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.
# 9 Jeff Samardzija WR, SR, Notre Dame Before last season, Samardzija -- who doubles as the ace pitcher of Notre Dame?s baseball team -- most likely had plans to finish off his football career at Notre Dame so he could pursue a career in the Major Leagues. But 77 catches for 1,249 yards and 15 touchdowns can complicate things a bit. After the 2006 season, the 6-5, 220-pounder -- who only became a starter last year because Rhema McKnight went down with a knee injury -- should be a top-notch prospect for the NFL Draft. #8 Marshawn Lynch RB, JR, Cal Isn?t Jeff Tedford supposed to be a quarterback guru and mastermind of the aerial assault? Cal finished in the top 10 nationally in rushing for its second consecutive season, and Lynch led the way with 1,246 (averaging 6.4 yards) and 10 touchdowns in 10 games. At 6-2, 215 pounds, Lynch uses his speed and relentless running style to make big plays. He and talented RB Justin Forcett should give Cal the best running duo in the nation next season. #7 Calvin Johnson WR, JR, Georgia Tech Georgia Tech?s most highly touted recruit in recent years, Johnson immediately made his presence felt in 2004, grabbing 48 balls for 837 yards and seven TDs and proving unstoppable in single coverage. Although Tech fielded a very mediocre offense overall last season, making Johnson the No. 1 focus of opposing defenses, he still produced -- 54 catches for 888 yards and six scores. This physical specimen compliments a massive frame (6-4, 230 pounds) with burner speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and stellar acrobatics. #6 Brian Brohm QB, JR, Louisville Brohm -- hailed as the top QB in his class coming out of high school -- passed up on offers from many of the nation?s elite programs to follow in the footsteps of his father and two older brothers by suiting up for Louisville. After earning significant time behind Stefan LeFors (and being named C-USA Freshman of the Year) during his freshman season, Brohm was crowned the Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2005, throwing for 2,883 yards for 19 TDs to just five interceptions in 10 games. Brohm tore his ACL in late November, so this ranking depends on his recovery, especially since his mobility has been an asset. But his size (6-4, 225 pounds), arm strength and wise-beyond-his-years poise scream Sunday. #5 Troy Smith QB, SR, Ohio State A poor man?s Vince Young ? for now. Smith finished fourth in the nation in passing efficiency -- throwing for 2,282 yards and 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions -- and rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns. Smith has a penchant for the big game, as evidenced by his combined stats the last two years against Michigan (541 yards passing with three touchdowns and 182 yards and two touchdowns on the ground) and his MVP performance in the Fiesta Bowl (342 yards passing and two touchdowns and another 82 yards on the ground). #4 Paul Posluszny LB, SR Penn State A knee injury ? paritial tears of the PCL and MCL -- sustained in the Orange Bowl was probably the only thing that kept ?Poz? from taking his services to the NFL following his junior year, during which he earned the Butkus and Bednarik awards for the nation?s top linebacker and defensive player, respectively. A consummate leader with brute strength, pro size and deceptive speed, Posluszny is just the latest installment at ?Linebacker U.? #3 Dwayne Jarrett WR, JR, USC Matt Leinart's roommate was also his favorite target for the past two years. After overcoming an early spell of homesickness in 2004, the 6-5, 205-pound New Jersey native immediately helped fans get over the loss of Mike Williams by compiling astonishing numbers in his first two seasons (146 catches for 2,123 yards and 29 TDs). With the mass exodus of talented offensive specialty players (Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, LanDale White and Dominique Byrd), look for the Trojan offense to run through No. 8. #2 Brady Quinn QB, SR, Notre Dame Just one year ago, Quinn was a mediocre quarterback in a downtrodden program. Oh, what a difference a Weis makes. Under the tutelidge of Charlie Weis, Quinn finished third in the nation in passing yards (3,919) and threw 32 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. While Quinn will be without two valuable ball-catchers next year in WR Maurice Stovall and TE Anthony Fasano, he?ll still have his favorite target, All-America WR Jeff Samardzija, and gets back WR Rhema McKnight, who took a medical redshirt after injuring his knee early last year. #1 Adrian Peterson RB, JR, Oklahoma After bursting onto the scene in 2004 with the most prolific rushing season ever by a freshman (1,925 yards and 15 TDs) and finishing second in Heisman voting, Peterson's hype faded a bit in his sophomore campaign as he missed some time with a badly sprained ankle and Oklahoma fell from grace. But the player whom some thought could go straight to the pros out of high school still rushed for 1,108 yards and 14 TDs in limited action.
I agree with the top 5, but I think that Brohm is way overrated. Ted Ginn Jr. should be higher on that list--I see him as a Heisman contender.
Not a bad effort, overrating a few guys based on bowl game performances and ignored defense for a large part. Sidney Rice should be higher, he and the big 3 all deserve to be top ten. Ginn should be lower down, he needs to re-prove himself next season after a down soph. year. I will say that, even though I'm a huge fan of Jarrett's, Calvin Johnson is just an absolute freak of nature. I heard some workout numbers from him that made me just shudder. 6-5, 235 running back to back 4.3's, and hands made of pure silk. Could be the first WR to go #1 since Key.
On the other hand Johnson was easy to rattle last season. If a corner can hit him at the line and get help from a competent safety it's very possible to take him off his game.
Didn't see that at all. When I watched him he was unstoppable. Vs Miami he was covered by Kelly Jennings with two 06 national honors candidates at safety shading over towards him and he still made it look like practice out there.
