This is Part 1 (or item 10) of my intended college football preview, The Final Countdown. As is the case with the other player specific sections, I had two main goals:
1. Spend at least part of the section highlighting players under the radar nationally
2. Try to mention as many schools as possible
Also remember, as per my disclaimer on the original post, that all of this was written before the season began. That means that if a player failed, then I missed on the prediction. But that also means that if someone is blowing up, I didn't just hop on the bandwagon after a strong week 1 performance (and there are quite a few of those to be found).
Overall, its much shorter than something I normally write, but it was intended to be part of a much, much larger piece; I didn't want to tire the reader (or myself out) in the first section.
But while there's less analysis than what I'd normally provide, I'd wager that at least two or three of these names are players that nobody is talking about, with a few more not getting the recognition they deserve.
I think you'll be entertained and get some insight that you won't see on other national previews. Enjoy
-Jurrell Casey, sophomore, DT, USC – The next collegiate standout from high school superpower Long Beach Poly. A 6’0’’, 300lb fire hydrant of a nose tackle who is built like recent Trojan standouts Mike Patterson and Sedrick Ellis – and he plays with the same relentless streak too.
-Marvin Jones, sophomore, WR, Cal – With Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen set to run Pac 10 defenses ragged, there will be plenty of single coverage for the Golden Bear receivers, and Jones, unusually savvy for his age, figures to the main beneficiary.
-Corey Liuget, sophomore, DT, Illinois – Upon Ron Zook’s arrival in Champaign, one of his primary goals was building a recruiting pipeline into Florida to take advantage of the connections he made as the Florida Gators’ head coach.
Liuget, a Miami native, is going to be the first of those Sunshine State recruits to make an impact for the Illini. Heading into his second year of college, he already boasts ideal size (6’3’’, 290 lbs) coupled with incredible athleticism; very rarely do men this big move this fast.
Illinois already featured three of the nation’s most talented athletes in Juice Williams, Arrelious Benn, and Martez Wilson; expect Liuget to make it four.
-DeVier Posey, sophomore, WR, Ohio State – Perhaps the most physically gifted receiver Jim Tressel has ever recruited, the 6’3’’ sophomore will be the Buckeye’s top receiver this season. Expect him to join classmates Julio Jones, AJ Green, Michael Floyd, DeAndre Brown and Jeff Fuller in forming one of the greatest receiving classes in college football history.
-Baker Steinkuhler, redshirt freshman, DT, Nebraska – The son of legendary Husker OL Dean Steinkuhler and the brother of recent almnus DT Ty Steinkuhler, Baker also doubles as the most decorated recruit in school history. Orginally slated for the offensive line, Baker switched to defense upon reaching campus. Though he may start out the season as a backup, players blessed with his physical talents are uncommon in Lincoln these days, meaning that he should be starting by midseason, and together with All-American Ndamukong Suh, forming one of the most imposing sets of tackles in the nation.
-Cooper Taylor, sophomore, LB/DB, Georgia Tech – The main reason Georgia Tech is switching to a 4-2-5 defense this season. He finished second on the team in 2008 with 69 tackles, and he did so as a true freshman while only starting 3 games. At a rangy 6’4’’, Taylor will team with All-American S Morgan Burnett to provide matchup problems galore for the rest of the ACC
-Jermaine Thomas, sophomore, RB, Florida State – As a true freshman last season, Thomas averaged a staggering 7.0 yards per carry, the highest average by a Seminole freshman since Warrick Dunn’s freshman year. Big enough - 6’0’’, 190lbs – to absorb punishment; fast enough to avoid it entirely.
-Jordan Todman, sophomore, RB, Connecticut – How can a player be overlooked after scoring 67 touchdown in his high school career while rushing for the third highest total in his state’s history?
If that state is high school football afterthought Massachusetts.
But despite only receiving a handful of scholarship offers, 5’9’’ speedster Jordan Todman was impressive last year in spot duty, backing up the nation’s leader rusher Donald Brown. Now that Brown is off to the NFL, the job is Todman’s and if he gets anywhere near Brown’s 2008 workload, don’t expect him to fly under the radar much longer.
-Carson York, redshirt freshman, OG, Oregon – Oregon returns just one starter from last year’s offensive line, no small trifle considering the Ducks’ run-heavy spread offense. York, a former Rivals 250 prospect, is the youngest of the group’s projected starters, but he’s also the most talented.
-Ryan Williams, redshirt freshman, RB, Virginia Tech – Before Darren Evans came out of nowhere to rush for 1,265 yards as a redshirt freshman, Ryan Williams was supposed to be Virginia Tech’s next star tailback. One year and one Evans’ knee injury later, it’s up to Williams’ to do just that. At 5’9’’, 205lbs, Williams combines powerful, low center of gravity with the open-field shiftiness needed to get yards in any situation, and maybe make Hokie fans forget about Evans altogether.
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