ESPN College Football

USC might be No. 1 in the College Football Live spring Top 25 rankings. But it's No. 4 Oregon that has the best chance to knock the SEC off its six-ringed mountain. So says ESPN college football analyst Brock Huard, who laid out three reasons (all extremely sound and logical) why Oregon is actually the team to beat in the Pac-12 this season.

Here's a minor re-hash of his three points.

Regarding the quarterback situation: Cam Newton and AJ McCarron won BCS titles the past two seasons as first-year starters under center. McCarron filled the role of game manager, while the Heisman Trophy-winning Newton was the ultimate game-breaker. For Oregon in 2012, either redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota or sophomore Bryan Bennett will be under center as a first-year starter, a point that isn't lost on coach Chip Kelly, but also one that doesn't scare him, either.

The Ducks have an SEC-worthy defensive front: "Yeah, our group thinks they could be [on that level]," Kelly said. "We have some size with Wade Keliikipi [6-foot-3, 300 pounds] and Ricky Heimuli [6-4, 321] that will match some of those guys. Football starts up front. We've learned that in our battles with LSU and Auburn. I really think our defensive line will be the strength of this football team."

Throw in returning first-team all-conference defensive end Dion Jordan (6-7, 245), lengthy and productive redshirt junior Taylor Hart (6-6, 289) and four-star recruit Arik Armstead (6-8, 297) and it becomes clear as to why the normally reserved Kelly gets so excited about his team's prospects up front.

The schedule favors the Ducks: The only road trip in the first six weeks is to face the Washington State Cougars, and not even in Pullman, but rather at Century Link Field in Seattle where the Green and Gold could very well equal the Crimson and Grey in the stands. The easy early slate will provide a soft landing for Oregon's first-year QB.

This will obviously be a major point of contention for both USC and Oregon fans, assuming both teams do as expected, until Nov. 3 rolls around. [Utah fans, feel free to jump in on this until Oct. 4 -- and beyond if your team can top the Trojans at home]. Still, it doesn't mean we can't stoke the fires a little early.

How much can we really learn from spring? Funky scrimmages with backwards scoring systems; depleted depth charts; completely new installs for four teams. Actually, more than you'd think. Here are five things we learned about the Pac-12 during spring.

1. Quarterbacks are still in limbo: Be it Stanford, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon or Colorado, almost half of the teams still don’t know who is going to be under center when the season starts. Stanford funneled its list of five down to two, Josh Nunes and Brett Nottingham. ASU still has a three-way battle with Michael Eubank, Mike Bercovici and Taylor Kelly -- though coach Todd Graham said they have a better idea than they are probably letting on publicly. The very private competition between Marcus Mariota and Bryan Bennett at Oregon remains in question -- though Mariota was spectacular in the spring game while Bennett faltered. Still, coach Chip Kelly said that one game isn’t going to be his basis for comparison. UCLA coach Jim Mora wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but no one has “grabbed” it, so we’ll have to wait until August before learning whether Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut gets the gig. And at Colorado, the competition was put on hiatus when Nick Hirschman broke a bone in his foot and couldn’t compete in spring drills. One has to think that was a huge advantage for Connor Wood to get almost all of the reps with the first-team offense.
2. Not everyone has quarterback issues: Teams thought to have quarterback question marks heading into spring seemed to have resolved them. In Utah, Jordan Wynn is completely healthy, and both coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson have declared Wynn their guy. While Mike Leach hasn’t officially declared Jeff Tuel his starter, it’s hard to imagine anyone else winning the job in the fall, short of Tuel suffering a significant injury or amnesia. He had a splendid spring, and appears to be a great fit for Leach’s offense. And at Arizona, Matt Scott seized the job early and left little room for any competition. Coach Rich Rodriguez has been gushing about how quickly Scott has adjusted to the offense. At Cal, Zach Maynard, once thought to be challenged by freshman Zach Kline, appears to not only have held on to the job, but distanced himself from pursuers.
3. Wide receivers aplenty: And there are plenty of those in the conference. USC has probably the best tandem in the country in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Cal’s Keenan Allen (though he missed spring drills) should continue to put up big numbers, and Washington State’s Marquess Wilson should flourish in the Cougars’ new system with Tuel as his quarterback. Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks could challenge the USC duo statistically if quarterback Sean Mannion continues to develop. There are stars on the rise at Arizona State (Jamal Miles) and Stanford (Ty Montgomery), and a potential star at Washington (James Johnson). Look out Biletnikoff, the Pac-12 is a comin'…
4. The conference of defense? The Pac-12 might never bunk its reputation as an offensive-centric conference (especially when it keeps churning out offensive talent). But there is a surplus of talented defenses and defensive players who were on display this spring. Washington seems to have plugged its leaks with new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. There’s a 3-4 trend sweeping the conference, and with notable playmakers like Star Lotulelei (Utah), John Boyett (Oregon), Dion Jordan (Oregon), Chase Thomas (Stanford), Josh Shirley (Washington), T.J. McDonald (USC) and DeAndre Coleman (Cal), it’s easy to see why some of the Pac-12 defenses will get the same kind of love as the offenses do in 2012.
5. Confidence is at an all-time high: As it should be in the spring. The four new coaches all feel confident about the systems they have installed. Stanford feels as good as it ever has about its running game. USC and Oregon should get lofty preseason rankings, and this is the time of the year when fans go through the schedules game by game and always seem to come up with a minimum of six wins. Sorry to say, there are teams in the conference that won’t make it to a bowl game this season. But when you hear the coaches talk about their teams, you’d think the conference is going to go 12-0 in the postseason. This is a magical time for fans filled with hope and possibility. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Dion Jordan is flattered, but ultimately unmoved by comparisons. Oregon's defensive end has heard most of them -- Jevon Kearse, Terrell Suggs, Dwight Freeney, to name a few. Not exactly shoddy company, mind you.

"I think it's cool and I've been compared to a few of those guys in the past," Jordan said. "But I want to bring my own game to the table. I've watched those guys in the film room. I've studied the great pass-rushers and outside linebackers that drop into coverage. I want to get as much as I can out of them and then roll that into my own game."

And if all goes according to plan, Jordan's game in 2012 will be to create chaos.

Jordan, a returning first-team all-conference defensive end last season, was one of the most disruptive players in the Pac-12, finishing fourth in the league with 7.5 sacks. There's no reason to believe he isn't poised for equal or better numbers in his senior season. Nor is it out of the realm of possibility to consider him a legitimate candidate for conference defensive player of the year.

"First, I've got to finish up school, graduate and become a better leader for my teammates on the field," said Jordan, who totaled 13 tackles for a loss last year. "My main goal is to get after the quarterback more so I can increase those stats. That will help me and my team a lot. If I can get my hands on the ball, I believe I can get in the end zone one or two times."

Spoken like a true offensive player at heart. Coming out of Chandler, Ariz., as a 6-foot-6, 215-pound receiver/tight end hybrid, he never imagined himself on the defensive side of the ball -- or on the line, for that matter. But he's grown an inch since arriving in Eugene and is playing at about 245 pounds now -- a proportion he's happy with.

"I can definitely add more weight, but my real goal is to get stronger," he said. "Last year I played at about 240, but if I gain too much, I won't be as effective with my feet. I gotta get stronger. More time in the weight room, take care of my body and stay healthy. That's all that matters right now."

He's being touted early on as one of the top 20 players in the 2013 NFL draft -- something that's crossed his mind, but it's not on his mind. Like all good team leaders, he's got his attention focused on the first game of the season.

"When the season starts, everyone has the same record," Jordan said. "You really can't buy into the hype. All you can do is prepare and come out ready to play. Coach [Chip] Kelly makes sure we're prepared every week to compete against anybody we play. And we feel like if we prepare good enough, we can compete with anybody in the nation."

All of the ingredients are in place. Jordan plays on a high-profile team that's going to win a lot of games and is expected to be in the national championship hunt. And according to defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti, he could be Oregon's best defensive player. Kelly is equally thrilled with Jordan's progress.

"I'm really excited about Dion," Kelly said. "He's really come into a leadership role this spring and he's emerged as one of the top players in our conference."

And he's one of the top players on a defense that is loaded with talent. With playmakers like Michael Clay, Kiko Alonso, Taylor Hart and John Boyett -- to name a few -- the Ducks defense looks poised to again be one of the best in the conference.

"It's not about one or two guys standing out," Jordan said. "I honestly think we all do a good job complementing each other in our own way. We work hard. If you look at previous games, not everybody is going to play their best game every week. We do a good job picking each other up."

We're continuing with our under the radar series.

The idea is to pick out a player who is not a big name, but who may be underrated. Or, at least, a guy who will need to step up and play a critical role in 2012.

We're going in reverse alphabetical order.

Colorado: DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe

2011 production: Totaled 18 tackles -- all solo -- and had 5.5 sacks. He also forced a team-high three fumbles.

Making the case for Uzo-Diribe: Of the eight defensive linemen named to the first and second team all-conference defense last year, only two of them (Nick Perry and Dion Jordan) had more sacks than Uzo-Diribe, who finished ninth in the conference. He tied for fifth in the conference in forced fumbles. But Colorado's poor defensive showing last season (last in scoring defense, 10th in total defense) didn't do much to help his credibility. He's an explosive player at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds and is certainly a defender that opposing offenses can't overlook. The biggest issue for him this spring was being more consistent against the run, and he seems to be making strides. He's poised for another good season -- potentially a breakout season -- and if some of Colorado's younger defenders can step up, he could be in line for some of the postseason honors that evaded him last year.

We're continuing with our under the radar series.

The idea is to pick out a player who is not a big name, but who may be underrated. Or, at least, a guy who will need to step up and play a critical role in 2012.

We're going in reverse alphabetical order.

Oregon: DT/DE Taylor Hart

2011 production: Hart was 10th on the Ducks with 44 tackles. He also had three tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.

Making the case: If DE Dion Jordan is sure to be the star producer for the Ducks defense -- read: sacks -- then Hart likely will be the man-behind-the-man. Hart is a guy who doesn't get a lot of acclaim but is almost always cited by his coaches and teammates. Before spring practice, LB Michael Clay went off on his own tangent to me about how underrated the 6-foot-6, 289-pound junior is as a pure athlete. Chip Kelly clearly loves the guy. Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti provides Hart's name first when he explains that he's more worried about replacing safety Eddie Pleasant than DE Terrell Turner. We'd say that Hart is the Hart and Soul of the Ducks defensive front, but then you'd accuse us of making a bad pun. So we won't do that. A 14-game starter last fall, Hart earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 notice. He can play both DT and DE, as he is proficient at holding his ground as well as attacking. The Pac-12 all-academic second team member also is smart, which is a good thing. Jordan is a top candidate for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, a guy who figures to record double-digit sacks. But don't be surprised if Hart doubles his sack total during another productive season.

The 2012 NFL draft is over. So, naturally, let's look ahead to the 2013 draft. Will the Pac-12 recover from a miserable showing this go-around?

Maybe.

Here are the Pac-12 players on a list of the top-30 prospects from Bucky Brooks of NFL.com.

1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC
3. Robert Woods, WR, USC
11. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
19. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon
23. T.J. McDonald, S, USC
26. Keenan Allen, WR, California
28. Joseph Fauria, TE, UCLA

This list of the top-five prospects by position has solid Pac-12 representation.

QB: No. 1 Barkley

RB: No. 2 Kenjon Barner, Oregon

WR: No. 1 Woods, No. 2 Allen

TE: No. 2 Fauria, No. 3 Zach Ertz, Stanford

Interior line: No. 2 Khaled Holmes, USC (center)

DT: No. 2 Lotulelei

ILB: No. 4 Shayne Skov, Stanford

CB: No. 5 Jordan Poyer, Oregon State

S: No. 2 McDonald, USC

Specialists: No. 5 Jeff Locke, UCLA (punter)

While Oregon has played brilliant offensively under coach Chip Kelly, the Ducks three consecutive Pac-12 titles wouldn't have happened without good defense.

Of course, the defense doesn't get as much credit as the high-flying offense. And it's not known for producing a bunch of future NFL stars.

That might change, though. The 2012 Ducks defense has some legitimate stars. And a couple of guys who are going to be playing on Sundays.

Ducks' fans, though they are typically shy about expressing their feelings on most topics, seem to be juiced about the prospects next fall.

So, with Oregon concluding spring practices with a spring game on Saturday, which will be televised Saturday at 2 p.m. ET -- 11 a.m. PT -- on ESPN3, it seemed like a good time to check in with defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti.

If I promise not to tell anyone, will you tell me who's going to win the QB competition?

Nick Aliotti: No, I cannot do that. Coach would kill me. I don't know who's going to win it anyway. I just know it's close.

OK, I'll leave the offense alone. I've been hearing good things about DE Dion Jordan this spring. Is he poised to be a pass rushing force?

Nick Aliotti: I really hope so. I think Dion has had a great spring for us. He's one of those guys, with continued growth, who can be a difference-maker. I think the guy is very talented. He can be disruptive. He might be our best defensive player. He has just really been great this spring. I think this fall is going to be an exciting year for him.

How about the development of LB Kiko Alonso? How has his spring gone?

Nick Aliotti: That's another guy who is easy to go over. You hit Kiko on the nose. I think Kiko has continued to grow off of his success in the Rose Bowl at the end of the year. Kiko has had a great spring. Those two guys have probably been our most dominant players on defense.

Had an interesting chat with safety John Boyett a few weeks back. He talked about wanting to be the best safety in the nation. How good can he be and where does he need to get better?

Nick Aliotti: Well, best in the nation... that wins the Jim Thorpe Award last time I checked. Boyett is a smart kid who has started for us for three years. Speed is always going to be something he -- everybody -- has to work on. It's not that John doesn't have good speed, but I'd say his speed -- his knowledge is really good -- and just his overall change of direction and body position in space. That's what DBs do. But John is really close to being everything we want a guy to be.

How about some other spring standouts. Who's impressed you?

Nick Aliotti: [Defensive lineman] Taylor Hart, LB Michael Clay, CB Ifo [Ekpre-Olomu], safety Avery Patterson -- those guys have jumped out at me.

Two spots stand out as question marks. Replacing Terrell Turner at one defensive end and Eddie Pleasant at rover. Where do things stand there?

Nick Aliotti: Good question, no offense to Terrell Turner but that position will be easier to replace than the rover position. I'm not knocking Terrell but we have some candidates there who have played some football who will play that position. I think Eddie Pleasant in his second year at rover was very, very good for us. That's a battle between Patterson, Brian Jackson and Erick Dargan. And it's still a battle.

It seems like you guys are pretty good all over the depth chart. Is there a concern?

Nick Aliotti: In my opinion -- you hit the rover position -- I think that position and our overall depth and experience at linebacker [are issues]. Linebacker going to be a key position for us next year. I think we can put a potential first group out on the field that is as good as last year, but you know how many bodies we like to play. I just think there are some guys who really have to develop. They have developed this spring but they have to continue to grow and develop over the summer and then come back in the fall and be bigger, strong and faster and just smarter in the scheme.

Your fans are excited about this defense. How good can this defense be and how would you compare it to the defenses you've had the past couple of years?

Nick Aliotti: That's a good question, but I'm going to be a little bit evasive on that. I'll answer to a certain degree. We can be as good as last year, as I mentioned earlier, with a couple guys coming through and if we stay healthy. But to be as good as we want to be, we're going to need those backup guys and that rover position to step up and give us more bodies. We're playing 23-25 guys. I think we have some, so-called -- how do I say it? -- marquee names on defense, which we haven't had before on defense. Like Dion and Kiko and John Boyett. There's three guys who are probably as good as anybody -- one of the better secondary guys in the league, one of the better 'backers in the league, one of the better D-linemen in the league. You know what I'm saying? We've got some marquee guys. And then with Michael Clay and Taylor Hart, who were awesome for us last year. And Boseko Lokombo coming back. There are some names where people say, 'Wow.' And we had some freshmen playing corner last year who did well. But in my mind, and maybe coaches always feel this way, but just in terms of maturity and improvement, scheme-wise and guys getting better this summer and not feeling entitled, is going to be very important. I didn't really answer your question because I don't like to compare, but they can be as good as last year. But they've got to do it.

Normally in the weekly poll, we go back and look at the Take 2 from the previous week and let you offer your opinion. But judging from the comments on last week's Take 2, Ted Miller's quarterback rankings were clearly the fan favorite over Kevin Gemmell's (which, by the way, sent Gemmell into a shame spiral from which he is only now starting to recover). So there's no need to poll that.

Instead, we'll go with an original question this week. Piggybacking on Miller's column from earlier in the week on the Pac-12 getting a little more defensive, we thought it would be fun to look at some of the top returning defensive players and see who will end up leading the conference in sacks.

There's Stanford's Chase Thomas and Washington's Josh Shirley. Both were second in the conference last season in sacks. Thomas had seven solo and three assisted while Shirley had eight solo and one assisted -- giving them each 8.5 for the season.

Also returning are Oregon's Dion Jordan, Oregon State's Scott Crichton and Colorado's Chidera Uzo-Diribe. All three were in the top 10 last season and should be in the mix. Jordan was fifth in the conference last season with six solo sacks and three assisted. Crichton wasn't far behind, matching Stanford's Trent Murphy for sixth overall. Crichton had six solo sacks. Finally, Uzo-Diribe was ninth in the conference with five solo sacks and one assisted.

So when all is said and done, who will lead the Pac-12 in sacks in 2012?

The Pac-12 is known for offense, so it's not surprising that a list of the nation's top-25 players includes six players from conference offenses.

Defense? Not so much. Just one Pac-12 defender -- Stanford LB Shayne Skov -- made The Sporting News list.

That is not unreasonable. The 2011 season was not a great one for Pac-12 defenses, though, of course, we can endlessly spool the "chicken or the egg" perspective of conference defenses looking worse due to playing nine games against superior conference offenses.

Still, the numbers are hard to deny. The conference featured no statistically elite defenses last fall. In fact, just two ranked in the nation's top 30 in total defense (California and Stanford at Nos. 25 and 26) and scoring defense (Utah at No. 19 and Stanford at No. 30).

But things may be different in 2012. In fact, the Pac-12 blog views this as "highly likely."

The best five defense in the conference in 2011 -- California, Oregon, Stanford, USC and Utah -- have the makings for ranking among the nation's top 25 in 2012. And some of the teams that were bad to incompetent on defense in 2011, such as Oregon State, UCLA, Washington and Washington State, seem fully capable of becoming at least respectable.

It's not really about the number of returning starters -- about 6.4 per team.

And it's not completely about star power -- 11 of 22 first- or second-team all-conference defenders are back -- though that's part of it.

It's about looking at the units as a whole and extrapolating forward with star power and young talent, as well as coaching continuity. Or new and improved coaches.

California has intriguing talent on all three levels, but it will need its youth movement to produce the expected results. Oregon looks strong at linebacker, end Dion Jordan could be ready for a star turn and safety John Boyett is the brains behind the operation. Stanford might have the conference's best front seven. USC might have the conference's best back seven. Utah appears strong on all three levels, though a couple of young linebackers need to step up.

As far as star-power, there's plenty. Among those who could get themselves into the All-American picture are Skov, Jordan, Boyett, Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Stanford outside linebacker Chase Thomas, USC safety T.J. McDonald, USC cornerback Nickell Robey and Oregon State cornerback Jordan Poyer.

There are also buy ratings on Arizona defensive back Tra'Mayne Bondurant, Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton, Cal defensive end Deandre Coleman, Colorado defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe, Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso, Oregon State defensive end Scott Crichton, Stanford cornerback Wayne Lyons, Stanford defensive end Ben Gardner, UCLA defensive end Datone Jones (yes, we're tapping him again!), USC's young linebackers (yes, all three), Utah defensive end Joe Kruger, Utah S/LB Brian Blechen, Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton and Washington State OLB/DE Travis Long.

Among others.

Further, the defensive numbers might be better as teams take a step back offensively. USC's offense looks potentially dominant, and Oregon is always very good, even with a new QB. But Stanford is almost certain to take a step back without four first-round NFL draft picks, as might Washington with the loss of running back Chris Polk and its top two receivers. Four teams are breaking in new quarterbacks and four teams are adopting new systems with new coaches.

Most notable: There are offensive line questions across the conference.

Will the Pac-12 suddenly start playing a bunch of 17-10 games? No.

But here's a guess that the conference will play much better defense in 2012.

All players are equal, but some players are more equal than others. That's the basis of our Most Important Player series.

First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying that Arizona's Matt Scott, USC's Matt Barkley and Washington's Keith Price are their teams' most important players. Their losses would be catastrophic.

And most important doesn't necessarily have to be "best." An All-American's backup can be pretty darn good, too.

Our most important guys are players who could swing a win total one way or the other, based on their living up to expectations. Or their absence.

Oregon: RB Kenjon Barner

2011 production: Barner rushed for 939 yards with 11 touchdowns -- 6.2 yards per carry -- and caught 17 passes for 184 yards with three TDs.

Why Barner is so important: The good news for the Ducks is their depth makes few players irreplaceable (alternatives here might have been DE Dion Jordan or safety John Boyett). But Barner is the clear choice for his own value and for what losing him would force the Ducks to do in order to adjust. Start with who Barner is: He's gained 1,836 yards rushing -- 6.1 yards per carry -- and scored 20 rushing TDs over the previous three seasons as LaMichael James' backup. He's also caught 34 passes for 335 yards with five scores and returned kicks and punts. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior has long been one of the best and most versatile running backs in the Pac-12, only he played behind one of the best RBs in conference history. This season is his chance to shine, so you'd expect him to be highly motivated to showcase his own skills. Further, Barner is a cool customer. His veteran presence in the huddle, which will feature a new starting QB, will be critical. He's been there, done that. He won't care if the entire college football world is watching on Nov. 3 when the Ducks visit USC in a game with almost certain national title implications. But if the Ducks were to lose him, things would get, well, interesting. For one, the transfer of promising Tra Carson, who would have played the "big" back role, was a blow. Second, De'Anthony Thomas is obviously fully capable of being spectacular wherever he plays, and if Barner were gone, he'd likely line up in the backfield more often than at receiver. Of course, it's fair to question Thomas' durability as a full-time running back, and obviously Thomas lining up without Barner significantly reduces stress on an opposing defense. My guess is that coach Chip Kelly would be thrilled if touted incoming freshman Byron Marshall proves he can be Barner's backup, with Thomas being the situational guy who lines up all over the place. It's odd to say this because just a few years ago Oregon's roster was chock full of talented RBs, but the lack of depth in the backfield is a legitimate concern heading into 2012.

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players continues.

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

4. Matt Kalil, OT, USC

2011 numbers: Zero. That's the most important number there is when evaluating a left tackle. USC's big man didn't allow a sack this season while helping USC's offense go for 162.6 yards per game on the ground and 294.2 per game in the air. As a unit, USC's offensive line allowed just eight sacks all season which was tops in the conference and second best nationally.

Preseason ranking: No. 14

Making the case for Kalil: He's one of those guys that you don't really need to make a case for. Look at him -- his ridiculously athletic 6-foot-7, 295-pound frame -- and you know he's a special player. Pre-draft evaluators actually tag him as a slightly better run blocker than pass protector at this point -- though he's going to get every opportunity to showcase himself and improve as the first offensive linemen taken in this year's draft. He plays with a controlled nastiness that sets the good collegiate linemen apart from the great ones. His list of honors and achievements is vast. Within the conference, he was a first-team performer while also earning the league's Morris Trophy for outstanding offensive lineman -- as voted on by opposing defensive linemen. He was also on the first-team All-America lists of Walter Camp, Pro Football Weekly and YahooSports.com and was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award.

5. Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford

6. Mychal Kendricks, LB, Cal

7. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

8. Robert Woods, WR, USC

9. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

10. Jonathan Martin, LT, Stanford

11. Keith Price, QB, Washington

12 (tie). Darron Thomas, QB & De'Anthony Thomas, WR-RB, Oregon

13. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

14. David DeCastro, OL, Stanford

15. Keenan Allen, WR, California

16. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players continues.

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

5. Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford

2011 numbers: Finished the season with 52 total tackles, including 33 solo stops. But the real damage was behind the line of scrimmage, where he finished with a conference best 17.5 tackles for a loss (the closest players behind him at 14.5). He was also second in the conference with 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.

Preseason ranking: No. 19

Making the case for Thomas: No defensive player in the conference created more havoc in the backfield than Thomas, who instantly bolsters Stanford's defense next season with his decision to return for another year. He was one of the top run-stoppers on the conference's best rush defense, which yielded just 84.4 yards per game. What makes the first-team all-conference performer's season all the more impressive is that he still put up monster numbers without inside linebacker Shayne Skov playing next to him most of the season. Without Skov, teams were able to scheme just for Thomas, often committing two linemen or a lineman and a back to slow him down. Sometimes it worked, a lot of times it didn't. Thomas was also named to the Sporting News first-team All-America squad. At 6-4, 240-pounds, he had a chance to crack the second round of the NFL draft with a strong showing at the combine, but instead he headlines a Stanford defense that returns six of seven starters up front next year. ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks Thomas the No. 1 senior outside linebacker returning next season.

6. Mychal Kendricks, LB, Cal

7. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

8. Robert Woods, WR, USC

9. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

10. Jonathan Martin, LT, Stanford

11. Keith Price, QB, Washington

12 (tie). Darron Thomas, QB & De'Anthony Thomas, WR-RB, Oregon

13. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

14. David DeCastro, OL, Stanford

15. Keenan Allen, WR, California

16. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players continues.

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

6. Mychal Kendricks, LB, Cal

2011 numbers: Finished tied for first in the Pac-12 with 69 solo tackles and fifth overall with 107 stops. Tied for second in the conference with 14.5 tackles for a loss to go with three sacks, two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries.

Preseason ranking: No. 16.

Making the case for Kendricks: He was the best defensive player on the No. 1 total defense in the conference (statistically speaking). Kendricks was selected first-team All-Pac-12 and crowned the conference defensive player of the year for his efforts. He leaves Cal as one of it's all-time greatest defensive players, totaling 258 tackles in his career -- ninth on Cal's all-time list. The Bears' ironman played in all 51 games during his Cal career and in 2011 was a second-team All-American selection by Phil Steele, third-team by Yahoo! Sports and Sports Illustrated honorable mention. He's the school's all-time leader in tackles for a loss. Five times in 2011 he reached double-digit tackles, including a season-high 15 stops in a loss to Washington and 13 tackles in a loss to Stanford. He followed up a stellar 2011 with an equally impressive performance at the combine that have many thinking he could crack the second round.

7. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

8. Robert Woods, WR, USC

9. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

10. Jonathan Martin, LT, Stanford

11. Keith Price, QB, Washington

12 (tie). Darron Thomas, QB & De'Anthony Thomas, WR-RB, Oregon

13. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

14. David DeCastro, OL, Stanford

15. Keenan Allen, WR, California

16. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players continues.

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

7. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

2011 numbers: Lotulelei had 44 total tackles, with nine coming for a loss. He had 1.5 sacks, a pass break-up, forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Preseason ranking: Unranked.

Making the case for Lotulelei: How dare the Pac-12 blog vote an interior defensive lineman ahead of all these scintillating offensive stars! Well, go ask any interior offensive lineman who tried to block Lotulelei last season -- almost always with a second interior offensive lineman helping. We'll wait here. Da da dum tee dum. You're back! They crumpled onto the ground and yelled, "Noooooo!" Yeah, that's what we thought. After all, Pac-12 offensive linemen voted Lotulelei, just a wee bit at 6-foot-3, 325 pounds, the best defensive lineman in the conference in 2011, which earned him the coveted Morris Trophy. He also earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors and then opted to come back for his senior season, even though he likely would have been a first-day pick in the NFL draft. The toughest things to find on the West Coast -- other than good barbecue restaurants -- are A-list interior defensive linemen. That's what Lotulelei is. If you plopped him into any Pac-12 defense, he wouldn't put up sexy numbers but that defense would dramatically improve statistically. The belief here is that Lotulelei should get preseason All-American attention.

8. Robert Woods, WR, USC

9. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

10. Jonathan Martin, LT, Stanford

11. Keith Price, QB, Washington

12 (tie). Darron Thomas, QB & De'Anthony Thomas, WR-RB, Oregon

13. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

14. David DeCastro, OL, Stanford

15. Keenan Allen, WR, California

16. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players continues.

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

No. 9. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

2011 numbers: Polk rushed for 1,488 yards and 12 touchdowns on 293 carries. He averaged 114.5 yards per game on the ground, 5.1 yards per carry and also caught 31 balls and four touchdowns.

Preseason ranking: No. 4.

Making the case for Polk: The first-team All-Pac-12 performer finished third in the conference in total rushing yards and was an All-America honorable mention from Sports Illustrated. He holds or is near the top of every UW rushing record and his 4,049 career rushing yards in second all time. Some of his 2011 highlights include 147 yards and a touchdown in the Alamo bowl, 144 yards rushing (four touchdowns) and 100 yards receiving (one touchdown) against Arizona (becoming the first Husky to have 100 rushing and receiving yards in the same game) and a season high 189 rushing yards against Utah. At 5-11, 222 pounds, he's a powerful runner, but also had the breakaway speed that produced eight plays of 30 yards or more -- including three touchdowns runs of 30-plus yards and a 70-yard touchdown reception against Cal.

No. 10. Jonathan Martin, LT, Stanford

No. 11. Keith Price, QB, Washington

No. 12 (tie). Darron Thomas, QB & De'Anthony Thomas, WR-RB, Oregon

13. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

14. David DeCastro, OL, Stanford

15. Keenan Allen, WR, California

16. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon