Under-the-radar players for every Top 25 college f...
Key takeaways
- But for any team to have a high level of success, it needs contributions up and down the roster.
- The Buckeyes had both starting linebackers from last season -- Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles -- go in the top seven of the NFL draft.
- Price, a transfer with stops at Mississippi State, Coastal Carolina and Colorado, should balance out the room with his ample experience and veteran presence. -- Paolo Uggetti
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
But for any team to have a high level of success, it needs contributions up and down the roster. Star power alone won't cut it.
So we asked our college football reporters for a player on each team in our updated Way-Too-Early Top 25 who may not be on the radar of most fans but could play a significant role in a conference race or the chase for a College Football Playoff bid.
Under-the-radar player: LB Payton Pierce. The Buckeyes had both starting linebackers from last season -- Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles -- go in the top seven of the NFL draft. That doesn't mean linebacker will suddenly become a weakness for the Buckeyes. With Reese and Styles gone, Pierce, who had 44 tackles as a reserve last season, looks ready to step into a starting role. The No. 5 inside linebacker recruit in the country two years ago out of Lucas, Texas, Pierce chose Ohio State over the Longhorns. In Pierce and rising sophomore Riley Pettijohn, the Buckeyes have a promising young linebacking tandem to retool the defense around. -- Jake Trotter