College Football 2011: 15 Top College Players No One Is Talking About
Before the 2010 college football season, how many people were talking about Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert? How about California defensive end Cameron Jordan?
Not too many. These guys were able to burst onto the scene, and now hold a lot of stock in the upcoming NFL Draft.
This year, all the buzz is around guys like Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and Notre Dame's Michael Floyd.
But who will be the players that emerge throughout the season as top tier guys?
Here are 15 players that nobody is talking about entering the 2011 college football season.
15: Barrett Trotter (QB Auburn)
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Everyone just wants to talk about Cam Newton. One problem, Cam Newton is no longer the quarterback at Auburn.
Can you name the new starter at quarterback for the defending National Champions? Don't worry, you're not alone.
His name is Barrett Trotter.
Auburn could go in the direction of Sophomore Clint Moseley, or Freshman Kiehl Frazier but it isn't very likely.
Trotter actually did see a little action in blowout games last season. He threw for 6 completions on 9 attempts for 64 yards.
That's about all that most people know. It should be interesting to see if Trotter has a breakout year leading Auburn.
14: E.J. Manuel (QB Florida State)
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The Florida State Seminoles took a step into the right direction last year. After a few years of struggles, the Seminoles managed a 9-4 record ending with a victory in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Christian Ponder is no longer the starter in Tallahassee.
E.J. Manuel will get the start next season. Manuel will be entering his junior season, and has seen quite a bit of action over his first two years.
In the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Manuel entered the game after a Ponder injury. He played well, throwing the ball for 11 completions on 15 attempts for 84 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball seven times for 42 yards.
Manuel is an athletic quarterback, and brings much to the table for the Seminoles. Much of the pressure will be on him to keep the team moving in the right direction.
13: Tyler Wilson (QB Arkansas)
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Another one of these replacement guys that nobody is talking about. Tyler Wilson will be taking over with the departure of Ryan Mallett.
Wilson had to step in last season during Arkansas' game against Auburn. He had some mistakes, but played well considering it was the future National Champions he was up against.
Wilson threw the ball 34 times for 25 completions. He racked up 332 yards and four touchdowns. However, he did throw two interceptions.
Arkansas won't be changing their philosophy much with Wilson taking over. They will throw a lot, so the team's season relies heavily on Wilson's performance.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
12: Alfonzo Dennard (CB Nebraska)
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Enough of the quarterbacks.
Nebraska had the ninth ranked defense in terms of points allowed last season. A lot of this was due to their ability to stop the pass.
Cornerback Prince Amukamara gets a lot of the credit for his performance in Nebraska's secondary. However, most teams knew not to throw his way.
That means most of the passes were heading towards Alfonzo Dennard, who will be taking over as the leader of Nebraska's secondary.
Dennard played well this season, picking up four interceptions. He could emerge as one of the top cornerbacks in the nation this year.
11: Tydreke Powell (DT North Carolina)
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North Carolina may have one of the best defensive lines in college football. For some reason, they get very little publicity.
It all starts in the middle with Tydreke Powell. The senior defensive tackle may not put up the stats, but he is the anchor for a dominate defensive line.
Last year Powell had 47 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble.
You may not hear his name too much, but he has a big impact on the team around him. I wouldn't doubt if he is one of the best defensive tackles entering next years NFL Draft.
10: Donte-Paige Moss (DE North Carolina)
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Last season, North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn was declared ineligible after receiving improper benefits.
Donte-Paige Moss was the player who had to fill his shoes, and he did just that.
Moss finished the regular season with seven sacks, and then continued his great performance in North Carolina's Bowl Game against Tennessee.
In the game Moss had two more sacks, along with six tackles.
Moss did all of this as the number two defensive end on the roster. Can you name who the number one guy is?
9: Quinton Coples (DE North Carolina)
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His name is Quinton Coples.
While Moss did a great job stepping in, Coples did a little better.
Coples ended the 2010 season with 10 sacks and 53 total tackles. He also had one forced fumble.
Coples played big in the Music City Bowl against Tennessee as well. He had two sacks along with six tackles. That's not a typo, he had basically the same exact game as Moss.
The two may be the best defensive end combination in the nation, it's shocking more people aren't talking about them.
8: Silas Redd (HB Penn State)
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Silas Redd is the best running back at Penn State since Larry Johnson.
I'm saying that one year after Evan Royster broke the all-time rushing record at Penn State.
If Silas Redd stays at Penn State four years, he could break that record. He runs with a great mix of power and quickness. He fights for every inch on every single down. It's just exciting to watch.
Last year, as a true Freshman, Redd had 77 carries. If you know how Joe Paterno coaches, this is nothing short of a miracle. On those 77 carries, Redd managed a 5.7 average with 437 yards.
Redd will likely split carries with senior Stephfon Green, but expect to see him emerge as the primary back.
7: Zach Brown (LB North Carolina)
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I promise, this is the last North Carolina player on this list. It has to be done, the defense does not get enough credit.
Linebacker Zach Brown could be the best covering linebacker in college football. This comes partially due to the fact that he never rushes the passer, mainly due to the strength of the defensive line.
Brown had three interceptions last year, which is as many as some cornerbacks. Along with the interceptions, he had 72 total tackles.
Ignore him now, but he will be a top linebacker in next years NFL Draft.
6: Ryan Miller (OG Colorado)
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Offensive linemen never get enough recognition.
Imagine Nate Solder. Now put him at offensive guard. You now have Ryan Miller.
Miller is a 6'8", 312 pound juggernaut on the offensive line. In 2010, Miller finished with over 80 pancake blocks.
He is probably one of the best interior linemen in college football, but linemen never get any credit.
5: Chris Polk (HB Washington)
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Jake Locker received much of the credit for the turn around in Washington. Not to take anything away from him, but most of that credit should go to Chris Polk.
Last season Polk rushed 1415 yards and nine touchdowns. He maintained a rushing average of 5.4 yards per carry.
Polk played big against top opponents. In the Holiday Bowl, the Huskies played against Nebraska, who has one of the top defenses in the nation.
Polk ran the ball 34 times in the game for 177 yards and a touchdown.
With Locker gone, Polk will have to carry a bigger load this season. He could emerge as one of the best running backs in the nation.
4: Brandon Weeden (QB Oklahoma State)
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Oklahoma State quarterbacks usually don't get enough credit due to the offensive scheme the Cowboy's run.
Brandon Weeden was a perfect example of that last year. We all know about Justin Blackmon, and how he is a great receiver. Well, he has a pretty good quarterback throwing to him.
Weeden completed 66.9 percent of his passes last season for 4277 yards. He also threw for 34 touchdowns.
The Big 12 doesn't look as good as it did in years past. Texas is struggling. The only real competition is Oklahoma.
All it would take is one upset by Oklahoma State, and they could be at the top of the Big 12. At that point, everyone should know Weeden's name.
3: Jeff Fuller (WR Texas A&M)
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Jeff Fuller had a breakout year in 2010.
He caught the ball 72 times for 1066 yards and 12 touchdowns. The stat line may not stick out like some receivers, but Fuller has improved every season.
He isn't the fastest guy, so you won't see the blazing highlights. He is a big possession receiver, willing to go up and make the tough catch.
It's something that has been lost in the receiving game. Most guys are going to make spectacular catches, or wow you with their speed.
Fuller isn't that kind of player, but he is efficient. After he has a great senior year, I expect him to be one of the top three receivers heading to the NFL.
2: Kirk Cousins (QB Michigan State)
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The best quarterback in the Big Ten is not Terrelle Pryor. There is more to the quarterback position than being a flashy playmaker.
Kirk Cousins is poised, efficient, and knows how to win games.
It wasn't Ohio State that won the Big Ten Championship last year. It wasn't Wisconsin. It was Michigan State.
Cousins won't blow you away with stats. He threw for 2825 yards on a 66.9 completion percentage. He only had 20 touchdowns.
What Cousins may not show on the stat lines, he makes up for in the win column.
1: Cyrus Gray (HB Texas A&M)
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Last year Cyrus Gray ran the ball 200 times for 1133 yards. This may seem like nothing special, until you look a little more closely.
Christine Michael was the Aggies starting running back for the first half of the season. Gray did not win over the starting role until the Week 7 matchup against Kansas.
With Gray at running back, the Aggies won their final six games, allowing them to face LSU in the Cotton Bowl.
In those final six games and the Cotton Bowl, Gray rushed for 938 of his seasons 1133 yards. That averages 134 yards per game. He also accumulated 10 of his 12 touchdowns in that span.
If Gray had started the entire season, he would have finished in the top five for rushing yards in 2010. This is of course assuming he played the first half exactly how he played the second.
With Gray starting next season, he has the opportunity to establish himself as one of the top running backs in college football.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
