Wilson attended Texas A&M after earning second-team All-Texas honors at West Rusk High School, redshirting his first year in College Station and then playing in 12 games off the bench in 2019 (12 tackles, three for loss with 1.5 sacks). He transferred to Texas Tech for 2020, starting five of nine contests (11 tackles, 1.5 sacks). Wilson led the Red Raiders with 13.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks (among 38 total stops) in 13 starts in 2021, garnering honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. He also made the Associated Press All-Bowl Team with four tackles, two sacks and three pass deflections in the team's AutoZone Liberty Bowl win over Mississippi State. Wilson came out strong as a senior, topping the defense with 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks among his 61 tackles in 10 starts before a foot injury ended his season. He was named a second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team all-conference selection for his efforts. -- by Chad Reuter

Mayer had his eye on a college basketball scholarship when he entered Covington Catholic High School in Independence, Kentucky, but was convinced to give football a shot, joining his quarterback brother, A.J. He was named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior (catching 15 TDs and picking off four INTs), helping his school win a state title. Mayer's Notre Dame career started with a bang, as he garnered Freshman All-American and third-team All-ACC honors by tying for the Irish lead with 42 receptions (450 yards, 10.7 per, two TDs in 12 games, three starts). He again topped the squad with 71 receptions (840 yards, 11.8 per) and tied for the team lead with seven receiving scores in 12 starts his sophomore campaign. Mayer was a first-team Associated Press All-American and John Mackey Award (nation's top tight end) finalist his junior season, breaking his own school record for tight ends with nine receiving touchdowns and leading the team with 67 receptions for 809 receiving yards (12.1 per). He also set the Notre Dame record for tight ends in single-season receptions and receiving yards in 2021 and is the school's all-time leader in all three categories for the position. -- by Chad Reuter

Young was a top-100 national prospect out of Laurel, Mississippi, when signing with the Tide. As a true freshman in 2019, he started five games (23 tackles, 1.5 for loss in 13 appearances). Young played in 13 games for the national champions the following year (29 tackles, 6.5 for loss with one sack, one start) and then started seven times as a junior (40 tackles, 9.5 for loss with two sacks in 15 contests). He started all 13 games in 2022, setting career highs with 47 tackles (5.5 for loss) and four sacks while breaking up two passes. -- by Chad Reuter

Tucker was a first-team All-Ohio selection in football and helped Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy win a state title in track as a senior, winning the long jump, 100-meter dash and 4x200 relay events. He started once for his home-state Bearcats in his true freshman season, playing in all 14 contests (8-99-12.9 receiving; 23-532-23.1 kick returns). Tucker garnered second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors as a kick returner in 2020 (13-389-29.9, one TD) while also contributing in 10 games as a reserve receiver (18-236-13.1, three TDs). He again got one start in 2021, increasing his offensive production (34-426-12.5, two TDs) while still excelling as a kick returner (22-557-25.3, one TD). Tucker started nine of 12 appearances in 2022, setting career highs with 52 receptions for 672 yards (12.9 per) and three scores while returning kicks (9-192-21.3 kickoffs, 3-46-15.3 punts). -- by Chad Reuter

Bennett nearly gave up football while at McGill-Toolen High School in Mobile, Alabama, because he didn't get much playing time. The all-state track athlete hit a growth spurt ahead of his senior season and earned all-area honors. He signed with Hutchinson Community College, intercepting three passes in two years despite missing time with an injured ankle his freshman season. Bennett arrived in Maryland for the 2020 season, starting two of four games played (six tackles, two pass breakups). He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference selection in 2021, tying for the Power 5 lead with 16 passes defensed (three interceptions, 13 pass breakups) and adding 24 tackles in 12 starts. Bennett was an honorable mention selection again as a senior after leading the Terps with 11 pass breakups and tying for the team lead with two interceptions to go along with 39 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a blocked kick in 12 games (10 starts). He was named the Duke's Mayo Bowl MVP after intercepting one pass and breaking up another in the win over North Carolina State. -- by Chad Reuter

O'Connell did not start for Stevenson High School in Illinois until his senior year. He set school records with 2,471 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns. He committed to Division III Wheaton College, but he decided to walk-on at Purdue instead. He did not play in 2017 or 2018 but started three of six games played as a redshirt sophomore (103-164-62.8%, 1,101 yards, eight TDs, four INTs). O'Connell started the first three games of the 2020 season (88-136-64.7%, 916 yards, seven TDs, two INTs) before missing the rest of the year with a foot injury. He stayed healthy in 2021, earning second-team All-Big Ten Conference honors and ranking third in the FBS by completing a school-record 71.8 percent of his passes (315-439, 3,712 yards, 28 TDs, 11 INTs) in 12 games with nine starts. O'Connell was a second-team selection again in 2022 (320-499-64.1%, 3,490 yards, 22 TDs, 13 INTs), starting 12 games before opting out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the draft. -- by Chad Reuter

Smith was the Georgia Class 2A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Hapeville Charter High School in Atlanta, helping his squad win a state title. In his first year at Georgia, he played in five games as a reserve (four tackles). Smith played in all 14 games off the bench as a sophomore (seven tackles) before starting five of 10 appearances in 2020 (26 tackles, one pass breakup). He started 11 of 12 contests in 2021 (missing one game with a shoulder injury and two more with a knee injury), recording 35 stops, intercepting three passes (returning one for a score) and breaking up four others for the national champs. Smith made the most of his fifth season, garnering first-team Associated Press All-American and All-SEC plaudits with 61 tackles, five for loss, three interceptions and five pass breakups in 15 starts as the team won its second straight title. -- by Chad Reuter

Burney matriculated from St. Petersburg to Gainesville to play for the Gators in 2018. He played in 12 games as a reserve and on special teams that year (11 tackles, two for loss with one sack, two pass breakups). The cousin of NFL cornerback Brandon Facyson was a part-time starter the next three seasons, starting three of eight appearances in 2019 (37 tackles, one interception), four of 12 in 2020 (52 tackles, 2.5 for loss with two sacks, one interception, two pass breakups) and two of 13 in 2021 (44 tackles, one for loss, three pass breakups). Burney started all 13 games his final year with Florida, racking up career highs with 79 tackles, nine for loss with four sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. -- by Chad Reuter

Silvera, a Miami-area native, signed with the Hurricanes as a top-50 overall recruit and two-time state champ with American Heritage High School. Silvera played in 10 games as a reserve (13 tackles, 1.5 for loss) in 2018. A foot injury limited him in 2019, when he made 19 tackles with one sack coming off the bench for the final nine games. He bounced back in 2020, however, garnering honorable mention All-ACC notice (35 tackles, eight for loss with one sack in 11 games, 10 starts). Silvera started eight of 11 contests played in 2021 (38 tackles, 5.5 for loss) and entered the transfer portal after the season. He signed with Arizona State, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference honors by starting 10 of 12 games played for the Sun Devils (56 tackles, 4.5 for loss with 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups). -- by Chad Reuter