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15 college football teams losing the most talent in 2018

By Nicholas Ian Allen

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Lamont Gaillard #53 of the Georgia Bulldogs prepares to snap the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff National Championship held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 for the national title. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Lamont Gaillard #53 of the Georgia Bulldogs prepares to snap the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff National Championship held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 for the national title. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 28: Josh Adams #33, Alex Bars #71, and Quenton Nelson #56 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Notre Dame Stadium on October 28, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 28: Josh Adams #33, Alex Bars #71, and Quenton Nelson #56 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Notre Dame Stadium on October 28, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
  • Early NFL Draft Entrants: 3 (WR Equanimeous St. Brown, RB Josh Adams, G Quenton Nelson)
  • Starters Lost: 12 (7 Offense, 5 Defense)
  • Two-Deep Lost: 14 (6 Offense, 8 Defense)
  • Passing Yards Returning: 2,326 (100 percent)
  • Rushing Yards Returning: 1,828 (49.9 percent)
  • Receiving Yards Returning: 1,089 (46.8 percent)
  • Tackles Returning:5 (61.23 percent)

No team in the nation lost as much elite offensive line talent as Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish must replace a pair of starters from the 2017 squad that could be selected in the top 10 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft. All-American left tackle Mike McGlinchey and fellow All-American left guard Quenton Nelson, the top pro prospect at his position, and an All-American, left one year on the table to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. The unit will also be without its most experienced backup, Hunter Bivin, who graduated.

But that’s just the start of the offensive holes Notre Dame will try to fill in 2018. Running back Josh Adams emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate midway through his junior season and left school after he ran for 1,430 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry last season. Equanimeous St. Brown, who exploded onto the national scene with 961 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2016, opted to forego his senior season after catching 33 passes for 515 yards and four scores last year.

The defense wasn’t hit quite as hard, but the Irish will still be without five senior starters from last season. Linebackers Drue Tranquill, Nyles Morgan and Greer Martini were tacklers No. 2-4 on the team leaderboard, and productive defensive linemen Jay Hayes, Jonathan Bonner and Andrew Trumbetti are gone as well.

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