At this point, most of our C2C members and readers have had time to read and digest the 287-page guide (at least, I’d hope so, given that this article is a month later than anticipated and two months post-release). As thorough as our Guide is, there are always players on the edges of our rankings who warrant consideration.
The players chosen for our 2024 Devy Guide represent the current college football players with the brightest NFL futures. The players in this article are players that I feel should have been included in the 2024 Devy Guide had we added another player profile or two at each position—the 2024 Devy Guide honorable mentions, if you will.
Quarterbacks
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
| Year | G | Att/Comp | Pct | Pass Yds | TD/INT | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2021 | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 5 | 14/23 | 60.9% | 219 | 1/1 | 8 | 49 | 2 |
| 2023 | 13 | 166/285 | 58.2% | 2,085 | 17/3 | 166 | 818 | 5 |
Last year, I argued that the most glaring omission from our Devy Guide was Tulane QB Michael Pratt. This year, there isn’t a QB who fits that bill. However, there is one who may make us look silly this time next for not including him.
Kyron Drones, a 4-star prospect by the 247 composite rankings in the class of 2021, originally committed to Baylor. The Bears had an unsettled QB room. But, Drones could not earn the starting gig, ultimately leading to him transferring to Virginia Tech. Drones didn’t earn the starting role right away with Virginia Tech either. But, once he did, Drones was electric.
Drones was particularly dangerous last year as a rusher. Whether on designed runs or scrambles, the 6’2”, 234 lb. QB’s athleticism was evident in every game. Despite his effectiveness as a runner, Drones still looks to pass first and is adept at maneuvering the pocket to buy time. He has a big-time arm and doesn’t lose any velocity throwing off-platform. Drones isn’t a gunslinger, though. He’s careful with the ball and willing to throw it away rather than use his arm to force passes unnecessarily. Drones has all the tools NFL teams are looking for. And with another big year this year, he’s likely to earn some buzz in scouting circles heading into 2025.
Jayden Maiava, USC
| Year | G | Att/Comp | Pct | Pass Yds | TD/INT | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2023 | 14 | 224/353 | 63.5% | 3,085 | 17/10 | 73 | 277 | 3 |
An unheralded 3-star recruit, it only took two games for true freshman Jayden Maiava to take over the starting job for UNLV last year. Maiava predictably had an up-and-down year and made some classic freshman mistakes. He regularly locked onto his first read and forced some head-scratching passes. But there were flashes of brilliance mixed in there as well.
Maiava operates the read-option game very effectively and is dangerous in the run game. He possesses the mobility to evade the rush and extend plays. Despite his athleticism, Maiava does most of his damage as a passer from the pocket. His accuracy can be spotty, but Maiava is at his best on quick passes where he can hit his WRs in stride over the middle of the field.
Miller Moss is expected to be USC’s starting QB in 2024. But Maiava’s play was on par with Moss’s in the spring game. If Moss falters, Maiava has starting experience at the collegiate level and could be called on to take over. And with his size and mobility, he could develop into a very intriguing prospect under Lincoln Riley’s tutelage.
Running Backs
Chez Mellusi, Wisconsin
| Year | G | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs |
| 2019 | 12 | 44 | 276 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 9 | 27 | 151 | 3 | 5 | 38 | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 | 173 | 815 | 5 | 7 | 66 | 0 |
| 2022 | 9 | 112 | 473 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 | 51 | 306 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 0 |
A former top 15 RB in the composite rankings, Mellusi had minimal production early at Clemson as he waited his turn behind Travis Etienne. He then transferred to Wisconsin, where he started and had a productive season, but he was again overshadowed by a more talented player in Braelon Allen.
Despite being resigned to second fiddle at Wisconsin, Mellusi is still talented in his own right. He pairs solid size with a good initial burst. But he lacks that top gear to finish long runs. Although Mellusi isn’t a pile pusher, he keeps his legs driving and has good contact balance. His best traits as a rusher, though, are his patience, vision, and footwork, which allow him to excel around the line of scrimmage and pick up tough yards. Mellusi is also a respectable pass catcher. With a solid all-around skillset, Mellusi must stay healthy to garner some NFL buzz.
Mario Anderson, Memphis
| Year | G | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs |
| 2020 | 6 | 69 | 504 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 0 |
| 2021 | 13 | 233 | 1,237 | 12 | 12 | 91 | 0 |
| 2022 | 10 | 211 | 1,560 | 19 | 6 | 25 | 0 |
| 2023 | 12 | 143 | 707 | 3 | 22 | 153 | 1 |
Most people discount production at the Division 2 level, and rightfully so. But it’s tough to discount if a player averages over 110 yards and a TD per game over three years. Mario Anderson used his strong performances to catapult up to the SEC last year. And while South Carolina struggled on the ground, Anderson was still the clear lead back despite the jump in competition.
Anderson is a bit short at 5’9” but has a stout build at 208 lbs. However, he still possesses 74th-percentile athleticism and compares favorably to NFL players like Duke Johnson and Darrell Henderson. Anderson takes an extra step or two to get to top speed. But once he gets to the open field, he can finish off long runs.
At 5’9”, Anderson already has a low pad level. He also lowers his shoulder into contact and bounces off defenders with ease. With good vision and footwork at the line paired with his leg drive, Anderson can be used at the goal line if needed. Add a respectable pass-catching profile with 22 catches last year, and Anderson possesses the all-around skillset to find a role at the NFL level.
Transferring down in competition to Memphis isn’t necessarily a death sentence for his NFL value, as Memphis has a long track record of producing NFL RBs. Once again operating as the lead back in his backfield, Anderson has one more opportunity to put his skill set on display for NFL evaluators.
Cam Cook, TCU
| Year | G | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs |
| 2023 | 9 | 16 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A Matt Bruening (@sportsfanaticMB) special at 5’10″ and 180 lbs., Cameron Cook was the rare sub-190lb RB recruit on which our recruiting team aligned with 247 composite rankings. Cook was our RB19 and was RB22 in the 247 composite rankings. Averaging more than 120 yards per game over 24 games in Texas tends to help players’ rankings in the composite, and it certainly doesn’t hurt in our rankings either. Cook’s 62nd-percentile athleticism in our database also contributes to his placement in our rankings.
But it’s Cook’s ability as a rusher that we raved about in our 2023 Freshmen and Supplemental Guide. Cook has the speed to maintain distance and finish off long runs when he hits the open field. He can also string together multiple moves and is elusive in the open field. However, Cook’s best traits are his vision, patience, and instincts as a runner. Pass catching is a plus skill of Cook’s as well. Cook’s biggest concern was his size. But he’s reportedly up to 195lbs entering this year.
This spring, Cook has generated plenty of buzz, including being pegged as a breakout candidate on Bud Elliot’s Summer School. And with Head Coach Sonny Dykes’ history of high-level RB production, Cook could very easily find his way into the 2025 Devy Guide.
Wide Receivers
Will Pauling, Wisconsin
| Year | G | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 9 | 12 | 122 | 0 | 1 | -8 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 74 | 837 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 0 |
With new Head Coach Luke Fickell and Offensive Coordinator Phil Longo, Wisconsin had a new look on offense in 2023. Wisconsin had a 4.4% pass rate over expected last year, up from the average of -6% over the previous five years. And in a Phil Longo offense, it’s well-established that the slot WR is typically the most productive, with a 33.5% target share last year. And last year, that player was Will Pauling. Pauling’s 74 receptions and six TDs were more than double the next closest WR on the team, and his 837 yards were nearly double the next closest.
Pauling found himself in a role that lends itself well to receiving production last year. However, his skill set is what allowed him to take advantage of that role. Pauling is a lightning-quick accelerator off the line of scrimmage and gets on top of DBs instantly. Additionally, he changes directions well, particularly in his route.
Combine those athletic traits with his ability to vary his releases off the line, and it’s easy to see why Pauling is adept at creating separation within the route. Pauling is also a reliable target with soft hands, evidenced by his Big 10-leading 40 receptions beyond the line of scrimmage that resulted in a first down, according to PFF. With another year of production at Wisconsin and a perfect skill set for the slot, Pauling is the candidate in this article most likely to be this year’s Ricky Pearsall and make us look foolish for not including him in the Devy Guide.
Denzel Boston, Washington
| Year | G | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec Tds | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2022 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 | 14 | 5 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Boston has gained serious momentum in the CFF community as his ADP has risen nearly 200 spots between April and May. It’s time the Devy community caught up. Boston is an athletic specimen, standing at 6’4” and 209 lbs. with a 92nd percentile athleticism. That alone will be enough to make at least NFL scouts take notice. His minimal production through his first two years is cause for concern, even if he was a 3-star recruit and not eligible to be a Year 1 Zero. But, playing behind three future NFL draft picks in first-rounder Rome Odunze, second-rounder Ja’Lynn Polk, and third-rounder Jalen McMillan is as good of an excuse for lack of production as any. With those three out of the way, Boston’s time is now.
Washington is undergoing seismic changes; from a move to the Big 10 to a new Head Coach and roster turnover that comfortably ranks dead last in returning production according to the C2C Winning Edge database. While this may seem troublesome for Boston on the surface, it may be a blessing. The move to the Big 10 and the roster turnover seem likely to create negative game scripts for the Huskies. And, new Head Coach Jedd Fisch brings an offense that has ranked in the top 25 and top 10 in the C2C Winning Edge Database in the last two years, respectively.
After recording seven catches for 128 yards and a TD in the spring game, Boston seems poised to be the lead WR in the offense this year. The pieces are falling into place for Boston to have a breakout year. If he does, don’t be surprised if the NFL comes calling for the 6’4” athletic specimen.
Tight End
Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss
| Year | G | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2020 | 4 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 4 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 13 | 48 | 602 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 10 | 30 | 449 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tight-end is the most difficult position to predict for devy purposes. Outside of the elite prospects like Brock Bowers or Kyle Pitts, the most productive tight ends in the NFL are often the most athletic or the ones who find themselves in the most advantageous offenses. So, it’s hard to find many qualms with not including another tight end in the Devy Guide. However, there is one who comes to mind as worthy of inclusion.
Caden Preiskorn, formerly of Memphis, started slowly in his first season at Ole Miss. But, he finished strong, recording a TD in each of the last three games, culminating in a 10-catch, 136-yard, and 2-TD performance versus Penn State in the Peach Bowl.
Preiskorn has excellent size for the position at 6’5” and 255 lbs. He’s capable of playing in-line or in the slot, with 40% of his career snaps coming in the slot, according to PFF. Preiskorn is an average-at-best athlete and won’t break many tackles. But he has reliable hands and extends away from his frame to reel in errant passes well. And, as a savvy route-runner, he projects well to being a QB’s best friend and safety valve. Preiskorn’s best hope for future NFL value is as a Jake Ferguson or Dalton Schultz-type player, but it is within his range of outcomes.
When putting together a list of 250+ players, some players will inevitably be missed. Our Devy team at Campus2canton does an excellent job combing through the college football ranks and determining which players warrant inclusion. The players in the list above who were omitted aren’t even players about whom readers asked. We got very few questions about why a player wasn’t included this year. However, some players have skill sets and situations in 2024 that could make us look closer when creating the list for next year’s Devy Guide.
All stats courtesy of Sports Reference unless otherwise indicated.
