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Watch the stock of these players over the 2019 season as how they play will likely decide whether or not they return to the Pac-12 after the season.
Colin Schooler Jr. LB Arizona - Schooler might actually be the Pac-12’s best linebacker, even better than Evan Weaver and Troy Dye. He’s a touch short (listed at 6’0), but he’s already proven enough in two years to show he should get a shot at the NFL. Current draft range: 6th-7th round
JJ Taylor Jr. RB Arizona - Taylor is one of the nation’s most-underrated running backs and ultra productive. He’s incredibly tough to tackle and makes the most out of every carry. He’s already been in college for four years and has racked up mileage so you think he has to be considering jumping, even if his size holds him back (5’6 185). Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
Eno Benjamin Jr. RB Arizona State - The Pac-12’s best running back seems like a guy who is likely playing his last year of college football barring something strange. He should be one of the first 5’10 200ish running backs off the board if he leaves. Current draft range: Late-2nd to early-3rd round
Chase Lucas Jr. CB Arizona State - Lucas was better as a freshman than a sophomore and would turn himself right back into a solid draft prospect with a good junior season. He’s 6’0 with good athleticism so he’s just what the NFL is looking for at CB. Current draft range: 6th-7th round
Camryn Bynum Jr. CB Cal - An underrated talent, I think Bynum is a borderline first-team All-Pac-12 player and could be better than Paulson Adebo. He’s 6’0 190 and dripping with NFL potential. Current draft range: 4th-5th round.
Laviska Shenault Jr. WR Colorado - I think Shenault would have left last year if he could. He’s a surefire NFL prospect and should go in the better half of the first round in 2020 if he stays healthy and performs. Current draft range: Early-to-mid 1st round.
Mustafa Johnson Jr. DT Colorado - A dynamic and versatile playmaker up front whose standout season in 2018 went under the radar. He’s a first-team All-Pac-12-level player who could play a couple different positions at the next level at 6’2 290. Current draft range: 6th-7th round.
Thomas Graham Jr. CB Oregon - Graham hasn’t fulfilled his full potential yet, but he’s a three-year starter now and has solid size and strength. He should be considering the NFL if he has a good season in 2019. Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
Demmodore Lenoir Jr. CB Oregon - The other former blue chip recruit with solid size who has a ton of experience for the Ducks, but who I feel still hasn’t put it all together. Like Graham, he will think about the NFL if he’s good enough in 2019. Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
Jordon Scott Jr. DT Oregon - Scott’s a little bit short (6’1 325), but he’s one of the best run defenders in the conference and shares a lot in common with Washington’s Greg Gaines, who went in the fourth round. He could get himself in that range if he’s dominant in 2019. Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
CJ Verdell So. RB Oregon - Verdell looks like the next great Oregon back and should crack 1,000 yards again and continue to be a very good receiver. He’s already eligible for the draft and 2020 and should think about declaring even though he doesn’t have ideal size. Current draft range: 4th-5th round.
Isaiah Hodgins Jr. WR Oregon State - Most people don’t know about Hodgins because the Beavers were so bad in 2018, but he’s an All-Pac-12 player who could crack 1,000 yards as a junior. His size (6’4 205) makes him a nice NFL prospect. Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
Paulson Adebo Jr. CB Stanford - Adebo is actually a redshirt sophomore so I don’t think he’s as big of a guarantee to declare as it might seem. Still, he’s a 6’1 190 standout player who should be first-team All-Pac-12. Current draft range: Early-to-mid 2nd round.
KJ Costello Sr. QB Stanford - Costello is going to seem like he was in college forever if he doesn’t declare after this year even though he’s only a redshirt junior right now. He’s an under-the-radar NFL prospect right now with many mocks having him going in the first round. Current draft range: Late-1st to early-2nd round
Walker Little Jr. T Stanford - Little is one of the best Pac-12 offensive line prospects I can remember in a long time, and that’s with him being very banged up as a sophomore. He could go as high as the first pick in 2020 if he’s healthy this year. Current draft range: Early-1st round
Colby Parkinson Jr. TE Stanford - The Stanford tight end leaving early tree should keep on going with Parkinson. At 6’7, he reminds me a lot of Coby Fleener and could easily be the second or third tight end taken in 2020. Current draft range: Mid-to-late 2nd Round
Darnay Holmes Jr. CB UCLA - Holmes is a lot like Graham and Lenoir at Oregon. A proven, good Pac-12 cornerback who was a huge recruit who still has a lot of potential. He’ll look hard at the NFL as long as he is good in 2019. Current draft range: 6th-7th round.
Stephen Carr Jr. RB USC - I thought Carr was going to be the next Heisman USC running back when I first saw him, but he’s struggled for a while now. It would just take an 1,000-yard season to turn him back into a major NFL Draft prospect in 2020 and he could easily do that and head to the NFL. Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
Jay Tufele So. DT USC - Tufele is the kind of big, strong, dominant and elite defensive linemen we’re used to seeing come out of USC. He’s already a great Draft prospect and could be a first round pick if he progresses into a star as a sophomore. Current draft range: 4th-5th round
Tyler Vaughns Jr. WR USC - Just one of your typical USC five-star recruits who has been good, but not great, with NFL potential. He’s a redshirt junior so he’s already been at USC for four years, raising the chances he declares, especially if he can crack 1,000 yards. Current draft range: 7th round-UDFA
Jaylon Johnson Jr. CB Utah - Johnson might be my favorite player coming back to the Pac-12 this year and a favorite to win Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He reminds me of a bigger Byron Murphy and that means he could be a first round pick and almost a guarantee to leave early. Current draft range: mid-to-late first round.
Salvon Ahmed Jr. RB Washington - Ahmed has a long ways to go as a running back, but he might be the fastest college football player in the nation and should run a 4.3 at the combine whenever he goes. That gives you NFL potential no matter what. He would be majorly benefited by exploding as Myles Gaskin’s replacement though and could leave early. Current draft range: 6th-7th round
Hunter Bryant Jr. TE Washington - Bryant’s such an NFL prospect that he’s not doing a redshirt year even though he could do to injury because he’s likely gone after 2019. He looks like one of the best playmakers at tight end in recent Pac-12 history when healthy and the only reason he isn’t is a first round prospect is that he’s only 6’2. Current draft range: 5th-6th round
Jacob Eason Jr. QB Washington - Eason is a first round talent if he can progress from his true freshman starting year at Georgia back in 2016. He hasn’t played in a game in two full seasons basically and he’s really going to have to prove himself though before declaring early. Current draft range: 4th-5th round
Levi Onwuzurike Jr. DT Washington - He’s not a household name, but he should be after 2019 and with Vita Vea and Greg Gaines off to the NFL. He’s versatile and one of the best penetrating defensive tackles returning in the nation. He should look hard at the NFL is he has an All-Pac-12 season. Current draft range: 4th-5th round
Abraham Lucas So. T Washington State - The Cougars have been stacking NFL offensive tackles on top of each other and Lucas is the next. He’s only a redshirt sophomore, but a 6’7 tackle that can pass protect might be too good of an NFL prospect to not just make the jump in 2010. Current draft range: 3rd-4th round