3afan
08-17-2005, 02:35 PM
from collegefootballnews.com :: list of top 200 available here (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005/Preview/Top200Players_1_50.htm)
1. QB Matt Leinart, Sr., USC
With his decision to return for a senior season rather than become the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft, Leinart has put himself in a position to be considered the greatest college quarterback of all-time. If USC wins another national title, that'll be three championships under his guidance and he'll be all but assured of being at least a Heisman finalist. The 2004 Heisman winner might not be spectacular, but he's a calm, cool leader who doesn't make the big mistake. He is scary accurate when he gets on a roll and has a good enough arm to make all the deep throws. While not a runner, he's not immobile able to throw well on the run.
2. RB Reggie Bush, Jr., USC
It's easy to focus on the tremendous speed and quickness, but don't forget about the power. Bush is 6-0 and 200 pounds with a game-changing burst in the open field. The Heisman finalist finished second in rushing with 903 yards and six touchdowns averaging 6.3 yards per carry and was second in receiving with 43 catches for 509 yards and seven scores. He averaged 15.7 yards per punt and kickoff returns.
3. RB Adrian Peterson, Soph., Oklahoma
Seldom do overhyped super-recruits live up to expectations, much less exceed them, but Peterson was everything and more as the best young back college football has seen since Herschel Walker. All Peterson did was rush for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns averaging 5.7 yards per carry starting off his career with nine straight 100-yard games. He's 6-2 and 210 pounds with 4.4 speed and linebacker strength. He's not going to offer much wiggle through the line, but he hits the hole hard and is a killer when he gets outside. The he-gets-better-as-the-game-goes-on cliché applies here, be he needs a little more help after pounding the ball between the tackles for most of last year and finishing with a whopping 339 carries.. He isn't much of a receiver, but that's looking for a problem that isn't there.
4. RB Laurence Maroney, Jr., Minnesota
The 5-11, 205-pound junior has rushed for 2,469 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first two years mainly as a backup behind Marion Barber III averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Even so, he led the team in rushing and is a better home run hitter than the departed Barber. With speed, quickness and workhorse ability, he should be in for a huge season as the team's featured player.
5. QB Vince Young, Jr., Texas
He's not that bad a passer. Even after a transcendent Rose Bowl performance all anyone could discuss was Young's passing ability. "If he could just be an above-average passer he'd be a number one draft pick." At 6-5 and 230 pounds, he's way big, way fast, and one of the best open field runners in college football rushing for 1,079 yards and 14 touchdowns. He completed almost 60% of his passes last season, but he failed to throw more than one touchdown pass in a game after the win over Baylor in early October and did next to nothing in the showdown against Oklahoma. However, he got better with a sharper command of the passing game becoming more and more consistent as the year went on. Expect even bigger things now that he has some experienced targets to work with.
6. QB Omar Jacobs, Jr., Bowling Green
One of the nation's breakout superstars with an incredible 41 touchdown passes and only four interceptions, Jacobs will be the signature star of the MAC season. He's 6-4 and 224 pounds with a strong accurate arm and decent mobility finishing third on the team in rushing with 300 yards and four touchdowns. Now he really knows the offense and is even more of a team leader; he should be just as sharp.
7. DE Mathias Kiwanuka, Sr., Boston College
Kiwanuka put off NFL millions to come back for his senior year to be among the nation's best pass rushers. He's not just a sack artist, he's great against the run and has a long wing span that forces quarterback to adjust their throws. At 6-7 and 261 pounds, he's a bit rangy and has to handle being a marked man all year facing double and triple teams, but he'll be a sure All-American.
8. WR/KR Ted Ginn Jr., Soph., Ohio State
One of the nation's most talented players, Ginn Jr. is pure lightning as a kick returner, corner, quarterback, runner and receiver. He's being mostly used on offense, but the defensive coaches are desperate to get him on their side as a shutdown defensive back. Ginn has been lobbying for the role as well. He was second on the team with 25 catches for 359 yards and two touchdowns, ran 13 times for 113 yards and two scores, and returned four punts for touchdowns. Expect him to once again be a jack of all trades and the coaching staff to find a way to get the ball in his hands at least 10-15 times per game.
9. LB A.J. Hawk, Sr., Ohio State
Hawk likely would've been a first round draft pick had he left school a year early. A tackling machine with 273 career stops with 24.5 tackles for loss and six interceptions, the 238-pound Hawk ripped off a 4.46 40-yard dash time proving that he doesn't just look fast when chasing down ball-carriers. In a good year for college football linebackers, Hawk will be at the head of the class with his tremendous instincts, production and toughness.
10. DT Kyle Williams, Sr., LSU
This is a salary drive season as Williams should be a good, first day draft choice. He's tough and strong with a non-stop motor and good quickness on the interior. He'll make some All-America teams by the end of the season.
11. QB Reggie McNeal, Sr., Texas A&M
McNeal had a resurgent season turning into one of the nation's best all-around quarterbacks and one of the most efficient with only four interceptions to 14 touchdowns passes completing 58% of his passes. He has good size and terrific mobility rushing for 718 yards and eight touchdowns. The key was his consistency throwing for over 200 yards in ten games. With a few big wins early, he'll be considered in the Heisman race.
12. DT Jesse Mahelona, Sr., Tennessee
Mahelona came in from the JUCO ranks and immediately dominated as a tremendous interior pass rusher and anchor of the line. His experience turned into a godsend for the young line becoming the focus of everyone's blocking scheme. He's a smart player with the athleticism of a defensive end.
13. QB Brad Smith, Sr., Missouri
Last year was supposed to be when Smith took another step up in the progression and become one of the college football's best quarterbacks. Instead, he wasn't quite the runner he was his first two years seeing his rushing total go from 1,406 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2003 to 553 yards and four scores last year. Worse yet, his his completion percentage went from 60.3% to a career worst 51.7% throwing 11 interceptions. He threw 13 in his first two seasons. When he's on, he's one of the nation's most exciting weapons. Instead of being bottled up last year and tried out as a pocket passer, he needs to be able to make plays on the move. Expect the coaching staff to get him running more.
14. LB Ahmad Brooks, Jr.. Virginia
A top 15 draft pick whenever he decides to come out, the 6-4, 249-pound junior has tremendous range with cornerback speed and big-time hitting ability. He has 207 tackles over his first two seasons with 20 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and 26 quarterback hurries. He's also tremendous in pass coverage with two interceptions and ten broken up passes. How fast is he? He returned a few kickoffs averaging 27.5 yards per return.
15. OT D'Brickashaw. Ferguson, Sr., Virginia
An almost certain top 15 draft pick, the 6-5, 295-pound senior has started at left tackle over the last three seasons. He hit the weights and bulked up while keeping his athleticism as a pass protector. He's strong enough to become an even better run blocker.
1. QB Matt Leinart, Sr., USC
With his decision to return for a senior season rather than become the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft, Leinart has put himself in a position to be considered the greatest college quarterback of all-time. If USC wins another national title, that'll be three championships under his guidance and he'll be all but assured of being at least a Heisman finalist. The 2004 Heisman winner might not be spectacular, but he's a calm, cool leader who doesn't make the big mistake. He is scary accurate when he gets on a roll and has a good enough arm to make all the deep throws. While not a runner, he's not immobile able to throw well on the run.
2. RB Reggie Bush, Jr., USC
It's easy to focus on the tremendous speed and quickness, but don't forget about the power. Bush is 6-0 and 200 pounds with a game-changing burst in the open field. The Heisman finalist finished second in rushing with 903 yards and six touchdowns averaging 6.3 yards per carry and was second in receiving with 43 catches for 509 yards and seven scores. He averaged 15.7 yards per punt and kickoff returns.
3. RB Adrian Peterson, Soph., Oklahoma
Seldom do overhyped super-recruits live up to expectations, much less exceed them, but Peterson was everything and more as the best young back college football has seen since Herschel Walker. All Peterson did was rush for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns averaging 5.7 yards per carry starting off his career with nine straight 100-yard games. He's 6-2 and 210 pounds with 4.4 speed and linebacker strength. He's not going to offer much wiggle through the line, but he hits the hole hard and is a killer when he gets outside. The he-gets-better-as-the-game-goes-on cliché applies here, be he needs a little more help after pounding the ball between the tackles for most of last year and finishing with a whopping 339 carries.. He isn't much of a receiver, but that's looking for a problem that isn't there.
4. RB Laurence Maroney, Jr., Minnesota
The 5-11, 205-pound junior has rushed for 2,469 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first two years mainly as a backup behind Marion Barber III averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Even so, he led the team in rushing and is a better home run hitter than the departed Barber. With speed, quickness and workhorse ability, he should be in for a huge season as the team's featured player.
5. QB Vince Young, Jr., Texas
He's not that bad a passer. Even after a transcendent Rose Bowl performance all anyone could discuss was Young's passing ability. "If he could just be an above-average passer he'd be a number one draft pick." At 6-5 and 230 pounds, he's way big, way fast, and one of the best open field runners in college football rushing for 1,079 yards and 14 touchdowns. He completed almost 60% of his passes last season, but he failed to throw more than one touchdown pass in a game after the win over Baylor in early October and did next to nothing in the showdown against Oklahoma. However, he got better with a sharper command of the passing game becoming more and more consistent as the year went on. Expect even bigger things now that he has some experienced targets to work with.
6. QB Omar Jacobs, Jr., Bowling Green
One of the nation's breakout superstars with an incredible 41 touchdown passes and only four interceptions, Jacobs will be the signature star of the MAC season. He's 6-4 and 224 pounds with a strong accurate arm and decent mobility finishing third on the team in rushing with 300 yards and four touchdowns. Now he really knows the offense and is even more of a team leader; he should be just as sharp.
7. DE Mathias Kiwanuka, Sr., Boston College
Kiwanuka put off NFL millions to come back for his senior year to be among the nation's best pass rushers. He's not just a sack artist, he's great against the run and has a long wing span that forces quarterback to adjust their throws. At 6-7 and 261 pounds, he's a bit rangy and has to handle being a marked man all year facing double and triple teams, but he'll be a sure All-American.
8. WR/KR Ted Ginn Jr., Soph., Ohio State
One of the nation's most talented players, Ginn Jr. is pure lightning as a kick returner, corner, quarterback, runner and receiver. He's being mostly used on offense, but the defensive coaches are desperate to get him on their side as a shutdown defensive back. Ginn has been lobbying for the role as well. He was second on the team with 25 catches for 359 yards and two touchdowns, ran 13 times for 113 yards and two scores, and returned four punts for touchdowns. Expect him to once again be a jack of all trades and the coaching staff to find a way to get the ball in his hands at least 10-15 times per game.
9. LB A.J. Hawk, Sr., Ohio State
Hawk likely would've been a first round draft pick had he left school a year early. A tackling machine with 273 career stops with 24.5 tackles for loss and six interceptions, the 238-pound Hawk ripped off a 4.46 40-yard dash time proving that he doesn't just look fast when chasing down ball-carriers. In a good year for college football linebackers, Hawk will be at the head of the class with his tremendous instincts, production and toughness.
10. DT Kyle Williams, Sr., LSU
This is a salary drive season as Williams should be a good, first day draft choice. He's tough and strong with a non-stop motor and good quickness on the interior. He'll make some All-America teams by the end of the season.
11. QB Reggie McNeal, Sr., Texas A&M
McNeal had a resurgent season turning into one of the nation's best all-around quarterbacks and one of the most efficient with only four interceptions to 14 touchdowns passes completing 58% of his passes. He has good size and terrific mobility rushing for 718 yards and eight touchdowns. The key was his consistency throwing for over 200 yards in ten games. With a few big wins early, he'll be considered in the Heisman race.
12. DT Jesse Mahelona, Sr., Tennessee
Mahelona came in from the JUCO ranks and immediately dominated as a tremendous interior pass rusher and anchor of the line. His experience turned into a godsend for the young line becoming the focus of everyone's blocking scheme. He's a smart player with the athleticism of a defensive end.
13. QB Brad Smith, Sr., Missouri
Last year was supposed to be when Smith took another step up in the progression and become one of the college football's best quarterbacks. Instead, he wasn't quite the runner he was his first two years seeing his rushing total go from 1,406 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2003 to 553 yards and four scores last year. Worse yet, his his completion percentage went from 60.3% to a career worst 51.7% throwing 11 interceptions. He threw 13 in his first two seasons. When he's on, he's one of the nation's most exciting weapons. Instead of being bottled up last year and tried out as a pocket passer, he needs to be able to make plays on the move. Expect the coaching staff to get him running more.
14. LB Ahmad Brooks, Jr.. Virginia
A top 15 draft pick whenever he decides to come out, the 6-4, 249-pound junior has tremendous range with cornerback speed and big-time hitting ability. He has 207 tackles over his first two seasons with 20 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and 26 quarterback hurries. He's also tremendous in pass coverage with two interceptions and ten broken up passes. How fast is he? He returned a few kickoffs averaging 27.5 yards per return.
15. OT D'Brickashaw. Ferguson, Sr., Virginia
An almost certain top 15 draft pick, the 6-5, 295-pound senior has started at left tackle over the last three seasons. He hit the weights and bulked up while keeping his athleticism as a pass protector. He's strong enough to become an even better run blocker.