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College football 2018: Top 30 breakout players to watch

By Jeremy Morris

Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: Stephen Carr (7) of the USC Trojans runs up the field in a game between the Texas Longhorns vs USC Trojans on September 16, 2017 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: Stephen Carr (7) of the USC Trojans runs up the field in a game between the Texas Longhorns vs USC Trojans on September 16, 2017 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Stephen Carr had 363 rushing yards and 188 receiving yards as a freshman last season. With Ronald Jones’ departure to the NFL after a 1,500-yard season in 2017, Stephen Carr should take over as USC’s primary option at running back this season.

In addition to losing Jones, the Trojans also lost a two-year starter and eventual third overall draft pick at quarterback in Sam Darnold. So not only will Carr play a much larger part in the running game in 2018, but USC’s offense as a whole will likely have to depend much more on the running game.

Carr is a 6’0″, 210 pound wrecking ball. He was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and in limited exposure as a freshman, he’s already eliciting comparisons to the great USC running backs of the past. He averaged 5.6 yards a carry as a freshman, showing impressive vision, ability to make defenders miss and big-play speed. Carr can be a force between the tackles, a threat as a receiver out of the backfield, and has everything offensive coordinators look for in a dominant every down running back.

Watch a couple highlights from his freshman season and it’s easy to see why he’s seen as the “next great one”. 2018 will be his chance to put it all together and erase the “next”.