Top 10 Most Hyped College Football Players Who Could Disappoint in 2010

With more sports blogs than ever, a 24-hour sports news cycle, and everyone from Mark in Mobile to John in Jamestown becoming an "expert," the college football hype-machine is here to stay.

Like it or not, the days of getting it done on the field have taken a backseat to potential and recruiting star-systems.

If you have watched college football for more than five minutes, you realize that the most-hyped player doesn't always pan out.

Still, there are some players that have shown enough on the field to justify the hype that continually surrounds them. Yet, for some reason, they can't seem to put it all together to become what all of us "experts" think they should be.

Here are 10 of the top such players for the upcoming college football season.

Kellen Moore, Boise State, QB

Moore is in the top five on most Heisman lists as we approach the 2010 season. Truth is, however, his Heisman campaign could be derailed after the season's first game.

Traveling across the country to take on Virginia Tech in the Hokies' own backyard (Washington D.C.) would be a tough challenge for any team.

For Moore, it could mean the difference between Heisman also-ran or finalist.

For the Broncos, this game means everything. This is Boise State's chance to legitimize it's own campaign as a national title contender.

Based on those two facts alone, Moore and Boise State will come up short right off the bat. If that's not a disappointment, I don't know what is.

Garrett Gilbert, Texas, QB

Gilbert was thrust into action at the worst possible time last season.

Shortly after losing Texas hero Colt McCoy to injury in the first quarter of the BCS National Championship game against Alabama, the freshman played admirably for the 'Horns and even had a chance to get Texas back into the game in the fourth quarter.

Maybe it's a tad unfair to say that Garrett Gilbert is no Colt McCoy. He was just a freshman tossed into an impossibly demanding situation against a team that had been No. 1 for much of the season.

But it won't take long to see, even in 2010, that Gilbert is no Colt McCoy.

Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, RB

Marcus Lattimore is either the Messiah or the next coming of Emmitt Smith. Well, at least that's what you hear in and around South Carolina.

Truth is, South Carolina's running game has ranked dead last in the SEC three straight seasons.

It will take the next coming of Emmitt Smith to turn that around in Columbia. Lattimore had better be everything Steve Spurrier says about him and more if the 'Cocks plan on taking a step forward in 2010.

Evan Royster, Penn State, RB

It's hard to blame the disappointment on Royster. The Penn State offensive line was an area of much consternation over the spring. Even with All-Big Ten guard Stefan Wisniewski on that line, Joe Paterno called their play "very, very average."

If that continues into the 2010 season, it will spell doom for Royster.

The Nittany Lions are already training a brand new quarterback. Throw in issues with the offensive line along with Royster being the major source of the offense and you have a recipe for potential disaster in State College.

B.J. Daniels, South Florida, QB

Maybe he is the best quarterback in the Big East coming into the 2010 season. Maybe he can take South Florida to a BCS game.

He definitely is an incredibly gifted athlete. He's also going to be counted on to do just about everything for Skip Holtz's team in 2010. RB Moise Plancher has potential, but he has only 211 rushing attempts for 946 yards in his four year career for the Bulls.

With a change in offense, a new head coach, and the pressure of being ALL the offense, Daniels could struggle mightily in 2010 for South Florida.

Ricky Stanzi, Iowa, QB

Depending on whom you ask, Stanzi is either the difference maker for the Hawkeyes or he's just a good-enough QB on a good team.

All I know is that Iowa was undefeated until Stanzi went down against Northwestern in '09. That game went in the loss column, as did the following matchup at Ohio State.

Don't be naive, this team relies as much on a stellar defense as it does its quarterback. But Stanzi has struggled even while leading Iowa to 10 of its 11 wins last season.

His 17 touchdowns against 15 interceptions is nothing to write home about.

That's a dangerous line to toe for any team, much less an Iowa team that could end up being the best of the Big Ten in 2010.

Jordan Jefferson, LSU, QB

Jefferson's hype-bubble has been dangerously close to being popped many times in his LSU career. There's reason to believe that will finally happen in 2010.

The junior-to-be has an impressive stat-line (2,166 yards, 17 TDs, 7 INTs). The one discouraging stat is the 34 sacks he took last season. Jefferson has trouble handling pressure moments in games and seems to have the playmaking ability of JaMarcus Russell... as a Raider.

Being sacked 34 times was not all his fault, but he does hold on to the ball too long. But in 2010, he'll have an inexperienced O-Line blocking for him. He better learn to get rid of the ball.

Julio Jones, Alabama, WR

Julio Jones was one of Nick Saban's first big-time recruits at Alabama. You-tube clips of his high school days and reports of his un-humanlike speed led to ridiculously high expectations for the kid.

He lived up to those expectations in his freshman year ('08). Last season he was the top receiver on the team, but only had 596 yards receiving and four TDs.

Part of that is because Alabama had the Heisman winner, Mark Ingram, at running back. And, of course, Ingram's backup, Trent Richardson, was one of the SEC's top freshmen.

Jones has faced a steady dose of double-teams and nagging injuries.

If he puts it all together in 2010, he could be a first round NFL draft choice next April. With Ingram and Richardson back, however, Jones is still a third or fourth offensive option for the Tide.

Jacory Harris, Miami, QB

No one is discounting the ability of Jacory Harris. The kid can flat play the game of football.

Harris will have more weapons around him in 2010 and the possibilities of leading the 'Canes to big wins and a BCS bowl game are definitely there. But he absolutely has to cut down on the 17 interceptions from a year ago.

Harris has to learn to cope with pressure better than he did in 2010. If he doesn't do that quickly, Miami could have a couple losses before October.

Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State, QB

You simply cannot have a "most-hyped" college football article without adding this guy.

Once again, however, Pryor's struggles to this point should not be blamed completely on him. Jim Tressel's conservative football ideology has placed Pryor in less than desirable situations in his much-hyped career at The Ohio State University.

In 2010, there will be no excuse, however. Pryor has an incredible offensive line. Tremendous targets at receiver and running back surround Pryor as well.

Will Pryor step up and be a Heisman candidate, which he looked like against Oregon at the end of the '09 season or will he disappear like he did at Purdue earlier in the season?