20 college football players who should be highly paid in 2017

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Sam Darnold No. 14 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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6. Arden Key, DE, LSU

Pass rush is in peak demand at all levels of football, which will be good news for Key’s bank account soon enough.

The Atlanta native chose LSU over SEC rivals Auburn and South Carolina, and joined the Tigers as one of the best defensive end prospects in the class of 2015. LSU put Key into the rotation right away, and he started the final nine games of the season en route to becoming a freshman All-American with 41 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Key exceeded high expectations as a sophomore in 2016 by developing into one of the nation’s premier pass rushers, looking impossible to contain at times. The first-team All-SEC selection set a LSU school record with 11 sacks to go along with 55 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles.

As good as those numbers are, Key has the upside to be even more dominant due to his lengthy 6-foot-6, 238-pound frame and explosive first step off the snap. Injuries are the one factor that could hold Key back from a special season, as he will miss the start of fall practice with a shoulder problem and may not be ready in time for LSU’s opener against BYU.

If fully healthy, Key has the raw talent to be the best pass rusher in college football. Even if he hasn’t proven his full potential yet, Key would earn $17 million in 2017 to compare favorably with highly paid NFL defensive ends like Olivier Vernon and Muhammad Wilkerson.

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