The 2014 college football season is barely over, but we here at Chat Sports are already stoked for what will be another crazy year of Pac 12 pigskin in just a shade over half a year or so.
With that in mind, we thought we'd give you an early cheat sheet for the West Coast craziness next season as we take a look at The Best 5 Football Players In The Pac-12 In 2015.
Quarterback Cody Kessler (USC Trojans)
The age of Kessler started in 2014, but the talented junior signal caller still managed to fly somewhat under the radar despite connecting on 69.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3,826 yards, 39 touchdowns and a scant five interceptions. Yes, he'll be without all-everything wideout Nelson Agholor who'll be playing on Sundays. Regardless, Steve Sarkisian's Trojans will still trot out plenty of skill position help around Kessler to make the Bakersfield, CA native a legitimate Heisman hopeful.
Running back Devontae Booker (Utah Utes)
When you're able to go into absolute beast mode when the rest of your offense is middling at best, you know you're a special talent. Booker did just that in 2014 (his first season as a junior college transfer), rushing for 1,512 yards and 10 touchdowns in spite of a full offensive attack that finished just 86th in yards per play. Pac-12 teams will stack the box against Booker in 2015, but his true talent makes him one of the top running backs to watch in the conference next season.
Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (Oregon Ducks)
There's plenty of skill position talent on the offensive side of the ball that could have gotten the nod for the Ducks, but it's the chaos that Buckner can create as a true force on Oregon's defensive line that makes him UO's standout choice heading into 2015. Having started 23 straight games for the Ducks already, Buckner has undeniable range and quickness and a combination of maturity and consistency that will be crucial for the retooling Ducks. The fact that he had 81 tackles and led Oregon in tackles for a loss in 2014 doesn't hurt either.
Running back DJ Foster (Arizona State Sun Devils)
A true dual-threat back, what DJ Foster lacks in true NFL size he more than makes up for with his great hands and instincts out of ASU's backfield. Foster led the conference's halfbacks with 60 receptions for 646 yards and three touchdowns in 2014, along with rushing for over 1,000 as well. If Foster adds some bulk in the weight room during his senior year, he'll likely turn a successful final collegiate campaign into increased draft stock for 2016.
Wide receiver Nelson Spruce Jr. (Colorado Buffaloes)
The best receiver you may not have heard of, Spruce was the go-to receiver for the Buffaloes in 2014 - racking up an eye-popping 106 catches for 1,100+ yards and 12 touchdowns. Spruce just seems to do all of the little things well, more than making up for the lack of one undeniable tangible advantage. The kid is poised to continue to produce (and produce big) during his senior season as Colorado looks to rebound from a nightmarish 2-10 campaign.
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