Tuesday's slate of three college bowl games lost a bit of its luster with two of the nation's top quarterbacks not playing.
West Virginia junior quarterback Will Grier, who had already announced he will return to school for his senior season, did not play in West Virginia's 30-14 loss to Utah in the Heart of Dallas Bowl because of a broken finger. UCLA junior Josh Rosen was held out of the Cactus Bowl against Kansas State because of a concussion suffered in UCLA's 30-27 win over California on Nov. 24.
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Freshman Devon Modster started in place of Rosen against the Wildcats, who also had a freshman at quarterback because of a knee injury to senior starter Jesse Ertz. Skylar Thompson made his fourth straight start, though he gave way to sophomore Alex Delton, who ran for 158 yards and three touchdowns in Kansas State's 35-17 victory over UCLA in the Cactus Bowl.
Rosen has yet to decide whether he will enter the 2018 NFL Draft, but if he does forgo his senior season, he would likely be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick held by the Browns. The 6-4, 218-pound California native threw for 3,756 yards with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. He has 9,341 passing yards with 59 touchdowns and 26 picks over three seasons at UCLA. Rosen essentially confirmed Tuesday that he'd rather return to school than play for the Browns, saying he'd "rather be a lower pick at the right team than a higher one at the wrong team."
Here are some of Tuesday's top NFL Draft-eligible players
Jawuan Johnson, OLB, NIU — Johnson's Huskies may have lost to Duke, but the junior linebacker turned in an impressive individual performance. The 6-1, 218-pound East St. Louis native had 12 tackles, with 4 1/2 for loss, and a sack in the 36-14 loss. Johnson also forced a pair of fumbles, one on his sack, and broke up a pass. While undersized as a pass rusher, Johnson has a nose for the ball and his athleticism could find him on an NFL roster either next fall or in 2019.
Bobby Jones, LB, NIU — Jones is also undersized at 5-10, 220, but capped his senior season with 10 tackles, 1 1/2 for loss, and a sack to give him 107 tackles, 12 1/2 for loss, and five sacks for the year. He's had a productive career at NIU, but his limited athleticism and lack of ideal size might make it hard for NFL teams to take notice.
Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA — One has to wonder if Lasley's future is tied to Rosen's decision. If the 6-1, 210-pound junior played in his final game on Tuesday, he went out with a bang. Lasley caught eight passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in the 35-17 loss to Kansas State. He has excellent speed, but has off-field issues with a littany of discipline problems. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct while on the sideline of Tuesday's game. Lasley had an excellent junior season with 69 catches for 1,264 yards and nine touchdowns but is likely a third-day pick because of the non-football baggage he carries.
Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah — The younger brother of Panthers defensive lineman Star Lotulelei, Lowell had a huge day against the Mountaineers. The 6-2, 320-pound senior recorded four tackles, 2 1/2 for loss, and a 1 1/2 sacks. He has a quick burst off the snap and a powerful base to create penetration. The younger Lotulelei should be a second-round pick in April.
Kyzir White, S, West Virginia — Though it came in a 30-14 loss, White was a tackling machine against the Utes. The 6-2, 216-pound safety had 13 tackles for his third straight game with double-digit tackles. He also had a sack on Tuesday and is a prototypical box safety with size and length desired by NFL teams. White is strong and athletic with good ball skills and had three interceptions as a senior.
Shaun Wilson, RB, Duke — The diminutive Wilson did it all for Duke in Tuesday's 36-14 win over Northern Illinois. The 5-9, 185-pound senior ran for 75 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 22 yards and another score against the Huskies. Wilson, who finished his senior season with 818 rushing yards and six touchdowns, could be a late draft pick in April. Whether he's drafted or not, Wilson should be in a training camp next summer and has the ability to be a solid third-down back at the next level with good speed and elusiveness in the open field.
Kenny Young, LB, UCLA — Kansas State became the fifth team to rush for more than 300 yards in a game against the Bruins with 344 in the Cactus Bowl, but Young was all over the field. The 6-1, 235-pound senior plays well sideline to sideline and capped his college career with nine tackles, including one for loss. He finishes his time at UCLA with 304 career tackles, 21 for loss, 6 1/2 sacks and a pair of interceptions.