This time final yr, Oregon State tailback B.J. Baylor was a profession backup with 300-something speeding yards and some touchdowns to his title.
Three months and 1,337 yards later, Baylor was a first-team all-conference performer and one of many largest surprises of the Pac-12 season.
Every year, stars seem from sudden locations within the #Pac12AfterDark sky.
What number of followers have been acquainted with Colorado receiver Laviska Shenault previous to his dominant 2018 season?
Or with ASU wideout Brandon Aiyuk earlier than the 2019 marketing campaign?
The checklist under identifies 15 candidates to turn out to be breakout performers throughout the convention this fall, however please be aware:
— We didn't think about quarterbacks, transfers from outdoors the convention or gamers who've been named first- or second-team all-Pac-12 in earlier seasons.
— Moreover, we omitted a number of multi-year starters, like ASU linebacker Merlin Robertson, whose names ought to be nicely acknowledged by followers throughout the convention.
Points with that strategy or the checklist under? No drawback. That is a wholly subjective train, in any case.
1. Cal defensive deal with Brett Johnson: The one member of this checklist included in our rating of the highest 10 gamers within the convention. Johnson acquired honorable-mention recognition following the COVID-shortened 2020 season, then missed all of final yr due to a damaged hip suffered in a automobile accident. Assuming he’s wholesome, the previous three-star recruit from Phoenix may very well be probably the most dominant inside lineman within the league.
2. Utah receiver Devaughn Vele: The previous walk-on averaged 17 yards-per-catch final season in a restricted position. He’s 6-foot-5 with mushy fingers and physique management. The Utes want playmakers on the surface to enrich their stellar tight ends and fill the void left by Britain Covey’s departure. Now we have Vele atop that checklist.
3. USC linebacker Eric Gentry: Considered one of two intra-conference transfers to fulfill our threshold performed in all 13 video games final season for Arizona State. Gentry is 6-foot-6 and makes high quality use of his wingspan. We anticipate him to unseat a returning starter, Ralen Goforth, and make a weekly influence.
4. Stanford tight finish Benjamin Yurosek: The most recent in Stanford’s decade-long line of elite tight ends averaged 15.3 yards per catch final season. (For a decent finish, that’s stellar.) Yurosek advantages from having a deft passer, Tanner McKee, delivering the ball. Additionally true: He makes McKee higher.
5. Oregon linebacker Justin Flowe: The previous five-star recruit suffered season-ending accidents in every of the previous two years. If he stays wholesome, Flowe ought to emerge as one of many Pac-12’s high uncooked skills and mix with Noah Sewell to kind the perfect linebacking tandem within the convention.
6. Washington defensive lineman Tuli Letuligasenoa: Is that this lastly the yr Letuligasenoa performs to the extent of his illustrious predecessors like Vita Vea and Greg Gaines? That’s our expectation. If he instructions double groups on the inside, there’s one much less physique out there to dam Zion Tupuola-Fetui on the sting.
7. Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez: The second intra-conference switch included right here was named honorable-mention all-Pac-12 final season at Colorado. We anticipate Gonzalez to construct on that basis and safe a spot on the primary workforce by season’s finish. He simply is perhaps the perfect on the West Coast. (We’ll pause whereas Utah followers ponder whether or not Salt Lake Metropolis counts because the West Coast and if we're, in truth, tossing shade at Clark Phillips III.)
8. Utah defensive finish Van Fillinger: The Utes have been so loaded defensively final season that a first-year starter who recorded 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles-for-loss managed to toil in relative obscurity. That received’t be the case this season. Fillinger is a worthy successor to Utah’s unblockable defensive ends over time.
9. Washington State receiver Lincoln Victor: Started his profession at Hawaii however performed for the Cougars final season, permitting him to qualify for consideration. Victor was named to the all-conference workforce as an all-purpose/particular groups performer. This fall, recognition comes for his abilities as an elite go catcher.
10. Oregon State cornerback Rejzohn Wright: Former junior school switch who’s coming into his third season in Corvallis. Lengthy and aggressive with first-rate instincts. Additionally, he’s the brother of Cowboys cornerback (and former Beaver) Nahshon Wright, a third-round decide within the 2021 NFL Draft.
11. UCLA receiver Kaz Allen: Probably the most versatile playmakers within the convention, largely due to his observe velocity. Led the convention in kickoff returns final yr (29.1 ypr) and has performed each tailback and receiver. We anticipate Allen to be deployed in every single place this season, which is able to solely make it harder for defenses to catch him.
12. Arizona security Jaxen Turner: The third-year junior triggered loads of disruption final season within the defensive and offensive backfields (4 tackles-for-loss). We suspect he has all-conference expertise, and we all know he’s a key piece to a full defensive revival in Tucson.
13. Colorado defensive deal with Jalen Sami: The Buffs have been slapped round by attrition, however their roster isn’t fully devoid of expertise. Sami is among the high inside linemen within the league — it’s a well-stocked place group — and at 325 kilos, he’s actually among the many largest. Earned honorable-mention recognition final season.
14. Oregon State linebacker Omar Speights: After spending years within the appreciable shadows solid by Hamilcar Rashed Jr. and Avery Roberts, the regular Speights is positioned for next-level manufacturing in ’22 and will thrive within the aggressive system deployed by new coordinator Trent Bray.
15. Arizona State guard LaDarius Henderson: Began as a real freshman again in 2019 and is now prepared for his star flip in Tempe as one of many league’s greatest linemen. Of be aware: The Solar Devils misplaced a second potential breakout star when defensive finish Michael Matus suffered a season-ending knee damage final week.
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