The 2024 NFL free-agency period has been in full swing all week. But while it's a busy time of year for the league, there's not much happening in college football at the same time.

So, let's reminisce on the college careers of some of the biggest names making news in free agency this week.

Several of the big-name stars include Heisman Trophy winners, some who transferred to other schools to find success, and plenty who had fascinating backstories.

Let's look back at the college careers of some of the biggest NFL free-agency stars.

Patrick Queen, LSU; Xavier McKinney, Alabama

And for rival schools, no less...

Linebacker Patrick Queen and safety Xavier McKinney played at LSU and Alabama, respectively, from 2017-19. Both signed as 4-star prospects from the class of 2017.

Queen signed a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, and McKinney is headed to the Green Bay Packers on a four-year contract.

Both had pretty successful collegiate careers. McKinney's best season came as a junior in 2019, leading the Crimson Tide with 95 total tackles, three sacks and three interceptions. Queen's best season also came in 2019, when he had 85 total tackles, three sacks and an interception.

Alabama had a 2-1 record against LSU in the years Queen and McKinney were playmakers for both teams. LSU won in 2019 with Joe Burrow and company on their way to a national championship.

However, McKinney had one of his best games of the year against the Tigers, accounting for 13 tackles, 2.5 for loss and two sacks in 2019.

Pass-Rushers Christian Wilkins, Brian Burns, Others Sign Big Deals

The biggest name among the free-agent edge-rushers was Christian Wilkins, who signed a four-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Clemson product racked up 192 total tackles, 40.5 for loss, 16 sacks and four fumble recoveries.

After helping lead the Tigers to a national title in 2018, he went viral for his celebratory split:

He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins 13th overall in the 2019.

Brian Burns is headed to the New York Giants on a five-year deal. He played outside linebacker for the Panthers last season, but he was primarily used as a defensive end when he was at Florida State from 2016-18.

He was part of the Noles' Orange Bowl-winning team in 2016, and he had 123 stops with 38.5 for loss with 23 sacks and seven forced fumbles over his FSU career. He was drafted 16th overall by Carolina.

Edge-rusher Jonathan Greenard is headed to the Minnesota Vikings on a four-year deal.

The standout defensive end started his career at Louisville, where he spent three seasons from 2015-2018. Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist injury on the first series of his 2018 season that ended his year.

He transferred to Florida for the 2019 season and had the best year of his career, with 53 tackles, 10 sacks and forcing three fumbles and an interception. He was selected 90th overall in the third round by the Houston Texans in 2020.

The Seattle Seahawks signed Leonard Williams to a three-year deal. The former USC defensive end was drafted sixth overall in 2015 by the New York Jets.

Over three seasons with the Trojans from 2012-14, he had 218 tackles with 20 sacks and two interceptions.

Wide Receivers Calvin Ridley and Darnell Mooney

The Tennessee Titans signed Calvin Ridley to a four-year deal, and receiver Darnell Mooney is headed to Atlanta to catch passes from Kirk Cousins on a three-year contract.

Ridley, the No. 1-ranked wideout and 5-star prospect in 2015, was a breakout player for Alabama as a true freshman. That season, he led the Crimson Tide in receiving yards with 1,045—a single-season school record—and seven touchdowns on the year. He also had four games with over 100 receiving yards.

Ridley added 769 yards with seven scores in 2016, getting banged up a bit throughout the year. During his last season with the Tide in 2017, he averaged 15.3 yards per reception with 967 total yards and five scores. He was drafted No. 26 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2018.

Meanwhile, Mooney had a productive four seasons with Tulane from 2016-2019. In fact, during his career, he made 41 consecutive starts over 46 games for the Green Wave.

His best season came in 2018, when he finished with 993 yards receiving with eight touchdowns, averaging 20.7 yards per receptions.

Mooney was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears.

Alabama RBs Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Penn State RB Saquon Barkley

Who says the NFL running back is a dying position? We saw three backs ink significant deals this week.

Derrick Henry signed a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Saquon Barkley is headed to NFC East rival Philadelphia where he'll play behind the best offensive line of his career, and Josh Jacobs signed a four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers.

Henry was a 5-star recruiting prospect, while Barkley and Jacobs were 4-stars.

Henry, who rushed for 9,502 yards with 90 touchdowns over eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans, was putting up similar big numbers while he was at Alabama from 2013-15.

He had a breakout season as a sophomore in 2014, rushing for 990 yards and 11 touchdowns. But 2015 was the best of his career, finishing with 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns. He became just the second Tide player in school history at the time to win the Heisman Trophy, joining Mark Ingram in doing so.

The greatest photo of Henry of all time, to me, was how monstrous he looked standing next to Ingram before the 2015 National Championship Game against Clemson:

Henry scored three touchdowns during the Tide's 45-40 victory. He was drafted 45th overall by the Titans in the 2016 NFL draft.

Josh Jacobs took over the running back spot for Henry in 2016. His numbers weren't as big as his predecessor's, but he put up 1,491 yards with 16 touchdowns over three seasons. He showed off his versatility by adding 48 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns in the passing game. He was drafted 24th overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2019.

Saquon Barkley is one of the greatest running backs in Penn State history. So it's pretty cool he gets to play in his home state again with the Eagles.

As a true freshman in 2015, he broke PSU's freshman running back record, getting 1,076 yards with seven touchdowns. The next season was his best statistically, as he rushed for 1,496 yards and 28 touchdowns, adding 402 receiving yards.

In 2017, he had 1,903 total yards of offense with 21 touchdowns and finished fourth in Heisman voting.

Barkley left Penn State holding the record for total touchdowns (53).

QB Sam Darnold, USC

Sam Darnold has been signed by the Minnesota Vikings to a one-year deal.

The former USC quarterback didn't have too long a collegiate career as other signal-callers, but he was a much higher-rated recruit coming out of high school. Signing as a member of the Trojans' 2015 class, he was a 4-star quarterback prospect out of San Clemente, California. He was the No. 5-ranked dual-threat signal-caller in his class, too.

Darnold took a redshirt in 2015, and he was the starter for the Trojans' 2016 and 2017 seasons. In his first season as a starter, he threw for 3,086 yards with 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

He helped USC finish 10-3 during the 2016 season and defeated Penn State in a thrilling Rose Bowl. He had his best game of the season vs. the Nittany Lions, finishing with 453 yards passing, five touchdowns—a Rose Bowl record—and one interception.

His 473 yards of total offense also broke Vince Young's Rose Bowl record set against USC in the national title game.

Although he threw for more yards (4,143) and had five rushing touchdowns in 2017, he struggled in other areas. He threw 26 TDs with 13 interceptions. He also had 12 fumbles on the season while playing behind an injured offensive line.

Darnold also lost his top two wideouts in Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers. Still, USC finished as Pac-12 champions, and went 11-3, before losing to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

Despite his mixed bag of two seasons at USC, Darnold was drafted third overall by the New York Jets, where he spent three seasons. He had two years with the Carolina Panthers before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.

We'll see if a fresh start in Minnesota can resurrect his NFL career.

QB Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

Kirk Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week.

Unlike the other two signal-callers on this list, Cousins' college career wasn't nearly as eventful. He played four seasons at Michigan State, joining the Spartans as a 3-star quarterback recruit from Holland, Michigan.

Following a redshirt season in 2007, he saw action in five games as a redshirt freshman in 2008. From 2009 through his final season in 2011, he was Michigan State's starting QB. During his last two years with Sparty, his teams finished with a combined 22-5 record.

His best season came during his final one with the Spartans in 2011. Cousins even entered with some preseason Heisman hype. Michigan State earned a spot in the Big Ten title game that season, which the Spartans lost 42-39 to Russell Wilson and Wisconsin.

On the year, Cousins threw for 3,316 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. One of the more memorable plays of his Michigan State career came against Wisconsin in the regular season. He launched a Hail Mary on the last play of regulation to give MSU a stunning 37-31 upset victory.

Cousins left Michigan State as the school's record holder in passing yards (9,131), passing touchdowns (66) and passing efficiency, among others. He was drafted 102nd overall in the fourth round by the Washington Commanders.

QB Russell Wilson: NC State, Wisconsin

Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, following two poor seasons spent with the Denver Broncos.

Similar to Baker Mayfield, Wilson transferred during his collegiate career. His situation was a bit more unique, though, since he utilized the NCAA's new graduate transfer rule. The rule, passed in 2006, allowed players with remaining eligibility who had already graduated to transfer to a school to earn a graduate degree.

Wilson, a three-star recruit from Richmond, Virginia, started his career at NC State. During three seasons with the Wolfpack, he accounted for 8,545 yards passing, 76 touchdowns and 30 interceptions from 2008-10.

He also played baseball at NC State and briefly decided to join the Colorado Rockies' spring training after NC State's head coach at the time, Tom O'Brien, told him he wouldn't have a starting job with the Wolfpack, per Andrea Adelson of ESPN in 2019.

"He said, 'Listen, son, you're never going to play in the National Football League,'" Wilson recalled the conversation with his former head coach during a 2016 Wisconsin commencement speech. "'You're too small. There's no chance. You've got no shot. Give it up.' Of course, I'm on this side of the phone saying, 'So you're telling me I'm not coming back to NC State? I won't see the field?' He said, 'No, son, you won't see the field.'"

But then-Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema recruited Wilson to play football for the Badgers for the 2011 season. The decision paid off—Wilson set Wisconsin school records for completion percentage (72.8) and passer efficiency (191.8). He led the Badgers to a 6-0 start that season, a Big Ten Championship and a Rose Bowl berth.

It's safe to say his transfer decision was a wise one. Wilson got drafted in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks.

QB Baker Mayfield: Texas Tech, Oklahoma

Baker Mayfield has signed a three-year contract to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' franchise quarterback.

The deal came after he lead Tampa to an NFC South title and Wild Card Round win over the Eagles last season. He started his career at Texas Tech as a walk-on before a wild collegiate ride.

The former 3-star quarterback recruit played in eight games for the Red Raiders as a true freshman in 2013. But after he got hurt, he slid down Tech's depth chart and transferred to Oklahoma in December 2013. The breakup between the two was a touch messy.

He had to sit out the 2014 season, and thanks to the Big 12's rule at the time for players who transferred to other conference member schools, he also lost a year of eligibility. The rule allows for the player's school to be able to waive that loss, but Tech denying Mayfield's request also held up his ability to be put on an OU scholarship.

The Big 12 later tweaked the rule and let Mayfield have three years of eligibility. After earning the starting job in 2015, he threw for 3,700 yards, 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 405 yards and seven touchdowns while leading the Sooners to an 11-2 year and an Orange Bowl berth.

His numbers got even better as his Sooners career progressed. He finished 2016 with 3,965 yards passing, 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while completing 70.9 percent of his passes. Oklahoma finished as Big 12 champions and beat Auburn in the Sugar Bowl that season to go 11-2.

The following season was his best yet, throwing for 4,627 yards with 43 touchdowns and six interceptions. He rushed for 311 yards and five scores, and took home the Heisman Trophy for his efforts. The Sooners made it to the College Football Playoff that season but lost 54-48 in an overtime thriller to Georgia in the Rose Bowl.

Mayfield left Oklahoma with a 39-9 record over 48 games while setting numerous school records.

He was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2018.