College football spring practices are mostly complete outside of just a few programs that will soon wrap up in the coming days. The recent spring games provided just a glimpse at what teams could look like ahead of the 2024 season. Although the showcases are rather basic as coaches do their best not to give away too much insight for upcoming opponents, there are always standouts that shine in the spotlight.
Attention typically gravitates toward the quarterbacks, especially for those teams with new starters and prized recruits putting their talents on display in front of fans. Because defenses often line up in a lot of basic coverages, it can lead to big performances for receivers — which was the case this spring with several highlight catches. Still, there were also a few emerging defensive stars that expect to play key roles for their respective units next season.
So, who are some notable college football spring game standouts that shined?
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Below is a closer look at 10 standout performers across college football:
Oregon edge rusher Teitum Tuioti showcased his versatility with pass rush and coverage skills during the Ducks’ spring game last weekend. The sophomore and former four-star recruit recorded several pass breakups to prevent touchdowns, adding five tackles including 2.5 sacks. Tuioti carved out a role on the Oregon defense last season as a true freshman, but given his performance throughout the spring the impact expects to be much greater in 2024.
“Exactly what he did today on the field is what he does in practice every day,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said of Tuioti, via Duck Territory. “This guy’s gotten bigger, faster, and stronger. He’s very intelligent, you can start to hear his voice out there on the field, so really proud of Teitum and his growth.”
The battle for starting quarterback at Nebraska seems to be settled after five-star freshman Dylan Raiola shined in his Huskers “debut” at the spring game this past weekend. He completed 16-of-22 passes for 239 yards with two touchdowns while throwing one interception into tight coverage. A 64-yard deep connection to sophomore receiver Jaylen Lloyd for a touchdown started the buzz. The performance from Raiola did little to temper high expectations for a program starving for renewed success.
“I think Dylan’s had a very good spring,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said. “… It’s going to be the little things with Dylan, not the big things, right. He’s got a great feel for the game, he’s got a big-time arm. He’s calm. It’s going to be the little things, it’s going to be protecting the football, taking three (points), managing the game. It just felt like he did a lot of those things. But he hasn’t done all them. He’s grown as the spring’s gone on.”
Nic Scourton is the top-ranked edge rusher this transfer portal cycle for a reason. The new Texas A&M star showcased why he led the Big Ten in sacks last season at Purdue with a standout performance in the Aggies’ spring game. Scourton obliterated a short-handed Texas A&M offensive line with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also had two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup for a defense that could be stingy under new head coach Mike Elko.
“He has played a lot of football. He knows how to go about his business,” Elko said, via GigEm247. “He has a really strong repertoire of pass-rush (moves).”
New Oklahoma wide receiver Deion Burks was the clear top performer of the spring game, finishing with five receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns. The Purdue transfer looks to be the favorite target for first-year starting quarterback Jackson Arnold. The 5-foot-9 speedy receiver had touchdowns of 64 and 50 yards as the Sooners did little to hide his capabilities.
“Deion is a special player,” Arnold said, via Sooners Illlustrated. “He’s one of the fastest kids I’ve thrown to. He knows how to get open — great route-runner. He showed that ability today, and I’m proud of him.”
Georgia wide receiver Dominic Lovett opted to return to Athens for the 2024 season and expects to be one of the top targets for quarterback Carson Beck. Lovett hauled in seven passes for 104 yards and an acrobatic touchdown in the Bulldogs spring game. The former Missouri transfer had a decent first year in Georgia with 54 receptions totaling 613 yards and four scores. Those numbers could increase significantly even with a couple talented incoming transfers added to the room. Lovett is considered to be one of the stock risers this spring at Georgia after generating plenty of buzz.
Five-star freshman Cam Coleman gave a preview of what is to come at Auburn, earning MVP honors during its spring game back in early April. He finished with four catches for 92 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown and a 49-yard diving completion. The Tigers needed an upgrade in the receiving corps for the 2024 season and now have a few options to go to with Coleman being arguably the most promising.
“It’s really like a preview of what’s to come in the future,” Coleman said of his spring game performance, via Auburn Undercover.
Arch Manning stole the show at the Texas spring game with three touchdown passes, including a 75-yard bomb on his first throw. The No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class finished 19-for-26 with 355 yards and led the Longhorns to points on just about every series he played. Manning almost had a fourth touchdown pass, but the ball was dropped near the goal line. Manning is most likely the backup for Texas in 2024 unless multi-year starter Quinn Ewers gets hurt. Longhorns’ head coach Steve Sarkisian was impressed by the highly-touted quarterback.
“When he gets in trouble a bit is why he relies on his athleticism, which he has a ton of,” Sarkisian said. “When he keeps his eyes up and steps up in the pocket he can deliver those balls down the field, and that’s what he did.”
Marvin Jones Jr. looks primed for a breakout season at Florida State where transfers seem to flourish under head coach Mike Norvell. The former Georgia edge rusher made his presence known during the Seminoles spring game — even though sacks on the quarterback were not allowed. Jones forced a pressure in the pocket and almost snagged an interception off quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Jones spent the past two seasons in a limited role at Georgia, but could be part of a strong 1-2 punch for Florida State in 2024. He is the son of former Seminoles legend and 10-year NFL veteran Marvin Jones.
Alabama got an up-close look at what could be its top receiver in 2024 during its spring game. Washington transfer wideout Germie Bernard — who followed new head coach Kalen DeBoer to Tuscaloosa — caught three passes totaling 122 yards for an average of 40.7 (!!) per reception. Bernard was the fifth-leading receiver in a loaded room for the Huskies last season and expects to be a popular target for returning Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe this upcoming campaign.
“I think he had a great day,” DeBoer said, via Bama247. “I’m not sure if that was him right at the end there, but you guys saw it right away. That’s the one that sticks out to me, the catch and contact, he high-pointed the ball way down the field — that was him, right? I thought it was him but I’m watching a lot of things — but that’s what he does.”
Emeka Egbuka found himself sort of in the shadows of the Ohio State wide receiver room this spring with the arrival of No. 1 overall recruit Jeremiah Smith. But it did not take long for Egbuka to show he is still one of the best receivers in the country during the Buckeyes spring game in April. The senior made an unbelievable one-handed snag near the sideline and got both feet inbounds to complete the highlight catch on a pass from transfer quarterback Will Howard. Egbuka finished with a team-high four receptions for 47 yards in just one half of action. He had a down season in 2023 while battling injuries, but could be a serious weapon again for Ohio State in 2024.
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