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Strange was an excellent defender for Farragut High School in Knoxville before signing with the Moccasins. As a redshirt freshman, he started six of 10 games played at left guard. Southern Conference coaches noticed his play in 11 games at left guard the following year, naming him second-team all-league. They repeated that honor for Strange in 2019 (11 starts at left guard, one at center) and 2020 (four starts in five games at left guard). SoCon coaches also voted him first-team all-conference for his play in 11 starts at left guard in 2021. -- by Chad Reuter

Baylor signed Thornton out of Booker T. Washington High School in Miami (though he switched his commitment to Florida at one point in the process), where he was a four-star recruit and ran personal bests of 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.07 seconds in the 200-meter dash. He enrolled in January 2018 and contributed in the fall, starting two of 13 games played (20-354-17.7, three TDs receiving: 5-83-16.6 kick returns). Thornton was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2019 (45-782-17.4, five TDs in 14 games, 11 starts) and started six games in 2020 (16-158-9.9, one TD) while missing two games due to injury. He was a second-team all-conference pick in 2021 as the Bears' leading receiver (62-948-15.3, 10 TDs in 14 starts). -- by Chad Reuter

Jones began his career as a three-star recruit at Troy. He was named the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year (49 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions, one returned for a score, six pass breakups) and a Freshman All-American kick returner (ranked seventh in the FBS with 30.3 yards per return and tied for third with three touchdown returns). In 2018, Jones was a first-team All-Sun Belt pick at kick returner (23-584-25.4, one TD) and second-team pick at cornerback (34 tackles, two interceptions, team-high nine pass breakups in 11 games with nine starts). He got some work on offense, as well (2-5-2.5 rushing; 5-28-5.6 receiving). Jones decided to take his game to Houston in 2019, though he was required by the NCAA to sit out that season as a transfer student. He was a first-team All-American Athletic Conference pick as a returner for the Cougars in 2020, leading the FBS with 19.8 yards per punt return (17-337, one TD; 5-102-20.4 kick returns). He started seven games at corner (24 tackles, two for loss, one interception, four pass breakups), as well. Jones performed his various duties so well in 2021 that he won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection at cornerback after tying for fourth in the FBS with five interceptions and tying for ninth with 13 pass breakups (to go with 48 tackles in 13 games, 11 starts). Jones really starred as a returner, though, receiving first-team Associated Press All-American and American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors by ranking fourth in the FBS with 14.4 yards per punt return (26-374-14.4) including a nation-best two scores. He tied for second in the nation with two kick return touchdowns, as well. -- by Chad Reuter

Jones played in 13 games as a reserve in his true freshman season at USC (13 tackles, one pass breakup, 3-31-10.3 kick returns). He led the Trojans with four interceptions as a 14-game starter his sophomore season (40 tackles, eight pass breakups; 4-48-12.0 punt returns; 3-45-15.0 kick returns). Jones was ruled academically ineligible for the 2018 season, however, and was eventually dismissed from the school after breaking into a restaurant after hours, later pleading guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor charge of commercial burglary. After attending Moorpark College to get his grades in order, he enrolled at Arizona State for the 2019 season. Jones earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors that year (43 tackles, three interceptions, 13 pass breakups, two starts in 12 games). He only played as a reserve (five tackles, one pass breakup) in one of the team's four 2020 contests after being suspended for violating team rules in December. Jones receiving honorable mention all-conference honors once again in 2021, leading for the Sun Devils with three forced fumbles and intercepting three passes while recording 42 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and six pass breakups in 11 games (seven starts). Jones opted out of the team's bowl game. -- by Chad Reuter

The Little Rock product was the Arkansas Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year as a senior at McClellan High School. After redshirting in 2017, Strong was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year in 2018, leading SDSU with 1,116 rushing yards and 11 scores on 117 carries (also 6-84-14.0, one TD receiving). Strong was a third-team Associated Press FCS All-American and first-team all-conference pick in 2019, ranking fifth in the FCS with 7.1 yards per carry and topping his squad in rushing (143-1,018-7.1, eight TDs rushing; 14-169-12.1, one TD receiving in 11 games, seven starts). He battled through injuries during the 2021 spring season and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award (top player in FCS), earning first-team All-MVFC honors for his play in nine starts (131-707-5.4, three TDs rushing; 20-178-8.9, one TD receiving). Strong capped his outstanding career with the Jackrabbits by receiving first-team FCS All-American and All-MVFC honors in 2021, leading the FCS with 1,686 rushing yards and ranking second with 18 rushing TDs (7.0 yards per carry on 240 totes in 15 starts, also 22-150-6.8 receiving). -- by Chad Reuter

Zappe (pronounced ZAP-ee) threw for over 7,000 yards and 79 touchdowns his final two years at Victoria East High School in Texas, signing with FCS program Houston Baptist University in 2017. He started nine of 10 appearances as a true freshman that fall (150-of-266, 56.4%, 1,548 yards, five TDs, 10 INTs; 81-50-0.6, two TDs rushing). Zappe was named an honorable mention All-Southland Conference after his sophomore campaign (252-of-436, 57.8%, 2,812 yards, 23 TDs, 13 INTs; 118-179-1.5, one TD rushing in 11 starts). The Huskies' offense took off in earnest in 2019 and Zappe was named a Walter Payton Award finalist after leading the FCS with 35 passing touchdowns (357-of-560, 63.8%, 3,811 yards, 15 INTs). He did not receive all-conference notice that year. HBU played a four-game, non-conference schedule in the fall of 2020, three coming against FBS schools, with Zappe passing for 1,833 yards (141-of-215, 65.6%) and 15 touchdowns against just one interception. When offensive coordinator Zach Kittley was hired by Western Kentucky as its OC for the 2021 season, Zappe and receiver brothers Jerreth and Josh Sterns followed. That combination led Zappe to throw for an NCAA single-season record 5,967 yards and 62 passing touchdowns. The 2021 Conference USA Most Valuable Player and first-team all-league selection also ranked seventh in passing efficiency and ninth in completion percentage (475-of-686, 69.2%, 11 INTs; 51-17-0.3, three TDs rushing in 14 starts). Zappe was also named the Boca Raton Bowl MVP, passing for 422 yards and six scores in the team's win over Appalachian State. -- by Chad Reuter

The former Georgia Region 2-6A Player of the Year from the Bradwell Institute played in six games as a freshman (21-179-8.5, four TDs rushing; 3-26-8.7 receiving). He started all 10 games as a sophomore, garnering second-team All-SEC notice by ranking seventh in the FBS with 1,138 rushing yards (185 carries, 6.2 per; also 21-159-7.6, one TD receiving), as well as tying for fifth nationally with 15 rushing touchdowns. Harris' final season in Columbia was somewhat limited by a back injury he suffered in fall camp, but he managed to lead the team with 660 rushing yards and four scores on 152 carries (4.3 per) while contributing as a receiver (11-89-8.1) in 12 games with six starts. He looked his best during the team's Duke's Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina, rushing 31 times for 182 yards and a score. -- by Chad Reuter

Roberts was a two-time all-state pick at Waynesville High School before moving on to play for the Bearcats. He was an honorable mention All-Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association pick in 2017 (24 tackles, six for loss with one sack, one interception in 12 games, three starts). Roberts earned a first-team all-conference nod in 2018 (50 tackles, 13 for loss with six sacks in 13 games) and then second-team recognition the following season (49 tackles, 10 for loss with five sacks, four pass breakups in 13 games). Roberts also tied for sixth in Division II with three blocked kicks in 2019 and totaled five for his career. The team did not play in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Roberts made the most of his senior season, though, winning MIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors. He led his squad with 18 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks among his 61 total stops in 13 starts last season. -- by Chad Reuter

Hines was rated as both a top-10 guard and top-25 defensive tackle coming out of Marshall High School in Texas. The four-star recruit lined up at guard in the 2018 preseason. He started one game at left guard that year as a freshman, playing in eight games overall. Hines backed up Lloyd Cushenberry at center in 10 games during the national title run in 2019 before taking over the starting right guard job for nine games in 2020. He started seven of eight games played at right guard in 2021, battling injuries during fall camp and throughout the season. -- by Chad Reuter

Stueber was a four-star recruit and first-team All-Connecticut pick as a junior and senior at Darien High School. Stueber redshirted the 2017 season in Ann Arbor, playing in one game on special teams. He started twice at right tackle in 2018, playing in all 13 contests for the Wolverines. A torn ACL suffered in training camp kept Stueber out for the entire 2019 season but he returned to start all six games in 2020, two at right guard and then four at right tackle. The Wolverines won the 2021 Joe Moore Award as the nation's top offensive line, in part because of Stueber's play in 14 starts at right tackle. He was voted third-team All-Big Ten Conference for his efforts. -- by Chad Reuter