Lorenzo Lingard
School: University of Miami
Position: Running back
One of the easiest positions to come in and dominate is running back. But for the top schools that typically bring in elite recruits at the position every year, they often attract the best high school talent without an obvious path to playing time. Lingard has a chance to come in and pick up for current Bengals running back Mark Walton.
Walton lost most of the season last year to a knee injury, but he was clearly the star of Miami’s offense before he got hurt. Travis Homer came in and performed well and DeeJay Dallas also had success in limited carries. But Lingard’s total package should give him a chance to become a featured option in a split backfield.
If he has success early, look for head coach Mark Richt to feed the hot hand. Miami’s defense was terrific in 2017 but the stop-and-start offense behind quarterback Malik Rosier held the team back from reaching its potential once Walton went down. If Lingard can help provide that consistency, Miami could make a run to challenge Clemson in the ACC.
Also watch James Cook and Zamir White of Georgia. Last year the team was able to feed Nick Chubb and Sony Michel while still finding room for standout D’Andre Swift. While Swift is expected to be the best player on the Georgia offense in 2018, Cook and White should both get opportunities to prove themselves.
