30 college football players with the biggest shoes to fill in 2018

Shoes to Fill: Ronald Jones II

USC running back Ronald Jones II was one of the most underrated players in the nation in 2017. Jones finished second in the Pac-12 with 1,550 rushing yards last season and tied for second in the conference with 19 touchdowns on the ground despite missing a game. The 6-foot, 200-pound Texas native carried the ball 261 times in 2017 and earned 591 carries in his three seasons with the Trojans. Thanks in large part to his speed, acceleration and silky smooth running style, Jones gained an impressive 3,619 rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns at USC before he opted to leave school early for the NFL.

Although Jones was underrated overall, USC should be in a good spot to replace him. After all, the Trojans are consistently the best recruiting program on the West Coast (USC ranked No. 3 overall in the 2017 teal talent composite compiled by 247Sports).

Former five-star recruit Stephen Carr got his feet wet early in his true freshman season before a foot injury sidelined him for four weeks. Carr gained 69 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns in his debut against Western Michigan, then ran for 119 yards against Stanford in Week 2. He had a 52-yard run in each contest. Two weeks later, with Jones unavailable against Cal, Carr carried the ball 20 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he had just 13 carries after September and finished with 363 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 65 carries.

Healthy again, Carr should be the primary ball carrier for the Trojans in 2018, and he has the talent to put up big numbers.