The 2024 college football season presents an entirely new landscape. Texas is in the SEC. SMU is back in a power conference as ACC members. The College Football Playoff now includes 12 teams and an automatic bid for the best G5 team in the land. For most, the start of the season is in Week 1 on August 30, though SMU starts in Week 0 and TCU plays its first game on Aug. 29. 

To celebrate us making it through another off-season, we’re counting down the 50 most important players in Texas as we inch closer to kickoffs. This list isn’t necessarily about which players are the best in terms of NFL draft stock. It ranks players in order of importance to their team's success. 

NO. 31: Texas State QB Jordan McCloud 

The History: Jordan McCloud is Texas State's Van Wilder, suiting up for a seventh season of college football. The Presidential Inauguration and CFP National Championship are both on Monday January 20, 2025, which means if the Bobcats make the championship, McCloud's collegiate career will have spanned three presidencies. He played for three years at USF and one at Arizona, but blossomed into a star in 2023 at James Madison. McCloud threw for 3,657 yards and 35 touchdowns to earn Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Texas State's starter from last year, TJ Finley, reneged his decision to return in 2024 after Texas State added Arizona transfer Jayden de Laura. Once de Laura withdrew from the university after backlash over a civil sexual assault case from high school, Texas State opted for Plan C - conference player of the year.

The Skillset: McCloud performed as advertised in spring football practice, immediately winning teammates over with his 'It Factor'. While not the physically imposing presence that Finley was at 6-foot, 200 pounds, McCloud is an elite decision maker. His experience allows him to diagnose defensive pressure and coverage pre-snap, keeping the offense on schedule. 

The Impact: Texas State's offense led the Sun Belt with 36.7 points and 458.5 yards per game and now has a perceived upgrade at quarterback. McCloud's functional mobility in the pocket should allow the Bobcats to improve on the 2.31 sacks allowed per game, which ranked 86th in the nation. With McCloud under center, Texas State is a favorite to win the conference.