With some of the biggest names in college football returning from injury in 2024, two names from the Big 12 Conference were listed as names to now in the Comeback Player of the Year conversation.
On a recent list from 247Sports’ Grant Hughes, Kansas‘ Jalon Daniels, and West Virginia‘s Trey Lathan were listed as names to know in 2024.
“Kansas head coach Lance Leipold confirmed Tuesday that Daniels is back to full health and will start the Jayhawks’ season-opener against Lindenwood on Thursday,” Hughes said. “The electric but oft-injured redshirt junior missed half of his breakout 2022 season with a shoulder injury and was limited to just three games in 2023 with a hurt back. He’s thrown for 2,729 yards and 23 touchdowns with five interceptions in 12 games the last two seasons.”
While it’s no secret that Jalon Daniels is one of the game’s most electric quarterbacks, his health has limited the Jayhawks’ upside over the past few seasons. The team has performed well with Jason Bean and Cole Ballard in relief of Daniels, but with Bean off to the NFL, Daniels’ health is more crucial than it has been in years past.
“Lathan started the first five games at mike linebacker before a broken tibia and fibula ended his season,” Hughes wrote. “He finished his redshirt freshman season with 27 tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. He is one of 11 Big 12 players on the Comeback Player of the Year watch list and is expected to play against North Carolina in Week 1. Fellow linebacker Josiah Trotter is also expected to return to the field on Aug. 31 after missing all of 2023 due to a lower-leg injury he suffered during spring practice. Trotter is the son of Jeremiah Trotter Sr, a former four-time Pro Bowl linebacker with the Philadelphia Eagles. His brother Jeremiah Trotter Jr. starred at Clemson.”
West Virginia linebacker Trey Lathan had his season cut short in 2023 after a hot start as a redshirt freshman. The sophomore linebacker enters the upcoming season as an anchor for Neal Brown’s defense in Morgantown. With some high-profile names receiving some national buzz on the offensive side of the ball, Trey Lathan will likely be the name to watch on the opposite side of the field.
With the 2024 college football season less than a week away, both players will make their highly anticipated debuts soon.
