fbpx
Skip to main content

Eight college football stars facing most pressure in 2017

J.T. Barrett is a college football star who faces immense pressure in 2017

2. Derwin James, safety, Florida State 

Florida State safety Derwin James is one of the top college football stars returning from injury in 2017

Perhaps no defensive player in the nation faces as much pressure to live up to the hype as James, whom we highlighted as a dark horse Heisman candidate.

There’s no doubt James is worthy of all the expectations. As a freshman in 2015, he absolutely dominated every field he took en route to 91 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

A player who almost has enough size to slide into the box as a linebacker (6-foot-3, 211-pounds), James hits like a Mack truck and has tremendous instincts about where the ball is going. Last season before getting injured, he showed off his ball skills with a gorgeous interception.

Should James stay healthy and exhibit the same qualities that enticed us so much in his freshman campaign, then it’s not a stretch to say he will end up as a top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Mentioned in this article:

More About: