Following the conclusion of spring ball, we now have a clearer idea of the roles some players may serve on their teams in the 2023 season. In this article, we will dive into my top ten potential star players who could break out in the 2023 season.
Trevor Etienne/RB/Sophomore: Florida
- 2022 Stats- 118 Attempts, 719 yards, 6 TDs
- The Rundown: Younger brother of former Clemson star & current Jacksonville Jaguar Travis Etienne, is super explosive. Shared backfield last year but should burst onto the National scene this year with a full workload.
https://twitter.com/Daboys_22/status/1629893404959313920
Harold Perkins/LB/Sophomore: LSU
- 2022 Stats- 72 tackles (39 solo), 7.6 sacks, 3 FF, 1 INT
- The Rundown- Simply put Harold Perkins is a freak of nature. Coming in as a five star, he certainly made his name known from day one. He flies all over the field & scares the living daylights out of QBs or any offensive opponent for that matter. He’ll be the main guy this year, & if you don’t know him by now you most certainly will this upcoming season.
https://twitter.com/LSUfootball/status/1591527253523181568
Joe Milton/QB/RS-Senior: Tennessee
- 2022 Stats- 971 yards, 10 TDs, 0 INT, 64.6 completion %, 83.8 QBR
The Rundown- Although he has had his ups & downs having to transfer from Michigan & sitting behind Heisman candidate & potential first round pick Hendon Hooker the last two years, he looks poised to have his best season yet of his career. He is by far one of the most physically gifted people you’ll ever see at 6’5 245 lbs. with a cannon of an arm. Also having worked under Head coach Josh Heupel & QB coach Joey Halzle, he should put up gaudy numbers.
More Sports News
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1609042961177907201
AJ Swann/QB/Sophomore: Vanderbilt
- 2022 Stats- 1,274 yds, 10 TDs, 2 INTs, 58.1 completion %, 53.7 QBR
- The Rundown- One of the most decorated QB prospects, or any prospect for that matter that Vandy has had showed a lot of promise as a true freshman as a former four-star recruit. With his first start not coming until week three, he put on a show against NIU. From then on it has been his job to lose. With even more weapons & a full offseason of being the guy, we should see a huge jump in his play.
https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/1571252353772158977
Luther Burden/WR/Sophomore: Missouri
- 2022 Stats- 45 receptions, 375 yards, 6 TDs
- The Rundown – One of the most highly rated recruits to ever come out of Missouri, the Tigers were ecstatic to get his commitment. Was inconsistent a lot of last seasons, but that was mostly due to poor QB play & a horrific offense. With his counterpart Dominic Lovett breaking out last year as the man, we should see a lot more production from Burden. He’s just way too good not to breakout.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1477722399978229766
Barion Brown/WR/Sophomore: Kentucky
- 2022 Stats- 50 receptions, 628 yards, 4 TDs
- The Rundown- As another five-star recruit, Barion Brown made his presence known immediately. Was the state champion in the 100- & 200-meter dash in HS & nothing changed when he got to Kentucky. He is a pure burner that takes the top of off defenses. Not only will he take a screen pass 80 yards, but he is also one of the best return men in the country. With a new Transfer QB in Devin Leary who’s is pretty darn good himself, & OC Liam Coen coming back to run the offense the rest of the country will most certainly know who Mr. Brown is.
https://twitter.com/Sports_24x7_/status/1594070012599230464
Kyren Lacy/WR/Senior: LSU
- 2022 Stats- 24 receptions, 268 yards, 0 TDs
- The Rundown- Now I know the stats don’t really pop off the sheet, but it’s deeper than that. Last season the main targets were Malik Nabers, who broke out to the rest of the country & Kayshon Boutte who has entered the draft. Mason Taylor at TE came in 3rd behind them, so that left very little room for anybody else. They also had to break in a new QB, but with his speed & ball-skills he should be a major contributor this year on the other side of Nabers.
https://twitter.com/AdamBreneman81/status/1650892048105369601
Evan Stewart/WR/Sophomore: Texas A&M
- 2022 Stats- 53 receptions, 649 yards, 2 TDs
- The Rundown- Evan Stewart had a great freshman campaign finishing as the top wideout for the Aggies. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the terrible play of the rest of the team. With new OC Bobby Petrino bringing his explosive offense we should see Stewart breakout even more.
https://twitter.com/NickPenticoff/status/1649002138633220096
Caleb Downs/S/Freshman: Alabama
- 2022 Stats- (HS) 83 tackles, 5 INTs
- The Rundown- As the top safety recruit in the nation it’s not hard to tell what he brings to the table. Could be an All-American on either side, but he is a true Safety. A super athlete with all the tangibles that will lay the wood. He might not start out of the gate due to Alabama’s depth, but he will certainly see the field immediately. It won’t be long before he is a household name.
https://twitter.com/ClintRLamb/status/1650274346462502913
Maason Smith/DT/RS-Sophomore: LSU
- 2021 Stats- 19 tacks (13 solo), 5 TFL, 4 sacks
- 2022 Stats- out for season (ACL)
- The Rundown- After earning Freshman All-American honors in 2021, LSU along with himself was dealt a tough blow after tearing his ACL in the first quarter of the opener. Although he sat out basically all last season, all signs point to him being back to the dominant D-lineman he is. We should see him on numerous post season All-American lists & most likely a top draft prospect.
https://twitter.com/JacquesDoucet/status/1648337746061144065
