College football. Boy is it special. The talent pool is endless. It really is. And with 133 FBS teams and 128 in the FCS on top of every other level of college football… There are A LOT of players. The good, the bad, the well known, the unknown. I tweeted a simple prompt and got plenty of replies which included a lot of similar answers so I guess that’s neat.

My pick is Aidan Chiles of Oregon State. The 6-foot-4 true freshman quarterback isn’t a known name yet… but he’s quietly building a cult following among diehard college football fans on Twitter! Chiles has a substantial arm, is super evasive, and has extreme confidence in himself. In my eyes I see him playing the hero role quite a bit in the coming years and think he’s got what it takes to be a NFL QB. But for now… Aidan Chiles is an unknown true freshie just waiting for his chance. If you ask me… he’ll get that chance in 2023 and start a few games for the Beavers this fall.

I love this so much. As someone who is a proud MACtion Man (trademark pending) and a huge believer in the Bobcats… a Sieh Bangura shout makes me smile and is exactly why I tweeted this prompt out. Don’t sleep on Bangura in the receiving game; he caught 27 balls in 2022 for 226 yards and a couple of touchdowns. But yeah this kid is so good as a runner and has so much strength and impressive leg drive. Opposing defenses are going to have plenty of trouble stopping Ohio’s offense in 2023.

An added bonus of tweeting this out is the opportunity it gives me and plenty others to learn about players we might not know. I know so much about college football and admittedly had no idea who Dae’Quan Wright was before reading this tweet. Bonus points for truly tweeting a random player. I’m now eager to see how Wright fares in 2023 and builds off his 19-catch, 208-yard campaign last fall. Like many others, I’m a sucker for tight ends with a basketball background, so the 6-foot-4, 234-pound Wright has my interest.

As someone who begged Utah to get Ja’Quinden Jackson more touches in 2022, I love this tweet. The former quarterback is blossoming into a star running back, and football fans will realize that this fall. Expect a monster breakout season from Jackson as he showcases plenty of juice and toughness in a 6-foot-2, 226-pound body. Oh and that spin move… it’s going to be known as his signature move for sure.

A more well-known player here, but man it’s going to be so much fun watching him do damage on the battlefield this fall. Malik Nabers has so much upside. He’s got wheels, a massive catch radius, stellar body control, runs slick routes, and has nasty fluid movements in the open field. I did a way too early 2024 NFL Mock Draft and Nabers was in my first round as the fourth wideout taken.

My guy took random and ran with it! My research has led me to find out that Caleb Driskill played at a high school named Thunder Basin where he excelled and became the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Wyoming. In 2019 he actually led Thunder Basin to its first state championship game appearance in school history. I’ll do a better job of watching Driskill lead the way for Wyo’s backs this year after I clearly focused too much on the success of Xazavian Valladay and Titus Swen in years past.

Look at Petros Papadakis coming in clutch with the Damien Martinez shout! Oregon State has a FUN roster and Martinez will be a well-known name in the fall. You need to trust Petros and I on this one and invest now before it’s too late. He’ll easily rush for over 1,000 yards this season and should hit double-digit touchdowns. The 6-foot running back is fierce and explosive, and he has some nasty cutting abilities as well. Heck of a player.

Several folks made sure to hype up the “Prince that was promised.” A 6-foot-5 quarterback with wicked zip on his throws and supreme confidence in his abilities. Drew Allar is on my Campus 2 Canton team (play college football fantasy, it’s fun!) and I’m stoked to see him play in 2023 and beyond. He’s a DAWG. He’ll be appointment television. I won’t miss a throw. I quite literally will watch every single one of his throws this season.

From the “Prince that was promised” to Prince Strachan. I’m well aware of this 6-foot-5 wideout and am already hyping him up as well. The Bahamas native just started playing football in 2019, and he just watched his older brother Michael get drafted by the Colts in 2021. Prince has made a strong impression on Boise State’s staff this spring and is quickly developing into an intriguing prospect. Look out for Strachan and his massive catch radius and athletic tools this season. Oh and it’s pronounced STRAWN.

Talk about an exciting talent at a small school. It remains to be seen who will win Liberty’s starting quarterback job, but regardless of the outcome I know that Kaidon Salter will find his way on the field at some point. This kid is so fun to watch and plays that rollercoaster brand of football. Big arm, rushing upside, the ability to extend plays for hours and hours. Now let’s just imagine what’ll happen in Jamey Chadwell’s unique offense that creates explosive plays but calls for calmness and a lot of poise from the quarterback position.

Let’s conclude this article with words about an Ohio State receiver that is patiently waiting for his turn. Jayden Ballard is a stud, and I’m dying to watch this kid get his chance. He’s caught just nine balls in two seasons but boasts a yards per catch mark of 17.7. He stood out in the spring with a nasty one-handed grab on the sidelines. He’s got plenty of speed and should be a menace after the catch. He’s just not the wide receiver that anybody thinks about when you mention Ohio State… Perhaps that will change this fall. Just give this kid a chance!