SMU football is preparing for a step up in competition heading into the 2024 college football season. They are embarking on their move to the ACC after years of playing in the AAC. The Mustangs are going to need all hands on deck for their transition into a power conference.
Luckily, SMU football returns three of their best players from last year for this pivotal season. Those players include Preston Stone, RJ Maryland, and Elijah Roberts.
Preston Stone is SMU football's QB1
The leader in charge of SMU's offense is a player returning for his fourth season in Preston Stone. Last year was really the first that Stone was given the keys to the Mustangs. He more than delivered, putting up 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions.
Stone did complete just 59.9% of his passes last year, but SMU's offense also likes to take a bunch of shots deep downfield. He did a great job of operating through it.
SMU ranked 16th in the country in yards per game (454.9) and ninth in points per game (38.7). Only LSU, Oregon, USC, Oklahoma, Georgia, Memphis, and Notre Dame scored more than the Mustangs.
Stone is a big reason why. Him returning to SMU is massive as they look to make an imprint in their new conference. He is already one of the better quarterbacks in the ACC and will warrant a lot of attention in 2024.
RJ Maryland gives SMU a stud at tight end
One of Stone's favorite targets is also returning to SMU for the 2024 season in RJ Maryland. Maryland had a very solid 2023 campaign for the Mustangs.
He brought in 34 receptions for 518 yards, which ranked second on the team. He also scored seven touchdowns, which was tied for first. Maryland really uses his 6-foot-4 223-pound frame to his advantage in the red zone.
The 2025 NFL Draft is supposedly loaded with plenty of potential stars at tight end. Maryland should be included in that bunch. He's a big body with excellent route-running skills and is a massive target in the red zone. His production is not that far off from Michigan's Colston Loveland or Iowa's Luke Lachey either.
The move to the ACC should prove to be very beneficial for Maryland. If he produces against better competition, his draft stock should rise as well. He is definitely a player to monitor on SMU in 2024.
Elijah Roberts is an elite pass rusher
SMU football also returns one of the best edge rushers in all of college football in Elijah Roberts. Roberts posted 9.5 sacks last season, which was tied for the 16th most in the country. He was tied with Tennessee's James Pearce Jr., who looks like he will be one of the first picks made in the 2025 NFL Draft. Florida State's Jared Verse, a first-round pick in 2024 by the Los Angeles Rams, had nine sacks last year.
That just puts into context how good Roberts is at getting to the quarterback. So do advanced numbers. Roberts had a pass rush grade of 93.3 on what Pro Football Focus deemed to be true pass sets. Only Pearce Jr. and UCLA's Laiatu Latu, the first pass rusher drafted in 2024, ranked higher. Roberts also had a higher grade than Penn State's Chop Robinson, who was a first-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in April.
Roberts is legit. He's another player who can improve his draft stock in 2024 after returning to SMU for another season of college football. Roberts will be pivotal in SMU's transition to the ACC. Keep an eye on him this season.
Follow Us
Subscribe
