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

Shoes to Fill: Sam Darnold

One reason Jones was overrated at USC was teammate Sam Darnold. The quarterback entered the 2017 season as the Heisman Trophy favorite and was widely considered the favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Though Darnold fell short on the first count, largely because he struggled with his decision making early in the season and finished with 13 interceptions, he still decided to forego his final two years of eligibility to turn pro. Darnold left USC after throwing for 7,229 yards and 57 touchdowns in two seasons as a starter, including 4,143 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2017.

Now that Darnold is off to the NFL, the Trojans have a decision to make. Matt Fink was Darnold’s primary backup last season and completed six of nine pass attempts for 43 yards in limited action. Though not a highly touted prospect out of high school, the experience Fink got in 2017 gives him a slight edge over redshirt freshman Jack Sears heading into the spring.

Sears, a member of the 2017 recruiting class, redshirted last season. A 6-foot-3, 200-pound pro-style quarterback, Sears was ranked No. 105 overall in the 247Sports Composite last year, and No. 4 at his position. Simply put, he has the talent edge over Fink and should be considered the favorite to start against UNLV Sept. 1. However, it will likely be a three-man race this fall when five-star recruit J.T. Daniels joins the mix.

Daniels reclassified from the 2019 high school recruiting class, so he is by far the least experienced of the group, but he also has the most upside. Daniels is currently ranked No. 2 among pro-style passers, and No. 17 overall in the 247Sports Composite.