Tomorrow’s All-Americans Today

Here are the rules for this team: All players are second or third-year guys -- no incoming freshmen or junior college transfers -- set to start for the first time this year, or otherwise to contribute heavily after a redshirt year or a season (or two) as a backup. No one on the team was feted with awards or freshman All-America notices, and none has more than a couple career starts; most have none. Because they weren’t "instant impact" types, you won’t find many of these guys near the top of the preseason position lists, but you should expect to be well-acquainted with all of them by this time next year.(Check my record on these matters against last year's team at my old site.)

If your team’s budding star was left off, it’s probably because we know too much about him already. And what’s the fun in that?

Quarterback: Andrew Luck • Stanford
The obvious choice here would be further south, where Aaron Corp inherits the fame, babes, automatic Heisman contention and future fortune that comes with winning the starting role at Southern Cal. But that's too easy, for me and for Corp. With neither having taken a meaningful college snap, Luck looks like practically the same player, anyway, coming in with identical guru ratings as a recruit and about 20 more pounds on the same 6'4" frame. And where Corp reportedly won his job by playing it close to the vest and avoiding mistakes, Luck spent the spring dropping bombs all over his fellow Cardinal and forcing his coach to tell reporters, "Luck is going to be a star. It's undeniable."
Honorable Mention: Aaron Corp (USC), Blaine Gabbert (Missouri), Jordan Jefferson (LSU), Ryan Mallett (Arkansas).

Running Back: Jermaine Thomas • Florida State
By the numbers, it looks like Thomas should have earned way more than 69 carries last year as a true freshman -- he broke five runs for 20 yards or longer, had 226 yards on just 20 carries in back-to-back games with Georgia Tech and Clemson and finished the season averaging a hair below seven per carry, more than two and a half yards better than starter Antone Smith. Thomas takes over full-time this year with no obvious competition for carries, pending the arrival of a couple well-regarded freshmen next month.

Running Back: Jewel Hampton • Iowa
Somehow, Shonn Greene's inhuman workload still left enough room for Hampton to log about a half-dozen carries a game (although none in the upset over Penn State), and he acquitted himself pretty well for a lightly recruited true freshman, averaging more than 50 yards per game over the second half of the year on more than five per carry. From the Hawkeyes' philosophy re: Greene, this much we can guarantee: If Hampton can handle a full load, he will get it.
Honorable Mention: Boom Herron (Ohio State); Christian Ramirez (UCLA); Darrell Scott (Colorado), Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech).

Wide Receiver: DeVier Posey • Ohio State
Posey didn't do much to justify his hype -- according to Rivals, he was the No. 3 receiver, the No. 2 deep threat and the No. 21 overall player in last year's incoming class -- but with the Buckeyes' top two receivers both moving on, the handful of snaps he did see should be a prelude to his emergence as Terrelle Pryor's first option. That's also the caveat: If Pryor stalls in his development as a passer, it's another year on the fringe for Posey. (And the rest of the Buckeye offense ...)

Wide Receiver: Malcolm Williams • Texas
Even if you don't remember his name, you'll probably remember Williams as the blur who burned Texas Tech for a 91-yard touchdown on a stop-and-go route last November; that was just moments after he'd hauled in a 37-yard touchdown from Colt McCoy that rejuvenated the Longhorns' hopes in what turned out to be the game of the year. Outside of Lubbock, Williams only had 13 catches, just one for a touchdown, and wasn't much part of the offense after his big game against the Raiders (only five catches in the last four games, none in the Fiesta Bowl). Still, at 18 yards per catch, he clearly comes in as Texas' top field-stretching threat, not a bad position to be in as long as McCoy is in one piece.
Honorable Mention: LaRon Byrd (Miami), Jarred Fayson (Illinois), Bradley Starks (West Virginia)

Tight End: Jake Stoneburner • Ohio State
Besides the exceptional surname, Stoneburner is in very much the same position as Posey -- he was Rivals' No. 3 incoming tight end in '08, and allegedly the fastest -- and should move right into Ohio State's usual two-tight sets opposite senior Jake Ballard.

Tackle: Tyron Smith • Southern Cal
Smith was good enough to be a five-star prospect in '08 despite his weight out of high school (Rivals listed him at just 260), and will be the only new member of USC's line this year after putting on at least 25 pounds as a redshirt.

Tackle: Mike Adams • Ohio State
Yes, the Buckeye offenses is entirely dependent on an unusual number of "breakout seasons" -- that's what happens when you lose seven full-time starters on one side of the ball. But it's also why you recruit: Like his classmates, Adams was a scouts' darling, arriving as the top-rated tackle and one of the top overall players in last year's incoming class. Alongside Michigan transfer Justin Boren, the left side of OSU's line should be alright.

Guard: James Wilson • Florida
The top-rated guard prospect of 2007 almost transferred during a redshirt year, hung in, and played in 10 games as a backup during the Gators' prolific title run last year. He slides into the starting left guard spot this fall.

Guard: Ryan Miller • Colorado
I'm fudging the rules a little to include Miller, a top-rated freshman in 2007 who started the last seven games at right tackle his first year and was well on his way to a seamless career as a four-year starter before going down with an ACL injury and missing all of 2008. He's supposed to slide down to right guard this year, with three years left to play.

Center: T-Bob Hebert • LSU
T-Bob actually hails from Georgia, despite the best possible moniker lineman in South Louisiana. He was Rivals' No. 2 incoming center in 2007 at 256 pounds; he moves into the middle of the Tigers' line this year at 280. (Quick rule of thumb: Never bet against anyone who's been snapping footballs since he was nine years old.)

Next week: The up-and-coming defense.