Top 20 players entering the 2019-20 season: 20-16
theScore counts down the top 20 players heading into the 2019-20 college football season.
20. Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
He has work to do in the route-running department, but few receivers are more dangerous than Shenault once the ball touches their mitts. Of the 1,011 yards he hauled in last season, 634 came after the catch and 346 came after contact. Shenault was the breakout player for a Colorado offense that ranked in the middle of the FBS pack last year. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder can line up all over the formation, though the Buffaloes often used him in the slot under former coach Mike MacIntyre.
19. Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
His numbers were almost identical in 2017 and 2018, but those who watch Georgia on a regular basis know Fromm was a much-improved quarterback last season. As a freshman, the Warner Robins, Ga., native was asked to manage games; as a sophomore, he was tasked with winning them. The Bulldogs return a vastly different receiving corps in 2019, but that shouldn't be much of a worry with the unflappable Fromm in the saddle. He's a prototypical pocket passer who continues to improve at going through his progressions.
18. Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Hall led the country with 24 passes defensed last season and returns for another year before heading to the NFL. He has the size, athleticism, ball skills, and football IQ to be a true shutdown cornerback and enters the new campaign seated comfortably atop college football's cornerback rankings. He'd be a household name if Virginia played more marquee games; the senior will end his career without ever facing Clemson unless the two schools meet in the ACC championship.
17. Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
Only one receiver in the FBS had more receiving yards in 2018 than Wallace, who led all Power 5 wideouts with 1,491. He was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award and is a good bet to earn another nomination thanks partly to Oklahoma State's receiver-friendly offense. Wallace's two biggest performances last season came against his two most talented opponents: He had 10 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns against Texas and racked up 10 catches for 220 yards and two scores against Oklahoma.
16. Kenny Willekes, DE, Michigan State
Willekes has been nothing but productive since joining Michigan State's rotation up front, recording 35 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over his last 26 games. The former walk-on briefly contemplated leaving school early for the NFL draft, but a broken leg in the Redbox Bowl depleted his stock and made his decision to return an easy one. Willekes spent most of the offseason recovering from the injury, so don't be alarmed if he has a sluggish start to 2019.