USC has a hole to fill in the middle

David Wharton Los Angeles Times

The nose tackle's job -- on a lot of teams -- is pure grunt work. Absorb blockers, clog the middle, let the linebackers run free.

The USC defensive scheme calls for something different. The Trojans want their man in the muck to be disruptive, moving quick and low, using leverage to shed blocks and pursue the ball.

"It's a focal point," defensive coordinator Nick Holt said. "When we have good nose tackles, we're really, really good."

The last two starters at the position -- Mike Patterson and Sedrick Ellis -- left campus as All-Americans. Now, while much attention has focused on newcomers at quarterback and along the offensive line, the Trojans have a crucial opening on defense.

A few days into camp, junior Averell Spicer and sophomore Christian Tupou lead a mix of possibilities, with the additional option available of shifting senior Fili Moala, the starter at the other tackle spot, to help out.

The candidates are feeling the responsibility.

"It's like someone coming up and slapping you in the face," said Tupou, casting the situation in lineman's terms. "You've got to do something back."

The 6-foot-2, 295-pound Spicer ranks as heir apparent. Similar to Ellis in body type -- that quick and low thing -- he played enough last season to gain experience at the position.

But a bruised knee required off-season surgery, causing him to sit out spring practice and summer sessions.

"When guys were working out, I had to sit back and watch," he said. "They're looking at you like you're getting a break, but you're not. You want to be out there."

The younger Tupou spotted an opportunity.

At 6-2, 280 pounds, the sophomore impressed coaches in spring ball, then said he spent a good portion of his summer holed up in the football offices and in his dorm, watching films of Ellis and veteran teammate Moala.

"Their techniques, the way they play the run and their pass rushes," he said. "I'm trying to steal whatever they have so I can play at their level.

"It could be just one thing. How vicious they do the rip or how quick their first step was. Then I'll come out the next day and say this is my 'first step' day or my 'vicious rip' day."

The Trojans' recent tradition at nose guard began with Patterson, who showed up as an overweight freshman in 2001 and worked himself into a senior All-American, drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles.

His play was predicated on unusually quick hands and a low center of gravity.

"He set the example of what a USC nose tackle was really supposed to be all about," Ellis said in 2005.

More of a strength player, Ellis did him one better by making All-American twice, and recently signed as a first-round pick with the New Orleans Saints.

Spicer said he learned from both men. Patterson told him during a recruiting trip to focus on a quick start, while Ellis taught him to get after the ball.

"Say the center doesn't try to block me, I have to get a hand on him to slow him up from getting to the [linebacker]," Spicer explained. "But I don't have to take that block for the next guy. I just have to give them a chance to beat the center and I get freed up as well."

Given the inherent brutality of the position -- grappling amid 300-pound bodies, taking on multiple blockers -- the Trojans probably will need a couple of reliable nose tackles to rotate through the lineup as the season progresses.

Holt mentions freshman DaJohn Harris among other candidates. He would rather not shift Moala.

"We might do some of that," the coordinator said. "I don't think we're going to need to because I think Averell Spicer and Christian Tupou or one of those other guys are going to be just fine."

The coaches intend to bring Spicer along gradually over the next few weeks, allowing him to gain strength without reinjuring his knee. "He's working back in there," Holt said.

Spicer is less patient.

"Ever since I've been here, my philosophy is I can't let anybody younger beat me out," he said. "Now I'm the oldest nose tackle, so I plan not to let that happen."

As the elder statesman, Spicer appreciates not only the responsibility of playing his position, but also the potential rewards.

"I watched the guys before me," he said. "Our system, the way our defense plays, it gives the nose tackle a lot of opportunities to make tackles."

Vidal Hazelton ready to be a leader among Trojans receivers

Gary Klein and David Wharton Los Angeles Times

Vidal Hazelton heard the criticism and could not ignore the constant comparisons as USC's receivers struggled last season.

Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith were gone, but the expectations remained.

"We were getting the bad attention," Hazelton said Thursday. "We're just going to use that for our motivation this year. We've got like a chip on our shoulder. We're the big question on the offense."

Hazelton, a junior from New York, arrived at training camp completely healthy for the first time since early in his freshman season.

In 2007, Hazelton led Trojans wide receivers with 50 catches, including four touchdowns. He did so despite a lingering abdominal injury that was finally corrected with surgery last spring.

"I feel a million times better," Hazelton said. "I remember last year I had to get a shot [during training camp] to ease the pain."

Arkansas transfer Damian Williams is among an influx of newcomers who hope to combine with Hazelton, senior Patrick Turner and others to help receivers perform to the Trojans' pre-2007 standard.

"Me and [Turner] are taking a leadership role with the younger guys," Hazelton said. "We're not going to let the same mistake happen."



Backup plan

With Mark Sanchez off to an efficient start, quarterback Mitch Mustain was asked if he could unseat the fourth-year junior as the starter.

"It might be a stretch in the next two weeks or so," said Mustain, who had a pass intercepted. "Mark's done pretty well the last couple days.

"I don't see him turning away from that. But it's a long season and we've got to be ready to go. Last year was proof of that. [Aaron] Corp and I just have to be ready to go."

McKnight perseveres

Midway through practice, running back Joe McKnight caught a short pass in the left flat, gave a quick head-and-shoulders fake and burst upfield. It was an impressive move given that McKnight wasn't expected to be on the field.

The sophomore, who rolled his ankle on a hard cut the day before, started Thursday on the sideline working with a trainer.

"They told me I wasn't going to practice," he said. "I kept asking them and they let me."

McKnight got in about an hour's work, showing no ill effects, but said he still did not feel entirely healthy.

"I'll just work my way through the pain," he said.

Falling in line

By the end of practice, Alex Parsons looked tired but smiled. The junior offensive lineman, a convert from defense in last fall's training camp, ran much of the day with the first offensive unit, filling the left guard spot left vacant by Jeff Byers and his lingering flu symptoms.

Parsons said the line missed Byers' veteran leadership, but he liked being on the field so much. "It's a good thing," he said. "I'm getting in there."

Offensive line coach Pat Ruel, also suffering from flu -- "I probably got it from Byers," he quipped -- said Parsons was a good example of why he wasn't worried about his starting guard's absence.

"It helps us develop some other players, that's all," he said.

His patience might wear out after a week or so, when he said the top linemen need to begin working together to develop a rhythm. Byers, who went through non-contact drills Thursday, said he expected to return soon.

Quick kicks

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt stood on the sideline with Athletic Director Mike Garrett. McCourt called himself a fan of the team and said that, having attended games, he wanted a chance to watch practice. . . . Receiver Jordan Cameron, a transfer from Ventura College, impressed for the second day with several leaping catches. . . . Freshman offensive lineman Tyron Smith suffered an ankle sprain and sat out most of practice.

Q&A with Hogue and JJ on 2008 USC Trojans

Garry Paskwietz WeAreSC.com

With fall camp rapidly approaching, WeAreSC publisher Garry Paskwietz sat down recently with Trojan stars turned media analysts John Jackson and Jeremy Hogue to get their thoughts on the upcoming season and the prospects for this USC team.

GP: OK, as we sit here right now, what are you thinking for 2008?

JH: Personally, I'm really excited. If you would've looked going into last year I think they had a lot more returners, especially on the offensive side, and when you look at the guys we do have coming back on offense this year, running back and wide receiver, it's not like anybody has really established themselves yet at those spots. Even with that, I'm really excited. I think the defense is going to lead the team, especially early on and I think by the middle of the year the offense will be strong as the offensive line comes together. I'm excited to see Mark (Sanchez) at quarterback, I think he's going to be a great quarterback at USC. I'm excited to see all these running backs to see who will emerge. For me, as an offensive lineman, I think the key will be the offensive line and by the middle of the year I think they are just going to be outstanding. They are so athletic, so big and physical, if they can really mature and be physical I think they're going to have the ability to take over games. If they can do that, it will set us up to have a great year.

JJ: I think it's exciting as well. I think this is a team that Pete Carroll really likes. In terms of a defensive team, he's always dreamed of having a defense like this. Last year's defense was good but this year should be better, especially with the improved secondary play which gives him a lot of flexibility in terms of blitzes and stuff like that. I also think this group of leaders, the upperclassmen, this is about the time several years ago when Pete Carroll really got the recruiting thing going at such a high level. From that point, it seems like every kid coming our way was a 4 or 5 star, was an ESPN Top 150 guy, and now our roster is filled with those guys.

GP: Do you go so far as to say this might be Carroll's most talented team?

JH: I think it's the deepest team.

JJ: Definitely, in terms of depth, this team is right there. The 2005 team, at least offensively, was special but defensively there were some holes that were magnified when guys got hurt. Last year, again, a lot of talent but when some offensive linemen started getting hurt, they had to turn to some inexperienced guys and they just couldn't gel in time as a unit. Individually, I though Butch Lewis did a great job stepping in, I thought Kris O'Dowd was fantastic. It wasn't that these guys weren't talented, they are, it just cost us in terms of playing as a unit and it really showed when John David went down and we had to plug Mark in there. It just kind of snuck up on us with all the missing parts. This year, if a guy goes down, you won't see any drop-off, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If a guy down, you may not even notice the difference.

JH: To me, the question is, if you're talking about the most talented team, is how far do you have to go back to find a more talented team from top to bottom? You probably have to go back to those late 70's SC teams with Marcus Allen, Ronnie Lott and those guys to find this kind of depth on an SC roster. The question is, who will emerge as that special type of player? Will it be Mark Sanchez, can he reach that Leinart level? Is there a running back who can emerge like that, who can be that special playmaker? We all know that in college football, one or two of those special players, on either side of the ball, can make or break a season and be the difference in winning a national championship.

JJ: One more thing, last year the question came up about that defense being the best in Pete Carroll's tenure, the question came up a lot before the season and Pete always gave the same answer. He would say "yes, they are comparable to the Orange Bowl title defense in terms of talent but the difference is that we know that Orange Bowl defense went out and made the plays. Will this defense? We don't know yet, check back at the end of the year". Last year, it took 6 or 7 games before the defense started making plays. You saw it at the Oregon State game where they started getting interceptions and making plays. In 2005, that defense just had a knack for doing it. So, the point is, it's one thing to say you are talented but it's another to say you played the best. I don't think the talent of the 2005 defense could touch last year but the difference is that 2005 defense had more playmaking ability. This 2008 defense, they have that same type of ability but they will need to go out and make plays, create turnovers, cause havoc and all that. You want to be that kind of defense where offenses don't even want to go on the field against you.

GP: Well, let's start of talking about the offense. Mark Sanchez, we've all had a chance to see him going back to his high school days but this is something different. Now he's the man in control of what might be the most high profile position of the most high profile program in the country. Your thoughts on Mark.

JH: I'm excited for Mark. I think he's at the right spot at the right time. It's his job, there is no real competition any more. Going back to spring, Mark never let it turn into a serious competition because he played at such a high level. He played the way the coaches were hoping he would play. His attitude, his demeanor, his enthusiasm, it all comes into play. It's his team now. I think he has that "it" factor in terms of his charisma and leadership skills to lead this kind of offense. If SC is unbeaten through 6 or 7 games it wouldn't surprise me if his name starts being tossed around in the Heisman mix for 2009.

GP: JJ, one thing that Jeremy mentioned was the "it" factor for a quarterback. You played with a guy, Rodney Peete, who everyone will admit was a great athlete but who also had that "it" factor. How important is that for a QB to have?

JJ: It's critical. A lot of times with a quarterback, it's not how he might play in practice, or how he might look in a workout, but more importantly do you have that winning attitude during the game. It's hard to explain but it's something other players gravitate to and they can see it in your eyes. If you are that kind of a player, and when your teammates are in the huddle looking you in the eyes, you better have that look of confidence that you're going to be able to get it done. If you come in looking scared or nervous, the other guys are going to pick up on that. In Mark's case, he definitely had that factor in high school and it's one of the things that made him such a great player. The most important thing for Mark, and this wasn't the case last year, is that USC as a team needs to realize that they are a defensive team. The offense really just needs to be the support. It takes a little as an offensive player to humble yourself in that situation. It wasn't like that in 2005 when Matt and Reggie were here, that year we were an offensive team. This year, Mark needs to understand that we are a defensive team again and the offense doesn't need to score a ton of points for us to win. The offense needs to control the football, limit mistakes and don't force a bad situation. You don't need to do anything rash with this defense behind you. Against Stanford last year, it was a perfect example when we threw on 3rd and 15. We didn't need to do that, especially with young receivers. Run the ball, punt and let your defense take care of the rest. You gotta know who you are, this is important for the entire offense and for Mark in particular since he is the general out there. Once he understands that, once he realizes he doesn't need to put up 40 points for us to win, that will be the first step in a big year for him. He will benefit by having receivers with more experience than last year, he's got a lot of guys with a lot of reps. On top of that, his work ethic is second to none so you can't even question that. I like what Jeremy said, with everything around him it is really set up for Mark to play well.

GP: Let's move to running back. Everyone talked last year about how deep this group was, and it was very good,but I think this year is going to be better. I think we have a great variety of backs who complement each other well and they have some good experience.

JH: I think there are two different things you need to talk about in terms of the running back position at USC. First, you have to say what you think of them as runners. It's a group with great variety, as you said. Allen Bradford is a big powerful back. Stafon Johnson can be physical but he's also very elusive. C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight are smaller, faster, quicker guys. The second question is, what is the philosophy of this coaching staff when it comes to using these backs? This is not going to be a Marcus Allen type offense where the tailback gets 35 carries and just takes over the game in the 4th quarter. That's just not the way these coaches approach the position and I don't see that changing. This will be a shared load, guys will get their touches and the coaches will try to put them in the best positions to succeed. It wouldn't surprise me if one week Stafon is the Pac-10 Player of the Week and the next week it is Joe, it could be any of them on any given Saturday. They are all that good, it's just a matter of match-ups and what is working to see who will stand out from week to week. For me, I'm excited that we have the kind of depth and talent because we've seen what can happen with injuries at this spot.

JJ: For me the key is the fact that they all have different styles. I think Stafon is probably the best overall back with all things combined. McKnight is phenomenal, a big play threat. Joe would be an outstanding receiver if he just focused on that. C.J. has a great dynamic, a great knack, vision, a slashing type runner. You have all these guys with different styles so you need to be creative about how you get them all in. In my opinion, this system is really set up for Stafon to do well and the reason I say that is because he has the ability to make something happen when nothing is there, he can make guys miss and get positive yardage. A perfect example is the Cal game last year. A guy came unblocked on a 3rd and two but Stafon put a spin move on him and got the first down. Stafon also has tremendous vision which is something that you see in great running backs. What makes it great to have so many guys behind him, who can do different things, is that you can be creative and the defense won't know what's coming next. The key is not creating tendencies, you can't become predictable based on who is in the game. The adjustment the running backs have to make is that they won't get the ball every play, something all these guys were used to in high school.

GP: Talk about the job the coaches do in attracting the top running backs even though these guys know they won't be getting the ball 25 times a game. That's a pretty amazing achievement in itself.

JH: I don't know how they do it. It all comes down to Pete Carroll and recruiting. Somehow he is able to get these guys when they know they are going to be one of many. I don't know how else to comment because to me it's just an incredible accomplishment. He just challenges them to prove they are the best by coming in and competing on the best team in college football. There are always going to be guys who respond to that.

JJ: I also think football changes, the evolution of the game, and today's players realize that it may not be in their best interest to carry the ball 25 . times per game. If a guy gets a ton of carries in college, he gets beat up, worn out. Another thing is that a lot of NFL teams are going to two back systems and so you will start to see more and more colleges do it as well. Teams are realizing as players are getting bigger, stronger and faster that more and more injuries can happen so it makes sense to take less carries and save the wear and tear on your body. If you look across the Pac-10, very few guys are carrying it full time. I think it's better for the players in the long run.

GP: Let's talk about our fullback, we've got a pretty good one.

JH: He's the complete package. So well rounded. He can run, catch and block. He could potentially be one of the best receiving fullbacks USC has ever had. We have to hope he stays healthy because I don't know how much depth is behind him. We need him in there because good offensive coordinators know how to use a fullback, how to mix him in to keep the defense on their toes, it's a trademark of a good USC offense.

JJ: We talked earlier about how deep this team is but Havili is the one guy you can't lose. There are a lot of guys on the team who are valuable but Havili needs to be in there because we don't have anybody else who can do what he does. It's no slight on the other guys, it's just hard to find fullbacks who can run, block, pass block and catch as well as Havili does. He doesn't just run the ball, he's a legitimate threat with the ball in his hands. To find that in a fullback is rare, a rare situation.

GP: Let's go to receiver, a position I think we all would agree under-achieved last year. This year, you can almost call it a position of strength.

JH: JJ knows this position so I'll let him talk about but to me this position is the epitome of what we talked about earlier in terms of depth and talent vs playmakers. You look at this group on paper or on the practice field and you think "wow, that's impressive" but when you look at the total of last season, you ask yourself "where are they?" Don't get me wrong, guys had good games in there, guys made some plays here and there, but we didn't have that one guy who could strike at any given time no matter what. Last year opposing defenses didn't respect our receivers, they would line up to play the run and Fred Davis. This year I think they will be a huge part of our offense.

JJ: I think last year this group went into the season thinking they knew what their responsibility was but once they got into the season they realized they didn't know how big that responsibility really was. Other teams were putting pressure on them to make plays and they didn't deliver enough, by recent USC standards. When you first start off playing receiver, a lot of things are moving fast in your mind. It's a tough position. Your back is to the play and you have to have this clock in your head to tell you when to turn around and look for the ball. When you don't have experience, it's tough but I thought our guys got better as the year went along. Patrick Turner played better in the second half of the season. Vidal Hazelton played much better as the year went on. You would expect that from guys in their first year starting, to improve as the year goes along. In order to play receiver, you need to understand that the team doesn't need you until the game is on the line (laughing). They don't need you when they are up by 14. They don't need you until they are down and they need a big play. That's the responsibility of being a receiver. Damian Williams proved in the spring that he's going to be a guy to contend with. He has all the tools, good size, catches the ball well and has a good grounded game. His presence has made everybody else better just by him being there. Teammates, coaches and fans all recognize that this guy is the real deal and it has forced the other receivers to step up their game. I seem them out there working out and it seems like the level of commitment is higher than it was a year ago. Hazelton last year showed that he can make plays, that he can run after the catch, that he's a strong guy. I didn't expect to see that, he's a lot stronger than I thought. Turner, we know he is physically the most imposing receiver we have. If he can continue to right the ship and play like he did at the end of last year, that gives you three guys who are more than capable. Carswell, I'd like to see them get the ball to him because I think he's a big time threat. Travon Patterson, I would love to see him get downfield as a vertical threat. Ausberry is another physically imposing guy who can do some damage in the red zone. You can almost rotate the receivers like you do with the running backs, different guys for different situations. If done properly, it can be a very effective receiving corps.

GP: Shifting to tight end, we lose one of the best tight ends we've seen in Fred Davis but there is still plenty of talent there.

JH: I think Blake Ayles is going to be given a shot to come in and see what he can do. He's got receiver-type skills for the tight end position, a really athletic guy. It's hard to get in the game if that's all you do, at some point you have to solidify your ability to block. I think we've got plenty of talent at the position. It was a luxury last year to have Fred because he was somewhat able to save the receiver position. It would not disappoint me this year to see our tight end take on more of a traditional role with the receivers stepping up to get more of the catches.

JJ: With Blake, he definitely has the receiving skills but, to Jeremy's point, he has to learn how to block at this level and that's a big transition to make. Anthony McCoy, he's got a lot of tools and the good thing for him is that all the other skill position players will take pressure off of him. He won't be asked to carry the team at times like Fred was last year. Do the math, when you've got all these talented skill guys at running back and receiver, the defense can only focus on so many guys so the tight end spot should get some opportunities. With that being said, it will be important for the tight ends as a group to play well early in camp to gain Mark's confidence because, if they don't, he has too many other options.

GP: Going down to the trenches, I think we would all agree this will be a major area of focus early in the season to see how this groups comes together. As Jeremy said earlier, the overall potential is there.

JH: Having gone to the spring practices and to the Trojan Huddle, I was impressed, and I know the coaches were impressed, with how quickly this group showed they will be able to fill the shoes on the line. I mean, they played exceptionally well in the spring and it was a different group all the time. Between O'Dowd and Byers at center and left guard, those are your two solid starters, but there are six other guys fighting for the other three spots and that's not even counting the possibility of a freshman getting in the mix early. I know we saw a depth chart coming out of spring but when you talk to the coaches you get the sense that, yeah, the depth chart is there but it's still not set yet. I know I can't tell you who the final five will be. I really like Thomas Herring, how big and strong he is, and right now I would say he's on the outside looking in. I think Charles Brown and Butch Lewis are both big and athletic guys who got some good experience last year. Then you've got guys like Nick Howell, Alex Parsons, Zack Heberer, all those guys are in the mix. I like how they fight, I like how they play, I think they are smart guys and I think they are more athletic than the SC offensive lines we've seen in recent years. Nothing against the guys we've had recently but if you look at these guys they can just be so much more athletic. By the middle of the season, we could be calling the offensive line a strength of the team.

JH: As a former center, give us your thoughts on O'Dowd.

JH: He's incredibly impressive to me. He played so well early last year. Against Nebraska he was terrific but Nebraska was just overmatched against our schemes and it almost made guys like O'Dowd look too good. I liked going out to practice and to see how he did lining up every day against Sedrick Ellis. Now that is really going to test you to see how good you are. For him to be out there at 18-19 years old and holding his own physically, holding his own technique-wise, it shows the sky is the limit. As much as the coaches praised him for last year, he didn't know what the hell he was doing. People were making calls for him and half the time he would be in the right spot, half the time he wouldn't. This year he's really emerged, he knows his stuff, he knows his line calls. He, with Byers next to him, are clearly the leaders on the line who can get everybody else on the same page.

JJ: I'll start with O'Dowd. The thing that really impressed me last year was that he only had really a month to hit the SC weight room program prior to the start of the season yet he was able to physically match-up with the guts he went against. I like that and the fact that he basically came in and told everybody he was going to start. That's the kind of attitude you need, especially at the center spot because I think the center kind of sets the tone for the rest of the line in terms of what kind of identity they will have. I think Byers is going to have a great year. He had so much adversity early in his career with injuries and having him healthy has been a big key. Butch Lewis, if you want to talk about guys who stepped up to help win the Pac-10 title, I think you have to mention him. He didn't give up a sack in the time he took over when Sam Baker was hurt and, frankly, it was hard to notice a drop-off when he was in there. It's a toss-up at right guard with two talented guys pushing each other so we'll see what happens there. I would love to see Herring put it together, we've been talking about his potential for so many years now. I think it will be Charles Brown at right tackle and his spot is critical because we will need to run the ball behind him.

GP: OK, why don't we flip over to defense. On the line, we lose two first rounders and I don't care who you are, that's going to hurt. But we have a guy coming back in Fili Moala who ESPN projects as the #1 pick in the draft next year. Averell Spicer is getting his chance, we know what Everson Griffen can do, Kyle Moore. This is not an untalented group.

JH: To me, the line is the question on both sides of the ball. On defense this is clearly the case. As much as I love Fili, and as much as I would love to see Spicer step up, no matter how much I appreciate the kind of athlete that Griffen is, it's just going to be hard to replace Jackson and Ellis. Not only were they great players, they were amazingly great players. Ellis was probably the best interior defensive lineman we've seen in the Pete Carroll era. Guys like Shaun Cody, Mike Patterson...Ellis is better than all of them. He was that good. He was constantly double-teamed and he was good against both the run and pass. So was LJ. Look at Griffen right now, he is a pass rush stud but his play against the run needs to step up. Kyle Moore is a little bit the same way. To me, if this defense doesn't reach their potential, it will be because the line didn't gel the right way. Don't get me wrong, I really like Fili Moala, I think Spicer has a chance to be a very good player. I just have some concerns, I'm also not sold on the depth, I don't think we have a lot of depth on the line. Christian Tupou brings it on every play but he's a little undersized. He's one of those guys coaches are always going to love because he makes plays in practice and you have to think that will translate to the games.

JJ: The big question on the line is "who is going to draw the double team?" because there are five offensive linemen and four defensive linemen so somebody is getting double teamed. Sed was a great player and he made his share of plays but his biggest value to the team was taking the double team and allowing other guys to make plays.

JH: Absolutely.

JJ: That, to me, was his true value. Rey Maualuga is the Rey we know in part because he had Sed taking care of two guys in front of him. Cushing, Rivers, all those guys, they had Sed occupying two guys on most every play.

JH: We saw it at times last year when an offensive lineman was able to get out on our linebackers and contain them. Any good offensive lineman will be able to control a linebacker. The question is, can we keep those guys off our linebackers? Last year our linebackers were running sideline to sideline, free as can be, making plays and celebrating because they had a great defensive line in front of them.

JJ: I think early on the other teams are going to try and single team our defensive lineman to see if they can do it. If they single team, and if one of our guys starts to have some good games, then the offense will have to make the adjustment. That will be a key stat, can some of our defensive linemen get off to a fast start and demand the double team.

GP: I can't imagine too many better scenarios than to have Rey and Cushing coming back for their senior year and they aren't the only players we've got in this group. Very special unit.

JH: No doubt about it. I know for Cush it has to be exciting to be back at that true linebacker position. I'm sure they will get him involved in the passing game, bringing him on blitzes and stuff. He and Rey are known quantities. In spring, it was just a matter of waiting to see when Rey would knock somebody out. Unfortunately for Patrick Turner, he always seemed to be the guy. It's going to be like that in the games for Rey, people just waiting for that big hit. If he can play disciplined and assignment football, he could lead the team in tackles and be a Butkus finalist. He is that kind of a player. As much as I loved Keith Rivers, he was one of my favorite players on the defense, when Kaluka Maiava was in the game you didn't lose anything. I think it's great for Kaluka to finally get his time. Guys like Luthur Brown, Malcolm Smith, there is depth there as well. I am definitely not worried about the linebacker group for the USC Trojans this year.

GP: And we didn't even mention a guy like Clay Matthews, who in the spring might have been as dominant as anyone.

JH: No doubt. Clay is another one of those guys who plays both the run and the pass well. He's a great pass rush guy but he can also come up and play the run. It seems like every time he's on the field he makes positive plays. The depth at linebacker is phenomenal.

JJ: I think Clay is a little bit of a catch-all. If you aren't having success in the regular 4-3, you can shift to the Elephant defense and put him at the end spot. He's one of those guys that the opponents probably aren't too worried about but he will make his plays. Last year I thought there were times when he should've started, he was playing better than any of them. I realize that is saying a lot but he has a great presence and he understands the game well.

JH: He's one of those guys we were talking about earlier, you have guys with talent and you have guys who are playmakers. Matt Grootegoed was one of those guys. Matt was a playmaker, so is Clay. Stripping the ball, blocking kicks, he's a gamer. The thing is with those guys, it doesn't matter where they are lined up on the depth chart, they will find their way onto the field.

JJ: You also have to give credit to Rey and Cushing for looking at what Rivers did last year, he came back and learned more about the game. There's no doubt that both Rey and Cush are physically able to play in the NFL right now but they could both benefit by coming back and getting more learning about the game. When you look at Rey, there aren't really too many linebackers in SC history who can touch him in terms of talent and physical play, but how much will he raise his mental game this year? That will be the difference between being one of the top linebackers taken and being the first linebacker taken. With Cushing, his work ethic is phenomenal, I don't think people realize how fast he is. He's also got a very good knack for the defensive philosophies of the game. These two, along with Maiava, will probably make up one of the elite linebacker groups in the nation.

GP: Going back to the secondary, I think we would all agree this is a tremendous group.

JH: To me, the conversation sort of begins and ends with Kevin Ellison. I think going into this year, from where I sit, he's my favorite player on this team. He is that difference maker back there, he's that guy, the one who makes the big hit when you need it. He tends to sometimes get forgotten in the conversation because there are so many good guys back there but he's one of Pete Carroll's favorite players, that's for sure. To me, he doesn't have the size of Taylor Mays or all that stuff but Ellison is a football player. He's a Troy Polamalu type of guy. He might have that kind of year where everbody remembers him by the end of the season.

JJ: Kevin is the guy who is the glue to the defense. He's the most experienced guy back there. I saw down with him one on one for an interview once and he knows the opponents tendencies as good as the coaches do. Coaches spend hours and hours breaking down film and Kevin can take the information the coaches process to him and apply it to the field. We watched film and he showed me a play where the running back ran a certain key play which allowed Kevin to jump the play and come in to make the hit. Sometimes he will do that and the people in the stands will say "what a great call" but really it's just him knowing what to do at the right time. He's one of the smartest players I've ever been around and that goes back to a guy like Mark Carrier. Kevin is a lot like Mark. With Taylor Mays, I think the mental part of the game is starting to catch up to his immense physical tools. He looks to be that confident and dominant player that everyone knows he can be. He's definitely one of those can't miss guys for the NFL. As far as the corner spot, I think this is one of the key positions that will impact the defense. It doesn't matter how many receivers the other team throws out there, one or two or three or even four receiver sets, we've got enough corners to match up one on one with them. This gives the coaches amazing flexibility. Think about it, if the corners can take care of their guys, it gives Kevin Ellison the opportunity to blitz or jump routes rather than strictly focus on his pass defense responsibilities. You give Ellison that kind of freedom, it will allow him to make a ton of plays. One of the reasons Troy Polamalu was so great is because he had corners who could play man. With Ellison and Mays, we've got two guys who can take advantage of that when needed. Look at the way we played defense last year from the Oregon State game on. Offenses were confused, they didn't know what to do. It was because we were able to blitz a lot more and we were playing a lot more man. These corners will be able to match up like that.

GP: Your talking four very good corners.

JH: You almost don't care who plays. Yes, there will be a depth chart but they are all four going to get their reps and they are all extremely talented. I'm not just impressed with how well they cover guys, I'm impressed with how well they come up and play the run. Cornerbacks who can come up and tackle the way these guys do, they can really set the tone for a defense. When a running back is coming around the edge and a corner comes up and just smacks him, those are great moments for the team. Corners just don't do that. Most cover corners sit back and don't like to hit people. Think of Deion Sanders, he just liked to sit back and cover but he didn't want to hit anybody.

GP: Deion was the corner JJ beat for his only NFL touchdown.

JJ: That's right.

JH: I did not know that. Well, all four of our corners are looking for that opportunity to come up and smack someone. You've got to love that.

JJ: With corners who can tackle, it gives Nick Holt a lot of chances to change up his run calls. You don't have to bring that safety up to stop the run if you have Josh Pinkard there with the ability to fight off the fullback and make the play. A lot of corners will be diving at the ankles of the fullback, not these guys. Cary Harris loves to hit people, Shareece Wright loves to hit people...

JH: Ooh, yes he does.

JJ: Having corners like this allows you to run a lot of different schemes. They all bring a little something different to the table too. Pinkard is a little taller, a little more physical. Shareece is a big hitter. Cary Harris is good at run support and he makes plays. Kevin Thomas, when he was younger, was the best cover corner we had in my opinion. He was locked up one on one against his man in the National Title game vs Texas. Because they have so many different skills, it allows them to match up with almost any receiver. No matter who the other teams throw out there, you have an answer. That's what is exciting to me.

JH: And like JJ said, it causes so many problems for the opposing offense. There are some good passing offenses in the Pac-10, I like ASU's quarterback, you know Cal and Oregon are going to be able to throw the ball, but those teams are going to face defenses that need to keep all the guys back in the secondary in order to compete. Against USC, that won't be the case and those teams won't have seen that before. A lot of the offensive lines we face won't have seen blitz packages like the ones we will bring. It all goes back to the faith they have in those corners.

GP: Let's talk some special teams.

JJ: Well, with Buehler, he's got such a strong leg that he helps us by pinning the opponent back in their field position. Woidneck was good last year and I think he'll be a year better. The return game, in my opinion, is in great hands. Ronald Johnson was phenomenal last year on kickoff return, that spot really took off for the first time in years. Punt return, they have to fix something, they have way too much talent not to be one of the best punt return teams in the country. I think they need to double team the gunners more, slow them down and give our returners a chance to make a play. With a talent like McKnight back there, or even Travon or Stafon, those guys are way too good if you give them an opportunity. They will make plays.

JH: I look at the SC special teams, outside of the kicking game which has been strong, if you look back three or four years ago our kick and punt coverage teams have not been strong. Kick returns, we had Reggie break one every now and then, but recently we've been able to minimize the deficiencies somewhat. We don't see as many big plays from the opponent on special teams as we used to. As far as our inability to make plays on special teams, a lot of it has to do with the coaching philosophy of just get us the ball and let our offense get on the field. With the guys we have, we should be making more big plays.

GP: Ok, that was a pretty good recap. Now, let's talk a few other things. Freshmen, who are you excited to see from this incoming class?

JH: I'll go to the offensive line since that's the position I follow most. I know they're going to throw Khaled Holmes in there to see what he can do but I'm always skeptical about a true freshman coming in right away. Another guy I'm excited to see, primarily because of what the coaches told me, is Tyron Smith. He has a chance to be one of the best athlete linemen we've seen at USC. For me to say that, I played with a guy named Tony Boselli who was a big, mean, physical guy but the thing that made Tony good was that he was such a great athlete. He had such good feet. To me, when I hear the coaches talk about a guy like Tyron, to hear them say he has a chance to be as good as someone like Boselli, that really gets me excited to see how he develops.

JJ: I think there might be some opportunity on the o-line, primarily because so much is up in the air right now. Someone like Kalil, Holmes or Matt Meyer could take advantage of an opportunity to penetrate the rotation. Other than that, the only guy I'm really keeping an eye on is Bryant. His opportunities might be limited because of the depth ahead of him. There is so much talent on this team that the freshmen may not have a huge impact this year but this class will be a great class for USC by the time they are done.

GP: Two-part question. Talk about the Ohio State game and then talk about a "trap" game that could pose a problem for the Trojans.

JH: I think the Ohio State game is huge. I think they go back to Virginia, which lost a lot of players and isn't even as good as they were last year. That's a game that SC loves, on the road, back east and they will try to make a statement. To then have two weeks to prepare for Ohio State at the Coliseum, a place where they don't lose, I think they take care of the Buckeyes and, once again, make a statement. SC has missed out on chances the last two years to face them in the national championship game and this is their chance to kind of say to the nation "hey, here we are". The trap game, Garry, you've heard me say it many times. Find me a routine game on the road, usually early in the year. I look at Oregon State on a Thursday night. I don't think it happens there because it happened there two years ago. I don't know when it will be but look for a game like that to be a scare.

JJ: To get ready for Ohio State, the main thing I'm going to be looking for is how many blown assignments so they have against Virginia. How many times will a defender come free? How will they handle things when they are facing live bullets? If they show good cohesiveness against Virginia and don't make many mistakes, I will feel more comfortable against Ohio State. I obviously like the fact that we are playing at home. I think it comes down to whichever defense can create the most opportunities or whichever offense throws the game away.

JH: I look at the match-up of the Ohio State offensive line vs the USC defensive line. Again, our line is the question mark on the defense but I think they are going to rise up to this challenge, be physical and keep the o-line off of our linebackers. I don't expect them to run the ball but then I don't expect them to make enough plays in the passing game to stay with us. Again, I think it's one of those statement games that we get up for, we game plan well for, and I expect us to physically dominate Ohio State. I know that's a lot to say because Ohio State is a big, physical team but that's what I expect. One of the interesting things is, what are they going to do with Terrell Pryor? They have a senior QB returning who led them to the BCS title game last year, a guy who I think is good not great, and I think Pete Carroll fully expects that they will have a couple series for Pryor during that game as a change of pace.

JJ: It's going to be a classic size against speed like it is so often with the Pac-10 vs Big 10 and I think the reason Ohio State hasn't won the national title in the last two years is because the other teams were faster. The same thing has happened when SC played Big 10 teams in the Rose Bowl the last few years. It's not that they don't have good players, they just can't block what they can't reach. The speed factor has always been there and it will be there this year too. In terms of a trap game, I look at Washington even though it's at home. Washington has confidence that they can play with SC. A lot of Pac-10 teams just don't think they can beat SC but Washington has played the Trojans tough over the last few years. They also have Locker who is a year older and causes problems for SC.

GP: We talked a lot about needing to find a playmaker this year. Give me your thoughts on who that might be and then give a prediction for the season.

JH: I think Mark Sanchez and Damian Williams may end up being that combination where it becomes automatic when we need a big play. Those are the two I'm watching most closely but it could also be someone like Vidal Hazelton. I think Vidal grew a lot as the season went along last year. As for my prediction, maybe I'm a homer but I think we go unbeaten through the first part of the season, roll through November and then we're headed to Miami.

JJ: I'll go with Stafon Johnson for the playmaker and the reason why is because he waited his turn, he got his opportunity last year, his focus in there now and he definitely has the ability. The better Stafon plays, the better SC plays. If he runs well, it keeps the defense off the field. If he runs well, it takes pressure off the passing game. To me, he's sort of the barometer of how this offense will go. In terms of the season,I would love to say I think they will go undefeated but I think somewhere along the line they will trip up. I don't think it will be a big game like Ohio State, UCLA or Notre Dame but I do think they slip up although they still end up in Miami.

GP: Let's hope we're hanging in South Beach for the New Years. Thanks guys, look forward to seeing you both at fall camp.

At Southern Cal, quarterback spotlight shifts to Sanchez

David Leon Moore USATODAY.com

LOS ANGELES — Being chosen as the next quarterback at Southern California has become a little like being picked as the next cover model for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

Lots of attention.

Lots of exposure.

And a guarantee of looking good.

At least that's the way it's been in the last six years.

Counting Carson Palmer's senior year, Matt Leinart's three years as a starter and John David Booty's two, Trojans quarterbacks have put up huge numbers and lots of victories and have capitalized nicely.

Palmer and Leinart won the Heisman Trophy and were selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Booty, a lesser physical talent but 20-3 as a starter, was a first-team all-Pacific 10 Conference pick and selected in the fifth round of this year's draft.

Those six years with Palmer, Leinart and Booty resulted in a record six consecutive Bowl Championship Series appearances.

Now it's time for Mark Sanchez, a redshirt junior who waited three years for this chance and can't wait to take control and show everybody what the Trojans believe is a world of talent and leadership abilities.

In late spring, after a rest from spring practice and just starting to get together with his receivers for regular summer throwing sessions, Sanchez gives the impression of an energetic Labrador retriever eager for a long walk through the woods.

He recites the talent around him and the opportunities that await the Trojans in what could be a chance at a third national championship under coach Pete Carroll.

He compares his position to that of a new driver with an elite racing team.

"I'm in the driver's seat, and if I handle that Porsche well and steer clear of the bumps in the road, things will be smooth," he says.

Sanchez learned his skills as a prep star in ultra-competitive Orange County (Calif.) high school football. He learned leadership from his father who, as a captain with the Orange County Fire Department, has led men into some of the most dangerous California wildfires.

Now, after waiting for Leinart and Booty to move on, he is 6 feet 3, 225 pounds, 21 years old and possesses what his coaches say is the strongest arm for a USC quarterback since the cannon-armed Palmer.

Despite a well-documented off-the-field incident — he was arrested after his freshman season in April 2006 for investigation of sexual assault but was not charged — the USC football family raves about his leadership and intangibles.

"He is extremely well prepared," offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian says. "He has natural leadership abilities. Now that he's earned the starting job, we're seeing those leadership and motivational skills blossom. The rest of the kids are feeding off him."

Carroll and Sarkisian have more understanding of Sanchez than they would of a typical new starter. That's because Sanchez filled in for an injured Booty during the middle of last season.

He started three games — a 20-13 home victory against Arizona, a 38-0 win at Notre Dame and a 24-17 loss at Oregon.

At Notre Dame, he threw for 235 yards and four touchdowns and won USC's player of the game award.

At Oregon, one of the toughest places in the country for a visiting team, he made several nice plays but threw two second-half interceptions.

Overall, appearing in eight games, the completed 60.5% of his passes with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

In Sanchez, USC coaches saw a bundle of talent and energy who had the skills to lead a great offense but needed to harness his creativity and improve his decision-making.

"The first thing we learned is that he's very energetic," Sarkisian says. "He likes to move in the pocket and make plays. That's a great quality, but there's a fine line there. You want him to allow the plays to work but you don't want to put him in a straitjacket. You want him to create plays, yes, but not try to play that way."

Sanchez appears to have gotten the message.

"There's a lot of big-play potential in our receivers and backs," he says. "If these guys break one tackle, with the speed and talent they have, they could go all the way. So the faster I can get rid of the ball and get it in their hands, the better off we'll be.

"It's not all on me. I just happen to be the trigger man. It's not like I'm going to go into a game thinking I have to throw this many touchdown passes and for this many yards. You can't think like that."

Sanchez is clearly the No. 1 QB, but if he falters in big early tests at Virginia and at home against Ohio State, there is an intriguing backup in sophomore Mitch Mustain, who sat out last season after transferring from Arkansas. For the Hogs, Mustain was 8-0 as a starter as a true freshman in 2006.

"The competition at USC is always ongoing," Sanchez says. "There was some fierce competition in the spring from Mitch and Aaron (Corp, a redshirt freshman). It was fun, and we're all great friends about it. Some people don't understand that, but it's true. When we're in our quarterback room, we're all trying to win. We're all trying to beat whatever defense we're up against."

But only one gets to play. In taking over the position at which Palmer, Leinart and Booty excelled, there is the inevitable pressure and the big expectations.

Sanchez looks ready and feels ready.

"I feel so confident about the upcoming season," he says. "More than anything, those three games I played last year confirmed to me that this is a game I love and this is what I was born to do. I couldn't wait to play."

Stop us if you've heard this before: Buckeyes top Dawgs

Dennis Dodd CBSSports.com

Against the tide of an emerging preseason consensus ... against the wishes Fox, which frowns on televising re-runs in January ... against my better judgment...

Ohio State is No. 1.

For now, in the CBSSports.com post-spring top 25, but maybe right up until kickoff. Yeah, I know, you've already seen this movie. The outcome is more predictable than an M. Night Shyamalan film, and twice as scary. The Buckeyes are good enough for the Big Ten, but hopelessly outclassed in the big game. Oh, the humanity.

I know, it's getting bo-ring. How long, you ask, can this cow be milked?

Answer: Grab an udder, Zeke.

Ohio State looks like the best thing on 44 legs right now. That is a reference to the starting 22, of which 18 are returning starters. We're talking some of the nation's best, most-decorated players -- tailback Beanie Wells, linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive back Malcolm Jenkins. Heck, quarterback Todd Boeckman already is rated one of the best quarterbacks available in the 2009 draft.

Todd Boeckman?

Oh, there's this Terrelle Pryor kid too.

I can feel Georgia Nation's hate right now. Like everyone else, I was falling in love with the Bulldogs. They had the momentum, the coach, the talent. But Georgia did lose twice last season and didn't play in the SEC title game. (The truth hurts, so does a three-touchdown loss to Tennessee) The Dawgs are going to have to do better than that -- then win the SEC championship game -- before getting to South Florida.

Ohio State? Jim Tressel has coached his Bucks to three of the last six BCS title games, winning one, so let's not go into full mock mode here. However, the Big Ten has become so soft that even if Ohio State loses to USC on Sept. 13, it should be able to recover to play for the national championship.

This being Ohio State, though, there's always a chance -- make that a probability -- for a third consecutive national championship for the SEC. The Bucks are 0-9 against the SEC in bowl games and Georgia is sitting there at No. 2 ready to rip out its chunk of scarlet-and-gray flesh.

The post-spring top 25

1. Ohio State: Thirteen juniors explored the draft, only one declared -- Vernon Gholston. That should tell you that the Bucks are absolutely loaded. Mix in the roll of baby-soft Charmin known as the Big Ten schedule and this is the team to beat.

Pre-spring : 4

2. Georgia: Upon further review the schedule is too tough and the questions too significant to keep the Dawgs at No. 1. That back-to-back at LSU and against Florida in Jacksonville is daunting. That's not to say they can't get to the BCS championship game.

Pre-spring: 1

3. Oklahoma: If the Sooners didn't have to play bowl games, they'd be the team of the decade. Unfortunately, Bob Stoops has lost four consecutive BCS bowls. That's enough motivation for OU to win its sixth Big 12 title since 2000.

Pre-spring: 2

4. USC: Mark Sanchez all but won the quarterback job in the spring. If tailback Joe McKnight makes up for a dropped class in summer school, he will be used Reggie Bush-style. Uh, that would be on the field, not in the courtroom.

Pre-spring: 3

5. Missouri: The offense and defense will be better. Heisman finalist Chase Daniel will be throwing to All-American Jeremy Maclin. Watch out for potential All-American safety William Moore.

Pre-spring: 5

6. Florida: The only questions are the defense and how to keep Tim Tebow upright and healthy. Forget about winning another Heisman, Tebow has to become more of a pocket passer. Tailback Emmanuel Moody had some problems picking up the spread in the spring.

Pre-spring: 6

7. Kansas: New defensive coordinator (Clint Bowen), but perhaps a better defense. The spring was spent breaking in a couple of new offensive tackles. Todd Reesing and the rest of the Jayhawks aren't going away.

Pre-spring: 7

8. Texas: New DC Will Muschamp doesn't have the horses yet but his scheme will be enough to keep the Longhorns in national championship contention. The offense is solid with QB Colt McCoy and TB Vondrell McGee. Expect an eighth consecutive 10-win season.

Pre-spring: 8

9. West Virginia: Is there a more elusive quarterback than Patrick White? Is there a faster breakaway runner than Noel Devine? The Mountaineers remain the class of the Big East in Bill Stewart's first season.

Pre-spring: 10

10. Auburn: Guess who just became the favorite in the SEC West with Ryan Perrilloux leaving Baton Rouge? The Fighting Sabans get most of the headlines in the state, but Tommy Tuberville and his re-tooled offense will walk the walk.

Pre-spring: 15

11. Texas Tech: The Defense Department doesn't have this much firepower. The defense should be decent too. This is Mike Leach's best team in Lubbock. If Texas Tech doesn't challenge for the Big 12 South title this season, it never will.

Pre-spring: 12

12. Illinois: Heart-and-soul guys J Leman and Rashard Mendenhall are gone. Few in Champaign are sweating, though. The Illini will know where they're heading by early October. By then they will have played Missouri and taken trips to Penn State and Michigan.

Pre-spring: 13

13. Clemson: One returner in the offensive line. Other than that the Tigers are loaded with perhaps the best backfield in the country (Cullen Harper, James Davis, C.J. Spiller). Nothing less than an ACC title will do.

Pre-spring: 17

14. BYU: The Cougars start the season with the nation's longest winning streak (10). That, and the best BYU team since the LaVell Edwards' days.

Pre-spring: 16

15. Wisconsin: Spring ended with the quarterback situation unsettled. But who needs a rocket arm with the Badgers' running game and tight end Travis Beckum?

Pre-spring: 14

16. LSU: Perrilloux leaving will cost Les Miles the SEC West. A schedule that includes eight home games will soften the blow. The season opener against Appalachian State just became huge with an inexperienced quarterback playing against the defending I-AA champions. Don't laugh. Ask Michigan.

Pre-spring: 9

17. Virginia Tech: The defending ACC champs will take a tumble this season. It's a positive that tailback Brandon Ore was kicked off the team but that doesn't mean the Hokies won't miss him. There's a lot of rebuilding to be done here.

Pre-spring: 11

18. Arizona State: Dennis Erickson won 10 games and a share of the Pac-10 title in his first season. The Sun Devils won't surprise people this year but they will be solid. The offensive line must be shored up. The 55 sacks allowed were third-worst in the nation.

Pre-spring: 18

19. South Florida: Ranked No. 2 at one point, the Bulls slumped, finishing 5-4. If the Bulls make it to Dec. 6 in the Big East title hunt, it will be a good year. The regular season ends that day at West Virginia. Most of the offense is back. The defense still has All-American defensive end George Selvie.

Pre-spring: 19

20. Tennessee: Phil Fulmer just keeps re-inventing himself. From the depths of SEC hell, he coached the Vols to the SEC title game in 2007. They'll finish third in the East (at best) this season. Wait, isn't that what folks said last season?

Pre-spring: 20

21. Connecticut: How many remember that the Huskies shared the Big East title last season? Thought so. Randy Edsall is developing into one of the nation's hottest coaches with a bunch no-name players.

Pre-spring: 21

22. Pittsburgh: The feel good vibe from the West Virginia win hasn't diminished yet. Dave Wannstedt might finally be putting it together. Tailback LeSean McCoy was a freshman All-American who surpassed some of Tony Dorsett's freshman numbers. Linebacker Scott McKillop led the nation in tackles.

Pre-spring: 22

23. Michigan State: The Spartans seem to be everyone's sleeper for '08. This is a program ready to turn the corner. All six of Michigan State's losses were by a touchdown or less. Tailback Javon Ringer was held out of the spring because of shoulder surgery.

Pre-spring: NR

24. Fresno State: If The Bulldogs get past Rutgers, Wisconsin, UCLA and Boise State, they could be playing in the Orange Bowl. What's more likely is that Pat Hill will upset at least one of those teams and win nine games.

Pre-spring: 24

25. Cincinnati: The spring was spent hoping that quarterback Ben Mauk would get a sixth year of eligibility. The NCAA shot him down. Mauk isn't through appealing but senior Dustin Grutza (24 career touchdown passes) will be capable. Brian Kelly has 16 starters back.

Pre-spring: NR

Dropped out: Penn State, Wake Forest

Predictions for 2008 season

FOX Sports

ACC

Champion: Virginia Tech

The Hokies have some big holes to fill at skill positions on offense with the loss of RB Brandon Ore and each of their top four receivers from last year, but quarterback Sean Glennon is back for his senior season. On top of that, the strength of Virginia Tech has been its defense and special teams and that's where the Hokies are strongest in 2008. CB Victor Harris and FS Kam Chancellor lead what could be one of the top secondaries in the country and LB Cam Martin and DE Orion Martin will create havoc up front. The defense will also be assisted by an efficient offense that will protect the football. Glennon threw only five picks last season in 235 attempts and with another year of experience under his belt that trend will continue.

Read more at...

As Texas gets ready for fall practice, get all your Longhorns info, including team news, recruiting updates and much more at Scout.com.

I know, I know, how can I pick a team whose best option at running back is some guy named Jahre Cheeseman? (Seriously. That's not a made-up name. Cheeseman.) But Cheeseman is a better running back than most people know. Last year he averaged 6.3 yards per carry (21 attempts for 133 yards), thanks mostly to a 70-yard run against Georgia Tech.

This year will be his time to shine and in 2008 the ACC will behold the power of cheese.

Overachiever: Maryland

The Terps are buried in the conference preseason rankings behind popular picks such as Wake Forest, Miami and Clemson, but Maryland will end up having a stronger 2008 than most expect. One of the reasons for the lower ranking is the uncertainty at quarterback with Chris Turner, Jordan Steffy and Florida transfer Josh Portis all in the mix.

However, these three will have a senior-laden offense line to work behind and an athletic defense to keep the pressure off the offense. If one of the senior receivers, like 6-foot-3, 200-pound split end Isaiah Williams, can provide a reliable target for whomever wins the QB battle and sophomore running back Da'Rel Scott has a breakout year, quarterback may be the least of Maryland's opponents' concerns.

The prediction here is that Maryland surprises by winning the ACC Atlantic and earning a spot in the conference championship game. They'll lose the ACC championship to Virginia Tech, but it'll still be a better-than-expected 2008 for the Terps.

Underachiever: Clemson

The Clemson Tigers are ranked in the top 10 by many publications and are picked to win the ACC by many more. But a team with offensive line issues and question marks all over the place just doesn't scream "conference champion" to me.

Don't get me wrong, James Davis and C.J. Spiller are a freakishly good running backs and Cullen Harper's senior leadership will be invaluable, but talent-wise this is a good team, not a great one.

The running game will suffer from a very inexperienced O-line and the weapons, outside of senior Aaron Kelly, just aren't there at receiver. There are some bright spots, naturally, like a great group of defensive backs, but they aren't as solid top to bottom as their main rival for the conference championship, Virginia Tech.

The Tigers will finish 2008 better than they did in 2007 (a loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl), but this is simply a good team with far too lofty of expectations heaped upon it... much like the choice of underachiever over in the Big 12.

Big 12

Champion: Missouri

The reign of the South Division will come to a close in the Big 12.

In what will be considered a huge upset, the Missouri Tigers will win the Big 12 championship in a rematch of last year's game, topping OU in the much more comfortable confines of Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

The stars will be QB Chase Daniel and WR Jeremy Maclin, but the defense is what will put the Tigers over the top. Unlike most teams with the spread passing attack that Missouri sports, the defense is a legitimate threat, which is difficult to do considering how little ball control there is on offense. But with big-play threats like LB Sean Weatherspoon, FS William Moore and DE Stryker Sulak, the defense will be the real reason the Tigers will be successful in 2008.

Depth is a minor concern on defense, but if Missouri can stay relatively healthy it'll be the most dangerous team in the conference.

Overachiever: Texas A&M

Yeah. That's right. Texas A&M.

For the last few years the Aggies have been one of the best examples of misplaced priorities in college football. They took a purely pocket passing quarterback — one of the most prolific in Texas high school football history — and tried to run an option offense with him. They hired a defensive coordinator who was demoted and then cast off by their primary rival. They hired a head coach who didn't fit the community and never quite got "it." (You don't call Texas "T.U."...Yes, I understand, that's what your fans do. You're the coach.)

With the hiring of Mike Sherman, though, the Aggies will look decidedly different in 2008. The most obvious change is the switch to the I-formation, which fits much, much more to the current offensive personnel (limited options at receiver, a big fullback in Jorvorskie Lane, etc.).

The greatest concern with A&M moving forward, though, is recruiting. Sherman has a lot of ground to make up on the recruiting front. This is not to say high school coaches have been averse to him, just that he doesn't have the proven recruiting prowess of Mack Brown, Bob Stoops or Les Miles, the three coaches he'll be up against the most in recruiting battles.

But we're not talking about moving forward. We're talking about 2008 and the Aggies will be immediately better in 2008. Not, Big 12 champion better, but they won't be near the bottom of the conference as most are predicting.

There will be some growing pains and the consecutive victories over Texas win end at two, but Texas A&M will finish third in the South Division in 2008, much better than fifth, where they've been placed in the conference media preseason poll.

Underachiever: Texas Tech

Like Clemson, this is good football team that's having way too many praises heaped upon it.

One of the reasons for these praises is the primary problem with preseason rankings, namely the "I told you so" factor. Far, far too many of those responsible for the official preseason polls use schedule as a factor in ranking a team. Many teams are placed high, not based only on how good the team actually is, but also on how easy of a path it has. Thus, when they do reel off victories in their weak schedule, the columnist/TV host/whatever appears justified for his ranking, which was never given to represent how good the team actually is.

Tech is an example of this. A good team for sure, perhaps the best under Mike Leach in Lubbock, but an incomplete one. I've heard the song and dance about Texas Tech having a better defense before and I'm hearing it again, but the Red Raiders just don't have defensive athletes on the level of an Oklahoma or a Texas.

Some like to point out that if you start from when new DC Ruffin McNeil was hired and take out the Texas game, Texas Tech had the best defense — statistically — in the Big 12 last season. But the problem is specifically that you have to take out Texas' 59-point touchdown-a-palooza. It's like saying, "If you take out the times they were bad, they were really good."

I'm still waiting to see it on the field against legitimate competition. Even if the Red Raiders are 8-0 when Texas travels to Lubbock on Nov. 1, it won't mean that the Horns are facing a national title contender. I'm predicting a bumpy end to the 2008 season for Texas Tech.

Big East

Champion: West Virginia

Rich Rodriguez is still wearing Blue and Gold, he's just doing it in another state. But despite the loss of their head coach, the Mountaineers will still be a force to be reckoned with in the Big East.

Quarterback Pat White is back and is as dangerous a running threat as ever. He may have lost his running back from last year in Steve Slaton, but uber-talented sophomore Noel Devine steps right in and he's ready to explode onto the national scene. Helping Devine will be a tough offensive line, led by senior OT Ryan Stancheck. The defense is fast and athletic as well but won't have to be on the field that much due to the success of the running game.

In another league, West Virginia might be in a tougher fight, but in the steadily fading Big East the Mountaineers remain the class of the conference.

Overachiever: Louisville

Most are expecting a serious drop-off, with some picking Louisville near or even at the bottom of the conference. A large part of this is because of the graduation of quarterback Brian Brohm, but 6-4, 230-pound senior Hunter Cantwell is better than most people know. He may not have a great deal of experience, but he's got a cannon of an arm and the talent to make some noise.

There are lots of holes on defense and plenty of concerns, for sure, but Louisville will be able to put together a decent run in the conference and perform much better than expected.

Underachiever: Rutgers

Greg Schiano has put together a solid program at the state school of New Jersey, but this year will be a rebuilding one for the Scarlet Knights. Most publications have Rutgers near the top of the Big East, competing with South Florida and West Virginia for the conference crown, but the Knights are going to have some tough sledding.

Running back Ray Rice is gone and his production will be hard to replace. Rutgers plans on getting many of those yards through the air with receivers Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, the strength of the team, but with some serious holes on the offensive line it will be tough for quarterback Mike Teel to get the ball to his talented wideouts. The defense is full of talent but is relatively inexperienced. They'll make some plays on defense but give up some big ones as well.

Rutgers will have a decent team in '08, but it will primarily be a rebuilding year that bodes well for 2009.

Big Ten

Champion: Ohio State

The Buckeyes will be on top of the Big Ten, just as they have been for the past three seasons.

An experienced quarterback, a Heisman-trophy candidate running back and the toughest defense in the conference, if not the nation, all adds up to another conference championship for Jim Tressel. But as solid of a gameday coach as Tressel is, it's his ability to recruit top athletes that really puts Ohio State head and shoulders above the rest of the Big Ten.

No matter what the reason, be it better travel and communication leading recruits to better climates, poor coaching hires, talent spreading to the smaller conferences, scholarship limitations, natural talent cycle or whatever else, the talent-level of the Big 10 just isn't where it used to be. One only has to look at the speed of defenses in the SEC to see the difference. But while other programs in the conference have fallen off a bit, Ohio State has stayed strong. True, the last two seasons did end in disappointing blowouts, but they were each in the BCS Championship Game and Tressel has managed to keep his team among the best in the nation, even while some of his competition has fallen off. It will continue this season.

Overachiever: Michigan State

You don't know who Javon Ringer is, but you should.

The Michigan State running back is one of the best in the nation, but he hasn't received a great deal of hype because he, well, plays for Michigan State. The program still suffers from the stigma of the late-game and late-season collapses the team has suffered in recent years. But second-year head coach Mark Dantonio has done a great deal to change the attitude of his team and feel of Spartan football.

Michigan State won't compete for a Big Ten title in 2008 and there is some work to be done bringing the young receivers and linebackers up to speed, but the Spartans have some fight in them now and some relatively unknown players, like Ringer, who are better than most know. Expect a decent year from Michigan State.

Underachiever: Illinois

After making it to the Rose Bowl — and summarily getting trounced by USC — Illinois has become a popular pick in the Big Ten, generally getting picked second in the conference, just behind Ohio State. This year will be a disappointing one, though, for the Illini.

In last year's Rose Bowl, USC assaulted Illinois with a flurry of top-flight athletes and the Fighting Illini just couldn't keep up. There was only one player in orange who looked like he deserved to be on that field, Rashard Mendenhall, and he's now in the NFL. The committee of running backs set to replace him is decent, but I don't think people will really see how huge of a difference he made for Illinois until he's gone. Junior quarterback Juice Williams is back, but the running lanes will be a bit smaller for the speedy quarterback this season.

Now, this team does have talent. Ron Zook has done a greater job than anyone could have imagined at recruiting and he's got some players. For example, the nation will soon find out that sophomore Arrelious Benn is a huge weapon at receiver. However, this team is one season away from that talent kicking in.

I'm predicting a big 2009 for Illinois, but in 2008 its just not going to happen.

Pac-10

Champion: USC

Ho-hum. Another year, another Pac-10 championship for USC.

The Trojans are still a step in front of every other team in the conference and the trend will continue this season. There are four returning starters on the offensive line, there's plenty of talent at the quarterback position and almost everyone is back on defense, but the player who will get the most attention is sophomore running back Joe McKnight, who is set up for a huge 2008.

Expect USC to steamroll through the conference.

Overachiever: Oregon State

Few are expecting the Beavers to make any noise in 2008 and I probably shouldn't either.

There is very little experience on either side of the ball (all of the front seven on D graduated, for example), there's a quarterback controversy a-brewin' and by all accounts this shouldn't be a good season for Oregon State, but as I look up and down the roster I see play-makers here and there that can make a difference and, for some reason, I don't have a bad feeling about this team. WR/KR Sammie Stroughter is a dangerous weapon, CB Brandon Hughes has the potential to be a lock-down corner and both options at QB, Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao, are good players.

Perhaps what makes me most comfortable about this pick is the general talent level on the team. Most are picking Oregon State to do poorly because of inexperience, but head coach Mike Riley, while not blowing the doors off in recruiting, has built a solid base of talent that will be better than advertised this season.

This one is much less scientific and much more gut feeling, but I say Oregon State pulls off a couple upsets this season.

Underachiever: California

There's plenty of talent, for sure, across the board for Cal, but the Golden Bears always seem to come up a little short, primarily from sloppiness and mental errors.

Cal fell completely off the map last year with a horrendous turnaround, starting 5-0 and then ending the regular season 1-6. And it wasn't like they were getting blown out. In many... OK, all of those games the Bears were in it late and could have won before shooting themselves in the foot.

The numbers bear it out: Ninth in the Pac-10 in turnover margin, ninth in the Pac-10 in penalties.

Once again Cal's got talent and once again they're rated high in the conference, but I'm not convinced this is the year they'll put it together.

SEC

Champion: Georgia

The Bulldogs closed out their 2007 season by stomping Hawaii and it wasn't because of Hawaii not deserving to be there, it was because of how much Georgia did deserve to be there. Taking into consideration just how good they were at the end of the season and not total résumé (although an argument using total résumé could be used as well), the best team in the country last year may well have been Georgia.

The core of that team is back, including marquee players such as star running back Knowshon Moreno. This season, Georgia will take the conference crown.

Something that may give people pause for concern is an offensive line that starts four sophomores, but keep in mind that three starters from last year return. The line was even younger last season but managed to put together a tough group that really gelled by the end of the year, leading the offense to over 40 points in four of the final six games. It seems funny to say this about such a young line, but it may be one of the best units in the SEC this season.

Playing behind that line will be third-year starter Matt Stafford, a junior QB who plays smart and protects the football. He'll also have a great target to throw to in senior receiver Mohammed Massaquoi and the defense, which was exceptional last season, returns almost entirely intact.

Even with its tough schedule, Georgia is a great enough team this season to make a run at a national championship.

Overachiever: Tennessee

Quarterback questions have dogged the Vols for several seasons, but this year the team is Jonathan Crompton's and the 6-4, 220-pound junior brings an element of mobility that could make him and senior running back Arian Foster a dangerous combination.

This year's Tennessee Volunteers are getting buried in the rankings behind a lot of talented teams in the conference, but the experts may be underestimating an upperclassman-heavy team that could pull off some upsets in the SEC East. The defense will also get a boost from the return of junior safety Demetrice Morley, who missed all of last season with academic issues. He'll combine with sophomore Eric Berry to create one of the best safety tandems in the nation.

Underachiever: LSU

Expect a national championship hangover for LSU this season. As a program, the LSU Tigers are better for having finally jettisoned Ryan Perrilloux, but they're not a better football team for it. Perrilloux, for all his problems, was a supreme talent and whoever, be it Jarrett Lee or Andrew Hatch, wins the quarterback competition will have a tall task in front of him.

The defense will be fast, as always, but the D-line won't have the same pop without Glenn Dorsey completely wrecking shop in the middle. The Tigers will be good and have a decent season, but they won't win the SEC West as most are predicting and will be upset by a resurgent Auburn team for the West's spot in the conference championship game.

Other predictions...

Biggest Surprise of 2008: BYU goes undefeated in the regular season, crashes BCS party

I know I'm not the first one to make this prediction, but there's a reason why some predictors are jumping on the slowly growing Cougar bandwagon. There are a few potential land mines on the schedule (at Utah, at TCU, at Washington, vs. UCLA), but all of those are winnable for a surprisingly talented football team that surpassed all expectations by going 11-2 last season.

There always seems to be one team, a Hawaii, a Boise State, a Utah, that's good enough to run with the big dogs and in 2008, with experienced junior quarterback Max Hall (who led all sophomores in passing last season) and a tough running back tandem of Harvey Unga and Fui Vakapuna, that team will be the BYU Cougars.

Heisman Winner: Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

To be successful this season, the Ohio State Buckeyes need to play to their strength, which is the defense. That means protecting the football and pounding it on the ground with "Beanie" Wells. As a sophomore, Wells ran for 1,630 yards and 15 touchdowns and began to separate himself from the other great running backs in the nation. He also showed his talents in last season's BCS National Championship Game. Yes, the Buckeyes were blown out in the game and LSU had many more great athletes, but Beanie was the best athlete on the field. While the rest of the Ohio State offense was shut down, Wells still ran for 143 yards on 20 carries (7.3 yards per rush).

He'll be even better in 2008 and will bring home the Heisman.

National champion: USC over Georgia

Propelled by a Sept. 13 win over Ohio State, the USC Trojans will make short work of their Pac 10 opponents and coast into the national title game. The Trojans are by far the most complete team in college football — but by no means the greatest team ever; we all saw where that talk got us last time, no? — and will go undefeated in the regular season. They will also be the only undefeated team in the country (well, among the BCS conference teams. Don't forget about our friends the BYU Cougars). The ever-shortening gap between the top and bottom teams in college football has created situations like we saw last season, with everybody beating everybody and a two-loss team winning the national championship. That does, however, bode well for a team that has played a tough schedule and emerged from the fray with only one loss.

Enter Georgia.

Georgia has consistently been in the top three in preseason publications and the No. 1 team by many, but only a handful are predicting the Bulldogs will make it to the BCS National Championship Game. This doesn't have anything to do with the Dawgs' ability, but rather the seemingly inevitable fratricide that occurs in the SEC each year. But with only one undefeated team from a BCS conference in play, Georgia losing one game here or there — like to LSU on Oct. 25 or to Florida on Nov. 1 or to Auburn on Nov. 15 — won't stop the eventual SEC Champions from making it to Miami for a showdown with the Trojans.

USC will emerge victorious in a close contest and, since the Trojans will be returning huge offensive weapons like McKnight, quarterback Matt Sanchez and four offensive linemen for another run in 2009, the hype will begin to build and the question will again be asked, "Is this greatest team in the history of college football?"

How quickly we forget...

Well, those are my predictions. Since they are preseason college football prognostications, they, in all likelihood, will be wrong, but I calls 'em like I sees 'em and that's what I see happening across the college football landscape in 2008.

For all the latest on your favorite college football team, go to Scout.com.

Trial of USC football recruit Maurice Simmons nears end

David Wharton Los Angeles Times

On the day before the USC football team reports for training camp, a Compton jury heard final arguments in the criminal case against linebacker recruit Maurice Simmons.

The Compton Dominguez High graduate's college career has been placed on hold while he stands accused of felony robbery, assault with a firearm and a misdemeanor charge of allowing someone to bring a gun into his car.

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies arrested Simmons and a codefendant, Lamont Lee Hall, in March after they allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint on a Compton street.

Authorities said they found a handgun and the belongings of the alleged victim in Simmons' car.

On Monday, Simmons' attorney Michael Carney said his client was guilty of "being stupid" but not of a felony.

According to Carney, Simmons ran across Hall, a friend from middle school, and agreed to give him a ride. Hall pulled out a gun but Simmons drove him anyway because, Carney said, "as he terms it, he didn't want to punk out."

The pair stopped at a liquor store where Hall procured alcohol, then asked Simmons to take him to see a relative, the attorney said. Along the way, Hall allegedly told Simmons to pull over so he could talk with a man they spotted from the street.

Carney said that when Hall returned to the car, he did not appear to be carrying stolen property. The pair was arrested shortly thereafter.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Patrick Frye has previously said through a spokeswoman that Simmons is not alleged to have handled the gun at any time.

During the trial, a law enforcement officer testified that he noticed a gang reference on the screen of Simmons' cellphone. Carney argued that was impossible because the phone required a code to unlock.

"Lamont Hall is in a gang," he said. "I don't think you can go to a school in the whole city that doesn't have gang bangers."

Simmons offered to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge. Carney said the prosecutor declined.

As for Simmons' status at the start of football camp, USC Coach Pete Carroll has said he would "just have to wait and see what took place." School administrators will review Simmons' admission once the case is resolved.

Barkley tops ESPNU 150 List

WeAreSC.com

The first edition of the ESPNU Top 150 for the Class of 2009 debuted today with Trojan verbal Matt Barkley (QB, Mater Dei) leading the way as the #1 prospect on the list. USC is tied with LSU for most players on the list with nine verbally committed players.

Here's the press release from ESPNU:

In anticipation of the forthcoming high school football season ESPNU revealed the ESPNU 150 Class of 2009 (formerly the ESPN 150) during a special edition of ESPNU Recruiting Insider: ESPNU 150 on the network this evening. The ESPNU 150, a nationwide ranking of top prep football prospects, pulls from scouting information and evaluations of nearly 2,200 prep prospects compiled by ESPN Scouts Inc.

Leading the ESPNU 150 ranking as the top ranked high school football player in the country was Quarterback Matt Barkley from Mater Dei High School in Westlake Village, Calif. Barkley was joined in the top five by No.2 Russell Shepard (ATH/Cypress Ridge High School, Houston, Tex.), No.3 Aaron Murray (QB/Plant Senior High School, Tampa, Fla.), No.4 Devon Kennard (DE/Desert Vista High School, Phoenix, Ariz.) and No.5 Dre Kirkpatrick (BD/Gadsden High School, Gadsden, Ala.).

Of the top five in the ESPNU 150, the top three have already committed. Barkley has committed to play at the University of Southern California, Shepard to Louisiana State and Murray to Georgia.

ESPNU 150 Class Of 2009: Facts, Notes and Trends:

· Louisiana State, Texas and University of Southern California tied for the most number of verbally committed players (nine) ranked in the ESPNU 150. Georgia and Ohio State are tied at second with six ESPNU 150 players committed to each and Clemson is third with five commitments.

· Edison and Seminole High Schools in Calif. and Fla. are respectively represented by three players each on the ESPNU 150. Edison is represented by T.J. McDonald, Rolando Jefferson and Cliff Harris and the Seminoles are represented by Ray Ray Armstrong, Andre Debose and Dyron Dye.

· The ESPNU 150 by State: Alabama -- 6; Arkansas – 1; Arizona – 3; California – 16; Florida – 23; Georgia – 16 Hawaii -- 1; Iowa – 2; Illinois – 5; Indiana – 2; Kansas – 1; Louisiana – 7; Maryland – 2; Michigan – 1; Minnesota -- 2 ; Missouri – 1; Mississippi – 2; North Carolina – 3; New Jersey – 1; Nevada – 1; Ohio – 6; Oklahoma – 2; Pennsylvania – 5; South Carolina – 10; Tennessee – 2; Texas – 19; Utah – 2; Virginia – 8;

The ESPNU 150 and year-long recruiting coverage is available at Recruiting Insider on ESPN.com, which provides in-depth national news and information about the athletes.

The ESPNU 150:

Rank Name Position High School City State

1. Matt Barkley QB Mater Dei High School Santa Ana CA
2. Russell Shepard ATH Cypress Ridge High School Houston TX
3. Aaron Murray QB Plant Senior High School Tampa FL
4. Devon Kennard DE Desert Vista High School Phoenix AZ
5. Dre Kirkpatrick CB Gadsden High School Gadsden AL
6. Manti Te'o OLB Punahou School Honolulu HI
7. Jacobbi McDaniel DT Madison County High Greenville FL
8. Craig Loston S Dwight D. Eisenhower High Aldine TX
9. Jelani Jenkins OLB Good Counsel High School Wheaton MD
10. Rueben Randle WR Bastrop High School Bastrop LA
11. Jaamal Berry RB Miami Palmetto High School Miami FL
12. Trent Richardson RB Escambia High School Pensacola FL
13. Mason Walters OT Frenship High School Wolfforth TX
14. Bryce Brown RB East High School Wichita KS
15. Damario Jeffery S Columbia High School Columbia SC
16. Dorian Bell OLB Gateway Senior High School Monroeville PA
17. Marlon Brown WR Harding Academy Memphis TN
18. Ray Ray Armstrong ATH Seminole High School Sanford FL
19. Devonte Holloman S South Pointe High School Rock Hill SC
20. Vontaze Burfict ILB Centennial High School Corona CA
21. Shaquelle Evans WR Inglewood High School Inglewood CA
22. Sam Montgomery DE Greenwood High School Greenwood SC
23. Cierre Wood ATH Santa Clara High School Oxnard CA
24. Nico Johnson ILB Andalusia High School Andalusia AL
25. Darius Winston CB West Helena Central High School Helena AR
26. Garrett Gilbert QB Lake Travis High School Austin TX
27. Paden Kelley OT Lake Travis High School Austin TX
28. Eric Fields OLB Northside High School Warner Robins GA
29. Stavion Lowe OT Brownwood High School Brownwood TX
30. Andre Debose WR Seminole High School Sanford FL
31. John Martinez OG Cottonwood High School Salt Lake City UT
32. Tyler Stockton DT The Hun School Of Princeton Princeton NJ
33. Kevin Graf OT Agoura High School Agoura CA
34. Richard Brehaut QB Los Osos Rancho Cucamonga CA
35. Washaun Ealey RB Emanuel County Institute Twin City GA
36. A.J. McCarron QB Saint Pauls Episcopal School Mobile AL
37. Jheranie Boyd WR Ashbrook High School Gastonia NC
38. Darren Myles Jr. S Carver High School Atlanta GA
39. Frankie Telfort OLB Gulliver Prep School Miami FL
40. Kendall Kelly WR Gadsden High School Gadsden AL
41. Jarvis Giles RB Gaither High School Tampa FL
42. Prince Kent S Norcross High School Norcross GA
43. Branden Smith ATH Booker T. Washington High School Atlanta GA
44. Montrell Conner RB Ouachita Parish High School Monroe LA
45. Randall Carroll WR Cathedral High School Los Angeles CA
46. Austin Long OT Briarcrest Christian High School Memphis TN
47. Morrell Presley TE Carson High School Carson CA
48. Morgan Moses OT Meadowbrook High School Richmond VA
49. Jamarkus McFarland DT Lufkin High School Lufkin TX
50. Xavier Nixon OT Jack Britt High School Fayetteville NC
51. Corey Adams DT Saguaro High School Scottsdale AZ
52. Xavier Su'a Filo OG Timpview High School Pleasant Grove UT
53. Je'Ron Stokes WR North East High School Philadelphia PA
54. Chris Davenport DT Mansfield High School Mansfield LA
55. Chris Burnette OG Troup County Comprehensive High Sch La Grange GA
56. Barrett Matthews TE North Shore High School Houston TX
57. Chris Payne S Columbia High School Columbia SC
58. Nick Alajajian OG Naples High School Naples FL
59. Darrell Givens CB Lackey High School Indian Head MD
60. Brandon McGee ATH Plantation High School Fort Lauderdale FL
61. Demonte McAllister DE Alonso High School Tampa FL
62. Chris Whaley RB Madisonville High School Madisonville TX
63. Jarvis Jones OLB Carver High School Columbus GA
64. Christine Michael RB West Brook Senior High School Beaumont TX
65. Bryce McNeal WR Breck School Minneapolis MN
66. David Wilson RB George Washington High School Danville VA
67. Craig Drummond DE Morgan Park High School Chicago IL
68. Chris Watt OG Glenbard West High School Glen Ellyn IL
69. David Barrent OT Valley High School Clive IA
70. Byron Moore Jr. ATH Narbonne High School Harbor City CA
71. Gerald Demps S Lowndes High School Valdosta GA
72. Eric Shrive OT West Scranton High School Scranton PA
73. C.J. Barnett CB Northmont Senior High School Clayton OH
74. Darius Jones ATH Marshall High School Marshall TX
75. Thomas Ashcraft OG Cedar Hill High School Cedar Hill TX
76. Janzen Jackson CB Barbe High School Lake Charles LA
77. Gabe Lynn S Jenks High School Jenks OK
78. Marcus Hall OT Glenville High School Cleveland OH
79. Quinton Washington OG Timberland High School Saint Stephen SC
80. Marcus Davis CB Clear Creek High League City TX
81. Joshua Downs DT Bastrop High School Bastrop LA
82. Tom Wort OLB New Braunfels High New Braunfels TX
83. Terry Hawthorne WR East Saint Louis Sr. High School East St. Louis IL
84. Gary Brown DT West Gadsden High School Quincy FL
85. Stephon Gilmore ATH South Pointe High School Rock Hill SC
86. Craig Roh DE Chaparral High School Scottsdale AZ
87. Steve Williams CB Skyline High School Dallas TX
88. Donavan Tate ATH Cartersville High School Cartersville GA
89. T.J. McDonald S Edison High School Fresno CA
90. Josh Nunes QB Upland High School Upland CA
91. Isaiah Bell S Liberty High School Youngstown OH
92. Logan Heastie WR Great Bridge High School Chesapeake VA
93. Jamie Wood S Pickerington Central High School Pickerington OH
94. Justin Chaisson DE Bishop Gorman High School Las Vegas NV
95. Zach Mettenberger QB Oconee County High School Watkinsville GA
96. Victor Marc ATH Hallandale High School Hallandale FL
97. Alshon Jeffrey WR Calhoun County High School Saint Matthews SC
98. Tom Savage QB Cardinal O'Hara High School Philadelphia PA
99. Logan Thomas ATH Brookville High School Lynchburg VA
100. Dexter Pratt RB Navasota High School Navasota TX
101. Dexter Moody OLB Emanuel County Institute Twin City GA
102. Jamal Reid WR Lafayette High School Mayo FL
103. Kevin Brent S South Oak Cliff High Dallas TX
104. Jon Bostic OLB Palm Beach Central High School Wellington FL
105. Zach Martin OT Bishop Chatard High School Indianapolis IN
106. Tana Patrick OLB North Jackson High School Stevenson AL
107. Melvin Fellows DE Garfield Heights High School Garfield Heights OH
108. Kraig Appleton WR East Saint Louis Sr. High School East St. Louis IL
109. Edwin Baker RB Oak Park High School Oak Park MI
110. Patrick Hall ATH Saint Bonaventure High School Ventura CA
111. Keenan Davis WR Washington High School Cedar Rapids IA
112. Ryne Giddins DE Armwood High School Seffner FL
113. Greg Reid ATH Lowndes High School Valdosta GA
114. Jamal Patterson WR Henry County High School McDonough GA
115. Lamar Miller RB Miami Killian High School Miami FL
116. Blaine Dalton QB Blue Springs South High School Blue Springs MO
117. Rolando Jefferson WR Edison High School Fresno CA
118. Tariq Allen ILB MacArthur High School Irving TX
119. Moses Alipate QB Jefferson High School Bloomington MN
120. Antwan Lowery DT Christopher Columbus High School Miami FL
121. Tajh Boyd QB Phoebus High School Hampton VA
122. Jack Mewhort OC St. John High School Toledo OH
123. David Oku RB Carl Albert High School Midwest City OK
124. Bryn Renner QB West Springfield High School Lorton VA
125. Mike Gillislee RB Deland High School Deland FL
126. D.J. Fluker DT Foley High School Foley AL
127. Alex Mascarenas ATH Mission Viejo High School Mission Viejo CA
128. Malliciah Goodman DE West Florence High School Florence SC
129. Drayton Calhoun ATH Tucker High School Tucker GA
130. Kevin Minter OLB Peachtree Ridge High School Suwanee GA
131. E.J. Banks ATH Montour High School Mckees Rocks PA
132. Eugene Smith QB Miramar High School Miramar FL
133. D.J. Adams RB Norcross High School Norcross GA
134. Denard Robinson ATH Deerfield Beach High School Deerfield Beach FL
135. Chad Bumphis ATH Tupelo High School Tupelo MS
136. Eddie Lacey RB Dutchtown High School Geismar LA
137. J.K. Jay OT Christ Church Episcopal High Greenville SC
138. Cliff Harris CB Edison High School Fresno CA
139. Michael Ford RB Leesville High School Leesville LA
140. Chris Bonds DT Richland Northeast High School Columbia SC
141. Tate Forcier QB Scripps Ranch High School San Diego CA
142. Dyron Dye DE Seminole High School Sanford FL
143. Jon Budmayr QB Marian Central Catholic High Woodstock IL
144. Kendrick Hardy RB Lawrence County High School Monticello MS
145. Morgan Newton QB Carmel High School Carmel IN
146. Donte Moss DE Northside High School Jacksonville NC
147. Kevin Newsome ATH Hargrave Military Academy Chesapeake VA
148. Jerrod Askew OLB Oscar Frommel Smith High School Chesapeake VA
149. Alex Okafor DE Pflugerville High School Pflugerville TX
150. Duron Carter WR Saint Thomas Aquinas School Fort Lauderdale FL