They're back! Top 10 players who could have left for the NFL Draft

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

The deadline to become an early entry in the NFL Draft has come and gone and some teams were able to hang onto some key players. Who were the biggest keeps that could impact the landscape of college football next season? Here’s my list ...

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Recruiting: Love took a fall official visit to Virginia and then January visits to Stanford and North Carolina before committing to the Cardinal a few days before National Signing Day.

2017 season: Taking over for the NFL-bound Christian McCaffrey, Love rushed for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns for an offense that had difficulty reaching its potential.

Farrell's take: A 2,000-yard rusher returning is always a big deal, and some people think Love is crazy for coming back and adding more mileage to his legs. However, Love has always been a competitor and a guy we liked out of high school because he never shied away from competition and had good receiving skills to go along with his ability to make people miss in space.

Recruiting: Wilkins took official visits to Clemson, Stanford, Penn State, Ohio State and Boston College prior to committing to the Tigers at the Under Armour All-American Game.

2017 season: Finishing with 60 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five sacks, Wilkins was part of one of the more dominant defensive lines in the country in 2017.

Farrell's take: Wilkins could have been a top 5 pick in the draft, so his return, along with the rest of the defensive line, makes Clemson dangerous on defense next season. When I first saw Wilkins on freshman film I knew he was special, and it just took the rest of the country awhile to catch up, as New England isn’t heavily recruited. He’s the best defensive tackle in the country.

Recruiting: With Florida State thought to be his leader, Johnson committed to Miami in August. He also considered taking an official visit to Florida during the winter, but that never materialized.

2017 season: Johnson became one of the vocal leaders of the revitalized Miami defense this season with 96 tackles, three tackles for loss, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Farrell take: Some might think this is a bit high for Johnson on this list, but he’s a key part of the Miami defense. He was a do-everything four-star for us projected to play safety before he had a rough week at the US Army All-American Bowl, where he struggled badly in coverage. He slipped to a mid-range, three-star status with good potential, with a lot of concerns about his on-field eye discipline. But he has clearly proved to us that one bad week was an anomaly.

Recruiting: McSorley initially committed to Vanderbilt, but then followed coach James Franklin to Penn State when he took the job in Happy Valley.

2017 season: McSorley continued his impressive play in 2017 with 3,570 yards and 28 touchdowns through the air, plus 491 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.

Farrell Take: McSorley isn’t a big-time NFL prospect at this stage because of a lack of size and other issues, but he still could have bolted and been a mid- to late-round pick, and that would have hurt the Nittany Lions greatly. I never saw this stardom coming from him despite his gaudy numbers out of high school, but his downfield vision while dealing with the rush is impressive.

Recruiting: Grier committed to Florida after his sophomore season and stuck with the Gators despite heavy pushes from several top programs. He was named starter for the 2015 season, but after being suspended for a failed drug test, he transferred to West Virginia.

2017 season: Playing his first season in Morgantown after his transfer from Florida, Grier finished with 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns.

Farrell's take: Grier could be higher on this list, because he’s so important to the West Virginia offense. He doesn’t have great arm strength, which is why another year will do him well, but he’s accurate and puts up monster numbers. We liked him out of high school as an accurate passer who had a good feel for the rush.

Recruiting: While it came down to Clemson, South Carolina and Virginia Tech, the Tigers were always thought to be his leader, which ultimately resulted in his June commitment.

2017 season: Ferrell further established himself as one of the top defensive ends in the country in 2017 with 66 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Farrell's take: Along with Wilkins and Austin Bryant - as well as Dexter Lawrence (too young to come out) - this will be an amazing group next season. Ferrell has emerged as a great pass rusher with an active motor. In high school, we liked him but questioned his physical aggression a bit. He’s amped that up quite a bit.

Recruiting: Originally committed to Michigan, Harris flirted with in-state program Kentucky after he re-opened his process before finally committing to Alabama.

2017 season: Part of a loaded offensive backfield, Harris still finished with 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Tide.

Farrell's take: A five-star out of high school, we felt Harris would become a star, and he was a key reason for Alabama’s national title this season. His return is scary for the SEC, because of the jump he took from his sophomore to junior season. He should come back faster and more explosive than ever. His lower-body strength and balance stood out to us out of high school.



Recruiting: Despite early offers from Ohio State and Tennessee, his family ties to Missouri, with both his father and grandfather playing for the Tigers, were too much for any other program to overcome.

2017 season: Lock had a huge 2017 season, with 3,964 yards and 44 touchdowns while throwing only 13 interceptions.

Farrell's take: Lock was the key to the Missouri offense that was crucial as the Tigers bounced back from a rough start. I liked Lock a lot as a high school prospect even though he was tall, skinny and needed to fill out quite a bit. He was a bit of a project because of his frame, but he had a compact release and could get some zip on his passes.

Recruiting: Stidham initially committed to Texas Tech, before reopening his process in December and then committing to Baylor a few days later. He showed his potential with the Bears in 2015, but with the growing sex-abuse scandal in Waco, he transferred to a junior college and then made his way to Auburn.

2017 season: With his first season as a starter after his transfer from Baylor, Stidham finished with 3,158 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air, plus four rushing touchdowns.

Farrell's take: Stidham would be higher on this list if Auburn threw the ball a bit more, but his return is clearly key to the Tigers - especially with the loss of Kerryon Johnson. Could this be the Heisman year for him? We liked Stidham out of high school quite a bit, especially his mobility along with his pocket presence. His efficiency his senior year in high school was off the charts, and he’s always been good at taking care of the football.

Recruiting: Smith's initial plan was to take his time with the recruiting process, but with USC quickly making a lasting impression he made a commitment to the Trojans in May.

2017 season: Smith had a dominant 2017 season with 112 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and one interception.

Farrell's take: The heart and soul of the USC defense returning is key for next season. He was a kid who struggled a bit at camps but was awesome with the pads on and had great tackling instincts. When healthy, he’s one of the top linebackers in the country.