Which G5 Underclassmen Are Headed To The NFL: Offense Edition

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Every year, college players ready to no longer "play school" declare their intentions to join the revolving cast of the NFL. Some are guarantees like Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, while others decide to make the jump without knowing what their futures bring.

With that said, let's take a look at the offensive players of the G5 that have declared for the upcoming draft.

Quarterbacks: (1)

• Tyree Jackson, QB, Buffalo: 6,999 yards passing with 55.8% completion percentage and 49 touchdowns. 201 rushes for 757 yarrds and 16 touchdowns in 32 games played. 2018 MAC Offensive Player of the Year. #7 best QB according to USA Today. 

Jackson is an interesting case for the new NFL. Among the quarterbacks eligible for the draft, Jackson is one of the best dual threat players on the board. His size, 6-7 and 245 pounds, is intriguing and he has an impressive arm, but a completion rate below 60% is worrisome and may scare off some teams. He will get drafted, but do not expect Jackson to go in the first three rounds.

Running Backs: (7)

• Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis: 431 rushes for 3,545 yards and 36 touchdowns. 63 catches for 758 yards and 8 touchdowns in 38 games played. Finished 10th in 2018 Heisman voting. 2018 Consensus All-American. #1 in NCAA in rushing ypa., #2 in rushing touchdowns, #2 in rushing yards. #8 best running back according to USA Today.
• Joshuwa Holloman, RB, Eastern Michigan: Track athlete. 
• Alexander Mattison, RB, Boise State: 581 carries for 2,829 yards nad 33 touchdowns. 60 cathces for 511 yards nad 1 touchdown in 38 games played. #2 nationally with 302 rush attempts in 2018, #7 nationally in rushing touchdowns (17), #8 nationally with 1,415 yards rushing. 
• Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic: 714 carries for 4,287 yards nad 66 touchdowns. 51 catches for 397 yards and  touchown in 38 games played. 2017 CUSA MVP. Most rushing attempts in NCAA, #4 in rushing yards, #1 in rushing touchdowns in 2017. #8 in career rushing touchdowns (66). 
• Darwin Thompson, RB, Utah State: Only played one season at Utah State. 153 carries for 1,044 yards and 14 touchdowns. 23 cathes for 351 yards and 2 touchdowns in 13 games played. 
• Kerrith Whyte Jr., RB, Florida Atlantic: 232 carries for 1,358 yards and 11 touchdowns. 22 catches for 227 yards and  touchdowns in 37 games played. Career 26.1 yards per kickoff return. 
• Tony Pollard, RB/KR/WR, Memphis: 139 carries for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns. 104 catches for 1,292 yards and 9 touchdowns in 40 games played. 30.1 yards per kickoff return for his career, including 7 touchdowns. Career leader in kickoff return touchdowns and led the nation with a 40.0 kickoff return average in 2017. 

Let's start with the best of the group. Memphis running back Darrell Henderson was the most explosive running back in the nation last season. He is a bit undervalued due to his time at Memphis, but the Tigers have produced quality NFL players in the past. He is easily a 2-3 round pick in my opinion and has more explosion than any other back in the draft.

Mattison and Singletary are both impressive players that carried the ball quite a bit in their college careers. There are worries that Singletary is more of the player he was as a senior rather than the dominant back he was as a junior. Mattison was a workhorse in 2018, giving scouts the thought that a bit of tread is gone from the tire. Both should hear their names called in the 5-6 rounds of the draft, if not earlier.

Thompson has the chance at being a late round pick, but would have benefited from spending one more season with the Aggies. Same with Kerrith Whyte Jr. He would have been the feature back in the Owls offense with the opportunity to shine in Kiffin's offense.

Tony Pollard is an interesting prospect. He set the kickoff return touchdown record in three seasons and has a full season averaging 40 yards per return in 2017. Whether he is drafted or not, Pollard should be on a roster with a chance to earn a KR/PR job and has the ability to produce in the running and passing game as needed.

Tight End: (3)

• Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State: 51 catches for 637 yards and 8 touchdowns in 19 games played. 
• Dax Raymond, TE, Utah State: 72 catches for 873 yards and 3 touchdowns in 27 games played. 
• Keenen Brown, TE, Texas State: One year at Texas State. 51 catches for 577 yards and 5 touchdowns in 12 games played. Top 10 in Sun Belt in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in 2018. 

Of the three, Brown is the most intriguing. Brown was a no factor with the Cowboys, but turned into a receiving option of choice at Texas State. He has the size and ability to block, but has to prove he is willing to do so at the NFL level.

Warring and Raymond have a chance to make a roster, but their chances of getting drafted depend on how multiple their skill sets can be at the next level.

Wide Receiver: (9)

• Jalen Guyton, WR, North Texas: Transfer from Notre Dame. 103 catches for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns in 25 games played. 
• Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo: 135 catches for 2,235 yards and 23 touchdowns in 999 career games played. 
• Dredrick Snelson, WR, Central Florida: 106 catches for 1,519 yards and 15 touchdowns in 32 games played. 
• John Ursua, WR, Hawaii: 189 catches for 2,662 yards and 24 touchdowns in 33 games played. #9 in receptions (89), #5 in receiving yards (1,343), and #1 in receiving touchdonws (16) in 2018. 
• Preston Williams, WR, Colorado State: Transfer from Tennessee. 16 catches for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns in 7 games played at Tennessee. 96 catches for 1,345 yards and 14 touchdowns for Colorado State in 2018. #1 nationally with 96 receptions, #4 with 1,345 receiving yards, and #3 in receiving touchdowns (14) in 2018.
• Penny Hart, WR, Georgia State: 203 catches for 2,960 yards nad 19 touchdowns in 29 games played. Top 10 in Sun Belt in receptions in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Led Sun Belt in receiving yards in 2015 and 2017. 
• Cortrelle Simpson, WR, Richmond: Transfer from Temple. 96 catches for 1,670 yards and 11 touchdowns in 20 games played at Richmond. 
• Jovon Durante, WR, Florida Atlantic: Transfer from West Virginia. 60 catches for 726 yards and 7 touchdowns at WVU. 65 catches for 873 yards and 5 touchdowns at FAU in 36 total games played.
• Jazz Ferguson, WR, Northwestern State: Transfer from LSU. 2 catches for 17 yards at LSU in one game played. 66 catches for 1,117 yards and 13 TD at Northwestern State in 11 games played.

One thing the NFL has realized in the last several years is that talent at wide receiver can be found at all levels. This group has multiple transfers from P5 programs in addition to very effective players that battled injuries.

The most exciting of the transfers is Colorado State's Preston Williams. The former Vol looked like a bust in Knoxville, but made the trip to the MWC and led the nation in catches. More impressive is the fact that he did so on a down Rams team that struggled with consistent quarterback play.

Ursua, Hart, and Johnson are pass catching machines, but past injuries will be scrutinized by the medical crews of NFL teams. Hart in particular is small but explosive and could be a steal for the right team in the right offense.

The FCS is sending two players from the wide receiver group and I feel like both are in need of another year at the college level. Ferguson was especially explosive in 2018, but he only had two college catches before last season.

Offensive Line: (2)

• Chidi Okeke, OT, Tennessee State: Transfer from LSU. Two-year starter at TSU. First-team OVC in 2018. 
• Tyler Roemer, OT, San Diego State: Started 23 straight games for SDSU. Former USA Today Freshman All-American. Kicked off SDSU team in 2018. 

Finally, the offensive line comes to the party. Okeke seemed like a player ready to declare for the NFL as soon as he set foot on the Nashville campus of TSU. He seems a year away, but it remains to be seen if he will hear his name called this spring (not incredibly likely).

Roemer is very interesting because he will fall into the character issues category. He is a former Freshman All-American and started 23 games in a row before being suspended and then removed from the Aztec roster.