Six college football teams hurt most by early departures to the NFL

Erick Smith | USA TODAY

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The call of the NFL has grown louder and louder in college football in recent years.

In 2010, there were just 53 underclassmen declaring for the NFL draft. Last season, there were 95. This year set a record with 106 players receiving special approval from the NFL to forgo their remaining college eligibility. Overall there are 119 underclassmen available.

The growing trend means schools must adjust to a new world where the expectation is for elite players - and some non-elite players - to only stay for three years.

EARLY ENTRIES: Underclassmen who intend to enter 2018 NFL draft

Having ready replacements is critical. Recruiting well and developing young players faster helps offset those who have left.

However, it's inevitable that the amount of underclassmen leaving is going to hurt many programs. Here are six schools that are left with major questions after key contributors decided to take their talents to professional football.

Florida State

No matter of preparation was going to mitigate the loss of Derwin James, one of the top defensive backs in the country. But that's not the only major hit for the Seminoles. Auden Tate, who had 10 of the team's 21 touchdown receptions, was expected to team with Nyqwan Murray to form a formidable receiving duo. Tate, however, decided to leave as did tight end Ryan Izzo, creating a major void of targets when quarterback Deondre Francois returns from injury. The defense also wasn't spared beyond James. Defensive back Tarvarus McFadden and defensive lineman Josh Sweat were expected leaders before deciding to move on to the NFL, leaving the unit thin on playmakers. Factor in a coaching transition under Willie Taggart and a return to prominence got a lot tougher for the Seminoles.

LSU

Strictly by numbers, the Tigers are losing more to the draft than anyone with seven players leaving early. The biggest casualty for LSU is Derrius Guice, the team's leading rusher the past two seasons. Two pieces set to block in front of the new running back and an inexperienced quarterback are gone with offensive lineman Will Clapp and Toby Weathersby heading to the NFL. The defense wasn't sparred, either. Arden Key, a potential dominant pass rusher, decided against returning after dealing with injuries in 2017. Two big hits to the secondary came with Donte Jackson and fellow cornerback Kevin Toliver becoming the latest defensive backs from Baton Rouge to head to professional football early. Filling all those spots will be a challenge for Ed Orgeron with high expectations in his second full season at the helm.

Notre Dame

This past season was a rebound year for the Irish, who went 10-3 and quieted talk of Brian Kelly being in trouble. It looked like 2018 might continue the momentum before some key departures. Leading rusher Josh Adams and leading receiver Equanimeous St. Brown both decided to forgo their final seasons in South Bend. Those are two significant losses at skill positions. Quenton Nelson, a potential anchor on the offensive line, is another significant departure that does not have an obvious replacement. What looked like was going to be a step forward in the second season with offensive coordinator Chip Long might just end up being a step sideways unless some playmakers emerge. The good news was several potential losses on defense were averted and that group could hold down the fort as the offense gets settled.

Southern California

As recently as the start of the 2016, the quarterback position at USC was unresolved. Sam Darnold stabilized things for the better part of two seasons, but now a replacement needs to be found and there isn't much experience to draw from. Matt Fink threw nine passes as a freshman while serving as Darnold's backup. It's possible J.T. Daniels, who reclassified for this season's recruiting class, could come in and be the starter or maybe it will be redshirt freshman Jack Sears. No matter who wins the job, he will be hard pressed to match the production of the past two seasons. Like Notre Dame, the Trojans also lose their top rusher and receiver. Ronald Jones had almost 1,200 yards more than any other running back, and Deontay Burnett topped 1,000 yards receiving and had a team-high nine touchdowns. On the defensive side, a big loss was defensive lineman Rasheem Green. The junior led the team with 10 sacks.

Texas

The Longhorns went 7-6 in Tom Herman's first season, but little of the blame could be laid at the feet of their defense. With an anticipated improvement on offense, it seemed big strides would be possible in 2018. Those expectation likely need to be dampened with several of the pieces that led Texas to finish second in total defense in the Big 12 gone. DeShon Elliott had six interceptions at safety, and Holton Hill was the team's top cornerback. The biggest hit, however, is the loss of linebacker Malik Jefferson, who led the team by a huge margin with 110 tackles. Elliott was second with 63 stops. The unit brought in young players available to fill the vacancies, but it will test defensive coordinator's Todd Orlando's ability to get them up to speed. The offensive line must improve, so Conor Williams choosing to turn pro removes what could have been a major building block on a unit that isn't blessed with top prospects. Also, don't overlook punter Michael Dickson's decision to leave. The All-America punter routinely flipped the field to help the defense and force opposing offense to drive long fields.

Virginia Tech

Justin Fuente has done a great job following Frank Beamer with 19 victories in his two seasons while bringing in young talent to the program. Everything looked to be in place for the Hokies to have an elite defense that would have put them in position to be a dark horse playoff contender in 2018. Those plans probably need to be revisited with Tim Settle, Terrelle and Tremaine Edmunds all deciding to enter the draft. The trio were the three best underclassmen on defense and their losses impact all three levels. Settle would have been an elite interior defensive lineman. Tremaine Edmunds will be one of the top linebackers taken in April. His brother was expected to be a veteran leader of the secondary at safety. While the Hokies will still be stingy on defense, the loss of three standouts will hinder their prospects next season.

UNDERCLASSMEN DECLARING FOR THE NFL DRAFT