One of the best deep passers of recent memory goes to Andrew Walters who was under center @ ASU a few years back. Walters did not get a ton of hype or media attention as he played on a sub-par team and most of the PAC-1o games started @ 10 EST. A few to watch going into this season include: Andre' Woodson, Sr., Kentucky who lead the SEC in passing yardage, Brian Brohm, Sr., Louisville who has developed into a solid pro-style QB and positioned himself to be one of the first QB's taken in next years NFL draft, and Juice Williams, So., Illinois. Juice has created quite a stir in central Illinois as he could be one of the most exciting players to watch on a fast rising team. Seven of his nine touchdown passes last year went for at least 31 yards. He became the first Illinois quarterback to throw two touchdown passes of more than 65 yards in one game when he tossed a 79-yarder and a 69-yarder against Syracuse. Williams' completions went an average distance of 14.5 yards. Of the players on this list, only Brohm had a higher average per completion.
Venturing into the transfer portal in college football is more art than science. While there are analytical approaches to scouting, the process remains a nuanced gamble for schools, especially given the vast pool of thousands of players each cycle. The spotlight often gravitates towards top transfers like Keon Coleman and Sam Hartman, but hidden gems emerge from less glamorous backgrounds. These unsung heroes, players who initially slipped under the radar upon entering the portal, often evolve into impact starters or all-conference-level players at their new homes. The quest for these less-obvious contributors raises questions: How do teams identify players from FCS backgrounds who can thrive in the Big Ten? Can a former star recruit, plagued by injuries, rediscover success at a new destination? To uncover the strategies behind finding these under-the-radar stars, 247Sports spoke with coaches and personnel experts. Notably, the majority of players discussed had transfer ratings belo...