Fansided

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

By Nicholas Ian Allen

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 14: Baker Mayfield
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 14: Baker Mayfield /
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BATON ROUGE, LA – NOVEMBER 25: LSU Tigers helmets rest on the sideline during a game between the Texas AM Aggies and the LSU Tigers on November 25, 2017 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LA – NOVEMBER 25: LSU Tigers helmets rest on the sideline during a game between the Texas AM Aggies and the LSU Tigers on November 25, 2017 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Shoes to Fill: Derrius Guice

Those paying attention might have noticed the LSU Tigers were left out of our Way-Too-Early Top 25. Though the Tigers are consistently one of the most talented programs in the nation (for example, the 2017 squad ranked sixth in the nation in the 247 Sports Team Talent Composite, which combines recruiting rankings for every player on the roster), there was so much turnover on the roster, it’s difficult to imagine LSU winning enough games in 2018 to warrant such a ranking.

The offense, which struggled often in 2017 as head coach Ed Orgeron and new offensive coordinator Matt Canada failed to agree on how the unit should be run, must replace eight starters, including three early NFL Draft entrants. New OC Steve Ensminger must find a new quarterback, a new playmaker at receiver with underrated speedster D.J. Chark gone, and three new starters on the offensive line. Ensminger must also find a new primary ball carrier with 3,000-yard career rusher Derrius Guice off to the NFL and top backup Darrell Williams out of eligibility.

The good news is Nick Brossette has been waiting in the wings. Brossette, a rising senior, is a former four-star recruit with 306 career rushing yards to his credit, including 96 on 19 carries last season. He’s the most experienced running back on the roster and should have the inside track to the No. 1 spot on the depth chart ahead of Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Lanard Fournette. New signee Chris Curry will also join the mix for fall camp.

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