ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 6-7

2011 conference record: 4-5 (T 3rd, South)

Returning starters

Offense: 4; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

RB Cameron Marshall, OT Evan Finkenberg, WR Jamal Miles, LB Brandon Magee, DT Will Sutton

Key Losses

QB Brock Osweiler, WR Gerell Robinson, WR Aaron Pflugrad, C Garth Gerhart, LB Vontaze Burfict, LB Colin Parker, S Clint Floyd

2011 statistical leaders (*returner)
Rushing: Cameron Marshall* (1,050 yards)
Passing: Brock Osweiler (4,036 yards)
Receiving: Gerell Robinson (1,397 yards)
Tackles: Colin Parker (75)
Sacks: Vontaze Burfict (5)
Interceptions: Clint Floyd (4)

Spring answers

1. He's selling, you buying? New head coach Todd Graham describes himself as an "old school" guy, meaning no swearing, no jewelry, yes sir, no sir ... that kind of stuff. His practices are intense, as is the fast-paced offense he's installing. Players talked about being a little shell-shocked by how he does things and the discipline he demands. But so far, they seem to have taken to it.

2. Oh, line: Once thought to be a concern for the Sun Devils after losing three offensive linemen from last year's squad, Graham has gone out of his way to note how good the unit looks. They are set at left tackle with Evan Finkenberg, a two-year starter, but he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the line. Andrew Sampson has 20 consecutive starts. Jamil Douglas, Kody Koebensky and Brice Schwab should fill out the line.

3. Back attack: The Sun Devils have something special in running back Cameron Marshall, who should flourish with Graham's downhill running offense. Behind him is a deep, talented group, but little is known about the pecking order. Kyle Middlebrooks, James Morrison, Deantre Lewis, Marion Grice and incoming freshman D.J. Foster all figure to play some sort of role. Worth keeping an eye on Marshall's surgically repaired foot as well. He's expected to be 100 percent by fall. While this might be ASU's deepest group, there is still some uncertainty to how it will all look in Week 1.

Fall questions

1. QB question mark: Graham hinted that the coaching staff is closer to a decision on their quarterback than they are probably letting on publicly. Still, the public at large is no closer to knowing whether it will be Mike Bercovici, Michael Eubank or Taylor Kelly running the show. Each has their own unique skill sets, but fans are calling for Eubank, who many have dubbed a Cam Newton replica.

2. Magee back? The return of linebacker Brandon Magee, who was limited in spring as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles that kept him out of 2011, would be a monumentally huge step in the right direction for the Sun Devils. And for Graham. Magee is not only a talented linebacker, he's a locker room guy who commands the respect of his teammates. They'll usually step in line with him. And if he's good to go, it would be a big step for the Sun Devils on and off the field.

3. New offense, new(er) receivers: Jamal Miles returns as the second-leading receiver (60 catches) and is a dynamic player, but there isn't a ton of experience at the position as the Sun Devils said goodbye to five scholarship receivers. Projected starters Rashad Ross and Kevin Ozier combined for just 29 catches between them last season. J.J. Holliday, A.J. Pickens and Kevin Anderson all figure to be in the mix as well. Plus there are more coming with the recruiting class and their impact remains to be seen.

The 2012 NFL draft provided few surprises -- for about the first 10 minutes. After that, it was a slew of slips and falls that left many Pac-12 coaches and fans with a serious case of dry, itchy scalp.

When your Pac-12 bloggers got together this week in Arizona and started brainstorming ideas for this week's Take 2, the NFL draft was an obvious choice. We both agreed that the biggest surprise was that Washington running back Chris Polk was not drafted. No debate, no Take 2. So instead this week we decided to just toss out our thoughts on two more players who went undrafted.

Ted Miller: It's an NFL tradition to underrate Oregon defensive backs, then hand them starting jobs -- see Jairus Byrd, T.J. Ward, Walter Thurmond, etc. So I am not shocked that former Ducks safety Eddie Pleasant didn't get drafted.

What will shock me is if he doesn't have an NFL career, whether that's with the Houston Texans, who signed him to a free agent contract, or not. I will admit that I vacillated between Pleasant and a more celebrated Pac-12 safety here: Stanford's Delano Howell. But I tapped Pleasant because I think he's a more consistent tackler and because, well, he played in the secondary at Oregon, which is an underrated NFL pipeline (and will continue to be so).

Pleasant is not huge -- 5-11, 211 pounds -- and he's not hugely fast -- 4.63 40. But the main gripe on him was his struggles in pass coverage in space. Part of that likely is him only converting from linebacker -- where he started in 2009 after being a top reserve as a redshirt freshman in 2008 -- two years ago. In 2010, a lot of his struggles seem to come because he didn't exactly know what he was doing -- or feel comfortable doing it. His improvement in 2011 was notable because it suggested more is ahead. Finally, Ducks defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti, despite having plenty of physically talented candidates, has spent the entire spring wringing his hands -- as only Aliotti can wring his hands -- over how difficult it will be to replace Pleasant. When Aliotti speaks, I listen. For edification as well as amusement. Pleasant is going to be playing football a lot longer than a lot of safeties who did get drafted. You can count on that.

Kevin Gemmell: The NFL is filled with stories of redemption. Sadly, my spidey senses tingle to the tune that Vontaze Burfict isn’t going to be one of them.

Still, I’m mildly surprised that no one decided to take a flyer on him in the later rounds. It wouldn’t have been the first time players with sketchy reputations/head cases/drug histories were admitted to the NFL fraternity via the draft. As one colleague said this week, NFL teams would draft an axe murderer if they thought he could help them.

After all, Warren Sapp took a little slide in the draft after he admitted to marijuana use pre-draft -- but still ended up in the first round. Luis Castillo was a first-rounder despite admitting to using androstenedione before the combine to recover from an elbow injury. Even Maurice Clarett found his way to Denver in the third round.

Sapp went on to have a very successful career, Castillo is still in the league with the team that drafted him and Clarett, well, he never played a down in the NFL. It goes to show that all it takes is one general manager to roll the dice.

The point is that Burfict must have been so unbelievably toxic that any potential he has as a linebacker was superseded by his shortcomings (pick one: physical, mental, emotional etc.)

Burfict’s reputation proceeded him before ASU's season began -- but he was perceived as such a talent that most had no problem projecting him as a first-round pick; then a second-rounder; then a third-day pick before most eventually predicted he wouldn't be drafted at all. Mob stoolies in cement shoes don’t sink that fast.

Maybe this is the wake-up call he needed. Burfict is an easy target for one-liners, but he’s also still in the infancy of his adult life. The Bengals signed him to a zero-risk, free-agent contract. Maybe a veteran will take him under his wing and show him how to start manning up, because right now Burfict is the biggest joke of the draft. But when you really peel back the layers of his downfall, it’s not all that funny.

No, I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more
Well, I wake in the morning
Fold my hands and pray for rain
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin’ me insane.

• Arizona's former players were hit by bad timing -- in more ways than one -- with the NFL draft.
• Former Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict is headed for Cincinnati as a free agent. More on that here.
• A breakdown of California's NFL draft fortunes, which led the Pac-12.
• Colorado gathers in support of the Tuiasosopo family.
• While everyone wants to talk about Oregon's quartrbacks, this Big Body is worth noting.
• Oregon State coach Mike Riley's final thoughts on the spring game and spring practices.
• Andrew Luck will have some help getting comfortable in Indianapolis.
• UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince fell behind in the starting competition due to a bum shoulder.
• Where did USC's undrafted players end up signing as free agents?
• Utah has a handful of free agent signings, too.
• Washington's defense made a good impression in the spring game.
• Updates on some Washington State free agent signings.

California led the way in the Pac-12 for what was a poor showing in the 2012 NFL draft, with just 28 total players selected. It seemed perfectly reasonable to project more than 40 picks a few weeks and months ago.

In 2011, 37 players were drafted, one fewer than the SEC. This year, the SEC led the way with 42 draft picks. The Big Ten was second with 41 and the ACC was third with 31. The 10-team Big 12 had 25, which actually puts it ahead of the Pac-12 by a per-team measure.

California had six players drafted, tied for the second-most by Cal, which also had six players picked in both the 1977 and 2008 drafts. A school-record 10 Cal players were chosen in 1952.

There were plenty of negatives from the weekend, starting with Washington RB Chris Polk, who some had projected going as early as the second round, not getting picked. The reported explanation is concern that Polk has a shoulder problem. Polk and his horrible, no-good shoulder rushed for an often punishing 4,049 yards in his career, the second-most in school history.

The Philadelphia Eagles committed grand larceny when they signed him as a free agent.

Other negatives: Character counts. The Pac-12 bad boys, Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict and Oregon CB Cliff Harris, both once viewed as potential first-round picks, weren't drafted.

Oregon QB Darron Thomas, who surprised many when he opted to enter the draft a year early, went undrafted. (Meanwhile, in Eugene, Ducks fans watched redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota dominate the spring game in the competition with Bryan Bennett to replace Thomas).

Other undrafted notables: Arizona State WR Gerell Robinson, Oregon S Eddie Pleasant, Oregon State WR James Rodgers, Stanford WR Chris Owusu, Stanford S Delano Howell and Washington WR Jermaine Kearse.

Here's the conference draft tally. UCLA and Washington State had no players selected.

California: 6
Oregon: 4
Stanford: 4
Arizona: 3
USC: 3
Arizona State: 2
Colorado: 2
Washington: 2
Oregon State: 1
Utah: 1

And here's the round-by-round.

First round
1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford: Indianapolis
4. Matt Kalil, OT, USC: Minnesota
24. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford: Pittsburgh
28. Nick Perry, DE, USC: Green Bay

Second round
2. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford: Indianapolis
5. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California: Cleveland
10. Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford, Miami
14. Mychal Kendricks, LB, California: Philadelphia
25. Brock Osweiler, QB Arizona State: Denver Broncos
29. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon: San Francisco 49ers

Third round
7. Bryan Anger, P, California: Jacksonville
16. Brandon Hardin, S, Oregon State: Chicago Bears
25. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona: Philadelphia
32. Tony Bergstrom, OL, Utah: Oakland

Fourth round
6. Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State: Denver
14. Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington: Pittsburgh
33. Rhett Ellison, FB/TE, USC: Minnesota

Fifth round
16. Senio Kelemete, OT, Washington: Arizona
20. Josh Kaddu, LB, Oregon: Miami
25. Ryan Miller, OG, Colorado: Cleveland
31. Marvin Jones, WR, California: Cincinnati
33. Juron Criner, WR, Arizona: Oakland

Sixth round
8. Mark Asper, OG, Oregon: Buffalo

Seventh round
9. D.J. Campbell, S, California: Carolina
12. Trevor Guyton, DE, California: Minnesota
24. Toney Clemons, WR, Colorado, Pittsburgh
33. David Paulson, TE, Oregon, Pittsburgh
38. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona: Cleveland

Happy Friday.

• Former Arizona quarterback Nick Foles' dream will shortly come true.
• Not many surprises on Arizona State's depth chart -- no resolution at quarterback. Whatever happened to linebacker Vontaze Burfict? (I'll say this: He's worth a late-round pick. Period).
• For the first time in four years, no California player was a first-round pick. But a Bear likely will be tapped today.
• President Obama makes a positive impression on Colorado coaches. When might guard Ryan Miller go in the draft?
• No first round picks for Oregon? Who cares when you beat everybody's brains out! The Ducks do have one unPleasant question (I did that all by myself).
• Oregon State fans should expect good things from San Mannion 2.0. New defensive backs coach Rod Perry, an NFL lifer, is figuring out college life.
• The funny thing is it's a surprise just two Stanford players were picked in the first round.
• This well-traveled defensive lineman is making an impression for UCLA. Has redshirt freshman Brett Hundley made his move at quarterback?
• USC has two players selected in the first round, guys who know each other well from bumping heads. More on Matt Barkley returning to USC.
• A look at Utah after its second spring practice as a Pac-12 member. Questions remain on the offensive line and at linebacker.
• A cheat sheet for understanding the math of Washington's spring game. (Me: "It was my understanding that there would be no math during the spring game.")
• Washington State: The most Jake Rodgers moment ever. I had a great Jake Rodgers in high school back in the '80s by the way.
• Maybe the BCS died because college football listened to the fans. Not sure this guy doesn't deserve some credit, too. How about a T-shirt, Dan, "I killed the BCS."

There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high-powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

• For now, all Nick Foles can do is sit and wait. Juron Criner could be the fourth or fifth receiver taken in the draft.
• Vontaze Burfict and Jamaar Jarrett were two of six players who failed drug tests at the NFL combine.
• Previewing the Bay Area players in the draft, including Cal, Stanford and one for the San Jose State fan who accidentally stumbled on to the Pac-12 blog (hang out for a while, you're welcome anytime).
• Lots of teams showing interest in Ryan Miller. A little love for the guy behind the camera at Colorado.
• Oregon players are fired up for the spring game. Is LaMichael James headed to the (cue the music) San Diego, super Chargers?
• James Rodgers has a pretty good fallback in case the NFL doesn't work out.
• More insight on UCLA's great quarterback debate.
• A USC-centric draft preview.
• Kyle Whittingham was happy with Utah's spring.
• More on new Washington commit Jaimie Bryant.
• The Spokesman-Review gives a really good position-by-position breakdown of WSU.

I've got the Dungeon Master's Guide; I've got a 12-sided die; I've got Kitty Pryde, and Nightcrawler too; Waiting there for me, yes I do, I do.

• Nick Foles couldn't watch himself on Jon Gruden's QB Camp.
• Is there anything Jamal Miles can't do? Some thoughts on Vontaze Burfict's recent radio interview.
• Mychal Kendricks isn't concerned with his height, so NFL teams shouldn't be either.
• Colorado inks a game with Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium in 2014.
• Chip Kelly says Oregon's spring has been filled with "give and take" on both sides of the ball.
• Mike Riley got fired up at practice yesterday and Scott Crichton backtracked on his earlier marijuana comments.
• An extensive video interview with Andrew Luck reflecting on his career at Stanford.
• Interesting note from Jon Gold that UCLA is one of only three schools with top 12 recruiting classes in football and hoops.
• Breaking down USC's depth chart.
• A story from over the weekend on Utah quarterback Travis Wilson making an impact.
• Extensive quotes from Steve Sarkisian following practice on Monday.
• Cougars will go full pads for their final practice.

I don't believe this! I've got a trig midterm tomorrow, and I'm being chased by Guido the killer pimp.

• Rich Rodriguez seems to "fit" better at Arizona. But the Wildcats have plenty of work to do.
• Arizona State is going to talk about returning preseason football to Camp Tontozona, which likely means somebody needs money. And what about former Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict's draft prospects?
• California is actually going to have a spring game after all. A reasonable, if emotional rebuttal to The Wall Street Journal story about problems with financing the renovation of Memorial Stadium.
• Some Colorado quotes from spring practices, which concluded last weekend.
• A story about smoking pot at Oregon isn't a good thing, even if it isn't a horrible thing. Our friends at Addicted to Quack -- hmm, "Quack?" -- get crazy and talk about tight ends.
• Oregon State tight end Caleb Smith traded in senioritis for spring football.
• Former Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin already knows lots of NFL stuff. Jon Wilner has written a book about Andrew Luck.
• This Jim Mora thing at UCLA just might work. What we know and don't know about the Bruins. By the way, Jon Gold really knows cheeseburgers.
• Will USC be vulnerable to speed rushers on the outside? Maybe. Is this incoming Trojan a running back or a wideout or both?
• Utah coach Kyle Whittingham speaks!
• This 26-year-old walk-on at Washington has a good back story.
• D-lineman Xavier Cooper is ready to contribute for Washington State.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Amanda Pettas, daughter of former Washington offensive coordinator John Pettas, dashes into the middle of the Arizona State scrimmage. You wonder: Is she possessed by the ghost of former Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict, determined to do something completely nuts?

The whistle blows, and immediately Pettas raises a pair of flags -- maroon and gold, of course.

The reporter on the sideline, widely known for being phenomenally observant and preternaturally insightful, is given three ultimately futile guesses as to what the heck Pettas is doing.

Sports information director Mark Brand then explains that Pettas is charged with running to the ball and raising the flags so coaches, watching film later, can know for sure which players are running full-go until the whistle is blown and which, thinking they are away from the play and can relax, might slow down a second or two before the whistle.

New coach Todd Graham doesn't like that. To him, it's loafing. The Sun Devils over the past few seasons did a lot of that.

That phenomenally observant and preternaturally insightful reporter saw little loafing on Tuesday. Also, his ears are ringing. Graham has enlisted a crew of assistants who aren't shy about making a point colorfully.

"The first couple of weeks were a little rough," offensive tackle Evan Finkenberg said.

It's a seeming requisite when observing a new coaching staff for folks -- fans and media -- to paint a "There's a new sheriff in town!" picture. Everything the fired coach did becomes inferior and everything the new coach changes becomes brilliant and inspiring. These, naturally, are superficial judgments made before games are played.

But this is different. Everybody dresses the same -- there are no fashion statements at practice. Walking on the field is verboten. While former coach Dennis Erickson mostly observed practice, Graham is active at just about every moment. He barks, instructs and jokes with his players incessantly. And so do his assistants.

Different, of course, guarantees only change, not success. And the players Graham inherited -- a roster with many questions -- might not be capable of winning more than six games next fall, as they did in 2011, even with a dramatic change in culture.

But six wins with fewer penalties, more consistent effort and a more disciplined, mature locker room likely would be embraced by the Sun Devils' frustrated fan base. And would bode well for the future.

Some observations:

• Quarterback competition? It's interesting because Mike Bercovici, Michael Eubank and Taylor Kelly are so different, something that won't be the case going forward when Graham and his staff recruit specifically for their offense. No question Bercovici is the best passer by a wide margin. Graham wants to throw downfield aggressively, and Bercovici -- big arm, quick release -- has the potential to do that as well as anyone in the conference. But Bercovici isn't a runner, and QB runs are a staple of Graham's offense. The general consensus is Eubank is the future. He's got a nice arm and his 6-foot-5, 242-pound frame makes him a physical, if not terribly speedy runner. On Tuesday, however, Eubank seemed reluctant to throw, even when guys were open. Kelly is likely in third place, but he can run and he also throws fairly well, though he seems to aim the ball in a way that defenses will be able to pick up.
• The Sun Devils are deep at running back, particularly if Deantre Lewis gets back up to speed after missing last year with a gun shot wound that left him with nerve damage in his upper leg. There's starter Cameron Marshall and James Morrison -- a couple of bangers -- touted incoming players, Marion Grice, a JC transfer, and freshman D.J. Foster, as well as hybrid WR/RB Kyle Middlebrooks and Jamal Miles.
• The offensive line has looked better than expected and the defensive line is solid, though it will be much better if suspended end Junior Onyeali gets reinstated.
• Areas of concern: linebacker, receiver and safety. There are intriguing players at each spot, but experience -- particularly at linebacker and wide receiver -- is an issue.
• Last year, the Sun Devils played an up-tempo, no-huddle, spread offense. They needed roughly 20 to 22 seconds between plays. Graham's goal is 16 to 18 seconds. That's really fast, perhaps not even doable on a consistent basis. But the effort to get there certainly increases the pace at practice.

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 loss 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.

Arizona State: Linebacker Brandon Magee

2011 production: Unfortunately for Magee and the Sun Devils, he tore his Achilles tendon last August and missed the entire season. Had he been there, things might have gone much differently for ASU, which ended the season on a five-game losing streak and dropped six of its final seven. In 2010, he was second on the team in tackles with 73 (48 solo), and had five tackles for a loss.

Why Magee is so important: He's a leader. That simple. He talks, the team listens. He says do something, the team does it. A locker room guy like Magee is critical to a team in transition. And right now, the Sun Devils are all about transition. Head coach Todd Graham -- a self-described old-school guy -- is trying to instill discipline and accountability in a program that appeared to be lacking it. Much of that falls on the departed Vontaze Burfict, who created concussion-level headaches for teammates and coaches with his freestyle attitude. Graham needs guys like Magee, who are productive on and off the field. Example: Magee recently started volunteering at a grammar school in a low-income part of town. He goes every Wednesday. Teammates have started tagging along. Magee has the charismatic personality that makes guys around him want to be better in everything they do. His return not only gives the defense a significant boost and a reliable replacement for Burfict, but he brings the on and off-field leadership that was sorely missing.

You can check out the rest of the "Most Important Player" series here.

The latest draft rankings are out from ESPN's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper and there isn't much change involving the Pac-12 players projected for the first round.

On McShay's top 32 , Stanford offensive guard David DeCastro climbed closer to the top 10, moving up from No. 13 to 12.

McShay on DeCastro: DeCastro's physical, dominating style made him the top interior lineman in the country in 2011, and he is a plug-and-play prospect who will be a starter from the moment he sets foot in camp.

DeCastro's teammate, offensive tackle Jonathan Martin, fell from No. 22 to 24 while USC defensive end Nick Perry moved up one spot to No. 28. Andrew Luck and Matt Kalil held their No. 1 and No. 3 spots, respectively.

For those of you curious about what an NFL draft board looks like, McShay and the Scouts Inc. team put one together .

On Mel Kiper's Big Board , DeCastro moved up from No. 15 to 14. Luck and Kalil also remained at Nos. 1 and 3.

Kiper on Luck: His pro day has arrived. Last week, got good news with Reggie Wayne staying in Indy. Luck has worked hard during the draft process, confirming a lot of what evaluators felt about his mentality. Status quo remains in terms of profile. The total package: arm strength, size, smarts, demeanor. Ready to play.

Finally, Kiper also updated his top five draft prospects by position . It's the usual suspects in their usual spots. Brock Osweiler sits as the No. 5 quarterback, LaMichael James is the No. 2 running back; Rhett Ellison, Coby Fleener, Mychal Kendricks, Vontaze Burfict and Bryan Anger all appear in the various rankings.

The big story from the NFL combine, at least Arizona State's angle, was bad news and no news.

LB Vontaze Burfict, once thought a sure first-round draft pick, had a notoriously bad combine showing at the end of February, both with his measurables and his interviews, and cornerback Omar Bolden didn't run the 40-yard dash, which might have caused some scouts to question his surgically repaired knee.

We have good news on both fronts. While Burfict still doesn't seem to be in A-list shape, he seems to be arriving at a better level of maturity. From the Arizona Republic:

Burfict didn't do many media interviews during his time at ASU, but he was among the last to leave Sun Devil Stadium. He answered every question, including those about his work ethic the past two seasons.

"I blame that on myself," he said. "Just immaturity. I'm growing up and realizing what the world is about and just trying to work harder in everything I do. ... This is where I want to be, so I just got to stay dedicated."

If Burfict stays dedicated — both to his football craft and to growing up — he's going to be an outstanding NFL linebacker. And if he's fueled by skeptics, he should know there are plenty of them out there now.

As for Bolden, Doug Haller reports he ran a 4.45 40. That's a good but not great time, but it will surely get him back on draft boards.

The see-saw analysis of the NFL draft continues. This week, Todd McShay was considerably generous when dealing with the Pac-12 in his Top 32.

Naturally, there was no movement at No. 1, where Stanford's Andrew Luck has and will continue to hold the top spot until draft day. USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil was the only Pac-12 player to drop in McShay's Top 32 -- though it wasn't too drastic of a fall. Kalil moved from No. 2 on McShay's board to No. 3, paving the way for Robert Griffin III to move into the No. 2 spot and presumably to the Washington Redskins, who paid a hefty price for the honor of drafting second.

McShay on Kalil: Kalil's showing in Indianapolis blew the rest of the offensive tackle class out of the water. He is a potential franchise left tackle with a combination of size, balance, light feet and finishing ability. It will be hard for the Vikings to avoid him with the third overall pick.

The Stanford offensive line duo of David DeCastro (OG) and Jonathan Martin (OT) both saw upward movement -- DeCastro up three spots to No. 13 and Martin up from 24 to 22. USC defensive end Nick Perry, who was previously unranked, checks in at No. 29 this week.

McShay on Perry: Perry shows a good first step and active hands, is stout at the point of attack, flashes solid pass-rush skills and could even transition to a 3-4 outside linebacker.

McShay's frequent debate partner, Mel Kiper, has only three Pac-12 players on his latest Big Board. Luck at No. 1 and he also slots Kalil in the No. 3 spot this week. DeCastro drops from 13 to 15 and again, Martin is nowhere to be found on Kiper's board.

Finally, Kiper also updated his top 5 draft prospects by position. Luck and ASU's Brock Osweiler highlight the quarterbacks and LaMichael James is now the No. 2 running back prospect according to Kiper.

Stanford tight end Coby Fleener assumes the top spot among the tight ends in Kiper's eyes.

Kiper on Fleener: This is now Fleener's group to lead. He has come on, and I now have him as a guy who could crack the first round

Other ranked players include USC fullback Rhett Ellison, Kalil, Martin, DeCastro, Perry, Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks, ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict and Cal punter Bryan Anger.

Happy Friday.

• There's plenty of work ahead for new Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez.
• A tribute to former Arizona State great Randall McDaniel. Maybe former Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict was all-hype?
• California's renovated Memorial Stadium will be ready for the season opener.
• Colorado's Nick Hirschman isn't planning to hand the starting quarterback job to Connor Wood.
• A tip of the cap to former Oregon linebacker Dewitt Stuckey, who is funding a scholarship as a tribute to a high school teammate who passed away in 2010.
• Will those young Oregon State players forced into action in 2011 be better for it in 2012?
• The official release on Stanford's new linebackers coach.
• A chat with UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone.
• Things look solid for USC at cornerback.
• New Utah offensive coordinator Brian Johnson gets a nice raise after his promotion.
• An overview of Washington's secondary.

With the combine completed, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay have updated their respective rankings and boards. Kiper also offers his winners from the combine and those leaving us with questions.

Some of the Pac-12 winners include LaMichael James (Oregon, RB), Coby Fleener (Stanford, TE) and Matt Kalil (USC, OT).

If Fleener runs in the 4.5 range at his pro day, he could be in the first round. The Giants make sense. He is now an option as the first tight end off the board.

Question mark players include Vontaze Burfict (ASU, LB), Cliff Harris (Oregon, DB) and Marc Tyler (USC, RB).

(On Burfict) He already carries attitude questions, and Burfict needed to turn heads with workouts. Heads were turned, but for the wrong reason. He looked sluggish, to put it mildly. Once a first-round guy, he could be in the middle rounds if he doesn't recover.

Yikes.

Kiper also updated his top five players by position. The conference is well represented with Andrew Luck (Stanford, QB), James, Rhett Ellison (USC, FB), Fleener, Kalil, Jonathan Martin (Stanford, OT), David DeCastro (Stanford, OG), Burfict and Bryan Anger (Cal, P) and appearing in the top three of their respective position groups.

Finally, the rankings. No shock that Kiper and McShay both have Luck as the No. 1 overall pick. Here's McShay's take:

Luck's combine workout showed he is more athletic than most thought, and combined with his once-in-a-generation skill set he appears to be a lock as the No. 1 overall pick to the Colts.

Other conference players appearing in McShay's top 32 are Kalil, DeCastro, Martin and Brock Osweiler (ASU, QB).

While McShay ranks Robert Griffin III second, Kiper has Kalil in the No. 2 spot.

Kalil confirmed that he is a good athlete for his position. The tape is great, and it's hard to see him falling outside the top five. The plus for him is he might not need time to develop at right tackle, a common break-in spot for many left tackles.