College Football: 10 players who will make 2017 the year of the quarterback

1. Sam Darnold – USC Trojans

After the USC Trojans started off 1-2 in the 2016 season, they made the switch to redshirt freshman Sam Darnold at quarterback. Unfortunately for him, the youngster was put to the test right away against the Utah Utes. Though he performed well and relatively mistake-free, the Trojans defense couldn’t withstand a late rally from the Utes. Sitting at 1-3, though, USC wouldn’t lose another game for the rest of the year. And much of that was due to the magnificence of the man they call “The Darnold.”

Darnold’s confidence seemed to grow with each passing start to notch on his belt and USC reaped the benefits. Despite not starting the first three games, Darnold finished the season with 3,086 yards passing, 31 touchdowns to only nine interceptions and a 67.2 percent completion rate. He also added 250 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

Watching him play, particularly in the Rose Bowl win over Penn State, you’d never know that Darnold was in his first year as a starter, much less that he didn’t have the job to begin the year. Boasting prototypical size at the position, the Trojans signal-caller is a revelation at the position. He has the arm strength to make any throw on the field along with terrific accuracy. Moreover, he has the athleticism and strength to create time for himself and simply make plays with his legs.

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Because of his 2016 campaign, Darnold is atop the 2018 NFL Draft board for many scouts already. His combination of skills at such an advanced level for a player so young is a rarity in college football. Even with JuJu Smith-Schuster departing, don’t expect the Trojans offense to drop off. In Darnold they trust, and in Darnold they’ll thrive again.