbally to Nebraska, then BYU, Ngata pulled a stunning signing-day switch and opted to join the Ducks. The mammoth (6-foot-4, 315) tackle has been clocked at 4.84 in the 40-yard dash, and he could see plenty of time this year. Currently, the Ducks have two sophomores -- Robbie Valenzuela and Igor Olshansky -- slated to take up the starting positions, so Ngata could have an easier road to getting on the field. James Taylor, WR, Louisville: You can go ahead and joke about the name, but Taylor could provide a big spark to an already potent Cardinals offense. The junior college transfer played at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College last season, where in 2001 he caught 30 balls for 594 yards and five touchdowns in just six games. He was the third-ranked receiver by JC football.com this year, and had a chance to participate in spring drills, giving him an important advantage coming into the season. And remember, Deion Branch made a similar -- and highly successful -- transition from junior college to Louisville at wideout not long ago. Maurice Clarrett, RB, Ohio State: It may seem odd to put Clarrett on this list, since the Buckeyes are already loaded with young tailback talent. But the incoming freshman was one of a handful of players to leave high school a semester early in order to participate in spring football. There, Clarrett proved why he was one of the most heavily recruited backs in the nation, upstaging the incumbents. If anyone could unseat sophomores Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall, it’s this guy. Based on pure talent, if Jim Tressel is to give a shot to any one of the three to take over the position completely, it will be Clarrett. Ryan Boschetti, DT, UCLA: Boschetti is another junior college transfer, coming by way of San Mateo (Calif.) CC. At 6-4 and 275 pounds, Boschetti won’t be the biggest defensive lineman in the Pac-10. But as is so often the case with the defensive tackle position, no two players can be expected to handle the entire game. Playing behind Rodney Leisle and Steve Morgan, both 300-pounders, Boschetti is likely to be used in a rotation to keep fresh players on the field. Leisle is a junior and Morgan a senior, so the addition of Boschetti means the Bruins will have a number of upperclassmen manning the middle. Chauncey Stovall, WR, Florida State: Stovall comes to Bobby Bowden’s program as a highly touted junior college wideout from Hinds (Miss.) Community College. Normally, that wouldn’t mean very much since the Seminoles are always loaded with big-name, big-time wide receiver talent. But Stovall -- who still could have some eligibility issues, but looks like he’ll be able to qualify -- could be skilled enough to change that. With a number of players returning from injury at the position -- Anquan Boldin and Robert Morgan are both coming off of knee injuries -- it’s possible that a newcomer could make his way into the lineup. Stovall signed with the Seminoles in 2000 but failed to qualify academically. Bowden and staff like Stovall enough to give him a second go-around, and that should tell people something. A.J. Davis, CB, N.C. State: Davis didn’t go too far for school, hailing from nearby Northern High School in Durham. But head coach Chuck Amato seems to think Davis could make a big leap on the field this year. In early summer drills Amato has gushed over this newcomer, who was one of the top recruits in the nation. “He’s awfully natural, awfully natural in those things you can’t teach,” Amato told The (Durham) Herald-Sun at the end of July. "He's such a great competitor [that] he doesn't ever want to come out.” Davis, by the way, also holds the state record for the long jump, having posted a 24-foot, 10-inch effort. He won’t need to do that on the field, but his natural athleticism practically ensures than he’ll be playing sooner rather than later. Aaron Austin, TE, Arizona State: The Sun Devils return their top starter from last season, Mike Pinkard. But the senior wasn’t very effective, catching nine balls for 158 yards and one touchdown. Austin comes to ASU as the top junior college tight end in the nation, a 6-5, 255-pound mountain who can catch the ball. Austin comes to the Sun Devils from Fresno (Calif.) City College, where he caught 29 passes for 419 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games. With no certain starter at quarterback, head coach Dirk Koetter will probably want to get Austin on the field, with his size helping in the blocking schemes and his ability helping to provide a target for whichever quarterback steps onto the field. Lance Mitchell, LB, Oklahoma: The Sooners lost a bunch of players at the linebacker positions, so Mitchell is in great position to step right in and play. The City College of San Francisco transfer chose Oklahoma over multiple national powerhouses, so he’s certainly a respected athlete. Originally, Mitchell had signed with Florida and enrolled there, but then found out he’d be ineligible to play in the SEC. Oklahoma was the beneficiary, as Mitchell is 6-3, 240 pounds and has clocked a 4.6 in the 50-yard dash. In junior college, his team went 24-0 in two seasons, winning the state title and also claiming the JC Gridwire national crown in both years. As one of the top teams in the nation, Mitchell’s ability to step in and play could mean a lot to the Sooners’ championship hopes. Jerious Norwood, RB, Mississippi State: After running into some trouble in the recruiting process when he went onto the field at an Ole Miss game with the governor’s son on an unofficial visit, Norwood signed with the Bulldogs. Mississippi State is sure to benefit from the 6-1, 195-pound tailback’s talent. In high school, he had more than 8,000 all-purpose yards and 92 touchdowns. Currently, the Bulldogs have senior Dontae Walker and sophomore Fred Reid at the position, but Norwood could very well jump both on the depth chart right away. If Jackie Sherrill is looking for instant offense, Norwood is a good guy to turn to. Randy Jordan, CB/S, Kansas State: Jordan could be entering a good situation in the Wildcats’ secondary, where three of last year’s four starters have moved on. Jordan comes to Manhattan from Bakersfield (Calif.) College. Rated the 23rd-best prospect in America by JCfootball.com, he isn’t very bulky at 6-2, 175 pounds, but his height may mean that the K-State coaches will opt to play him at safety. Either way, Jordan will have a chance to earn some playing time with the departure of so many starters. |
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