College Football 2024: 5 players poised for bounce-back years

• The last chance for Utah's Brant Kuithe: Back in 2021, Kuithe recorded 611 receiving yards and six touchdowns, with his 80.5 receiving grade good for 11th among 59 qualifying Power Five tight ends. That season, some even believed Kuithe to be as good as former Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid, with Kuithe’s 2.37 yards per route run average coming in just below Kincaid’s 2.41.

• Penn State's Drew Allar is capable of so much more: The Penn State signal-caller has the talent and traits desired in an NFL quarterback, with arm strength being a standout quality that excites draft scouts. However, he underperformed in his first year as a starter in college football, throwing for less than 3,000 yards and completing less than 60% of his passes.

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TE Brant Kuithe, Utah

Kuithe, who turns 25 in December, is one of the oldest players in college football and is entering his final season of eligibility. And after battling through injury the past two years, this season is his final opportunity for a comeback with the Utes.

Back in 2021, Kuithe recorded 611 receiving yards and six touchdowns, with his 80.5 receiving grade good for 11th among 59 qualifying Power Five tight ends. In that season, some even believed Kuithe was as good as former Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid, with Kuithe’s 2.37 yards per route run average coming in just below Kincaid’s 2.41.

Brant Kuithe: PFF overall grade and rank since 2018

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LB Harold Perkins, LSU

College football fans were left puzzled by LSU's use of Harold Perkins last season. Instead of playing to his strengths as a dominant pass rusher, the Tigers tried him in coverage at slot corner, where he was less effective. As a result, his overall PFF grade dropped from 76.7 to 71.1.

Perkins is athletic and versatile, capable of adequately playing various defensive positions. However, he excels when he can pin his ears back and rush the passer.

In 2022, he recorded 41 pressures and earned a 90.9 pass-rushing grade, with his 10 sacks the third-most at his position that year. This contrasted sharply with his 2023 season, where he managed only six sacks and 24 pressures.

Expect LSU to utilize him more as an off-ball linebacker in 2024, his strongest role. While his position at the next level remains to be determined, he is currently ranked 17th overall on the PFF big board.

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C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State

Seth McLaughlin may have had a rough ending to his 2023 campaign at Alabama, but he is a far better center than he displayed in the Rose Bowl against Michigan.

After transferring to Ohio State, McLaughlin will bolster an already dominant Buckeyes offensive line. He will also get another chance to prove himself and get another shot at the defending national champions.

McLaughlin never really got on the same page as Jalen Milroe a season ago in Tuscaloosa, and his season was marked by bad snaps, fumbles and penalties (seven). He particularly struggled in that final game, where he gave up one sack and two pressures, earning a 38.3 pass-blocking grade.

McLaughlin now hopes to return to his 2021 and 2022 form, where he consistently graded in the mid-70s.

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QB Drew Allar, Penn State

The Penn State signal-caller has the talent and traits desired in an NFL quarterback, with arm strength being a standout quality that excites draft scouts. However, he underperformed in his first year as a starter in college football, throwing for less than 3,000 yards and completing less than 60% of his passes.

Allar recorded only 12 big-time throws last season, and he finished the year averaging a very modest 6.7 yards per attempt. His 2.9% big-time throw rate ranked tied 71st among 86 qualifying Power Five quarterbacks.

Penn State's new offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, brings hope for improvement, as he led a Kansas offense that generated 0.201 expected points added (EPA) per play last year, the fifth-best mark in the nation.

Allar will also need better support from his receiving corps, which struggled in 2023, dropping the fourth-most passes in college football. The addition of Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming and a healthy Harrison Wallace III could provide the necessary boost.

The Penn State offensive line also struggled last season, allowing 128 pressures on 428 dropbacks. Despite this, Allar excelled at avoiding sacks, with his 10.2% pressure-to-sack ratio ranking 16th in the FBS. His performance under pressure was less impressive, though, as he earned a 56.5 passing grade under pressure compared to an 87.4 grade from a clean pocket.

Allar has areas to improve, but he is a better quarterback than his statistics suggest. If head coach James Franklin and new offensive coordinator can build the offense around him, Allar has the potential to live up to his high school hype and rise up draft boards.

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RB Raheim Sanders, South Carolina

Sanders is one of the fastest running backs in college football (he didn’t get the nickname “Rocket” for nothing!). During an incredible 2022 season with Arkansas, Sanders broke 65 tackles and earned an impressive 87.4 rushing grade. His 41 runs of 10-plus yards ranked 11th in the nation among all running backs that year.

Sanders’ 2023 season was then cut short by injury. His performance dipped, and he averaged only 3.4 yards per carry compared to 6.5 the previous year. His yards after contact per rush average also fell from 3.14 to 2.45, indicating a loss of burst and breakaway ability.

Now, Sanders has transferred to South Carolina, a team in dire need of a running back after managing just 2.8 yards per rush last season. Sanders will be the lead back, taking the bulk of the carries behind an offensive line that should see some improvement. If Sanders can stay healthy, expect him to surpass 1,000 rushing yards again this year.

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