20 college football players who should be highly paid in 2017

14. Cameron Smith, LB, USC

Smith quickly recovered and then some from a torn ACL with a strong 2016 campaign, and is now poised to become the best linebacker in the nation.

A four-star recruit from Granite Bay in the Sacramento area, Smith committed to the Trojans early in the process to play for then head coach Steve Sarkisian ahead of the 2015 season. Smith was asked to contribute right away as a true freshman and delivered on his potential, recording 78 tackles and three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown over 10 games, numbers good enough to earn him Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors.

Unfortunately for the Trojans, Smith’s terrific debut campaign was cut short by a knee injury in a mid-November win at Colorado. Beyond just recovering in time to be ready for the 2016 season opener, Smith looked as strong as ever with 83 tackles, including seven for loss, and four passes defended for the Rose Bowl champions.

Smith’s a little smaller than most linebackers at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, but has excellent athleticism and versatility, a skill set that is becoming more prioritized than size at the position. Expectations will be higher in 2017, as Smith is arguably the most important player other than quarterback Sam Darnold on a roster that should contend for the national championship.

The Trojans would be willing to put a high price tag on Smith, as he will need to be the leader of the defense for the team to run the table. Smith always seems to be making plays around the ball all over the field, so a $12.5 million salary to rival Luke Kuechly’s would be a reasonable starting point.