jkgrandchamp
02-26-2006, 11:49 PM
No. 20
Sidney Rice
WR, R-Soph., South Carolina
Some folks are already claiming that this is the best receiver Steve Spurrier has ever coached. While extremely bold, ultra hype of this sort is far from unwarranted. After redshirting his first season because of a hyperextended knee, Rice earned first-team All-SEC honors last year after leading the league in receiving yards (1,143) and receiving touchdowns (13). The 6-4, 190-pounder originally intended to play basketball as well, and his athleticism is a thing to behold
No. 19
Quentin Moses
DE, SR, Georgia
In his first year starting, Moses finished second in the SEC in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (20.5), earning him first-team All-SEC honors. He flirted with going pro, but returned to Georgia to anchor the defense and develop his skills. This probably wasn’t a bad decision, because at 6-5, 248 pounds he’s still a bit undersized for an NFL defensive end. But he does boast an explosive first step off the edge and should terrorize SEC defenses again in 2006.
No. 18
Darren McFadden
RB, Soph., Arkansas
McFadden arrived in Fayetteville as the type of super recruit that Arkansas rarely snags away from other SEC schools. And the North Little Rock native lived up to the hype, rushing for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns and earning first-team All-SEC honors. He did this while playing most of the season with torn cartilage in his left knee. His bruising running style fits his 6-2, 210-pound frame, but he also possesses breakaway speed
No. 17
Steve Slaton
RB, Soph., West Virginia
Quite possibly the nation’s best running back east of Reggie Bush in the second half of last season, Slaton emerged from deep in the depth chart to wrestle the starting job away from a talented group of runners in the sixth game of the season. Quietly, as is the norm when it comes to football in the new Big East, Slaton shredded conference opponents, including Louisville, which he torched for 188 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Slaton stayed relatively unknown until the Mountaineers upset Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, where he had an MVP-winning 204 yards rushing and three touchdowns
No. 16
Mike Hart
RB, JR, Michigan
Simply put, the entire Michigan offense flourishes when Hart is in the game. But after a breakout freshman year in 2004, Hart was hampered by hamstring and ankle injuries most of last season. Hart’s small stature (5-9 on a good day, 190 pounds) would lead you to believe that he’s a gimmicky scat back, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. His size does work to his advantage, as no tackler can get low enough to administer a square blow on him. He runs like a 220-pounder, racking up loads of yards after first contact.
No. 15
LaRon Landry
FS, SR, LSU
In Landry’s first three years starting, from 2003-2005, he earned All-SEC honors every year and LSU finished first, third and third nationally in total defense. Landry was also named third-team AP All America in 2005 -- oddly enough, the only year he didn’t lead the Tigers in tackles. Landry made an 11th-hour decision to return for his senior year. At 6-2, 204 pounds, he can pack a powerful punch, but it’s his exquisite centerfield instincts that make Landry a prime candidate for the next level. Basically, he’s a ball-hawking playmaker.
No. 14
Kenny Irons
RB, SR, Auburn
After losing a talented core of players following their undefeated 2004 campaign, Auburn was supposed to have a down year. And given that two of those players were running backs who went in the top 5 picks of the NFL Draft, the Tigers were definitely supposed to struggle running the ball. But the Tigers finished 9-3 and Irons, who had transferred after two years at South Carolina, led the SEC in rushing yards (1,293) and touchdowns (13). He’s very durable and wears defenses down.
No. 13
Michael Bush
RB, SR, Louisville
6-3, 250 pounds: A running back’s body just isn’t supposed to feature these dimensions. And Bush isn’t another ‘Fridge -- he’s very athletic and has some wheels. The Louisville native rushed for 1,143 yards and 23 touchdowns in 10 games and led the nation by averaging 14.4 points per game. He caught 21 balls for 253 yards and a touchdown.
No. 12
Levi Brown
LT, SR, Penn State
Brown has NFL size (6-5, 325 pounds), earned second-team All-America status and plays left tackle – one of the most coveted positions in the NFL Draft. So it’s safe to say that he could have easily cashed in had he turned pro. But Brown decided that he’d join Posluszny for a senior swan song. Brown will have to play a big leadership role, as he’s Penn State’s only returning starter on the offensive line.
No. 11
Ted Ginn
WR, JR, Ohio State
It's become pretty obvious that blowing up in a nationally-televised BCS game can increase your juice a bit (see: Vince Young). Ginn ran circles around Notre Dame's defense in Sun Devil Stadium, catching eight balls for 167 yards and a touchdown and adding a 68-yard score on a reverse for good measure. Although Ginn's a bit undersized (6-feet, 175 pounds), he boasts true track speed having been a national champion in the 110 high hurdles in high school.
No. 10
Patrick Willis
SR, LB, Ole Miss
Didn’t think the best player you’ve never heard of could come from the SEC, did you? Well, when a talented high school player chooses Ole Miss and his surname isn’t “Manning,” this may just be his plight. A second-team All-America, Willis led the nation in solo tackles per game (nine) and finished with 128 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. The resilient Willis achieved all of this while battling through an assortment of injuries, including a broken finger that forced him to wear a club-like cast for a few games.
Sidney Rice
WR, R-Soph., South Carolina
Some folks are already claiming that this is the best receiver Steve Spurrier has ever coached. While extremely bold, ultra hype of this sort is far from unwarranted. After redshirting his first season because of a hyperextended knee, Rice earned first-team All-SEC honors last year after leading the league in receiving yards (1,143) and receiving touchdowns (13). The 6-4, 190-pounder originally intended to play basketball as well, and his athleticism is a thing to behold
No. 19
Quentin Moses
DE, SR, Georgia
In his first year starting, Moses finished second in the SEC in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (20.5), earning him first-team All-SEC honors. He flirted with going pro, but returned to Georgia to anchor the defense and develop his skills. This probably wasn’t a bad decision, because at 6-5, 248 pounds he’s still a bit undersized for an NFL defensive end. But he does boast an explosive first step off the edge and should terrorize SEC defenses again in 2006.
No. 18
Darren McFadden
RB, Soph., Arkansas
McFadden arrived in Fayetteville as the type of super recruit that Arkansas rarely snags away from other SEC schools. And the North Little Rock native lived up to the hype, rushing for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns and earning first-team All-SEC honors. He did this while playing most of the season with torn cartilage in his left knee. His bruising running style fits his 6-2, 210-pound frame, but he also possesses breakaway speed
No. 17
Steve Slaton
RB, Soph., West Virginia
Quite possibly the nation’s best running back east of Reggie Bush in the second half of last season, Slaton emerged from deep in the depth chart to wrestle the starting job away from a talented group of runners in the sixth game of the season. Quietly, as is the norm when it comes to football in the new Big East, Slaton shredded conference opponents, including Louisville, which he torched for 188 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Slaton stayed relatively unknown until the Mountaineers upset Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, where he had an MVP-winning 204 yards rushing and three touchdowns
No. 16
Mike Hart
RB, JR, Michigan
Simply put, the entire Michigan offense flourishes when Hart is in the game. But after a breakout freshman year in 2004, Hart was hampered by hamstring and ankle injuries most of last season. Hart’s small stature (5-9 on a good day, 190 pounds) would lead you to believe that he’s a gimmicky scat back, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. His size does work to his advantage, as no tackler can get low enough to administer a square blow on him. He runs like a 220-pounder, racking up loads of yards after first contact.
No. 15
LaRon Landry
FS, SR, LSU
In Landry’s first three years starting, from 2003-2005, he earned All-SEC honors every year and LSU finished first, third and third nationally in total defense. Landry was also named third-team AP All America in 2005 -- oddly enough, the only year he didn’t lead the Tigers in tackles. Landry made an 11th-hour decision to return for his senior year. At 6-2, 204 pounds, he can pack a powerful punch, but it’s his exquisite centerfield instincts that make Landry a prime candidate for the next level. Basically, he’s a ball-hawking playmaker.
No. 14
Kenny Irons
RB, SR, Auburn
After losing a talented core of players following their undefeated 2004 campaign, Auburn was supposed to have a down year. And given that two of those players were running backs who went in the top 5 picks of the NFL Draft, the Tigers were definitely supposed to struggle running the ball. But the Tigers finished 9-3 and Irons, who had transferred after two years at South Carolina, led the SEC in rushing yards (1,293) and touchdowns (13). He’s very durable and wears defenses down.
No. 13
Michael Bush
RB, SR, Louisville
6-3, 250 pounds: A running back’s body just isn’t supposed to feature these dimensions. And Bush isn’t another ‘Fridge -- he’s very athletic and has some wheels. The Louisville native rushed for 1,143 yards and 23 touchdowns in 10 games and led the nation by averaging 14.4 points per game. He caught 21 balls for 253 yards and a touchdown.
No. 12
Levi Brown
LT, SR, Penn State
Brown has NFL size (6-5, 325 pounds), earned second-team All-America status and plays left tackle – one of the most coveted positions in the NFL Draft. So it’s safe to say that he could have easily cashed in had he turned pro. But Brown decided that he’d join Posluszny for a senior swan song. Brown will have to play a big leadership role, as he’s Penn State’s only returning starter on the offensive line.
No. 11
Ted Ginn
WR, JR, Ohio State
It's become pretty obvious that blowing up in a nationally-televised BCS game can increase your juice a bit (see: Vince Young). Ginn ran circles around Notre Dame's defense in Sun Devil Stadium, catching eight balls for 167 yards and a touchdown and adding a 68-yard score on a reverse for good measure. Although Ginn's a bit undersized (6-feet, 175 pounds), he boasts true track speed having been a national champion in the 110 high hurdles in high school.
No. 10
Patrick Willis
SR, LB, Ole Miss
Didn’t think the best player you’ve never heard of could come from the SEC, did you? Well, when a talented high school player chooses Ole Miss and his surname isn’t “Manning,” this may just be his plight. A second-team All-America, Willis led the nation in solo tackles per game (nine) and finished with 128 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. The resilient Willis achieved all of this while battling through an assortment of injuries, including a broken finger that forced him to wear a club-like cast for a few games.