With more than 9,000 scholarship players in the Football Bowl Subdivision, it's not easy for an athlete to stick out from the crowd in college football. Most of the time it takes either freakish athleticism, a fascinating background story or the ability to play multiple spots at a high level. Heading into the 2023 season, we are identifying at least one unique athlete from each position -- or, in some cases, position group.
While it is a lot less common now for players to star full time on both offense and defense, college football's structure often allows for those with unique abilities or backgrounds to shine. Coaches will take advantage of their talent and find creative ways to get them involved as much as possible, no matter which side of the ball they impact.
Some of the players below are already household names, like LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. and Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry, while other slots are occupied by players ready to break out or athletes who deserve more recognition at the national level. To limit the pool -- and make selections a bit easier -- only players who are expected to make a significant on-field impact were considered.
Here are the most unique college football players worth keeping an eye on for the 2023 season:
Quarterback
Joe Milton, Tennessee: Milton has the frame of an edge rusher, standing at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, which already sets him apart from his peers. He also happens to posses one of the strongest arms we have ever seen. He played coy at SEC Media Days when asked how far he can throw the ball, but did admit that the number started with a nine. That's believable, as he can chuck it 70 yards without much effort.
John Rhys Plumlee, UCF: A lot of athletes dream of playing multiple sports in college, but few are actually able to make it work. Even fewer still have done it as well as Plumlee. Last April, Plumlee started in center field and batted ninth for UCF's baseball team before exiting in the seventh inning, hopping in a golf cart and starting at quarterback for the football team's spring game. At the end of the day, he had two hits, two RBIs, 236 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Running back
CJ Donaldson Jr., West Virginia: Donaldson is one of the best running backs that few people know about, and he wasn't even supposed to play out of the backfield when he signed with the Mountaineers. He signed in 2022 as a three-star tight end prospect and did not move to running back until fall camp. He rushed for 526 yards and eight touchdowns (eighth in the Big 12) while playing in just seven games.
Wide receiver
Johnny Wilson, Florida State: This entry could stop at the fact that Johnny Wilson is 6-foot-7 and 237 pounds. Not to state the obvious, but that type of size is rare for a wideout. He is a legitimate deep threat and uses his long strides to gallop past opposing defensive backs. Wilson had 22 catches of at least 20 yards in 2022, which ranked third nationally.
Nyckoles Harbor, South Carolina: Harbor was a five-star prospect in the Class of 2022. He ran a 10.28-second 100-meter dash as a senior in high school, an insane time for someone that age. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Harbor has legitimate Olympic dreams. In the meantime, he has the size and speed to play either wide receiver, tight end or edge rusher for the Gamecocks.
Tight end
Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse: Gadsden struggled to find the field in 2021 as a freshman wide receiver, finishing the year with just two catches. He moved to tight end ahead of the 2022 campaign and proceeded to shatter Syracuse's program records for receptions and receiving yards at the position. Gadsden finished the year with 63 catches for 993 yards and six touchdowns, and he can only get better with with more experience at the position.
Offensive line
Cam Jones, Cincinnati: Jones signed with Cincinnati in 2019 as a three-star quarterback out of Kentucky. He transitioned to tight end in 2020 and found a role on special teams. By 2021, he added so much weight to his 6-foot-8 frame that he was shifted to offensive line. Entering the 2023 season, he has a chance to start at right tackle for the Bearcats in their first season in the Big 12.
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State: It's pretty common for offensive linemen to cross-train at different positions before finding their permanent spot. Beebe has taken it to another level. He's collecting offensive line spots like they're Infinity Stones. Beebe started seven games at right tackle and one at left guard in 2020, was a first-team All-Big 12 selection at left tackle in 2021, and tabbed as an All-American and Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year as a left guard in 2022.
Defensive line
Desmond Watson, Florida: The biggest player in college football had to be on this list. At 6-foot-5 and 439 pounds -- up 24 pounds from last season! -- Watson is an absolute hoss in the middle of Florida's defensive line. He eats up space in the run game without much effort and should have no problem imposing his will on offensive linemen, most of whom are at least a mind-bending 100 pounds lighter than him.
EDGE
Laiatu Latu, UCLA: Latu has one of the best stories in college football. He signed with Washington in 2019 and played in 12 games as a true freshman. After suffering a neck injury at practice in 2020, doctors told him he would never play again. He sat out for two seasons before transferring to UCLA in 2022 and working his way back to the field. Now he is the Pac-12's top returning pass rusher after tallying 10.5 in his first season as a Bruin.
Linebacker
Harold Perkins, LSU: LSU can confidently play Perkins almost anywhere on its defense. A former high school running back, he saw time as both an edge rusher and off-ball linebacker as a true freshman and excelled at both positions. He earned Freshman All-America honors after stuffing stat sheets with 72 total tackles, 13 for a loss, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three pass deflections and an interception. It looks like LSU will start Perkins at inside linebacker in 2023, allowing him to use his athleticism in space.
Defensive back
Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama: McKinstry is widely regarded as both the best cornerback prospect and best punt returner in the nation, earning first-team CBS Sports All-America honors at both positions. He tallied a whopping 16 pass deflections and one interception last year. He also ranked second among Division I punt returners with 332 yards.
Cooper DeJean, Iowa: Here is a list of the positions where DeJean has either played at or started in two years with the Hawkeyes: Strong safety, free safety, outside cornerback, slot corner, outside linebacker, special teams gunner and kickoff return specialist. He's listed as a starting cornerback for the 2023 season, but you can bet that won't be the only spot where he'll spend time.
Athlete
Travis Hunter, Colorado: Hunter made history before he even stepped foot on a college campus, becoming the first five-star prospect to sign with a Football Champoinship Subdivision program when he pledged to Jackson State and coach Deion Sanders. After earning SWAC Freshman of the Year honors, he followed Sanders to Colorado and the power conference level, where he now has a chance to ascend to the upper echelon as both a cornerback and wide receiver.
