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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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University of Miami Hurricanes Defensive Lineman Gerald Willis (91) and other lineman before the start of the NCAA football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
University of Miami Hurricanes Defensive Lineman Gerald Willis (91) and other lineman before the start of the NCAA football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Gerald Willis feels like a one-man version of Last Chance U.

As a five-star All-American high school senior, he committed to Florida in 2014 and played his freshman season there under Will Muschamp. Willis was suspended twice, once for punching a teammate over a pair of cleats, and was eventually dismissed at the end of the year.

Willis transferred to Miami where he sat out the 2015 season before getting back on the field as a redshirt sophomore in 2016. He played well at times but battled a torn MCL that caused him to miss a couple games but he ultimately played through before having it surgically repaired in the offseason.

Before the 2017 season, it was announced that Willis would be taking the season off for “personal reasons”. He continued to play on the scout team where he was at times unblockable according to teammates and coaches but his primary focus last year was working on controlling his anger and getting his life right off the field.

As a redshirt senior, he returns to the field in 2018, in better shape physically at 6-foot-3, 295-pounds and appears ready to have his best season yet. He’s always had the size and talent, he’s just never had his head in a place that allowed him to realize all that potential. He hopefully will in 2018 and Miami will need it.