In case you missed it, Sportsbyfletch is running down a preseason top 50 players for the 2009 college football season. We've gone from No.50 until No.30. Let's continue the countdown....
29. Rolando McClain, LB @ Bama. McClain was a leader from the moment he stepped onto the Tuscaloosa campus and now, entering his junior year, he is one of the best LBs in the SEC. McClain is a Saban guy and along with Donta Hightower they might have one of the best LB tandems in the south. (well, maybe other than UGA with Curran and Washington or Gamble)
28. Zac Robinson, QB @ Okie State. This guy can throw and run but with Hunter in the backfield, he just needs to throw...and throw to Bryant. Robinson is exciting to watch he really is an extension of Mike Gundy on the field. Like an appendix.
27. Robert Griffin, QB @ Baylor. This guy is pretty dadgum close to Michael Vick, on-the-field-wise. He can run and throw, too bad he has nothing around him and he plays in the Big 12 South. Otherwise he would have led his team to a BCS bowl. Just remember this...Griffin is entering his sophomore year. And he's getting a pretty good RB in Waco this year. The Bears fortunes may be turning around soon!
26. Ciron Black, OT @ LSU. He could have been a top 20 pick in the last NFL draft and he came back to Red Stick. This guy will once again anchor the LSU running game and will protect whomever is under center. If you are going to sack the Tiger QB, you'd better send someone off the right tackle. PS, Les Miles says this guy got even better....
25. Dexter McCluster, WR/RB/WC @ Ole Miss. McCluster gives Snead a downfield option as well as a Wild Rebel option. Look for his stats to get even bigger now that he is the number one receiver target and now that everyone is more comfortable with Houston Nutt's offense.
24. Russell Wilson, QB @ NCState. The Richmond, VA product was a dual-threat as the QB position last year and he should be even better after being pushed by Mike Glennon. Wilson can pull it down or air it out and look for his emergence as a sophomore to coincide with the Wolfpack's really starting to play well again (I guess I can say Again, and hearken back the Philip Rivers era. HEY COOL, The Champs Sports Bowl!)
23. AJ Green, WR @ UGA. It was always a debate between Green and Julio Jones as to who had the better freshman season. The numbers say it was Green (who caught the GW TD pass against UK, for the record) but honestly, as a Georgia fan, I can say that Jones had the better year. MAYBE though it was because Green was never fully healthy and now his groin has officially healed and he might be ready to explode. Next season's list could be VERY DIFFERENT!
22. Terrelle Pryor, QB @ tOSU. This guy is another guy that is on here based on potential, but the difference between Pryor and McKnight is that I've had a taste of what Pryor can do, so he is higher. I know he is just scratching the surface and he might be closest thing to Vince Young, only in a Buckeye uni and not the Longhorn Burnt orange and white. Too bad Pryor plays for Sweatervest because I'd love to see Pryor at his full ability.
21. Quizz Rodgers. Ladies and gentlemen the man who SINGLE HANDEDLY kept the Trojans out of the BCS championship game in 2008-09! He slowed down the stretch, but boy he was zonetastic in that game. If healthy, Quizz will put on another show as a sophomore.
20. Daryll Clark, QB @ Penn State. Clark nearly brought JoePa into the year 2002 with his OptionHD skillz. But not really. Clark is the best player on Penn State, and you could maybe call him a preseason All-Big11 QB, but that is like being the tallest midget. Yeah! I rule over a bunch of enh. waaahooooo! But the Body's wife is a Penn State fan and Body is the commissioner of the Big11, so I have to give him a few props, otherwise I lose one of my seven readers...
19. CJ Spiller, RB @ Klimpsen. I honestly laughed when CJ Spiller said he would only stick around for his senior if Dabo was kept on as head coach. Ummm, CJ, you forgot to mention that is was also because you were in danger of going in the 5th round of the NFL draft. James Davis is a better NFL-type back and where did he go in the draft, CJ? But this is a college list and thus we will break down Spiller college-wise. Get this guy in space and he is unstoppable. Give him the ball on the screen with a blocker or two and look for him in the endzone. I remember watching this cat as a frosh when he DESTROYED Jon Tenuta's defense. I think we annoyed EVERYONE at Taco Mac that night screaming, "TENUTA!" everytime CJ took a screen for 60 yards. To sum up: Deadly with the ball in space with a blocker, Liar, no future in NFL.
18. George Selvie, DE @ USF. This is another "He's still there?" guy. Even though he is not your typical size for an end, he still tears up the Big East and is clearly the best player in that conference. He could go on to an Elvis Dumervil-type NFL career. As far as this college this season, look for him to rack up the stats against Rutgers and Louisville and the rest of the Big East.
17. Terrence Cody, DT @ Bama. Mount Cody has reportedly lost a bit of weight, which means he's down to 420? This guy took Bama as far as they went last year as he just shallowed up offensive linemen, thus freeing up McClain and Hightower. Those two are VERY happy he returned. Cody might be a top 25 pick in the 2010 NFL draft as he has an NFL body RIGHT NOW. There might now be a more dominant player in college football. Kind of like how Shaq could have won MVP every year because he was so dominant. He goes underappreciated IMHO.
16. Greg Hardy, DR @ Ole Miss. Another Rebel? Just you wait, Sir. Hardy returned for his senior year and under Nutt, should get even better. Hardy will likely take defensive player of the year honors over Spikes and Cody, just because Ole Miss is the trendy pick, but also because he deserves it. He might have a tougher go at it with no Peria Jerry, but Hardy is still a beast.
15. Kendall Hunter, RB @ Okie State. I hope they don't let this terror loose on KR and PR teams because this Cowboy will be doing the Hokey Pokey in the endzone. Now that the Pokes have a running game, the opening game of the season really does shift in favor of Okie State. I will be interested to see how he does against Georgia's run defense, but I fear he is going to shred it.
14. Julio Jones, WR @ Bama. Just a physical specimen, no doubt about it. He is 6'4 and built like a champion. Not a burner, but he doesn't have to be. He can still go get it and good luck trying to single cover him. He will draw enough attention (even with a cruddy unknown QB) that the running game should flourish, which is what Saban wants.
13. Arrelious Benn, WR @ Illi. My preseason Big 11 player of the year, this kid, despite what Paul Mac says, really is the real deal. As far as receivers go, he is polished and could start in the NFL tomorrow. After a year of catching balls from Juice, look for him in the top 17 in the 2010 NFL draft.
12. Jeff Owens, DT @ UGA. The highest Dawg I have (no pun intended. He doesn't play Safety for Georgia Tech, after all!) returns and should pick up where he left off in 2007. He WILL blow up the Oline and let Houston and Battle rush the QB and he'll clear blockers for Curran and CO to make plays from the LB spot. Very excited to have this guy back. Get over that injury and best of luck to ya, Jeff.
11. Brandon Spikes, LB @ UF. When this guy focuses, he is a beast. He was focused against LSU and Georgia last year and they owned it. Get the focus together (actually, as a Dawg fan, lose your focus in Jacksonville, please?) and he can be the best defensive player in the country. He is to the defense what Tebow is to the Gator offense and you KNOW Urban is happy to have him back. Kind of like Andruw Jones though, I feel. Like I said, if he loses the focus, he can be had. Sooooo, send strippers and coke to his hotel room the night before the game.
Coming up Monday....10-1.
In case you were looking for Rennie Curran, Jimmy Clausen, or Golden Tate, sorry. Not in the top 10. Was that a spoiler?
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