ESPN College Football

Put your eyes on Bobby Jones. Look at his practice swing, almost like he's searchin' for something. Then he finds it. Watch how he settle himself right into the middle of it, feel that focus. He got a lot of shots he could choose from. Duffs and tops and skulls, there's only one shot that's in perfect harmony with the field. One shot that's his, authentic shot, and that shot is gonna choose him.

• Some more on Arizona's Daniel Jenkins leaving/not leaving the team.
• Five offseason goals for Arizona State.
• One of Cal's incoming running backs is all sorts of crazy fast.
• Colorado has added a "very athletic" junior college quarterback.
• Oregon or Stanford to win the North? Writers at Athlon Sports are leaning toward Oregon.
• The Steelers' success in the passing game may hinge on Markus Wheaton.
• The Cardinal are No. 7 on the Athlon preseason Top 25.
• It's "conceivable" that Owamagbe Odighizuwa could be back by the season opener.
• Is Eddie Vanderdoes back in the mix for USC (or UCLA, or Washington for that matter)?
• Polynesian players continue to shine at Utah.
• Austin Seferian-Jenkins' trial has been moved to July 1. (Sorry for the paid link, but it's a rather important bit of news).
• More details about the Logan Mayes bump-and-go (considered relatively minor).
• For anyone interested in helping the victims of the Oklahoma tornado, here are a couple of good places to start. The Salvation Army. The American Red Cross.

The recent selections of Will Sutton, Shayne Skov, Anthony Barr and Devon Kennard in our "Most Important Player" series has given rise to a very interesting question posed to me in the mailbag. As always, mailbags come out Friday afternoons, but Jerry in San Jose offered this: Kevin, we know Stanford has the best front seven in the league. Which team has the next best?

I won't be answering this question in tomorrow's mailbag for a very simple reason. I don't know. Nor do I immediately agree with his initial premise that Stanford has the best front seven. It might. But so might ASU, or UCLA and I think USC has to be in this conversation, especially if the transition to the 3-4 works the way many think it will.

Stopping the run is the primary role of the front seven, and Stanford certainly was the best in the league at that last year. So is making plays in the backfield, sacks, TFLs etc. Three of the top four and four of the top eight teams nationally in sacks last year hailed from the Pac-12. While it's true this is the conference of quarterbacks, it's also quickly turning into the conference of planting quarterbacks on their keisters.

Instead of hitting this in the mailbag and opining for 700 words only to come with "I don't know" as the answer, it seemed like a dandy of a poll question.

Which Pac-12 team has the best front seven heading into the 2013 season?

Your options:

Arizona State: The Sun Devils were the best team in the country last year at getting tackles for a loss and they were No. 2 nationally in sacks. But they came up short stopping the run, allowing 182.8 yards per game on the ground. Still, with headliners Will Sutton and Carl Bradford flanked by an outstanding supporting cast, they should again be at the top of the rankings in backfield-havoc created.

Stanford: With three All-American candidates in Skov, Trent Murphy and Ben Gardner, it's awfully easy to make an argument here for the Cardinal. They were No. 1 in the nation in sacks, second in tackles for a loss and fifth nationally against the run. Impressive, considering some of the offenses and running backs they faced. It's a deep and experienced group that has scary potential.

UCLA: They return the league's leading tackler in linebacker Eric Kendricks and the dangerous Anthony Barr, who is projected as a top-10 pick in next year's NFL draft. I'm also of the belief that Cassius Marsh is going to have a monster season this year. But the loss of Owamagbe Odighizuwa for the year hurts.

USC: Any scheme that is going to make Morgan Breslin a better pass-rusher is frightening. Add on a healthy Devon Kennard and the league's freshman defensive player of the year in Leonard Williams, and you have a front seven that matches the talent of any in the league.

Other: Cal has a solid front led by standout defensive end in Deandre Coleman. Nick Forbes is a tested linebacker and a lot of folks are excited to see what a healthy Khairi Fortt can do. Oregon State has to rebuild its tackles, but the ends duo of Scott Crichton and Dylan Wynn rival any in the conference and they are strong at LB with Michael Doctor and D.J. Alexander.

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.

Every team has a strength -- that one position group that can make a play on offense or make a big stop on defense when needed.

Based on what happened this spring, we're going to look at the strongest position group for each school. It could be on either side of the ball -- and it could be subject to change after fall camp goes into full swing.

We're going in reverse alphabetical order.

UCLA

Strongest position group: Defensive line

Headliner: Datone Jones (41 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks)

Supporting cast: Cassius Marsh (22/4/2); Owamagbe Odighizuwa (21/3/0); Donovan Carter (36/3.5/0); Brandon Willis (0/0/0); Iuta Tepa (19/4.5/1); Seali'i Epenesa (7/1/0)

The skinny: The Pac-12 blog has long been a believer in Jones, but by his own admission, he hasn't lived up to the ample hype that surrounds him. This year, that's going to change with the new defensive scheme and wealth of NFL experience at the head coach and defensive coordinator positions. At 6-foot-5 and 280-pounds, Jones has the size and the tools to be one of the most disruptive defensive ends in the conference now that he's in the 3-4. Expect to see his tackles for loss and sacks go up this year.

Defensive tackle Brandon Willis is an interesting prospect. After transferring back and forth between UCLA and North Carolina, he's back and should make an immediate impact after sitting out last season because of transfer rules.

Marsh and Carter, who both bring a healthy amount of experience, should also see a significant bump in production with the scheme change. At 6-foot-2 and 313-pounds, Carter fills the nose tackle spot well and Marsh and Odighizuwa both had lots of playing time last season.

Tepa and Epenesa add solid depth to a line that new coach Jim Mora has touted as the deepest position group for the Bruins.

2011 record: 6-8
2011 conference record: 5-4 (first in South)
Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 7; kicker/punter 1

Top returners
RB Johnathan Franklin, TE Joseph Fauria, DE Datone Jones, LB Patrick Larimore, LB Damien Holmes, S Tevin McDonald.

Key losses
WR Nelson Rosario, OT Mike Harris, C Kai Maiava

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Johnathan Franklin* (976 yards)
Passing: Kevin Prince* (1,828 yards)
Receiving: Nelson Rosario (1,161 yards)
Tackles: Patrick Larimore* (81)
Sacks: Datone Jones* (3)
Interceptions: Andrew Abbott* (4)

Spring answers
1. Nice to meet you: Step one for a new coaching staff is to acclimate their players to not only their systems, but how they go about running their program. UCLA's players learned quickly that Jim Mora and Co. don't waste time. Players were introduced to a high-tempo practice session that took some getting used to, but ultimately they figured it out by the end of spring.

2. New look-offense: Players seemed to pick up new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone's pass-happy scheme rather quickly -- and by the spring game, the quarterbacks were tossing multiple touchdowns. Each quarterback has said the new offense is less complex, but allows him to make quicker decisions. Because it's so pass-oriented, it caters to the talents of the quarterbacks. Which one starts, however, is still up for grabs (see below).

3. Defensive depth: The move of Holmes from defensive end to outside linebacker has opened up another spot on a fairly deep defensive line. Jones should flourish as a pass-rusher in the 3-4 scheme. Cassius Marsh, Brandon Willis and Owamagbe Odighizuwa bring depth and talent to a position group that should be the strength of UCLA's defense.

Fall questions
1. To be continued ...: Mora said he was hoping to name a quarterback by the end of spring. No dice. He wants a longer look at Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut before deciding. Each brings his own skill set and talents. Brehaut put up impressive numbers in the spring game and Hundley is oozing potential. This is the most important decision of Mora's young career as a college coach. No need to rush it.

2. Depth needed: The Bruins can fill out most spots, but there are still depth questions on the offensive line, at linebacker and in the secondary. Xavier Su'a-Filo returns -- which helps at tackle -- and linebacker Eric Kendricks had a good spring. But there are competitions other than quarterback to keep an eye on as they spill over into the fall. Which leads us to ...

Incoming help? It's possible that some of the players coming in could make an immediate impact. Which ones, however, remains a question. Defensive end Ellis McCarthy is likely to contribute right away; Ishmael Adams could pitch in in the secondary. Offensive linemen Simon Goines and Carl Hulick could also be in the mix.

They were the best 150 recruits in the nation last season, according to ESPN Recruiting, and 26 of them committed to Pac-10 schools, including 10 who chose USC. Some of them have already made an impact while others either haven't been afforded that opportunity or haven't earned it.

Here's a look back at the Pac-12 2010 ESPNU 150 recruits:

Biggest impact: USC receiver Robert Woods, ranked seventh overall, was first-team All-Pac-10 as a kick returner and was the Trojans' leading receiver with 64 receptions for 786 yards with six touchdowns. He made just about every freshman All-America team. Honorable mentions go to USC CB Nickell Robey (No. 149) and California receiver Keenan Allen (No. 33), who both almost immediately became starters.

Jury's still out (has played, but hasn't quite broken out): UCLA DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (No. 17), Washington S Sean Parker (No. 49) and USC RB Dillon Baxter (No. 117) each saw action last fall and flashed ability -- in some cases big-time ability -- but didn't break through as starters. None of the three finished spring practices as a clear No. 1 on the depth chart.

Worth watching (hasn't played or redshirted last season): A lot of the redshirts are expected to break through and contribute in 2011, including Oregon RB Lache Seastrunk (No. 40), UCLA RB Jordan James (No. 38), USC WR Kyle Prater (No. 45), USC DT George Uko (No. 58) and California OLB Cecil Whiteside (No. 116). Seastrunk and James are expected to get touches, despite the return of talented, experienced players ahead of them on the depth chart. Prater would have been a contributor in 2010 if not for injuries. Uko was a surprise No. 1 on the post-spring depth chart, while Whiteside was a standout this spring.

The best way to neutralize the impressive quarterback talent in the Pac-10 this fall is to get someone in their faces as much as possible. That's what pass-rushing defensive ends do, and there is a solid cast of them coming back.

Even the two teams that fall in the "We'll see" category here don't lack for talent or experience. They just have obvious questions heading into preseason camp.

So how do things stack up?

Great shape

• Arizona: The Wildcats were in great shape at the spot last year with the same two players, though Ricky Elmore eclipsed Brooks Reed when he recorded 10.5 sacks while Reed was hurt (ankle) much of the season. Word on the street is Reed has been a maniac in the weight room this offseason. Solid depth here, too.
• USC: Two players worth buying stock in: Armond Armstead and Nick Perry. Perry had eight sacks as a backup in 2009 and Armstead was dominant this spring. Transfer of Malik Jackson hurts depth.
• Oregon: Kenny Rowe led the Pac-10 with 11.5 sacks in 2009, while Dion Jordan was perhaps the breakout player of the Ducks' spring practices.

Good shape

• California: Cameron Jordan has been good, but he has a chance to be great: Is 2010 his year? Trevor Guyton is the leader to replace first-round draft pick Tyson Alualu, while Deandre Coleman and Ernest Owusu provide high-quality depth.
• UCLA: Datone Jones had a great spring, while Keenan Graham looks like the favorite to start on the opposite side. Solid depth with Damien Holmes, Iuta Tepa and touted incoming freshman Owamagbe Odighizuwa.
• Oregon State: The Beavers struggled to rush the passer in 2009 and returning starter Matt LaGrone quit, but Gabe Miller is a talented athlete who came on late and had a good spring. Sophomore Taylor Henry is No.1 on the other side.
• Arizona State: The Sun Devils must replace four-year star Dexter Davis. James Brooks and Greg Smith are the likely starters. Solid depth here but no standouts.
• Washington State: The Cougars are sneaky good with sophomore Travis Long and senior Kevin Kooyman.

We'll see

• Stanford: The Cardinal is hard to rate because they are switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4, so Thomas Keiser and Chase Thomas, returning starters at end, are now outside linebackers and don't qualify. Meanwhile, Matt Masifilo and Brian Bulcke are experienced tackles but are new to end.
• Washington: This is as pure of a "we'll see" as you can get. Four-year starter Daniel Te'o-Nesheim is off to the NFL and potential starter Andru Pulu got kicked off the team. If Everrette Thompson and Kalani Aldrich are healthy and ready to play 12 games, the Huskies are solid. Maybe even better than solid. If not, things are iffy.

UCLA's must replace six starters on defense, including three first-team All-Pac-10 performers.

That is a cause for concern.

On the other hand, safety Rahim Moore, linebacker Akeem Ayers and end Datone Jones are future high NFL draft picks who provide a cause of optimism.

Although the Bruins walked away from spring practices with some questions -- particularly at two linebacker spots -- and an obvious need for some youngsters to immediately contribute, there's enough talent for them to again rank as one of the Pac-10's top defenses.

Here's what coordinator Chuck Bullough had to say.

You lost a lot of guys who saw a lot of action: Who's going to be hardest to replace?

Chuck Bullough: All of them were good. The hardest to replace? It's really different aspects. Obviously, Brian Price being such a disruptive force up front -- that's a guy you're going to miss. Then we have our two linebackers. Reggie Carter was a four-year starter, so obviously his experience, him knowing everything. He was a team leader of the defense. And obviously Alterraun Verner, who was one of the best corners to ever play here. But we have young guys who played well in spring who we hope can step up. Now, I don't know if they will be at the same level as those guys were because those guys were obviously seniors and these guys are younger. But these guys have the ability to get to that level.

How might the 2010 defense be different than the 2009 unit?

CB: We'll be a little younger. We lost those five seniors. But the guys who played this spring -- [middle linebackers] Steve Sloan and Patrick Larimore -- played really well. Replacing Kyle Bosworth at "will" linebacker we've got [Sean Westgate] and we moved a safety down there, Glenn Love, who played real well and was a real surprise of spring. They have a chance to be comparable to the guys from last year. We moved Nate Chandler over from tight end to defensive tackle. He's a big 6-foot-5, fast with great feet. Between him and David Carter and a couple of the young puppies coming in, we'll replace Brian Price. Well, a Brian Price only comes along every once in a while with his explosiveness. But these guys are good football players. The guy stepping in for Verner would be Sheldon Price. He was a freshman last year but he started as a true freshman just like Verner did. It all depends on them taking that next step and being leaders. We lost all our leadership. So I think, with the defense, it will have to be seen as to who takes over the leadership role with these guys gone, when it comes to the fall and it's time to play games, who are the leaders of the defense.

Let's go through the three levels: What are you happy with concerning your defensive line and what concerns you?

CB: We feel very good about our D-line. Obviously, we lost both our tackles, but like I said, Nate Chandler came over and played really well. David Carter has improved. Both of those guys are big bodies -- 6-5 and 6-4, 290 and both of them can run. A tackle we have coming in, Cassius Marsh, who we've been keeping in touch with, is really strong for a freshman, which is usually the problem they have coming in and trying to play Pac-10 football from high school. They aren't strong enough. But he's really strong and he's got a nasty streak. So we're expecting him to have to be in the rotation. We've got a guy, Sealii Epenesa, from Hawaii, who's a big, huge body guy. We'll have to see if he can hold up strength-wise but he'll definitely have the ability down the road. Then we have a guy named [Wesley] Flowers who's coming in. We're not sure if he's a D-end or D-tackle yet. But defensive tackle-wise, I feel pretty confident with the switch-over with Nate and having those other guys step up and grow up and the young puppies coming in and being able to help -- they probably won't be able to start -- but they will be able to help. We'll play about four tackles a game. Defensive end, we lost Korey Bosworth, but we have Iuta Tepa and Keenan Graham who made big improvements during spring. Obviously, Datone Jones should become a dominant defensive line player at tackle and end. He's taken a step up. I project for him down the road that he will be a first-round draft pick. He's that good, that big, that fast and he's really hungry. The other two guys obviously didn't play much, so when the live action starts we'll have to find out about those two. And obviously we have [Owamagbe Odighizuwa] coming in -- one of the top defensive ends in the nation. Then again, can he learn the defense? He's got the ability. But you never know until they get here and try to learn the defense. Obviously there's a lot more scheme in college. So we came out of spring feeling pretty good defensive line-wise, compared to going in. Going in we didn't know what Nate Chandler had, we didn't know what Keenan Graham had, we didn't know that Datone had made such a big jump, which he did.

At linebacker, what does Akeem Ayers need to do to become an All-American sort of player?

CB: He's a guy who should be another high-round draft pick for the NFL. He's grown with the defense and he's probably the most athletic linebacker you're going to find. He's a guy who, the more he's in the system, every year, he's gotten better. His second year, we had to play him as a nickel linebacker because he couldn't mentally handle both base and be a nickel. Those were just two different spots. Last year, he could. This year, we feel he should be even more comfortable with the defense. He should not even have to think at all. He still had to think a little bit last year, I believe, but he should just react now because he knows the defense inside and out

How do the competitions at middle and weakside linebacker stand?

CB: I've mentioned Sloan and Larimore need to battle it out next fall and Westgate and Love got to battle it out in the fall. Both are open. Both will be competitions in training camp. They have three months here to improve and we'll see in training camp. But we've got four guys who we believe can play. They did a good job in spring and showed it. Now it's just going to be a training camp battle.

Rahim Moore is already an All-American: Where can he improve?

CB: He's started for two years. He's into the system for a third year. Now his role has become that he has to be the leader in the secondary. Verner was kind of the leader last year. Now Moore has got to be the leader.

Besides Moore, tell me about what's good and what concerns you in the secondary?

CB: We feel pretty good with our two safeties. Obviously, both Tony Dye and [Moore] have both played. They've started for two years now. That's where our veterans are in the secondary and the safety position. And obviously we have Dietrich Riley coming in who's a big-time recruit who is very bright. We expect him to be able to come in and contribute and play. And we've got some guys who've got another fall to improve. We feel good about the safety position. The corners, obviously I mentioned Price before. He's a second-year starter. He's a tall guy who's gaining weight. Last year, he didn't have enough weight. He was probably 160 pounds. He was too small. But he's gained 15 or 20 pounds, I think, without losing his 10.5 speed in the 100 [meters]. He could be a special player and it's his turn to take over at corner. Then we have Aaron Hester who was a starter before he broke his leg. He's another big, tall, long-armed guy who can run like the wind. We feel comfortable with him. We have Andrew Abbott and Courtney Viney behind those two who are two savvy veterans that we feel can play. And obviously we've got a couple of freshmen coming in. We've got Anthony Jefferson and Tevin McDonald. With Tevin McDonald, we don't know if he's a safety or a corner. We also have Shaq Richardson coming in. So we have some guys there. But it's hard to know with those rookies until they actually play. If those guys can play, they will just be bonuses.

When you lose six guys like you lost, most folks think you'll take a step back. Do you think the 2010 unit can be as good as your 2009 crew?

CB: I think it will be interesting who steps up and becomes a leader. The "mike" [middle] linebacker in my defense has always been that guy. He makes all the checks. So Sloan and Larimore, one of them -- whoever it is -- has got to step up. Reggie Carter grew up into that leadership role as he got older. In spring, we saw Datone and Ayers and Rahim take up that leadership role which last year was with the older guys. Those three guys should be the leaders because they've played so much and gotten a lot of accolades.

UCLA's class of 22 ranked 10th in the nation and featured six players on the ESPNU 150 list.

In other words, the Bruins had a happy signing day, particularly when they landed a number of elite recruits with nationally televised announcements.

The Bruins had particular needs on the defensive front seven and the offensive line. They addressed both areas with quality and numbers. The class is notably strong at linebacker, which should feel extra good for Bruins fans because that was one area where rival USC felt short.

Top prospects: Owamagbe Odighizuwa was rated the No. 2 defensive end in the nation. Jordan James and Malcolm Jones give the Bruins two of the top-eight running backs in the country. Safety Dietrich Riley picked the Bruins over USC. All four linebackers could compete for immediate playing time. Cassius Marsh could play early at defensive tackle.

Under the radar: Offensive tackle Wade Yandall is a former volleyball player, but he now tips the scales at 310, according to Neuheisel. Defensive end Derrick Bryant has a frame that could support 30 or 40 more pounds, Neuheisel said.

Issues? The Bruins didn't sign a quarterback -- Brett Nottingham was a one-time commitment, but he ended up signing with Stanford. Neuheisel also said he wished he could have found one more receiver.

Notes: Neuheisel said linebacker Josh Shirley, who was expected to go to USC, had been a secret commitment for a while. Neuheisel said it was Shirley's idea to keep his intentions secret. ... Both Odighizuwa and Riley announced their decisions on ESPNU, which Neuheisel said was "great exposure." ... Linebacker Eric Kendricks is the younger brother of California linebacker Mychal Kendricks. ... Receiver Paul Richardson's father, Paul Sr., played receiver for the Bruins from 1987-1990. Neuheisel was his position coach.

Oregon State's class of 16 ranked at or near the bottom of the Pac-10, according to the recruiting rankings, which is fairly typical.

Funny how the Beavers have won 36 games over the past four seasons without any good players.

"Are we in the top 50? " head coach Mike Riley asked. "We don't discount that, but I do like our process. When we decide a guy is worthy of a scholarship, if he commits and signs we will be happy about that. Where that puts us in the rankings, so be it. It will not change our feelings about the class."

The low ranking also can be partially blamed on the small class size. The Beavers had needs on defense and the class features five defensive linemen and three linebackers.

Top prospects: Riley called Shaydon Akuna "a perfect fit" at outside linebacker. Quarterback Sean Mannion has tremendous upside. Riley said defensive lineman Dominic Glover, a former Oregon player, will play immediately.

Under the radar: Riley said of defensive lineman Mana Tuivailala, "we really like this kid's potential," but Riley also described him as "rather raw." Tight end Tyler Perry could see playing time in 2010.

Issues: Oregon State fans annually are torn between scoffing at recruiting rankings, while quietly wishing they could be higher. The Beavers missed on three big-time prospects: running back Giovanni Bernard (North Carolina), linebacker-fullback Soma Vainuku (USC) and defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa (UCLA). The class also lacks cornerbacks.

Notes: Committed defensive tackle Happy Iona appears headed to junior college. ... Running back Malcolm Marable could end up as Jacquizz Rodgers' backup. ... Kicker Trevor Romaine, defensive back Will Storey and tight end Connor Hamlett will grayshirt.

Oregon's class of 23 ranked 22nd in the nation and included four players in the ESPNU 150.

Coach Chip Kelly said the Ducks class was all about speed, and he signed five players ranked among the top-13 at their respective positions in the country.

Top prospects: Running back Lache Seastrunk is a fast guy who can catch the ball. Tight end was a need position, and Curtis White should immediately help fill that need. Cornerback also was a need area, so Dior Mathis figures to be in the mix. While Kelly quibbled with the idea the Ducks are thin on the defensive line, tackle Ricky Heimuli was as important a signing as any member of the class.

Under the radar: Kelly was quick to point out quarterback Bryan Bennett's track numbers to counter the idea that he was a drop-back passer instead of a spread-option guy. Kelly projected Hroniss Grasu as a center and lauded him as an athlete. Josh Huff and Eric Dungy are athletes who could play on either side of the ball.

Issues? The class could have been stronger on the defensive line, particularly with ends Gabe King (California) and Owamagbe Odighizuwa (UCLA) playing high school ball in the state. The Ducks also were in on elite tackle Dominique Easley until he opted for Florida.

Notes: Heimuli is likely to take a two-year Mormon mission after his freshman season. ... Dungy is the son of former NFL coach Tony Dungy. This column explains how he ended up signing with Oregon. ... Receiver Keanon Lowe first committed to Washington. ... Drew Howell will be a long-snapper. ... Class included players from nine states.

UCLA and Rick Neuheisel will get their coffee tonight -- as you know, coffee is for closers.

UCLA signed 22 Wednesday, and a number of marquee late additions pushed the class to No. 11 in the latest ESPNU rankings.

While the Bruins lost a couple early -- linebacker Hayes Pullard and defensive tackle Ricky Heimuli -- it landed defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, safety Dietrich Riley, linebacker Dietrich Riley and linebacker Jordan Zumwalt.

The class includes five members of the ESPNU 150.

Here are the big-name guys who are considering Pac-10 teams today, with info provided by Scouts Inc.

Seantrel Henderson, OT

Saint Paul, MN

Cretin-Derham Hall H.S.

Scouts Grade: 86

ESPNU150 Rank: 8

Position Rank: 1

Five-star offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson of Cretin-Derham Hall (Saint Paul, Minn.) is set to announce his college decision on signing day among Ohio State, Notre Dame, USC, Florida and Miami-Florida.

Demar Dorsey, S

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Boyd Anderson H.S.

Scouts Grade: 85

ESPNU150 Rank: 12

Position Rank: 2

ESPNU 150 safety Demar Dorsey of Boyd Anderson (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) is expected to chose between Florida State and Southern California on signing day.

Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE

Portland, OR

David Douglas H.S.

Scouts Grade: 84

ESPNU150 Rank: 17

Position Rank: 2

High four-star defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (Portland, Ore./Douglas) will join the Huskers, Beavers or Bruins Wednesday during ESPN's national signing day coverage.

Keenan Allen, ATH

Greensboro, NC

Northern Guilford

Scouts Grade: 83

ESPNU150 Rank: 33

Position Rank: 5

Four-star wideout /safety Keenan Allen of Northern Guilford (Greensboro, NC) could no longer be headed to Alabama and head coach Nick Saban. Allen has not publicly confirmed a decommitment, but is also considering California, Penn State and Clemson.

Sean Parker, S

Harbor City, CA

Narbonne H.S.

Scouts Grade: 82

ESPNU150 Rank: 49

Position Rank: 5

ESPNU 150 safety Sean Parker (Harbor, City, Calif./Narbonne) will sign with Michigan, USC or Washington Wednesday morning on ESPNU's coverage over national signing day.

Chaz Green, OT

Tampa, FL

Tampa Catholic H.S.

Scouts Grade: 82

ESPNU150 Rank: 52

Position Rank: 4

Four-star offensive tackle Chaz Green of Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) will announce his Class of 2010 college choice on signing day among Florida, Southern California, Ohio State and Tennessee.

Dietrich Riley, S

La Canada, CA

Saint Francis H.S.

Scouts Grade: 81

ESPNU150 Rank: 108

Position Rank: 10

Four-star safety Dietrich Riley of Saint Francis (La Canada, Calif.) is leaning toward a Class of 2010 commitment to the UCLA Bruins.

Ivan McCartney, WR

Miramar, FL

Miramar H.S.

Scouts Grade: 81

ESPNU150 Rank: 109

Position Rank: 18

Ivan McCartney, a four-star receiver from Miramar, Fla., is down to West Virginia, Miami-Florida and Oregon for his announcement of a college choice on Signing Day.

Ricky Heimuli, DT

Salt Lake City, UT

Brighton H.S.

Scouts Grade: 81

ESPNU150 Rank: 133

Position Rank: 13

Four-star Ricky Heimuli (Salt Lake City, Utah/Brighton) spoke with ESPN affiliate Web site DuckTerritory.com a few days before sending in his letter of intent. "Utah, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington are my final four that I will choose from," he said.

J.R. Ferguson, DT

Frederick, MD

Hargrave Military Academy (VA)

Scouts Grade: 81

ESPNU150 Rank: 136

Position Rank: 14

Four-star J.R. Ferguson of Frederick, Md./Hargrave Military Academy, Va., who had previously narrowed his Class of 2010 list to Miami-Florida, Notre Dame, Florida State, LSU and California, has added Texas Tech.

Christian Thomas, TE

Palmdale, CA

Highland H.S.

Scouts Grade: 80

Position Rank: 8

Christian Thomas, a four-star tight end from Highland (Palmadale, Calif.), has narrowed his college choices down to four for signing day.

Gabe King, DE

Eugene, OR

South Eugene H.S.

Scouts Grade: 80

Position Rank: 19

Touted defensive end Gabe King of South Eugene (Eugene, Ore.) is expected to announce on signing day between the Bears and Oregon.

Josh Shirley, OLB

Fontana, CA

Henry J. Kaiser H.S.

Scouts Grade: 79

Position Rank: 19

USC, Arizona, Washington and Miami-FL are four-star outside linebacker Josh Shirley's (Fontana, Calif./Kaiser) finalists, ESPN's Greg Biggins reports.

Bjoern Werner, DE

Salisbury, CT

Salisbury School

Scouts Grade: 79

Position Rank: 24

Four-star defensive lineman Bjoern Werner (Salisbury, Conn./Salisbury School) will send in his letter of intent to Florida State, Oregon or California Wednesday after announcing on ESPNU.

Four-star defensive end Gabe King will pick California on Wednesday, according to a report from the Contra-Costa Times.

That's a blow to Oregon because King transferred from North Carolina to South Eugene (Ore.) High School this past season.

The Ducks also are apparently out of the running for ESPNU 150 end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, who attends Portland's David Douglas High School.

It's not often the state or Oregon produces two elite defensive linemen, and the position was a need-area for the Ducks in recruiting.

Meanwhile, California's class may move up from its No. 22 national ranking. King is the third ESPNU 150 defender to commit to the Bears, joining end Chris Martin and outside linebacker Cecil Whiteside.

With just over a week until national signing day, the recruiting rankings look a lot like the late-season national rankings for the Pac-10: Lots of depth.

USC, at No. 10, is tops among six conference teams in the national top 25.

Recall that seven Pac-10 teams were ranked at some point last season and five were ranked in the final regular-season BCS standings.

Ah, but then also recall that only two were ranked after a woeful 2-5 bowl season.

So, the big question with the Pac-10 and recruiting is not unlike it was in the postseason: Can the conference close the deal?

Things are fairly fluid right now. A "commitment" doesn't mean much. For example:

Stanford, which had taken some recruiting hits of late, punched back at one of its victimizers, Notre Dame, by snagging an ESPNU 150 defensive end.

Oregon just grabbed a receiver previously committed to Washington.

Washington is trying to give Arizona that sort of treatment over a defensive tackle.

So don't take anything for granted. It's the signature on Feb. 3 that matters.

You can follow the plot twists here.

The biggest names remaining in play among Pac-10 teams on the ESPNU 150 are:

• DE Jackson Jeffcoat (Arizona State & USC)
• OL Seantrel Henderson (USC)
• DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA)
• WR Markeith Ambles (USC)
• RB Lache Seastrunk (Oregon & USC)
• S Sean Paker (California, USC, Washington)
• S Dietrich Riley (USC, UCLA)
• DT Ricky Heimuli (Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, Washington)
• DT J.R. Ferguson (California)