ESPN College Football

Wrapping up his position-by-position look at the top prospects for the 2014 NFL draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. broke down the top offensive linemen and defensive tackles.

While none of the Pac-12's offensive linemen rank in the top five overall , when Kiper breaks them down by position, some of the conference's usual suspects appear.

Tackles

• Cameron Fleming, Stanford
• Aundrey Walker, USC

Guards

• David Yankey, Stanford
• Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA

Centers

• Hroniss Grasu, Oregon

Yankey, Su'a-Filo and Grasu were first-team All-Pac-12 picks last season and Fleming was honorable mention.

Moving over to the defensive tackles , a pair of Pac-12 players are on the board. Cal's Deandre Coleman cracks Kiper's top five, coming in at No. 5. Will Sutton is in the "next up" category of five more players to watch.

Kiper on Coleman: Quick off the ball for a 6-5, 320-pound player, Coleman can really chop his feet, and he has a little shake in him to get a blocker off balance to shove aside. He's best-suited to be either a 3-4 defensive end or a penetrating 3-tech defensive tackle in a 4-3.

Last season he had 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. A fellow Pac-12 D-tackle (see below) was more productive, but I like Coleman's versatility.

Kiper on Sutton: A nightmare to block, Sutton piled up 13.0 sacks and 23 1/2 tackles for loss. He could have factored into first-round talk in the 2013 draft.

You can see our posts on the other position groups here.

• Tight ends and outside linebackers
• Quarterbacks and cornerbacks
• Running backs and safeties
• Wide receivers and defensive ends

Here's the quick recap of all Pac-12 players in the rankings. The league has a total of 27 players listed with 14 on offense and 13 on defense. Four players are ranked No. 1 overall within their position group. Stanford leads the way with seven, followed by Oregon and USC with five each, then UCLA with three, Washington and ASU with two and Arizona, Oregon State and Cal with one each.

Quarterback

• Marcus Mariota, Oregon
• *Kiper updated this post to include other quarterbacks he likes, including Taylor Kelly, Keith Price, and he notes that Brett Hundley and Kevin Hogan could be in the mix if they are leaning toward declaring.

Running back

• De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon (ranked No. 1)
• Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona
• Silas Redd, USC
• Bishop Sankey, Washington

Wide receiver

• Marqise Lee, USC (ranked No. 1)

Tight end

• Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington (ranked No. 1)
• Colt Lyerla, Oregon
• Xavier Grimble, USC

Defensive end

• Scott Crichton, Oregon State

Safety

• Ed Reynolds, Stanford
• Jordan Richards, Stanford

Cornerback

• Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon

Outside linebacker

• Anthony Barr, UCLA (ranked No. 1)
• Carl Bradford, ASU
• Trent Murphy, Stanford
• Hayes Pullard, USC

Inside linebacker

• Eric Kendricks, UCLA
• A.J. Tarpley, Stanford
• Shayne Skov, Stanford

Happy Friday.

• As noted yesterday, Arizona's Jake Fischer was named to the Lott IMPACT watch list. Here's some more on the linebacker.
• A spring exit interview with ASU defensive line coach Jackie Shipp.
• In honor of the passing of Chuck Muncie, the San Jose Mercury News asks who is Cal's greatest running back?
• Details of the Webb-Lewis case continue to emerge.
• Chip Kelly bringing a "spark" to the Eagles.
• Oregon State loses a defensive tackle to a medical retirement.
• Incoming Stanford recruits are preparing for strength and conditioning coach Shannon Turley.
• Datone Jones could immediately impact the Green Bay defense.
• Utah coach Kyle Whittingham says USC is still the benchmark in the South.
• What game on Utah's schedule are fans most excited about?
• Some more on Washington's tight end commit.
• WSU's Teondray Caldwell could face assault and burglary charges.

I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.

• BYU's offensive coordinator gets a strong endorsement from Rich Rodriguez.
• Arizona State is still fighting to get the Notre Dame game in Tempe. Brady Hoke rumored to arbitrate.
• Cal hired a new strength and conditioning coach.
• Colorado's defensive linemen are trimming up.
• Five of the most influential Oregon plays of the past 10 seasons.
• The Oregon State spring tour continues with USC.
• Tracking Stanford's third-down efficiency.
• Johnathan Franklin brings good competition to the position in Green Bay.
• USC appears twice on Athlon's ranking for the 25 greatest dynasties of the AP era.
• A look at the running back hopefuls to replace John White.
• Can Jonathan Amosa make it with the Packers?
• Washington State news and notes.

 

The name's Dangerously. Johnny Dangerously.
Did you know your last name is an adverb?

• Can Rich Rodriguez lead Arizona to a major bowl game in five years? One writer says yes. (But no to Washington and California).
• A post-spring exit interview with ASU linebackers coach Paul Randolph.
• Sad news for the Cal family with the passing of Chuck Muncie.
• Mike MacIntyre is waiting for all the facts before passing judgment on Jordan Webb.
• An analysis of Oregon's special teams.
• Are the Beavers lucky to be missing UCLA this year?
• Another vote for Shayne Skov as Stanford's Most Important Player (at least on defense).
• Tough break for the Bruins, who likely lose defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa for the 2013 season.
• The Trojans are looking to ramp up the power running game in 2013.
• Utah's new football facility is to be ready by July.
• What are the expectations for Desmond Trufant in 2013?
• A WSU defensive lineman was given a liar-liar-pants-on-fire citation.
• Eager to stir the pot in mid-May, Jon Wilner predicts the first-and-second team all-league teams. Very ambitious. Very brave.

Here's a look at where each Pac-12 teams stands in the recruiting game post-spring.

Arizona

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Running back Nick Wilson (Fresno, Calif.) has good size, so he's capable of running over defenders. But he's also shifty with good breakaway speed. His highlight film offers examples of both.
ESPN 150 members: 1 (Cameron Denson, ATH, Tucson, Ariz.)

Arizona State

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: A commit since January, athlete Jaleel Wadood (Bellflower, Calif.) has good closing speed as a defensive back and projects as a corner or safety at the next level. Per his scouting report, there is room to grow on his 5-11, 165-pound frame.
ESPN 150 members: 0

California

2014 verbal commitments: 2
Spotlight: Tagged as an athlete, Koa Farmer (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) could end up as a big-bodied receiver or possibly a safety. His highlight film offers snippets of both.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Colorado

2014 verbal commitments:0
Spotlight:
ESPN 150 members: 0

Oregon

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Four-star linebacker Jordan Hoiem (Wailuku, Hawaii) has good size at 6-5 and should fill out his frame when he gets into a college lifting program. Could develop into a dangerous speed rusher off the edge -- as his highlight film indicates.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Oregon State

2014 verbal commitments: 1
Spotlight: OSU's lone commit, quarterback Nick Mitchell (Snoqualmie, Wash.), looks to be another prototypical Mike Riley pro-style quarterback. Tall and lean with room to grow, he excels at accuracy and timing patterns, per his scouting report.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Stanford

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Stanford's most recent commit, athlete Christian McCaffrey (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), has more than 20 offers -- including the bulk of the Pac-12. He's the top-ranked player in Colorado (you might recognize the name) and, as you can see from his film, has a very diverse offensive skill set.
ESPN 150 members: 0

UCLA

2014 verbal commitments: 1
Spotlight: Wide receiver Barry Ware (Corona, Calif.) has a good frame at 6-2, 195. Per his scouting report, he's got big, soft hands with a large catch radius.
ESPN 150 members: 0

USC

2014 verbal commitments: 5
Spotlight: Offensive tackle Jordan Poland (La Jolla, Calif.) already has the size at 6-7, 333. Having already had one de-commit on the offensive line, the Trojans are hoping for early enrollments from Poland and offensive guard Toa Lobendahn.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Utah

2014 verbal commitments: 4
Spotlight: Offensive tackle Jackson Barton (Salt Lake City) is a hometown prospect whose father played minor league baseball and his mother was an All-American honorable mention basketball player for the Utes. Plenty of room to grow in his 6-6, 275-pound frame.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Washington

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Athlete Rahshead Johnson (Long Beach, Calif.) could, per his scouting report, "literally be a legit threat on both sides of the ball." He's been a Washington commit for almost 11 months so it will be interesting to see where he fits into the scheme.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Washington State

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: If he keeps his commitment, quarterback Peyton Bender (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) will be the fourth quarterback Mike Leach has recruited. Like the rest, Bender is at least 6-1 and while he's not a threat to run, per his scouting report, he does a good job extending plays.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned for Sega.

• Catching up on some Arizona news and notes.
• Todd Graham and Jaxon Hood give a shout out to the moms.
• What are Cal's expectations in 2013?
• More details are emerging about the Webb-Lewis assault case.
• Who is Oregon's next in line after Marcus Mariota?
• The spring tour of Oregon State's 2013 schedule continues with Cal.
• David Shaw: Football coach, motivational speaker.
• Datone Jones weighs in on Colin Kaepernick.
• The Trojans are hoping to avoid drama in 2013.
• Missed this one last week. My bad. Utah's John White is headed to the CFL.
• Justin Glenn signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Washington State picked up a linebacker commit.

What's a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting like this?

• The Arizona football family rallies to help one of its own.
• A post-spring exit interview with ASU safeties coach Chris Ball.
• Keenan Allen and Steve Williams are happy to be Chargers together.
• Some more on the arrests of Jordan Webb and Alex Lewis.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's special teams.
• Look for Markus Wheaton to crack Pittsburgh's starting lineup.
• Chase Thomas has motivation to impress the Saints.
• Packers draftees Johnathan Franklin and Eddie Lacy will push each other.
• Nine offseason position battles to watch at USC.
• A breakdown of Utah's post-spring depth chart.
• Don't sleep on Washington linebacker Travis Feeney.
• Marquess Wilson is eager to jump into the Bears' wide receiver competition.

Happy Friday.

• Arizona and UNLV are getting closer to moving their game to Glendale.
• A post-spring review of Arizona State's linebackers.
• Todd Steussie headlines list of eight selected to Cal's Hall of Fame.
• Former Colorado quarterback Nick Hirschman will transfer to Akron.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's defensive backs.
• Cliff Kirkpatrick's spring tour of Oregon State's opponents continues with Utah.
• Zach Ertz and Jordan Poyer have agreed to deals with the Eagles.
• Matt Hayes from Sporting News has a nice feature on Brett Hundley.
• A preseason breakdown of USC wide receiver Marqise Lee.
• Utah will get back to defying the odds in 2013.
• Keith Price is No. 7 on a list of 15 pivotal quarterbacks in 2013.
• Same list, and Connor Halliday is No. 11.
• Jon Wilner has some updates on the Pac-12 Network.

With the NFL draft still fresh in our minds and numerous publications releasing 2014 mock drafts, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has jumped on board (that's a pun) and released his first Big Board of the top 25 players for next year’s draft.

The board features four players from the Pac-12, including two in the top five. Here's how they rank.

USC wide receiver Marqise Lee is the highest rated Pac-12 player, checking in at No. 3 behind No. 1 Jadeveon Clowney and Teddy Bridgewater.

Kiper on Lee: That USC had several good weapons in the passing game last season didn't stop defenses from paying extra attention to Lee, but it didn't matter. He has the ability to separate with speed and as an effective route-runner. He's dropped a few easy ones, but makes most routine catches and can play bigger than his size. Dangerous after the catch. He's also physical and could've been a top safety if he'd chosen that direction.

UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr -- previously No. 10 on the 2013 Big Board before deciding to return to UCLA for another season -- checks in at No. 5

Kiper on Barr: For perspective on Barr, consider that he easily outperformed Dion Jordan last season, and not only did Jordan go No. 3 overall, but Barr was playing defense for the first time in college football. A former fullback, he has a powerful lower half, but has a long frame and reach. I was surprised to see him return to UCLA coming off his 2012 season, but another year of seasoning at the position is only going to make him a more attractive talent.

Also ranked are Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (No. 14) and Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (No. 24).

In a second Kiper link, he looked at "the next 25" players who received consideration for the Big Board. And there's plenty of Pac-12 talent.

• No. 28 Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas
• No. 29 Stanford's David Yankey
• No. 31 Oregon State's Scott Crichton
• No. 33 Oregon's Marcus Mariota
• No. 37 Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey
• No. 40 Stanford's Ed Reynolds
• No. 42 USC's Morgan Breslin
• No. 46 California's Deandre Coleman

Finally from Kiper, a fun little story about how the draft might have gone had Clowney, Bridgewater, Lee, Barr and a few other offensive linemen been eligible in 2013.

On Lee: I could have seen Lee go as high as No. 3 overall to Oakland. The Raiders were smart to deal down, but WR is a pretty big need for them, and Lee is ready to play. Another spot he could have landed in is No. 5 with the Lions. Joke all you want about Detroit's history of drafting wideouts, but with the injury to Ryan Broyles and the dismissal of Titus Young, the Lions are actually thin at the position beyond Megatron. I'm a big fan of Tavon Austin, but he's not the prospect Lee is.

On Barr: All you need to know about Barr is that he was far more productive than Dion Jordan last year, and while Jordan is probably a better player in space right now, he was drafted to rush the passer, and Barr -- with only one year of experience -- is arguably already better. I think he and Jordan would have been neck and neck, and that obviously means that he could have gone in the top five. There's certainly the possibility he beats out Barkevious Mingo as the No. 6 pick to Cleveland.

Circus life, under the big-top world. We all need the clowns to make us smile.

• Some more on Tedy Bruschi headed to the Hall.
• A post-spring interview with ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell.
• Jon Wilner assess each team's quarterback situation -- which is still up in the air for Cal.
• A tough season on the field has left the Colorado athletic program with a deficit.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's linebackers.
• Jordan Poyer might prove to be a steal for the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Did you miss any Stanford articles from The Bootleg this spring? Here's all of them neatly organized.
• A trio of UCLA draftees will miss mini-camp because of finals.
• Nice feature from Stewart Mandel on former USC center Khaled Holmes, a finalist for SI's college athlete of the year.
• Utah continues its focus on in-state recruiting.
• A reaction to the Pac-12 blog's power rankings from a Washington perspective.
• Things are looking up at WSU under Bill Moos' watch.

On the low end of the bell curve, California's wide receivers will probably be productive. But youth, packaged with a new offensive system, might mean they'll need another year to get up to speed.

On the high end of the bell curve, California might have one of the most explosive wide receiving corps in the Pac-12.

It's that wide open when you measure the depth and potential of the youngsters.

Chances are, they'll probably fall somewhere in the middle. But there is no disputing that new coach Sonny Dykes has some very good talent at the position that can't wait to break out in the new "Bear Raid" system.

"It's an interesting group," Dykes said. "We've got a lot of different kinds of guys. We've got longer guys with great ball skills. We've got big guys. Fast guys. A lot of range."

In the pro-style attack of former head coach Jeff Tedford, Keenan Allen was the guy -- totaling 205 catches, 2,570 yards and 17 touchdowns in a three-year career. It didn't hurt that his brother was the quarterback. But relations aside, Allen was the kind of talent that it didn't matter who was throwing the football, he was going to be the primary receiver.

In the new system, there is room to spread the wealth. Sophomore Bryce Treggs (5-foot-11, 175 pounds) is fast, shifty and good in space. Redshirt freshman Kenny Lawler might be the most complete of the bunch at 6-3, 185, with the ability to stretch the field.

"We didn't know at first what we were getting with him," Dykes said. "But he came in and had as productive a spring as anybody. He was really good at going to get the football and he has some outstanding ball skills. He still needs to learn to play the position. But he's been a pleasant surprise."

Sophomore Chris Harper (6-0, 165) was second only to Allen last year, catching 41 balls for 544 yards and two touchdowns. Injury, however, limited him this spring.

"We didn't get a great chance to evaluate him," Dykes said. "But we're starting to get a sense now for how he moves and we're pleased. Athletic, quick guy.

Then there is sophomore Darius Powe (6-3, 212), sophomore Maurice Harris (6-3, 205), sophomore Maximo Espitia (6-2, 215), former tight end, sophomore Richard Rodgers and about five or six other players who could be impact guys.

It's a unit loaded with youth -- which also means it will grow up together and might eventually emerge as one of the top receiving corps in the league.

But first things first.

"We still need a quarterback," Dykes said.

Oh yeah, details.

"From a talent standpoint, the ingredients are all there," Dykes said. "Maurice Harris has a chance to do some good things. Richard Rodgers has lost about 25 pounds. If he's good at inline blocking, we'll stick him out there and let him block. But that's not really his strength. His strength is being able to run routes and cover people up with his body."

There is room for cautious optimism that personnel is a silky fit for what Dykes wants to bring to the Bears.

"I think we have the makings of having a pretty good offense," he said. "There are question marks at spots. We have to stay healthy at running back. We probably need to get some depth from a true freshman, which is never a good thing. But there are reasons to be optimistic."

BJ 19. Second base. The beard.

• Arizona alumnus Tedy Bruschi is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Pretty cool video of ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly and his passion for drag racing.
• A closer look at Sonny Dykes' contract.
• Former Colorado coach Bill McCartney selected for the College Football Hall of Fame.
• A look at Oregon's defensive line post-spring.
• Mike Riley touches on a few of the national issues surrounding college football.
• David Shaw, among others, is a fan of the new College Football Playoff.
• Brett Hundley has to do a better job staying on his feet in 2013.
• A New Jersey writer dug up this pot-stirring quote from Chip Kelly about Matt Barkley and Andrew Luck. Discuss.
• Checking in on Utah's new facilities.
• Steve Sarkisian weighs in on spring games.
• Some Washington State news and notes.

2012 record: 3-9

2012 conference record: 2-7

Returning starters

Offense: 5; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

DE Deandre Coleman, RB Brendan Bigelow, OLB Chris McCain, K Vince D'Amato

Key losses

WR Keenan Allen, C Brian Schwenke, CB Steve Williams, DE Kendrick Payne

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: C.J. Anderson (814 yards)
Passing: Zach Maynard (2,214 yards)
Receiving: Keenan Allen (737 yards)
Tackles: Josh Hill (87)
Sacks: Chris McCain*, Kendrick Payne (3.5)
Interceptions: Steve Williams (3)

Spring answers

1. New systems in: New coach Sonny Dykes brought big changes. On offense, the Bears switched from a pro-style scheme to an up-tempo spread. On defense, the Bears switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3. While only games will test these new systems, Dykes and defensive coordinator Andy Buh said it was mission accomplished as far as an introductory installation.

2. Cornered: The Bears are replacing two quality cornerbacks but they seem to have two quality replacements in experienced junior Kameron Jackson and sophomore Stefan McClure, who is coming back from a knee injury that killed his 2012 season. Depth is still a question, though.

3. Fronted seven? If you followed recruiting over the past four or so years, you will recognize just about every name on the Bears' defensive front seven. This is a talented group across the board, and don't forget that Penn State transfer Khairi Fortt, who sat out last year with a knee injury, is penciled in as a starter at weakside LB.

Fall questions

1. Who's the QB? Dykes provided no pecking order between redshirt freshman Zach Kline, freshman Jared Goff and junior Austin Hinder on the post-spring depth chart. While Kline is generally viewed as the favorite among the hoi polloi, Dykes seemed to step back from his statement late in spring practices that Kline had "made a move" during the Pac-12 coaches teleconference this week.

2. Healthy? A lot of key players missed all or a lot of spring practices, including the top two running backs, Brendan Bigelow and Daniel Lasco, and tight end Richard Rodgers and OT Bill Tyndall, who broke his ankle during spring practices. While the word is all are expected to be ready to go in August, that is always written in pencil.

3. Brutal welcome to Berkeley for Dykes: Cal may play the toughest schedule in the nation. It includes eight teams with legitimate top-25 aspirations and three teams that are likely to be in the preseason top 5: Stanford, Oregon and Ohio State. It could be a slog, and the challenge for Dykes will be keeping his team focused and positive.

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

• Arizona unveils its new uniforms.
• ASU checks in at No. 23 in Athlon's preseason top 25, plus the 10 greatest Sun Devils since 1967.
• A Q&A with Cal cornerback Kameron Jackson.
• Injured Colorado quarterback Jordan Webb could be back by October.
• Potential early draft entrees could impact Oregon's recruiting.
• Oregon State is No. 25 in Athlon's top 25, plus the 10 greatest OSU players since 1967.
• Former Cardinal Zach Ertz should fit in right away with the Eagles.
• There are high expectations in the NFL for Datone Jones.
• Lane Kiffin wasn't surprised that Chip Kelly drafted Matt Barkley.
• Utah looking for some consistency in 2013.
• Steve Sarkisian hits on a number of topics -- including the spring game and Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
• The 2013 season might be tough, but the Cougars will rise in Year 3 under Mike Leach.

Here on the Pac-12 blog, we bring more than just game coverage, team analysis, statistical trends and rarely-accurate bowl projections.

We also bring the stuff that matters. Like Twitter stats.

Inspired by Kelly Hines of Tulsa World, who went through every FBS coach's Twitter account and ranked them by followers, we thought we'd do the same for just the Pac-12. You can see Hines' article here and note where the Pac-12 coaches rank against their peers. Twitter, of course, is quite fluid with followers coming and going often.

At the time of Hines' publication, UCLA coach Jim Mora was the leader of the league's coaches in number of followers. But he's since dropped about 6,000 followers (rough weekend), meaning Washington's Steve Sarkisian is the leader.

LSU's Les Miles headlines the group as the only coach with more than 100,000 followers, followed by Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, Tennessee's Butch Jones, Georgia's Mark Richt and Arkansas' Bret Bielema rounding out the top five.

Here's where the Pac-12 coaches currently ranks, along with links to their Twitter accounts.

1. Steve Sarkisian 46,510
2. Jim Mora 43,166
3. Mike Leach 42,226
4. Lane Kiffin 29,853
5. Mike Riley 14,939
6. Rich Rodriguez 8,320
7. David Shaw 6,443
8. Sonny Dykes 3,564
9. Mark Helfrich 3,382
10. Todd Graham 2,063

If Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has a Twitter account, it's super secret. You can follow the Utes at @Utah_Football.

Same for new Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre, who probably has a little more on his mind than getting his new Twitter account set up. You can follow the Buffs official football feed @RunRalphieRun.

While you're updating your twitter, why not swing by and follow the Pac-12 blog (48,527). That's right, Bieber. Don't get too comfy.

#hashtagjokesaregettingold