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We continue our look at Big East title chances for each team in the league. Up today: Cincinnati. The Bearcats had a year to forget in 2010, going 4-8 after their terrific undefeated regular season in 2009. Can they rebound in a major way and win the league again?

Why Cincinnati will win the Big East

1. Talkin' about offense. There is no question the talent is there on offense for Cincinnati to put up video-game numbers. All-Big East first-team quarterback Zach Collaros returns, and so does Isaiah Pead at running back. Armon Binns and his 1,101 yards are gone, but D.J. Woods should be able to step in and fill the void. There also are unproven players in Dyjuan Lewis, Kenbrell Thompkins and Shaq Washington ready to emerge. Let's not forget about incoming running backs Jameel Poteat and Akise Teague, too. The skill positions are essentially set.

2. Better defense. Every starter returns, which means this defense will be vastly more experienced than it was last season. So the unit should be better, right? Moving Walter Stewart down to defensive end should help the defense be more aggressive, and JK Schaffer should once again help lead this defense. Every position group is as experienced as it has been in years, and that could mean huge things for the Bearcats.

3. Year 2. Coach Butch Jones may have been familiar with the way Brian Kelly did things, but there still is an adjustment period when you take over a program and become head coach. Kelly didn't exactly leave the cupboard fully stocked, which helped contribute to the subpar season. But with another year at Cincinnati, expectations should be raised.

Why Cincinnati won't win the Big East

1. How much better is the defense? No question the unit will be more experienced, but how much better will that make the Bearcats? There also are depth questions at linebacker and in the secondary. Cincinnati no doubt will be relying on true freshmen at linebacker. Junior college transfer Malcolm Murray could push for playing time in the defensive backfield as well. Many of you wondered why I picked Dominique Battle as a potential impact player. He is listed as a co-starter on the depth chart following spring practice, and hopes are high for him to return to form following a knee injury. But the knee remains a question, and so does the secondary.

2. Schedule. The Bearcats have a brutal four-game conference stretch that could make or break their season. They open against Louisville before playing at USF, at Pittsburgh and then home to West Virginia. Not exactly the ideal way to start conference play. Luckily for the Bearcats, there is a bye squeezed in between USF and Pitt.

3. Special teams. Place kicker Jacob Rogers is gone, leaving big questions in the kicking game. Nobody solidified the job in the spring, leaving Tony Miliano, Danny Milligan and punter Pat O'Donnell to battle in the fall. Jones also expects to have some incoming players challenge for the job as well. This position is going to be up in the air until the first week of the season.

Previously featured:

• West Virginia
• USF
• Rutgers
• Syracuse
• Pittsburgh

Over the next couple of days, I'll be asking you to give your opinion on a variety of burning questions in the Big East.

You'll get a chance to vote in a poll right here and let your voice be heard. We'll tally up the results and react to your decision once the vote it over.

To start off, I want your opinion on who will be the hardest players to replace in the Big East this season. I highlighted many of the candidates in my spring shoes to fill series. Here's a quick look at what I feel like are the top five nominees:

• Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut: Todman ranked second nationally in rushing last year and was the Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2010.
• Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville: Not many Big East backs have Powell's combination of strength, speed, vision and fearlessness.
• Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia: A bull in the middle of the Mountaineers' defensive line, Neild often occupied two blockers at a time.
• Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh: Sheard used his nonstop motor to fight off double-teams and pressure quarterbacks on his way to winning defensive player of the year honors in 2010.
• Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: Led all Big East receivers in catches, yards and touchdowns last year and provided a great red zone target.

So there are your nominees. Now it's time to cast your vote.

• An injury forced Tyler Rader to change positions, and that ended up being a blessing for him and the Mountaineers. Where will former West Virginia nose tackle Chris Neild end up in the NFL?

• Doug Hogue and some other former Syracuse stars are waiting to find out where they're going in the draft.

• Jason Kelce and Armon Binns are the most likely Cincinnati Bearcats to hear their names called this weekend.

• Louisville has some new uniforms for 2011.

• Eric LeGrand will be part of the broadcast team for Rutgers' spring game.

Scouts Inc. has come up with comprehensive draft boards for every position as we draw ever closer to the 2011 NFL draft (and, hopefully, a 2011 NFL season).

Let's start on the offensive side of the ball and take a look at where some Big East hopefuls are ranked. First, the skill positions:

• Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh: second round

• Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut: third round

• Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh: fourth round

• Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse: fourth round

• Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville: fifth round

• Anthony Sherman, FB, Connecticut: fifth round

• Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: sixth round

• Henry Hynoski, FB, Pittsburgh: seventh round

• Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: seventh round

Now, the offensive linemen/tight ends:

• Jason Pinkston, OT, Pittsbugh: fifth round

• Cameron Graham, TE, Louisville: sixth round

• Zach Hurd, OG, Connecticut: sixth round

• Ryan Bartholomew, C, Syracuse: seventh round

• Jason Kelce, C, Cincinnati: seventh round

Now let's move to the defensive side and see where Scouts Inc. rates some Big East defenders:

• Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida: second round

• Jabaal Sheard, DE/LB, Pittsburgh: second round

• Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville: third round

• Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh: fourth round

• Brandon Hogan, CB, West Virginia: fourth round

• Robert Sands, S, West Virginia: fourth round

• Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut: fifth round

• Scott Lutrus, LB, Connecticut: fifth round

• Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers: sixth round

• Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia: sixth round

• Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse: sixth round

• J.T. Thomas, LB, West Virginia: sixth round

• Doug Hogue, LB, Syracuse: sixth round

• Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut: seventh round

These projections aren't gospel by any means, but they should give you a pretty good idea of how Big East hopefuls are being viewed right now.

We've come to the fab five of our Big East Top 25 player countdown, based on 2010 performance and impact ...

No. 5

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati, Sr.

Preseason rank: No. 10

2010 numbers: Caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Making the case for Binns: After spending last season as Mardy Gilyard's running partner, Binns proved he could make a great No. 1 option in his own right.

He led all Big East players in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and had six 100-yard receiving days. He torched Louisville for 175 receiving yards and three touchdowns and put 12 catches for 158 yards and two scores against South Florida.

His 75 catches tied for the sixth-most in Big East history, and he went more than 2,000 yards for his career despite only really playing for two seasons. Binns won't wow you with his 40 times, but he's tall -- 6-foot-3 -- runs smart routes and is sure-handed. And surely one of the best Big East players in 2010.

Previously

No. 25: Zach Hurd, OG, Connecticut
No. 24: Dave Teggart, K, Connecticut
No. 23: Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse
No. 22: J.T. Thomas, LB, West Virginia
No. 21: Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville
No. 20: Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh
No. 19: Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
No. 18: Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati
No. 17: Kendall Reyes, DL, Connecticut
No. 16: Jason Pinkston, OT, Pittsburgh
No. 15: Jon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
No. 14: Robert Sands, S, West Virginia
No. 13: Brandon Lindsey, DE, Pittsburgh
No. 12: Doug Hogue, LB, Syracuse
No. 11: Brandon Hogan, CB, West Virginia
No. 10: Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida
No. 9: Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia
No. 8: Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut
No. 7: Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati
No. 6: Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse

The NFL combine officially began on Wednesday, as players arrived in Indianapolis and started interviews with team officials.

There are more interviews Thursday, along with measurements and medical examinations. Workouts start on Friday, and here is the schedule for position groups:

Friday: Specialists
Saturday: Offensive linemen, tight ends
Sunday: Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
Monday: Defensive linemen, linebackers
Tuesday: Defensive backs

It will be fun to follow the Big East players as they strut their stuff for scouts. Who will be the top player drafted from the league? My money is still on Pittsburgh receiver Jon Baldwin, whom I expect to put up dazzling numbers in his combine workouts.

Here again is the full list of Big East players scheduled to participate in Indianapolis:

Cincinnati (3)

Armon Binns, WR

Jason Kelce, OL

Jake Rogers, K

Connecticut (6)


Zach Hurd, OL

Anthony Sherman, FB

Jordan Todman, RB

Lawrence Wilson, LB

Greg Lloyd, LB

Scott Lutrus, LB

Louisville (3)


Cameron Graham, TE

Johnny Patrick, CB

Bilal Powell, RB

Pittsburgh (6)

Jon Baldwin, WR

Henry Hynoski, FB

Dion Lewis, RB

Jason Pinkston, OL

Greg Romeus, DE

Jabaal Sheard, DE

Rutgers (1)


Joe Lefeged, S

South Florida (1)

Terrell McClain, DT

Syracuse (4)

Ryan Bartholomew, OL

Doug Hogue, LB

Delone Carter, RB

Derrell Smith, LB

West Virginia (6)

Noel Devine, RB

Brandon Hogan, CB

Chris Neild, DT

Jock Sanders, WR

Robert Sands, S

J.T. Thomas, LB

I'm borrowing an idea from Big 12 blogger David Ubben and taking a look at the top individual performances by a Big East player in 2010.

Ubben's list was restricted to offensive players in conference games, and only players whose team won the game were eligible. I'm going to be a lot more inclusive than that. But I will give extra weight to performances in victories and in games against league competition or other high-caliber opponents. Sorry, but no stat-stuffing feats against FCS opponents were considered.

Here, then, is my Top 10:

1. Jordan Todman versus Pittsburgh: Todman -- with a heaping dose of help from his offensive line -- was simply unstoppable against Pitt's defense, running for 222 yards on 37 carries in a key win that changed the conference race. He was so good that Randy Edsall felt confident going for it on fourth-and-short from deep in his own territory late in the game, and of course Todman picked up that first down.

2. Isaiah Pead versus Rutgers: Granted, the Scarlet Knights' defense was a shell of its former self by this point. Still, Pead racked up a whopping five total touchdowns, most by a Big East player in a league game in 2010. He had 213 rushing yards and four scores on 31 rushing attempts and added a touchdown reception. Rutgers had no answer.

3. Sio Moore versus West Virginia: The Connecticut linebacker, often overshadowed by Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus at his own position, was a one-man wrecking crew in the win that changed the Huskies' season. He collected 17 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered two of them in the hard-fought upset.

4. Dion Lewis versus Cincinnati: The Bearcats had seen this show before. For the second straight year, Lewis was a load that the Cincinnati defense couldn't stop. He carried 42 times for 261 yards and four touchdowns in the snow at Nippert Stadium for what turned out to be his final regular-season college game.

5. Geno Smith versus Marshall: Down 21-6 in the fourth quarter, West Virginia looked like it would suffer its first loss to its in-state opponent. But Smith came to the rescue. He calmly led two scoring drives in the final minutes and delivered perfect strikes for the tying touchdown and two-point conversion plays attempt near the end of regulation. He finished 32-of-45 for 316 yards, and that's even more impressive when you consider it was just his second career start.

6. Bilal Powell versus Cincinnati: Our first performance on the list that came in a losing effort. It wasn't Powell's fault. The Louisville senior rushed for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and had perhaps the highlight of the season with his bruising, 85-yard scoring run. Powell also rushed for 204 yards on just 18 carries the week before, but it came against a truly terrible Memphis defense (not that Cincinnati's was all that much better).

7. Delone Carter versus Kansas State: Carter had a strong year but lacked a lot of explosive plays. That changed in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Kansas State's admittedly shaky defense. Carter crushed the Wildcats for 198 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries as the Orange held on for the postseason win.

8. Mark Harrison versus Cincinnati: There were a lot of great performances against the Cincinnati defense, but Harrison's was truly breathtaking -- and record-breaking. The Rutgers wideout had 10 catches for 240 yards and four touchdowns against the helpless Bearcats secondary.

9. Ray Graham versus Florida International: Not an elite opponent by any means, but what Graham did was still mighty impressive. Subbing for an injured Lewis, Graham nearly broke the Pitt single-game rushing record with 277 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries.

10. Joe Lefeged versus Florida International: FIU appears again as a victim here in a ridiculous performance by the Rutgers safety. He had an interception, forced two fumbles and blocked a pair of punts to almost single-handedly ensure his team's narrow victory.

Honorable mention: Zach Collaros versus South Florida and Rutgers; B.J. Daniels versus Cincinnati and Clemson; Pead versus Oklahoma; Todman versus Cincinnati; Armon Binns versus Louisville; Chas Dodd versus Connecticut; Dave Teggart versus South Florida; Doug Hogue versus West Virginia; Marcus Sales versus Kansas State.

The official invitation list to the NFL combine is out, and 30 Big East players will be showing off their skills at the premiere pre-draft event.

The following league players are scheduled to participate in the set of drills before scouts from Feb. 23 to March 1 in Indianapolis:

Jon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh

Ryan Bartholomew, OL, Syracuse

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati

Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse

Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Cameron Graham, TE, Louisville

Brandon Hogan, CB, West Virginia

Doug Hogue, LB, Syracuse

Zach Hurd, OL, Connecticut

Henry Hynoski, FB, Pittsburgh

Jason Kelce, OL, Cincinnati

Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers

Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh

Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut

Scott Lutrus, LB, Connecticut

Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida

Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia

Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville

Jason Pinkston, OL, Pittsburgh

Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville

Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh

Jake Rogers, K, Cincinnati

Jock Sanders, WR, West Virginia

Robert Sands, S, West Virginia

Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh

Anthony Sherman, FB, Connecticut

Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse

J.T. Thomas, LB, West Virginia

Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut

Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut

National signing day is Wednesday, and every fan base will be excited about the guys their schools bring in.

But how much do star rankings and hype really correlate to future success? One way to find out is by working backwards. Let's take a look at this year's official All-Big East team and see where each player was ranked as a recruit coming into his program.

All information is based on ESPN.com's recruiting rankings.

Offense

QB: Zach Collaros, Cincinnati: Unranked as a recruit.

RB: Jordan Todman, Connecticut: Two-star recruit, ranked No. 118 among running backs in the Class of 2008.

RB: Bilal Powell, Louisville: Unranked as a recruit.

WR: Armon Binns, Cincinnati: Unranked as a recruit.

WR: Jon Baldwin, Pittsburgh: Four-star prospect, ESPNU150 performer, No. 8 among wide receivers in the Class of 2008.

OT: Mike Ryan, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

OT: Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh: Four-star prospect and No. 13 defensive tackle in the Class of '06.

OG: Zach Hurd, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

OG: Mark Wetterer, Louisville: Two-star prospect and No. 70 offensive tackle in Class of '07.

C: Sampson Genus, South Florida: Three-star prospect and No. 12 center in the Class of '07.

TE: Cameron Graham, Louisville: Junior college transfer.

Defense

DL: Kendall Reyes, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

DL: Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh: Two-star prospect and No. 83 defensive end in the Class of '07.

DL: Terrell McClain, South Florida: Three-star prospect and No. 29 defensive tackle in Class of '07.

DL: Chris Neild, West Virginia: Three-star prospect and No. 17 tight end in Class of '06.

LB: Lawrence Wilson, Connecticut: Unranked as a recruit.

LB: Doug Hogue, Syracuse: Three-star prospect and No. 84 running back in Class of '07.

LB: J.T. Thomas, West Virginia: Unranked as a recruit.

CB: Johnny Patrick, Louisville: Unranked as a recruit.

CB: Keith Tandy, West Virginia: One-star prospect and No. 207 quarterback in Class of '07.

S: Dom DeCicco, Pittsburgh: Two-star prospect and No. 126 wide receiver in Class of '07.

S: Robert Sands, West Virginia: Unranked as a recruit.

As you can see, it was almost as likely that a player without any stars attached to his name would develop into an All-Big East performer as those more highly regarded. There were some on-the-mark evaluations, such as Baldwin and McClain, Pinkston and Genus. And there were guys who flew way under the radar, like Binns and Powell, Ryan and Wilson.

It still, like always, comes down to proper evaluation by a staff, then to player development and an individual's own desire to be great. Something to keep in mind on signing day.

Syracuse running back Delone Carter made a strong impression in Saturday's East-West Shrine Game in Orlando, Fla.

Carter led all rushers with 54 yards on 11 attempts with a touchdown and earned MVP honors for the East, which won the game 25-8. Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay said in his stock report that Carter was among those who helped themselves the most all week at the all-star showcase.

Of all the running backs here, Carter showed the most quickness and was the most consistent runner. While he still has weaknesses in his game -- he dances around too much at times and is not a great pass catcher -- he runs hard. He's very competitive and fights for extra yards. Much more than we saw on tape, he also showed a good initial burst to turn the corner. We gave him a fourth-round grade off game tape and if nothing else, he showed he is worth of being picking in the mid-rounds after this week.

Connecticut linebacker Greg Lloyd was the leading tackler for the East squad with five stops. It's still puzzling how Lloyd became all but invisible for the Huskies this season.

South Florida's Terrell McClain -- who drew some buzz last week -- and UConn's Scott Lutrus each had one stop in the game.

One player who might have helped himself, according to McShay, was Armon Binns. The Cincinnati receiver had one catch for 11 yards in the game.

Binns, 6-3 and 204 pounds, is a big receiver but not very physical and it showed this week as he had a hard time getting off press coverage. He also lacks quickness and suddenness in his routes and had a hard time creating separation, which was one of the concerns we had about him heading into the week. While he flashes and makes acrobatic catches, he'll too often have mental lapses and drop balls he should be catching.

The East-West Shrine Game is on tap for Saturday, but the most important work for scouts came in the week leading up to the contest. Our ESPN experts were in Orlando to watch the players during practice and offered their thoughts on who stood out the most .

Todd McShay listed Connecticut fullback Anthony Sherman and South Florida defensive tackle Terrell McClain among his top performers.

On Sherman: "He's undersized (5-11, 240 pounds) and fullbacks border on extinct in the NFL, but I was impressed with Sherman. He's competed all week. He's tough and has some power at the point of attack. He also has good hands. He caught the ball smoothly and got up the field. It's a pretty good fullback class and right now he's No. 6 in the class. He's a longshot to get drafted yet he's done nothing but help himself this week"

On McClain: "He is strong at the point of attack and just doesn't give ground. He controls blockers with his hands. He has violent hands to get off blocks and he has a power rush."

McShay also talks about McClain in this video.

Syracuse's Delone Carter got some positive reviews earlier in the week for his strong running style, though there were questions about his hands in the passing game. Teammate and linebacker Doug Hogue was not practicing late in the week, and no reason was given for his absence.

Also scheduled to compete in the game from the Big East are Syracuse center Ryan Bartholomew, UConn's Scott Lutrus and Greg Lloyd and Cincinnati's Armon Binns.

Here is the list of players from the Big East who will be participating in the East-West Shrine Game, a showcase for seniors and NFL hopefuls:

• Anthony Sherman, FB, Connecticut

• Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati

• Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse

• Doug Hogue, LB, Syracuse

• Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut

• Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut

• Ryan Bartholomew, OL, Syracuse

• Scott Lutrus, LB, Connecticut

• Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida

• Zach Hurd, OL, Connecticut

The 86th annual game will be held Jan. 22 in Orlando.

After two straight Big East titles and BCS game appearances, Cincinnati came crashing down to earth with a 4-8 record in 2010.

Several factors conspired against the Bearcats in this disappointing season. There was the coaching transition, of course, as Butch Jones took over for Brian Kelly. There was a difficult early schedule that included games at Fresno State and NC State and versus Oklahoma, all of which Cincinnati lost. Injuries played a part, as starting receiver Vidal Hazelton went down in the opener with a torn ACL, and the team's most experienced cornerback (Dominique Battle) missed most of the year with a knee injury.

The Bearcats led the league in points scored and total offense but finished last in points allowed thanks to an undersized, inexperienced defense that gave up nearly 34 points per conference game. Unlike last season, when they could win shootouts late in the year because of their prolific offense, they continually ended their own drives with mistakes. Their abysmal minus-15 turnover margin was second-worst in the FBS.

Intangibles were at play as well. Jones had to fight a sense of entitlement that stemmed from those two straight championships. Senior center Jason Kelce told the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this month that the team lacked the hunger it had in previous years.

So what can Cincinnati do to get back to the postseason in 2011?

Jones has a strong nucleus returning. The team loses only six starting seniors, none of them on defense. Quarterback Zach Collaros, running back Isaiah Pead and receiver D.J. Woods are all among the best at their position in the Big East, so the offense should thrive again, especially with a year of Jones' system under their belts. The Bearcats will miss start wideout Armon Binns, but freshman Anthony McClung showed promise late in the year, and former star recruit Dyjuan Woods and junior college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins will become eligible.

The defense remains an issue, and this offseason will be crucial in the weight room for the Bearcats to add some bulk. Jones has to fill in some gaps through recruiting and may look to a junior college player or two to provide immediate help.

Next year's schedule will be slightly easier, with difficult games against Tennessee and NC State but highly winnable contests against Austin Peay, Akron and Miami of Ohio. For the first time in a few years, the Bearcats won't be picked among the favorites for the Big East. But they should improve enough to get back to a bowl in 2011.

The Associated Press All-America teams are out, and the Big East has just one representative.

Connecticut running back Jordan Todman was named to the second team. Todman finished second nationally in rushing yards per game. Oregon's LaMichael James and Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter were the first-team running backs.

The Big East didn't produce a ton of All-America candidates this year, but some other guys who could have been considered included Pittsburgh defensive end Jabaal Sheard, West Virginia nose tackle Chris Neild, Connecticut linebacker Lawrence Wilson and Cincinnati wide receiver Armon Binns.

But at least Todman got recognized for his outstanding season.

I'm borrowing a page from the playbook of SEC blogger Chris Low and taking a moment to honor the Big East's top seniors in the 2010 season.

The league was full of young players, particularly at quarterback. But each team also was blessed with excellent seniors who provided leadership on and off the field. Today I recognize one outstanding elder statesman from each team:

Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut: A rock on defense for the Huskies as a four-year starter, Wilson covers a ton of ground with his speed and instincts for the game. He led the league in tackles for a second straight year. And when his team needed a big play in the season finale against South Florida with the BCS bid on the line, he came up with a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: Senior leadership was an issue for the Bearcats all season during a disappointing 4-8 campaign. But Binns was always reliable and became unstoppable as the year went on. He led the Big East in every major receiving category, finishing 14th nationally with 1,101 receiving yards.

Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville: Head coach Charlie Strong placed a lot on Powell's shoulders in the preseason, calling the quiet tailback the face of the program. Powell responded with, by far, the best season of his career, rushing for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns. He doesn't say a lot, but he leads by example. And he runs as if each cent of his scholarship check depends on it.

Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh: When Sheard was arrested after a fight this preseason, Pitt coaches were quick to say the incident was way out of character for a guy who saved a woman from a burning house in high school. He showed his real character this season, picking up the slack for injured teammate Greg Romeus and turning into the most feared pass-rusher in the Big East while winning the league's defensive player of the year award. Sheard was also a leader in the locker room, calling guys out for their effort when the team struggled early this season.

Alex Silvestro, DE, Rutgers: Silvestro came to Rutgers weighing only about 220 pounds, but stepped in at defensive tackle when the Scarlet Knights needed help at the position. He moved between that and defensive end in his career and always contributed. The three-year starter led the team with 14.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks this year, earning defensive MVP honors for the Scarlet Knights.

Mistral Raymond, CB, South Florida: Raymond walked onto the team two years ago and quickly became one of the most respected members of the Bulls. His lanky frame allowed him to play corner or safety, depending on the team's needs, and he was the best defensive back South Florida had this season. He was one of the many seniors who stepped up and helped the Bulls turn their season around after a 0-2 start in Big East play.

Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse: Smith moved all around in his Orange career, from running back to defensive end to outside linebacker and finally to middle linebacker. He took each move in stride and wound up as a three-year starter and cornerstone for the program's revival. He's shooting for his fourth straight all-Big East academic team honor as well.

Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia: The Mountaineers were loaded with valuable seniors -- Noel Devine, Jock Sanders, J.T. Thomas, Anthony Leonard and on and on and on. Few did so much important work with so little glory than Neild, whose job is to plug up the middle of the 3-3-5 defense by crashing into two offensive linemen on every play. Neild finished with only 31 tackles, but his stats don't begin to measure his true worth to one of the nation's top defenses.