Kwity Paye (pronounced quity pay) was named the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year in 2016 because of his play on offense (13 rushing touchdowns) and defense (12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks). He played in nine games as a reserve his true freshman season (five tackles, 1.5 for loss) before earning four starts in 13 appearances the following campaign (29 tackles, 5.5 for loss, with two sacks). Paye stepped forward as a junior, garnering second-team All-Big Ten accolades with 50 tackles, 12 for loss, with 6.5 sacks in 12 games (11 starts). Paye was named a team captain for the 2020 season and earned honorable mention all-conference honors after starting four games (16 tackles, four for loss, with two sacks). He missed two contests due to injury. Paye's mother, Agnes, fled Liberia due to civil war and gave birth to Kwity in Guinea before coming to the United States. Kwity's brother, Komotay Koffie, played defensive back at New Mexico State. -- by Chad Reuter

Temidayo "Dayo" Odeyingbo (pronounced oh-DANG-bow), whose parents are natives of Nigeria, played in 12 games as a reserve his true freshman season (20 tackles, 4.5 for loss, with 2.5 sacks, one interception), one year after earning four-star recruit status at Carrollton Ranchview High School in the Dallas metro area. Daye and his brother, Dare, led the Vanderbilt defensive line in 2018. Dayo started 10 of 12 games played that season (28 tackles, 6.5 for loss, with 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries). After his brother left for a shot at the NFL, Dayo led the charge up front for the Commodores, topping the squad with 12 tackles for loss (1.5 sacks) among his 45 total stops in 12 games (11 starts). SEC coaches voted him second-team all-conference in his senior year after he led Vandy with eight tackles for loss (5.5 sacks) among 32 tackles in eight starts. Unfortunately, his draft stock suffered a setback when he tore his Achilles prior to the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter

Granson signed with Rice out of Austin's Westlake High School. He planned on redshirting with the Owls in 2016 but ended up playing in eight games as a reserve, catching 33 passes for 381 yards (11.5 per) and two scores. Granson started five of 10 contests as a sophomore at Rice the following year (18 receptions, 241 yards, 13.4 average) but decided to transfer after head coach David Bailiff was fired. He sat out as a walk-on at SMU in 2018 before getting a starting spot with the Mustangs as a junior, garnering second-team All-American Athletic Conference accolades (43 receptions, 721 yards, 16.8 average, nine touchdowns). His 35 receptions for 536 yards (15.3 per) and team-high five touchdowns made him a first-team All-AAC pick in 2020. He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter

Davis played in nine games as a reserve as a true freshman (11 tackles). He missed the first four games of the 2018 season with a knee injury but returned to contribute in the final nine contests (22 tackles, two for loss, five pass breakups). He moved into the starting lineup for nine of 12 games played as a junior, posting 51 tackles, three interceptions (returning one for a score) and six pass breakups. Davis led the Gators with two interceptions in 2020, making 40 tackles, two for loss, in seven games (six starts; missed five games due to injury). He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter

Ehlinger (pronounced EL-in-gurr) grew up wanting to play quarterback for the Longhorns. His father, Ross, was a UT alum and a big football fan but he did not get a chance to see his son realize his dream as he passed away during a triathlon in San Francisco in 2013. Sam was the National High School Player of the Year for Austin's Westlake High School in 2015 before playing through an injury-filled senior season. He did not have to wait long to lead Texas' offense, though, getting six starts in nine appearances (158 of 275, 57.5 completion percentage, 1,915 yards, 11 touchdowns, seven interceptions; 385 rushing yards, two touchdowns). Ehlinger really became the team's leader on offense as a sophomore, following Colt McCoy's example by topping the squad in passing (275 of 425, 64.7 completion percentage, 3,292 yards, 25 touchdowns, five interceptions) and rushing (482 yards, 16 touchdowns). He led Texas to a big win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, portending a strong junior season. He garnered his second straight honorable mention All-Big 12 honor in 2019, tying for 10th in the FBS with 32 touchdown passes in 13 starts (296 of 454, 65.2 completion percentage, 3,663 yards, 10 interceptions; 163 carries, 663 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, seven interceptions). Big 12 coaches named Ehlinger a second-team all-conference selection in 2020 as he ranked 10th in the FBS with 26 passing touchdowns (194 of 322, 60.3 completion percentage, 2,566 yards, five interceptions in 10 starts) and led his team with eight rushing scores (113 carries, 377 yards, 3.3 average). He was selected to the Allstate Good Works Team and named a finalist for the William V. Campbell and Wuerffel Trophies for his work on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Ehlinger concluded his career as one of two Power Five Conference quarterbacks with more than 11,000 career passing yards and 1,500 career rushing yards (former Longhorn Colt McCoy was the other). Sam's brother, Jake, turned down Ivy League offers to play linebacker for the Longhorns. Sam accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter

A native of the Bahamas, Strachan completed his secondary education at the Liberty Christian Academy in Lynchburg, Virginia. He redshirted his first year with the Golden Eagles and then played in seven games as a reserve in 2017, making one catch for 6 yards. Strachan exploded onto the scene as a sophomore, garnering first-team All-Mountain East Conference honors after leading his squad in receiving (48 catches, 1,007 receiving yards, 21.0 yards per catch, eight TD catches in 11 starts). He was again a first-team all-conference selection in 2019, starting all 11 games and ranking third in Division II with 19 receiving touchdowns and eighth with 1,319 receiving yards (78 receptions, 16.9 yards per catch). Charleston did not have a fall football season in 2020. -- by Chad Reuter