Will a Heisman longshot prevail for third straight season?

single- game record 285 yards in a Thanksgiving night win over Texas A& M.

DERWIN JAMES, S, FLORIDA STATE

James missed most of last season due to a knee injury but has been touted as the best defensive player in college football. James (6- 3, 211) will draw comparisons to former Michigan standout Jabrill Peppers, who was a Heisman finalist last year. James has been used as a rush end, linebacker and safety on defense, punt return and will see action on offense at wide receiver. He is trying to become the second defensive player to beat the odds.

RONALD JONES II, RB, USC

receiving more attention. McSorley, a 6- 0, 202-pound junior, could be the best quarterback in the Big Ten. In his first year as the starter last season he threw 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also comes into the season with momentum after big performances in the Big Ten championship game and Rose Bowl.

MASON RUDOLPH, QB, OKLAHOMA STATE

The senior is not receiving as much attention as Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, but Rudolph (65, 230) is one of only two Power Five quarterbacks coming back after passing for 4,000 yards. He has one of the more talented receiving duos in the Jalen McCleskey and James Washington. With the Cowboys coming off consecutive 10win seasons, they could contend for the Big 12 title, which would raise Rudolph’s profile even more.

JARRETT STIDHAM, QB, AUBURN

SEATTLE » Nearly two years ago, Amanda Hopkins’ phone rang. It was a call she dreamt of receiving, one that broke barriers and made her a part of baseball history.

Almost immediately, her competitiveness took over.

“She put a sign up on her bedroom door saying, ‘ Stay out, we’re opponents,’” recalled her father, Ron Hopkins, a special assistant to the general manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates. “In other words, my bedroom is off limits to you, there is info in here. I got a kick out of it.”

The 24-year-old Hopkins is now about to complete her second year as an area scout for the Seattle Mariners. Her responsibility is the Four Corners area of the Southwest, taking her to destinations like Greeley, Colorado, and Hobbs, New Mexico, two of the more challenging places to get to from her base in the Phoenix area.

She is also the first fulltime female baseball scout in more than 50 years, breaking through a barrier that required diligence on her end and willingness by the Mariners organization.

Yet, Hopkins does not view herself through that prism or want to be viewed as a trailblazer. She’s a scout . That’s it.

“I think if anything people are more shocked sometimes when I will go meet with a player in the office or something like that. Maybe they just know, hey the Mariners’ scout is coming in to meet with you today and they walk in and they’re like, ‘Oh.’ That kind of thing,” Hopkins said. “It’s usually