If there's one league that lives for the drama that is the trade deadline, it's the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers took overhaul to a whole new level with LeBron James & Co. gutting most of the roster to become younger and faster.
Whether it pays off in the long run is yet to be seen, but it certainly was exciting to see so many players traded either to or from the Cavs.
So, what if college football could have all the fun the pros have with a trade deadline? Can you imagine Alabama coach Nick Saban calling up USC coach Clay Helton to ask about a trade for a young defensive back? What about Ohio State coach Urban Meyer calling up his former assistant and Texas coach Tom Herman about a lineman or two?
The possibilities -- and theatrics -- would be limitless. Obviously, it will never happen, but that doesn't mean we can't use our imaginations to conjure up a world in which college football programs are free to trade without transfer restrictions cutting into immediate playing time. We've already seen somewhat of a mini free agency with the recent graduate transfer craze, so why not add some more fun to the offseason?
We ask you to suspend your disbelief for just a second and come on a journey through the fun that would be trading college football players in order to make that killer run to beat Bama and win it all.
Here are 11 trades we'd like to see before the 2018 college football season:
1. Clemson QB Kelly Bryant for LSU CB Andraez "Greedy" Williams and LB K'Lavon Chaisson
We start things off with a real blockbuster. Bryant guided Clemson to a 12-2 season and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2017 with some Deshaun Watson-like moments. But Clemson needs a shutdown corner and help at linebacker, and they have the No. 2 overall player in the nation in Trevor Lawrence coming in at quarterback.
There are plenty of people who think Lawrence could be even better than Watson and having another highly rated youngster like Hunter Johnson helps with depth, so losing Bryant wouldn't be the end of the world. Williams tied for first in the SEC with six interceptions and defended 17 passes as a freshman last year. Chaisson, the fourth-ranked linebacker in the 2017 class, started three games last season and had 4.5 TFL.
LSU has needed quarterback help for years and getting a seasoned winner like Bryant would be huge.
2. Alabama QB Jalen Hurts for Florida CB Marco Wilson and DE Jabari Zuniga
Another starting quarterback is gone! With Tua Tagovailoa replacing Hurts in the national championship game, Nick Saban has found another stud who can develop into something special.
Hurts still needs developmental work and Florida coach Dan Mullen is one of best quarterback tutors in the country. Emory Jones might be the future at quarterback for Florida, but Mullen would get a head start on that with a two-year starter and proven winner.
Alabama needs immediate help at corner, and Wilson is one of the SEC's best. Adding another solid pass-rusher in Zuniga helps Saban OK this trade.
3. Georgia CB Tyrique McGhee for Texas Tech LB Dakota Allen
Georgia needs help at linebacker and getting a sideline-to-sideline threat like Allen to replace the departed Roquan Smith will be key to spur another title run for the Bulldogs.
It will be tough for the Red Raiders to part with their leading tackler, but McGhee is a solid corner (a position of need for Texas Tech) who played in all 15 games for the Bulldogs last season and has two years of eligibility left.
4. Clemson DT Albert Huggins for Oklahoma OL Ben Powers
Clemson isn't here for your ACC titles. No, the Tigers want another national championship and with defensive linemen to spare, Dabo Swinney reaches out to Lincoln Riley to find a key offensive line component to help out his new, young quarterback.
Huggins isn't a starter for the Tigers but has appeared in 13 games in each of the past two seasons. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound senior would give the Sooners an athletic body up front. Powers started 12 games for the Sooners last season, mostly at left guard, and would give Clemson a key body inside to help both the pass and the rush.
5. Washington QB Colson Yankoff and OL Luke Wattenberg for TCU DE Ben Banogu
It's tough for a program to ship off a brand-new signee, but Chris Petersen has a slew of quarterbacks on his roster and is the overwhelming favorite to win the Pac-12 this fall.
He'd love to have a big-time pass-rusher to help out his defense. Banogu will bring 16.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks from last season to a line that needs help after losing star Vita Vea. TCU would get younger at quarterback, but Yankoff, the fourth-ranked pocket passer in the 2018 class, has a ton of potential and is pretty athletic.
After losing four starting offensive linemen, TCU needs a quality body up front. Wattenburg only got better after starting the last five games of the season at left tackle and with three years of eligibility remaining, he's a major upgrade for the Horned Frogs.
6. Ohio State DE Chase Young for Missouri TE Albert Okwuegbunam
The Buckeyes are relatively loaded in 2018, but they'd love to add another dynamic weapon at tight end to help the offense. You probably have no clue who Okwuegbunam is, but he'll be a mismatch for Big Ten defenses with his speed and ability to make people miss after the catch. He caught 29 passes for 415 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
For Mizzou, well, the Tigers need all the defensive help they can get, and Young has freakish ability off the edge. He also has three years of eligibility left.
7. Florida State RB Jacques Patrick for Texas A&M WR Jhamon Ausbon
Jimbo Fisher might have left FSU in his dust, but he understands that he needs a bruising running back in College Station.
Willie Taggart also understands that he has just five scholarship receivers and Ausbon is the best the Aggies have to offer. Yes, A&M lost its top two receivers and Ausbon had 571 receiving yards last season, but Fisher has a load of receivers to build his new offense around. Ausbon could explode in Taggart's Gulf Coast offense.
Patrick rushed for 748 yards and seven touchdowns and while the Seminoles would miss him as Cam Akers' backup, he's exactly the kind of between-the-tackles runner A&M needs.
8. Wisconsin OL Jon Dietzen for USC CB Jack Jones
Really, Wisconsin doesn't need to add much to make another big run in 2018. However, it would be nice to have a shutdown corner to help a secondary that loses two starters, including corner Derrick Tindal. Jones would be a major athletic addition to this defense and he has plenty of experience after starting every game as a sophomore last year.
The Trojans need help along the offensive line and Dietzen would give them a ton of versatility up front with his ability to play multiple positions. Even better, USC could stand to get better at guard and Dietzen, a rising junior, has played in 23 games, making 20 starts at left guard.
9. Michigan DE Chase Winovich for Louisville WR Jaylen Smith
Michigan is absolutely loaded on defense this season, but offensively, well, the Wolverines could use a lot of help at receiver.
With Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson's status at quarterback unknown right now, Michigan needs a solid, veteran receiver to potentially be the face of the offense. Smith would be exactly that. He had 980 yards last year with seven touchdowns, and has 1,955 yards and 14 touchdowns over three seasons.
The Cardinals need a lot of help on defense and Winovich would be the anchor of his defense after recording 18 TFLs and eight sacks last year. Winovich is a major player to give up, but Michigan has more than enough depth up front to part with him in order to help that stagnant offense.
10. Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb for Notre Dame S Jalen Elliott
The Sooners are back on the market because that defense still needs some work. After losing both starting safeties to graduation, Oklahoma would get a stud in Elliott, who started all 13 games last year as a sophomore.
Lamb would be the dynamic receiver Notre Dame needs. He caught 46 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns. His 17.5 YPC would be welcomed in South Bend.
11. Ohio State QB Joe Burrow for Texas C Zach Shackelford
The Buckeyes are back in action because Meyer understands that he has to shore up every position if he's going to get back in the national championship game. That means calling up an old friend.
Getting a top center would complete an already stout offensive line, and Shackelford brings 17 starts in 19 games. The Buckeyes also could part with a quarterback and while Texas has Sam Ehlinger and Shane Buechele, Burrow brings a little more depth to the position. Remember, he was supposed to be J.T. Barrett's backup last season, but suffered a broken bone in his throwing hand before the season.