Behind The Box Score

This is my first installment of my All-American Team, the list will include players from all conferences, and everyone that should make an impact this season. First off, I hope the University of Florida doesn’t come after me and bash me for not voting Tim Tebow first team, I’m sorry but he is a great player, but not the best quarterback. Well, I’m going to get started and hope you enjoy the team. Look for the best players from your favorite teams!

OFFENSE

QB- Sam Bradford, Oklahoma- Following a 2008 Heisman campaign, Bradford looks to lead the NCAA’s greatest offense yet again.

QB-Colt McCoy, Texas- Setting career highs in the passing game, McCoy returns with target Jordan Shipley and a defense loaded for the Longhorns.

RB-Jahvid Best, California- Combining speed and athleticism, Best hopes to improve on the 1,580 yard season he enjoyed a year ago. The best thing about Jahvid is, he is only a junior.

RB-Kendal Hunter, Oklahoma State- Relatively going unnoticed in ‘08, Hunter is a key component to the Cowboys high profile offense that averaged 41 points a game last season.

FB-Stanley Havili, USC- Big and athletic, Havilli mixes a solid blocking game to go along with great receiving skills, note the 31 yard receiving TD against Ohio State last season.

WR-Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State- Leading the Big 12 and Michael Crabtree in receptions and touchdowns last season, Bryant will have a huge junior campaign this year.

WR-Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati- Having an impressive game in the Orange Bowl, Gilyard will have a better senior campaign as quarterback Tony Pike looks to be healthy this season.

WR-Brandon Banks, Kansas State- In a conference where receivers Michael Crabtree, Dez Bryant and Dezmen Briscoe got the most attention, Banks caught 67 passes for 1,049 yards and 9 touchdowns all behind the scenes last year.

TE-Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma- Any debate here? Gresham is a versatile player that fits the mold of the San Diego Chargers’ Antonio Gates, reeling in 14 TD’s last season, Gresham is Bradford’s odds on favorite.

TE-Aaron Hernandez, Florida- Hernandez also looks to be Tim Tebow’s favorite pass catcher this season as the Gators lost the home run threat Percy Harvin to the NFL. If Hernandez can improve on the 381 yards and 5 TD’s from a year ago, he could challenge Gresham as the best.

LT-Trent Williams, Oklahoma- Williams is the protector to Sam Bradford’s blind side and is the only returning starter on the Sooners line.

LG-Justin Boren,  Ohio State- Boren, a transfer from Michigan, is a man among boys on the Buckeyes line, a group that features studs Mike Adams, Mike Brewster and JB Shugarts, all five star linemen.

C-T-Bob Herbert, LSU- I dont know anything about Herbert, but I really like his first name so that’s why he is my pick for All-American center.

RG-Alex Parsons, USC- Parsons, an all out bruiser is the top linemen on the Trojan roster with maybe exceptions to center Kris O’Dowd.

RT-Adam Ulatoski, Texas- With some many stud left tackles in college football today, I had to put Ulatoski on the line.

HONORABLE MENTION- QB Tim Tebow,Florida, QB  Zac Robinson,Oklahoma State, RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech, RB-Evan Royster, Penn State, WR Brandon LaFell, LSU, WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois, OL Brandon Carter, Texas Tech, OL Ciron Black, LSU, OL Russell Okung, Oklahoma State, OL Kristopher O’Dowd, USC, OL Anthony Davis, Rutgers

DEFENSE

DE-Carlos Dunlap, Florida- Dunlap features a rare combo of size and speed that makes some cornerbacks jealous. Dunlap, who used to run back kicks in high school, should anchor the Gator defensive line.

DE-Greg Hardy, Ole Miss- Limited to eight games a season ago, Hardy sacked the quarterback 8.5 times last season, first on the Rebel defense. Expected to be healthy this season, watch out for Hardy this season.

DT-Terrance Cody, Alabama- Cody is a monument at 365 lbs and had a phenomenal junior season after playing JUCO ball in Fort Myers. Cody is a mammoth run defender that should startle offensive linemen all along the SEC.

DT-Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska- Start to pronounce his first name correctly because this Cornhusker will be a first round pick in next year’s NFL Draft after leading Nebraska in tackles and sacks with 76 and 7.5.

LB-Brandon Spikes, Florida- The equivalent of Tim Tebow on defense, Spikes is a hulking defender that hits as hard as anyone in the nation, just ask Knowshon Moreno. Returning every starter on the defense for the Gators, Spikes is the best.

LB-Rolando McClain, Alabama- Coming off a sophomore season where McClain lead the Tide in tackles with 95, he is the top player yet again on a defense which features Terrance Cody.

LB-Travis Lewis, Oklahoma- Only a sophomore, Lewis broke Brian Bosworth’s OU record for tackles by a freshman with 144, and should only improve in his SECOND season on campus. Look for a Patrick Willis like season from Lewis.

LB-Obi Ezeh, Michigan- Ezeh isn’t well known around college football circles but should be after recording 98 tackles last season. Along with Brandon Graham, Ezeh is a stud for a Wolverine defense that should hold Rich Rodriguez’s team in games while the offense continues to improve.

CB-Syd’Quan Thompson, California- With an unusual first name, Thompson is a shut down corner that helped the Bears hold USC to 17 points last season. Picking off four passes last season, Syd’Quan, a senior, showed his home run hitting ability racking up 128 yards.

CB-Joe Haden, Florida- A very hard hitter, and great cover man, Haden should have a stellar junior season in Gainesville. With athletic receivers in the SEC including Brandon LaFell and Julio Jones, Haden should show just what he can do.

CB-Trevard Lindley, Kentucky- Very underrated in the best conference in America four years running, Lindley should be the only bright spot in a weak Wildcats team, so weak that I put them in the Sun Belt on NCAA Football 10 and they only won six games.

CB-Chimdi Chekwa, Ohio State- With a secondary mourning the loss of Thorpe Award winning corner Malcolm Jenkins, Chekwa, a junior should step in just fine. Chekwa is the in man for the Buckeyes, and should improve upon the three balls he picked off last season, one from Mark Sanchez.

S-Taylor Mays, USC- The best player in the country pound for pound, Mays will continue to knock heads off in the middle. Showing supreme versatility and great coverage skills, Mays will be a top five pick in April’s draft.

S-Eric Berry, Tennessee- The SEC’s best safety, Berry is lights out in zone coverage and can pick up slack from beaten corners. With great speed, Berry will need to showcase his skills in only his junior season in Knoxville and make a case for a top ten pick in the draft.

S-Kurt Coleman, Ohio State- Coleman is the top defender on Ohio State’s defense which was sixth in the nation a year ago and should have a great senior year. Coleman should only fall in line with the great defensive backs in Ohio State’s history including Antoine Winfield, Sean Springs, Donte Whitner and Malcolm Jenkins.

K-Thomas Weber, Arizona State- Weber has a big boot and always shows great accuracy netting 86% of his kicks and also has a great resume, 2007 Lou Groza Award winner.

P-Travis Baltz, Maryland- Baltz knows how to boom the ball and is great in coffin corner situations, landing 70% of his punts inside the 20.

KR- Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State- Cox who had three returns for touchdowns last season, racks up major yards and is a feature in the top kick returning squad in the country.

PR-Javier Arenas, Alabama- Arenas is as dangerous in punt returns as Gilbert Arenas, no relation, is from three. Racking up 16 yards each return, Arenas can take it to the house at any moment.

HONORABLE MENTION-DE Sergio Kindle, Texas, DE Jerry Hughes, TCU, DT-Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma, DT Doug Worthington, Ohio State, LB Roderick Muckleroy, Texas, LB Navarro Bowman, Penn State, LB  Kavell Conner, Clemson, LB Rennie Curran, Georgia, CB Dominique Franks, Oklahoma, CB Javier Arenas, Alabama, CB Kyle Wilson, Boise State, CB Amari Spievey, Iowa, S Ahmad Black, Florida, S Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech, S Darrell Stuckey, Kansas, K Aaron Pettrey, Ohio State, K Kai Forbath, UCLA, KR Lamaar Thomas, Ohio State, PR Brandon James, Florida

Here is my All-American list, hope you enjoyed it! I put alot of work into it and if you think I missed someone, just tell me. I tried to get every conference into the discussion. Look for my second team list in the near future. Also, on the way is a list of the season’s marquee games and a review of each game. Thanks, keep reading here on Behind the Box Score!

NUMBER OF ALL-AMERICANS BY CONFERENCE

ACC-4

Big 12-18

Big East-2

Big Ten-10

Mountain West-1

Pac-10-8

SEC-17

WAC-1

Hope you enjoyed the team, keep reading, we have great stuff on the blog!