These college football players will replace top stars who departed early for the 2024 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft deadline has passed, so here's who we think can replace some of the top picks

By Chip Patterson Jan 16, 2024 at 1:00 pm ET• 8 min read

The 2024 NFL Draft early-entry deadline has passed, and while players still have 72 hours to withdraw and maintain their eligibility, the college football world is now moving swiftly into preparation for the 2024 season. The departures of these underclassmen leave their former teams looking for answers in terms of replacing their production, and some cases the answers are easier to find than others. 

Below we have identified a group of 2024 NFL Draft early entrants who all check in as first-round selections in the most recent CBS Sports Mock Draft from Ryan Wilson. In each case we are going to try to identify the player(s) with a chance to take a step forward in the absence of the high-level pro talent leaving the roster. In one particular case, we explain why the work may not be done in restocking the roster with one more transfer portal window coming up after spring practice. 

With plenty left to learn before the 2024 season kicks off, these are merely projections for how some of the top players in college football will be replaced at their formal school. But these are undeniably key names to know heading into spring practice as their performance will dictate the level of concern or confidence for some of college football's top teams heading into the fall. 

USC QB Caleb Williams 

Replacement — Miller Moss: While we acknowledge there is some risk in overreacting to a bowl game performance, Moss' record-setting six-touchdown showing in the Holiday Bowl win against Louisville set a much different tone for expectations of the post-Caleb era at USC. With former five-star prospect Malachi Nelson hitting the transfer portal and many other portal quarterbacks landing in other spots, the future for the Trojans QB room seemed more uncertain before Moss' breakout. Maybe Lincoln Riley and that staff had confidence in Moss' ability to thrive all along, but with depth as a question they have added some quality competition to the room with UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava from the portal.