Spring is the time for opportunity.
With some holdovers still nursing injuries following postseason surgeries and vacancy signs flashing as departing teammates prepare for the NFL draft, it's a perfect chance for guys to move in and make their case for playing time.
In some cases, erstwhile stars are trying to recapture their previous form. There are several mid-term freshmen looking to make an impact and already off to brilliant starts. Others are transfers trying out their new digs for the first time and wanting to prove to their new coaches they're the real deal.
Then there are players who are trying to return from injuries and making a big first step in that direction.
No matter where you turn, there are good-news stories about guys leaping forward this spring and stealing headlines. Your program has them, and while it's hard sifting through all the lip service, a handful of these players have gotten too much positive publicity to ignore.
Let's take a look at some of the college football players turning heads midway through spring practices.
Dominick Blaylock, Georgia Wide Receiver
You've probably forgotten about just how promising Georgia receiver Dominick Blaylock's career once was.
Two knee surgeries, a pulled hamstring, a global pandemic and a Bulldogs national championship all have passed by since he was a factor in UGA's offense.
With him back this spring, it's a story that can't be told enough. He has battled so many injuries since his 2019 true freshman campaign when he caught 18 passes for 310 yards but scored five touchdowns. The 6'1", 205-pound former top-50 player from Marietta, Georgia, has a comeback on his mind.
With Jermaine Burton transferred to Alabama and George Pickens off to the NFL, major reps are available for the national champions at pass-catcher. While Adonai Mitchell and Ladd McConkey are going to hold down two of those receiving spots, Blaylock has a lot to prove.
He reportedly showed out in Saturday's scrimmage in Athens, according to DawgNation's Mike Griffith, and that is huge news for coach Kirby Smart. Blaylock is "close to being back in the same form he showed in 2019 as a freshman," Griffith wrote, per his sources.
Smart already told Griffith's DawgNation compadre Connor Riley earlier this spring that Blaylock was "wired in the right way" and "came up tough," and Blaylock noted the repaired knee is "feeling awesome." If he can return and make an impact on UGA's passing game, he could be a big weapon for quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Jadon Haselwood, Arkansas Wide Receiver
If you had any doubts about just how Arkansas coach Sam Pittman sees his shiny new toy, Jadon Haselwood, at wide receiver, listen to what he said about him this week.
He thinks Haselwood, who is replacing Treylon Burks, has the opportunity to fill the huge void left behind by a guy who could be selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
"He's basically playing the same position which Burks played," Pittman told HawgBeat's Andrew Hutchinson. "He's very athletic and can do a lot of things we asked Burks to do. Certainly not trying to compare him to Treylon Burks—it's not fair to him—[but] we believe he can be that guy."
It's not a stretch for the Oklahoma transfer to think that way, either. He's the first of two former OU star prospects on this list who are looking for greener pastures after some up-and-down times in Norman.
The 6'3", 211-pounder has a couple of seasons of eligibility remaining, and he has some ground to make up. He was the nation's No. 4 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class, but he dealt with injuries while in Norman.
In three seasons with the Sooners, he caught 62 passes for 736 yards and seven touchdowns. His best season was his last, as he hauled in 39 receptions for 399 yards and six scores. But that's really just the tip of his potential.
Haselwood could wind up being a star in Fayetteville, and he's off to a great start.