While Alexander was just a three-star prospect coming out of North Carolina, and ranked only in the top 70 cornerbacks in the country, Louisville saw a future starter in his speed, ball skills, and physical play on the outside. He proved them correct in 2016, intercepting five passes and breaking up nine others in 13 starts to garner second-team All-ACC honors. Alexander played in 12 games, with one start on defense (19 tackles, one interception) in his true freshman season. He's also made a name for himself as a punt returner in his first two seasons (29 returns for 223 yards in 2015, 19 returns for 195 yards in 2016), including a 69-yard return for a touchdown against ACC rival Florida State in 2016. Alexander missed about half of the 2017 season with leg and hand injuries, but managed to start six of seven games played on the year (19 tackles, one interception, four pass breakups) and was named honorable mention All-ACC.

An all-district receiver at Texas' Lake Dallas High School, Jackson came to Iowa City thinking he would be catching passes. Turns out he was, though those passes would be coming from the opponents' quarterbacks. Jackson became a national name in 2017 by finishing as the nation's leader with eight interceptions and 26 passes defended. He earned first-team AP All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors as a 13-game starter with 48 tackles, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick. He redshirted in 2014, and then moved from receiver to cornerback in the spring of 2015 and served in a reserve role on defense for two seasons behind a talented set of Hawkeyes cornerbacks. Jackson played in all 14 games in 2015, making eight tackles and breaking up two passes. He played in 12 games as a sophomore, starting the team's bowl game and finishing with 10 stops, one for loss, and four pass breakups.

Burks' was named to the 2016 Allstate-AFCA FBS National Good Works Team for his work in the community. He was a defensive co-captain for the Commodores as a junior, starting 10 of 13 games played, racking up 59 stops, 6.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, an interception and six pass breakups. He following up that season with a strong senior campaign, making 82 tackles, seven for loss, one interception, and three pass breakups. Burks actually played safety in 2014, starting all 12 games and leading the team with three interceptions (also compiling 59 tackles, two for loss, six pass breakups). The first-team all-state high school football player from Virginia played a significant role as a redshirt freshman in 2014 despite missing four games due to injury; he started seven of eight games played, making 37 tackles and breaking up seven passes at safety.

Moore led the Tigers in reception and receiving yards in 2017, earning second-team All-SEC recognition, starting 11 of 13 games played, catching 65 passes for 1,082 yards and 10 touchdowns. Despite struggling with drops throughout his junior season, Moore ran past, bulled through, and jumped over smaller cornerbacks to get onto the national radar with an SEC-leading 1,012 receiving yards on 62 receptions (eight scores for the season). He did not start against South Carolina because of those drops, but got the call for the last three games of the year and exploded (23 catches for 407 yards and two scores). Moore made 29 catches for 350 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore starter after making just two catches for 33 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2014. The Texas native was one of the top receiver prospects coming out of the state in 2012 (50 receptions, 1,026 yards, 10 TD as a senior).

Mike Leach has taken his spread offense to Pullman, and Madison has excelled in the pass protection role; the team threw 664 passes on the year. He showed quick feet and good downfield mobility for his size while starting all 13 games at right tackle in 2017, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors. He was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a 13-game starter at right tackle as a junior. That was a repeat of the honors he received while starting all 13 games at the right tackle spot the previous year. The Washington native and top 50 guard recruit nationally actually started the first eight games of his redshirt freshman year at the right tackle spot, as well. He did not play in the final four contests of the year as junior Jacob Seydel took over the spot.

John Kimball Scott took advantage of the thin air of Denver as a high school punter and kicker, but his exploits in the SEC near sea level show his leg strength is not simply a trick of the Rockies. It didn't take long for his long legs and full extension to flip the field for Alabama. As a true freshman, Scott led the nation in gross punting average with 48 yards per kick, and placed 31-of-55 kicks inside the 20-yard-line while only allowing five touchbacks. He was a 2014 Ray Guy Award finalist, first-team All-SEC selection, and first-team Freshman All-American and All-American by numerous outlets. His average was down a bit in 2015 (44.2 gross), but he still put 25-of-70 kicks inside the 20-yard-line. Scott bounced back to average 47.2 yards a kick as a junior (ranking third in the FBS), placing 25-of-64 punts inside the 20 and garnering second-team All-American and first-team all-conference honors. Scott was a first-team All-SEC selection as a senior, averaging 43 yards per punt, forcing 27 fair catches on 54 punts while also putting 27 inside the 20 yard-line. Scott has kickoff experience, as well; he performed that duty 34 times in his first three seasons (12 touchbacks) and then all 99 in his final season (45 touchbacks). He's had two punts blocked in his career (one in 2015, one in the 2016 national title game).

Marquez (mar-KWEZ) was an all-state pick from St. Petersburg, Fla., who helped his future USF teammate (cornerback Rodney Adams) win a state track title for Lakeview High as a senior. He decided to go to North Carolina State in 2013, however, making an impact there as a freshman with three starts in 10 games played (22 receptions, 281 receiving yards, missed two games with an injury). Valdes-Scantling played in all 13 games with the Wolfpack in 2014, starting the team's first eight games (22 receptions, 257 yards, one touchdown). His lack of action in the second half of the year due to a change in the team's offensive scheme, caused him to transfer back home to USF. He redshirted in 2015 as a transfer student, then exploded on the scene in 2016, starting all 13 games and covering 415 yards and scoring five times on just 22 catches (18.9 yards per reception). Valdes-Scantling set a record for the young program with 879 receiving yards in 2017, leading the team with 53 receptions and scoring six touchdowns.

St. Brown does not have the typical NFL prospect background. His father, John Brown, was a two-time Mr. Universe and three-time Mr. World as a weightlifter. His mother is from Germany. He lived in France for a short time as a youth and went to a French school while living in California. But it was St. Brown's game that really got him noticed as a recruit, as he earned a top 100 overall prospect rankings after excelling his final two years (74 catches, 1,210 yards, 10 touchdowns) at Servite High School in Anaheim. Equanimeous (a form of equanimity, meaning to stay calm and cool under pressure) played in seven games as a freshman (one catch, eight receiving yards, blocked punt against USC), missing the final four with a shoulder injury. He and Deshone Kizer formed an alliance in 2016, however, allowing him to use his tall frame, huge catching radius, and long strides to lead the Irish with 58 receptions, 961 yards, and nine receiving touchdowns. Notre Dame's passing game went south with Brandon Winbush leading the offense, so St. Brown's statistics dropped (33 catches, 515 yards, four touchdowns). After his brother, Amon-Ra, decided to attend USC instead of UND as a five-star receiver recruit, Equanimeous' road to the NFL was paved.

Donnerson was a two-time all-state pick in Arkansas before matriculating to Southeast. He played in every game as a true freshman (nine tackles, two for loss, sack) and became a more regular contributor the following season (32 tackles, two forced fumbles). Donnerson became a starter at outside linebacker in 2016 (10 of 11 games played), posting 50 tackles and leading the squad with 13 tackles for loss, four of which were sacks. His senior year was his best, earning first-team All-Ohio Vally Conference honors with 53 stops, 13.5 for loss, six sacks, an interception, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles.