15 Las Vegas products should be difference-makers in college football

Nowhere is Las Vegas’s relatively newfound reputation as a football hotbed more visible than in college football. Players from local high schools are spread out at universities all across the country as the season begins in earnest on Saturday.

There are more local players on Football Bowl Subdivision rosters than can be fully tracked, but here are 15 who should make a big impact in the 2022-2023 season.

Georgia tight end - Darnell Washington

The 6-foot-7, 269-pound Desert Pines High graduate has seen his stock skyrocket and could go high in next year’s NFL Draft with another strong season, during which he’ll look to help the Bulldogs win a second straight national championship.

Michigan State wide receiver - Germie Bernard

The Spartans might replace a local who was their top deep threat last year — Bishop Gorman High graduate Jalen “Speedy” Nailor, now with the Minnesota Vikings — with another one this year. Bernard is pushing to make an early impact as a freshman after winning Nevada’s Gatorade Player of the Year award last year at Liberty High.

Michigan State linebacker - Ma’a Gaoteote

The sophomore out of Bishop Gorman became the highest-rated recruit landed so far during Michigan State coach Mel Tucker’s tenure. Gaoteote was part of the linebacker rotation as a freshman but could play a bigger role this season.

Ohio State linebacker - Palaie Gaoteote

A rash of injuries have somewhat derailed the career of Ma’a’s older brother, who transferred to Ohio State from USC three years ago. But as a former USA Today Nevada Player of the Year, Palaie still has the talent to play a role on one of the teams favored to win the College Football Playoff.

Oklahoma defensive lineman - Jonah Laulu

The Sooners have a strong local presence with five Las Vegas natives on the roster, largely due to the efforts of running backs coach DeMarco Murray, a Bishop Gorman legend. But Centennial High product Laulu, a fifth-year senior who transferred from Hawaii, is the most likely to make a difference this season.

Oregon tight end - Moliki Matavao

Big things are expected from one of the stars of Liberty’s 2019 state championship team after he had a promising freshman season a year ago, including a touchdown catch in Oregon’s stunning road upset of Ohio State.

Oregon State wide receiver - Tyjon Lindsey

The other key members of Bishop Gorman’s back-to-back-to-back USA Today national championship teams from 2014-2016 are now out of college football, but Lindsey will play a sixth season after receiving an extra year of eligibility through an early-season transfer from Nebraska in 2018 plus a COVID-19 bonus year.

Purdue cornerback - Bryce Hampton

The former Centennial High star was working at a local fast-food restaurant two years ago after COVID canceled his season at Division II Adams State. But he never lost sight of his football dreams, gathering late interest from Purdue, where he might now be thrust into a starting role.

Stanford cornerback - Kyu Blu Kelly

The Bishop Gorman product and son of longtime NFL player Brian Kelly, Kyu is a preseason First-Team All Pac-12 selection and potential high pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

Texas Tech center - Cade Briggs

The former Bishop Gorman lineman is in a battle for the starting center spot, but even if he doesn’t win out, new Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire has hinted Briggs could also be used at guard. If he plays center, he could be snapping to former Bishop Gorman teammate Donovan Smith, the Red Raiders’ backup quarterback, who played well when pressed into action as a freshman last year.

UCLA quarterback - Dorian Thompson-Robinson

A fifth-year starter, the former Bishop Gorman star stands as the most prolific returning dual-threat quarterback in all of college football. He contemplated declaring for the NFL Draft last year before deciding to return with a statement that concluded the Bruins, “can go farther in 2022.”

Utah tight end - Dalton Kincaid

The Utes are getting an inordinate amount of College Football Playoff buzz, and much of the optimism has to do with the way Kincaid broke out last year. The Faith Lutheran High product scored a team-high eight touchdowns during a season that culminated with a Rose Bowl berth.

UNLV linebacker - Kyle Beaudry

UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo has come under fire for not fully committing to recruiting in Las Vegas, but the captain of his defense first made his name at Liberty High. Beaudry, a senior, committed to the Scarlet and Gray during Tony Sanchez’s tenure but stuck around and has risen up under Arroyo.

Washington guard/tackle - Troy Fautanu

The forceful former Liberty High lineman slid into a starting role at the end of last season and is expected to retain it heading into his redshirt sophomore season under new coach Kalen DeBoer.

Washington wide receiver - Rome Odunze

The 2019 Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year picked up where he left off at Bishop Gorman upon arriving at Washington, where he has been a productive player for the past two years. Some are calling for him to make a leap into the Pac-12 Conference’s elite this season.

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.