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Position-by-Position Rankings

Stewart Mandel rates the nation's best players.

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QUARTERBACKS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Philip Rivers	N.C. State	Sr.
Enters his fourth year as starter with 8,993 yards, 75 TDs and 26-12 record.
2	Cody Pickett	Washington	Sr.
Coming off the best passing season in Pac-10 history: 4,458 yards, 28 TDs.
3	David Greene	Georgia	Jr.
21-5 record in his two years as a starter, including 8-0 in opposing stadiums.
4	Andrew Walter	Arizona State	Jr.
Exploded onto the scene with four 400-yard passing games last season.
5	Matt Schaub	Virginia	Sr.
Highly efficient short-yardage passer compiled 68.9 completion percentage.
6	Brad Smith	Missouri	So.
Became just the second I-A player ever to throw for 2,000 yards, run for 1,000.
7	Ben Roethlisberger	Miami of Ohio	Jr.
Coveted by the NFL, passing for over 3,000 yards each of his first two seasons.
8	Ell Roberson	Kansas State	Sr.
Ever-improving passer is a dangerous runner, gaining 1,032 yards and 16 TDs.
9	Eli Manning	Ole Miss	Sr.
Looking to recover from uncharacteristic 21-touchdown, 15-interception season
10	Josh Fields	Oklahoma State	So.
Coming off breakout season: 3,145 yards, 31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions.
11	Bradlee Van Pelt	Colorado State	Sr.
Dual threat accounted for 2,982 yards last year, 819 of them with his feet.
12	Casey Clausen	Tennessee	So.
Four-year starter looks to rediscover his 2001 form after injury-plagued junior year.
13	John Navarre	Michigan	Sr.
Largely unappreciated four-year guy threw 21 TDs, just seven picks as a junior.
14	Ryan Schneider	UCF	Sr.
Threw for 345 yards on Penn State, 440 against Syracuse en route to 3,770.
15	Craig Krenzel	Ohio State	Sr.
Brains of the Buckeyes offense made big plays, few mistakes during title run.

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RUNNING BACKS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Maurice Clarett	Ohio State	So.
When healthy, proved nearly unstoppable right from his first college game.
2	Steven Jackson	Oregon State	Jr.
Both fast and powerful, he broke the school season record with 1,690 yards.
3	Frank Gore	Miami	So.
Had beat out Heisman finalist Willis McGahee last spring prior to ACL tear.
4	Anthony Davis	Wisconsin	Sr.
Workhorse averaged 25 carries and 126 yards per game his first two years.
5	Darren Sproles	Kansas State	Jr.
His 5-7, 170-pound frame didn't keep him from averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
6	Kevin Jones	Virginia Tech	Jr.
Former No. 1 recruit in the country finally gets the ball to himself this fall.
7	Michael Turner	Northern Illinois	Sr.
Nation's leading returning rusher sprang for 1,915 yards, 19 touchdowns.
8	Mewelde Moore	Tualne	Sr.
Compiled a combined 3,942 rushing/receiving yards the past two years.
9	Carnell Williams	Auburn	Jr.
"Cadillac" possesses Porsche-quality acceleration, though injury-prone.
10	Cedric Benson	Texas	Jr.
Quietly posted 1,293 yards in 2002 to follow up his 1,053 as a freshman.
11	Greg Jones	Florida State	Sr.
6-1, 255-pound battering ram not yet back at full speed from knee surgery.
12	T.A. McLendon	N.C. State	So.
"Touchdown Anytime" reached the end zone 18 times as a true freshman.
13	Derrick Knight	Boston College	Sr.
Latest in line of great B.C. tailbacks ran for 1,432 yards and 12 touchdowns.
14	Fred Russell	Iowa	Sr.
Not an every-down back last year, yet managed to gain 1,264 yards.
15	Ronnie Brown	Auburn	Jr.
Averaged 138.5 yards in six games last year after Williams went down.

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WIDE RECEIVERS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Reggie Williams	Washington	Jr.
Already holds the two-year Pac-10 record with 149 catches for 2,427 yards.
2	Rashaun Woods	Oklahoma St.	Sr.
Nation's leading returning receiver had 107 catches, 1,695 yards and 17 TDs.
3	Roy Williams	Texas	Sr.
Amazing last five games of 2002: 39 catches, 741 yards and nine touchdowns.
4	Mike Williams	USC	So.
Carson Palmer's top receiver as a freshman with 81 catches, 1,265 yards.
5	Larry Fitzgerald	Pittsburgh	So.
Leaping touchdown in the Insight Bowl was one of the best catches of the year.
6	Michael Jenkins	Ohio State	Sr.
Big-play receiver made game-saving 4th down catches against Purdue, Miami.
7	Jerricho Cotchery	N.C. State	Sr.
Philip Rivers' top target burned Notre Dame for 10 catches, 127 yards in bowl.
8	John Standeford	Purdue	Sr.
Broke through as a junior with seven 100-yard games, 1,307 on the season.
9	Braylon Edwards	Michigan	Jr.
Will don the famed No. 1 jersey of Anthony Carter, David Terrell this fall.
10	Darius Watts	Marshall	Jr.
Staggering past two seasons: 162 catches, 2,447 yards and 30 touchdowns.
11	Lee Evans	Wisconsin	Sr.
Missed last season with ACL injury following 1,545-yard season in 2001.
12	Fred Gibson	Georgia	Jr.
Inconsistent but extremely talented, will finally be Dogs' No. 1 guy this fall.
13	Bernard Berrian	Fresno State	Sr.
Another guy who missed last season but shined the year before (1,545 yards).
14	Roscoe Parrish	Miami	So.
Small (5-9, 157) but elusive playmaker should take on a much bigger role.
15	Lane Danielsen	Iowa State	Sr.
Unimposing but gutsy player torched foes for 63 catches, 1,073 yards.

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TIGHT ENDS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Kellen Winslow	Miami	Jr.
Latest of great 'Canes tight ends had 11 catches, 122 yards in Fiesta Bowl.
2	Ben Utecht	Minnesota	Sr.
Solid receiver has been integral part of Gophers' offense for three years.
3	Kris Wilson	Pittsburgh	Sr.
Sleeker than the typical tight end, he averaged 21.6 yards per catch.
4	Ben Watson	Georgia	Sr.
Strong all-around tight end could easily have turned pro after last year.
5	David Thomas	Texas	So.
Budding star caught seven passes for 256 yards in three spring scrimmages.

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OFFENSIVE LINE
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Shawn Andrews	Arkansas	Jr.
Dominating 6-5, 371-pounder leads way for SEC's top rushing offense.
2	Winston Justice	USC	So.
One-of-a-kind talent became Trojans' top lineman as a true freshman.
3	Justin Smiley	Alabama	Jr.
Played nearly every snap in 2002, registering 177 knockdown blocks.
4	Nick Leckey	Kansas State	Sr.
Top blocker for a team that gained a school-record 3,443 rushing yards.
5	Antonio Hall	Kentucky	Sr.
Starter for 34 straight games also sings opera and plays a mean piano.
6	Nat Dorsey	Georgia Tech	Jr.
Former true freshman starter one of game's best run-blocking tackles.
7	Robert Gallery	Iowa	Sr.
6-7, 317-pound tackle the lone holdover from Hawkeyes' dominating line.
8	Brian Rimpf	East Carolina	Sr.
Three-time all-conference honoree key figure in powerful running game.
9	Stephen Peterman	LSU	Sr.
First team All-SEC honoree allowed only one sack his entire junior season.
10	Vince Carter	Oklahoma	Jr.
Two-year starting center has been key figure in OU's improved running game.

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DEFENSIVE LINE
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	David Pollack	Georgia	Jr.
All-around playmaker had 102 tackles, 14 sacks, 2 blocked kicks and 2 INTs.
2	Tommie Harris	Oklahoma	Jr.
Slowed by injury in 2002 but still commanded attention from opposing lines.
3	Vince Wilfork	Miami	Jr.
Mammoth 6-2, 344-pound tackle with the speed to get to the quarterback.
4	Jason Babin	W. Michigan	Sr.
The nation's leading returning sack man had 14 in 12 games last season.
5	Brandon Kennedy	North Texas	Sr.
Extremely powerful for his size (5-10, 315), notching 24 tackles for loss.
6	Will Smith	Ohio State	Sr.
Most prominent member (12.5 tackles for loss) of the nation's top D-line.
7	Nathaniel Adibi	Virginia Tech	Sr.
Notched nine sacks, 15 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles last year.
8	Claude Harriott	Pittsburgh	Sr.
Made the most of his first year starting with 9.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss.
9	Kenechi Udeze	USC	Jr.
Leader of USC's front had 7.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles.
10	Antwan Odom	Alabama	Jr.
Lone underclassman on 'Bama's line last year led the team with 10 sacks.

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LINEBACKERS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Rod Davis	Southern Miss	Sr.
Hard to beat this stat line: 168 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 23.5 tackles for loss.
2	Teddy Lehman	Oklahoma	Sr.
Man in the middle anchors college football's most intimidating defense.
3	Karlos Dansby	Auburn	Sr.
Roves the field like a safety, stopping the run and breaking up passes.
4	Jonathan Vilma	Miami	Sr.
Hard-hitter who compensates for his size (6-2, 220) with on-field smarts.
5	Derrick Johnson	Texas	Sr.
Explosive, instinctive player made over 200 tackles his first two years.
6	Matt Grootegoed	USC	Jr.
Most prominent member (12.5 tackles for loss) of the nation's top D-line.
7	Courtney Watson	Notre Dame	Sr.
Middle backer emerged as the leader of a resurgent Irish defense in 2002.
8	Michael Boulware	Florida St.	Sr.
Extremely athletic linebacker has returned fumbles for 84 and 73 yards.
9	Dontarrious Thomas	Auburn	Sr.
Prolific tackler has posted 276 in three years, with 24 of them for loss.
10	Lance Mitchell	Oklahoma	Sr.
Junior college transfer emerged as the Sooners' leading tackler (124).

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DEFENSIVE BACKS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Chris Gamble	Ohio State	Jr.
Not bad for a guy who started playing defense eight games into last year.
2	Sean Taylor	Miami	Jr.
At 6-3, 225, he's establishing a new, "big" prototype for free safeties.
3	Brandon Everage	Oklahoma	Sr.
Covers seemingly the entire field, notching 94 tackles and six picks in '02.
4	Nathan Vasher	Texas	Sr.
Has intercepted 11 passes and broken up 38 his first three seasons.
5	Marlin Jackson	Michigan	Jr.
Lock-down cover corner has gotten the better of several elite receivers.
6	Stuart Schweigert	Purdue	Sr.
Impact player since his freshman year, with 272 tackles and 13 picks.
7	Justin Miller	Clemson	So.
Burst onto the scene with eight interceptions as a true freshman.
8	Derrick Strait	Oklahoma	Sr.
One of the last holdovers from OU's 2000 national title team.
9	Jim Leonhard	Wisconsin	Jr.
5-8 former walk-on led the country last year with 11 interceptions.
10	Domonique Foxworth	Maryland	Jr.
Led the ACC last year with 17 pass break-ups to go with five picks.

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KICKERS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Nate Kaeding	Iowa	Sr.
Booming leg made all three attempts from beyond 50 last year.
2	Mike Nugent	Ohio State	Jr.
Mr. Reliable hit 25 of 28 attempts during OSU's national title run.
3	Jared Siegel	Oregon>/td>	Jr.
Shining example of his range came with a 59-yarder at UCLA.
4	Billy Bennett	Georgia	Sr.
Nailed 11 of 15 attempts from 40 and beyond last year.
5	Nick Novak	Maryland	Jr.
Greatly improved as a sophomore, nailing 24 of 28 attempts.

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PUNTERS
Rk.	Player	School	Yr.
1	Matt Payne	BYU	Jr.
Led the country last year with a 47.6-yards per punt average.
2	Cody Scates	Texas A&M	Sr.
Four-year starter placed 22 kicks within the 20 last season.
3	Donnie Jones	LSU	Sr.
Boomed an 86-yard punt against Kentucky that stopped at the 1.
4	Kyle Larson	Nebraska	Sr.
Averaged 43.2 yards per kick on a whopping 73 punts last year.
5	Dustin Colquitt	Tennessee	Jr.
Punted 10 times in a game against Miami, averaging 42.8 yards.


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