Honorable Mention:
1. Janoris Jenkins (DB), Florida: The young cornerback has stepped in and played very well for Florida's secondary.
2. Damaris Johnson (WR), Tulsa- The freshman is Tulsa's third leading receiver and averages over 28 yards per kick return.
3. Bo Levi Mitchell (QB), Southern Methodist- June Jones' most recent project is 19th in the nation is passing yards per game.
4. Mark Ingram (RB), Alabama- The young running back has split carries with Alabama's Glen Coffee and Ryan Upchurch, but is second on the team in rush yards.
5. Tom Keiser (DE), Stanford- Stanford's defensive end is fourth in the Pac-10 in sacks with six.
6. Ryan Broyles (WR), Oklahoma- The freshman is one of four Sooner receivers with 500 receiving yards with 502 on just 30 catches.
7. Cyrus Gray (RB), Texas A&M- The runningback is 37th in the nation in all-purpose yardage per game.
8. Michael Floyd (WR), Notre Dame- The Fighting Irish receiver is second on the team in receiving yards with 702 and leads them team in touchdowns with 7.
And now, the actual list.
20. Jeffrey Demps (RB), Florida: Even before stepping onto the field at Florida, his track speed was the stuff of legend. He held the distinction of being the fastest high school runner in the world, running a 10.17 in the 100 meter dash. He showcased that speed during his first game as a Gator as well, running for a 62 yard score in the season opener against Hawaii. He's made himself into an asset for Florida's offense this year, with back to back 100 yard games against Arkansas and LSU. He averages almost 10 yards per rush this season, no small feat for a player his size. He's one of the biggest reasons the Gators are 8-1 and just one game away from being SEC champions for the second time in three years.
Season Stats: 41 carries, 395 yards (9.63 yards per carry), 4 TDs; 11 receptions, 11 yards, 2 TDs; 2 blocked kicks
19. Brandon Harold (DE), Kansas State: Though Kansas State's 4-6 this year, Brandon Harold's been one of the team's bright spots this year. He's seen limited playing time during conference play, but his game against Louisiana-Lafayette is good no matter who you play; against the Ragin' Cajuns, he amassed 7 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks, and forced a fumble. Hopefully, Harold will continue to grow and improve as time goes on.
Season Stats: 41 tackles (11 for loss) 3 sacks, 1 pass deflected, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 QB hurry
18. TJ Graham (WR), NC State: He's only a freshman, but TJ Graham is currently third in the ACC in all-purpose yardage per game. His biggest contributions have been on special teams as a return man, but he's shown flashes of brilliance as a receiver as well; against William and Mary, he put had 3 catches for 78 yards; he also had a kickoff return for a touchdown against Boston College. No small feats for a young guy, so let's hope he keeps getting better, even though he plays on a less than stellar team.
Season Stats: 13 receptions, 133 yards; 33 returns, 826 yards (25.03 yards per return), TD
17. Chris Marve (LB), Vanderbilt: The young linebacker is one of the biggest reasons that Vanderbilt is poised to become bowl eligible for the first time in over 20 years. He's shown flashes of greatness already, including a 10 tackles performance against Auburn and a 16 tackle performance against Duke. If he continues to play at such a high level, then the Commodores could very well get to a bowl game and win this year.
Season Stats: 74 tackles (4 for loss), 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 QB hurries
16. John Clay (RB), Wisconsin: Wisconsin just churns out good RBs, from Michael Bennett, to Ron Dayne, to PJ Hill. However, Hill has stiff competition on his own team this year from John Clay, who's currently second on the team in rushing and has provided a spark even when Hill was rendered ineffective. When PJ Hill was held to just 34 yards against Iowa, Clay rushed for 89 yards; when Hill was stopped for a mere 9 yards by Illinois, Clay ran for 88. He's also run for 100+ yards in his past two games, including 111 in a close loss to Michigan State. The Badgers should be in good hands even after PJ Hill's departure.
Season Stats: 123 carries, 703 yards (5.71 yards per carry), 6 TDs
15. Sean Cattouse (DB), California: He's been a late bloomer this year, but Sean Cattouse has made an impact in Cal's secondary this year. He's played in seven games, but is second in the Pac-10 in interceptions with 3 and 17th in passes defended with 4. With picks against UCLA and Oregon, Cattouse has shown that he can make big plays in important games for the Golden Bears.
Season Stats: 4 tackles, 3 interceptions, 4 passes defended
Season Stats: 46 receptions, 634 yards (13.78 yards per catch), 4 TDs; 25 returns, 506 yards (20.24 yards per return)
13. Trevin Wade (DB), Arizona: Antoine Cason left Arizona as the reigning Thorpe Award winner, and now other Wildcat DBs are left to fill his shoes. To his credit, Trevin Wade is certainly giving it his best shot. As a freshman, he already leads the Pac-10 in interceptions with 4, and he's also added two passes defended. Two of his picks have come during conference play against California and Washington State, which shows that he's capable of making plays later in the year.
Season Stats: 8 tackles, 4 interceptions, 2 passes defended
12. Ryan Tannehill (WR), Texas A&M: On a team with a lot of young players, Ryan Tannehill is already making a name for himself. He is 9th in the Big 12 in receiving yards, and leads his team in both yards and receptions. His best performance has come against Kansas State, where he finished with 12 receptions, 210 yards, and a touchdown. He's also had good games against Colorado (4 catches, 80 yards, and a touchdown) and Oklahoma (4 catches, 83 yards), and looks to close out the year on a good note. With another young player at QB in Jerrod Johnson, Tannehill could develop into a top receiver.
Season Stats: 48 receptions, 746 yards (15.54 yards per reception), 5 TDs
11. Robert Griffin (QB), Baylor: The nation's most exciting freshman quarterback? Debatable, but his playmaking ability certainly is not. He's sixth in the Big 12 in rushing--as a quarterback. In fact, the only thing that's stopping him from being higher on this list is that he plays on a team that's devoid of playmakers outside of himself. He's a freshman, but he completes 59% of his passes, which shows that he's capable of growing as a passer. He's also put up big numbers in big games. He has 217 rushing yards and 129 passing yards against Washington State, 102 rushing yards against Oklahoma, 121 rushing yards against Nebraska, and 101 rushing yards against Texas. He's definitely one of college football's brightest young stars, and he could pull Baylor up from futility if he continues his play.
Season Stats: 135-229, 1759 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs; 143 rushes, 688 yards, 11 TDs
10. Sean Baker (DB), Ball State: Ball State's run this year as a potential BCS buster has mostly been credited to the offense, led by Nate Davis and Miquale Lewis, but the defense has had a hand in their success as well. Sean Baker is a freshman, but he's quickly become a leader on the defense. Against Akron, he put together 9 tackles, three interceptions, and 1 pass defended, and against Eastern Michigan, he had 12 tackles and two passes defended. He leads his team in tackles and interceptions, and will only get better from here.
Season Stats: 70 tackles (5 for loss), 4 interceptions, 6 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 QB hurry
Season Stats: 84-129, 1076 yards, 9 TDs, 3 INTs; 103 rushed, 450 yards, 5 TDs
8. Vic Anderson (RB), Louisville: Louisville may not have much to cheer about this year, but they can be happy that they found a tailback to build around. Victor Anderson is 26th in the nation in rushing yardage, which is also good for 5th in the Big East and first on his team. After a slow start against Kentucky to begin the year, he put together three straight 100 yard games, including a 176 yard performance against Kansas State. He also had a 161 yard game against Middle Tennessee State. He has 7 touchdowns on the year, which also leads his team, and with games against Cincinnati, Rutgers, and West Virginia left on the schedule, he'll surely break the 1000 yard barrier before the year ends.
Season Stats: 153 rushes, 913 yards (5.96 yards per carry), 7 TDs; 11 receptions, 86 yards, TD
7. T.Y. Hilton (WR), Florida International: Hilton may be the most dynamic freshman in the nation right now; he's first in the nation in all-purpose yardage per game with 198.67 yards per game, and averages almost 29 yards per catch. Additionally, he is 25th in receiving yards per game and 7th in punt returns. He had 199 receiving yards (a school record) and a game-winning 38 yard touchdown pass in his last game against Arkansas State. He even has a kickoff return for a touchdown this year! This guy does it all on a Florida International team that is struggling to become relevant on the national scene, and has quickly becoming one of the best playmakers in the country.
Season Stats: 27 receptions, 777 yards (28.7 yards per catch), 4 TDs; 29 returns, 735 yards (25.34 yards per return), TD
6. Travis Lewis (LB), Oklahoma: On a struggling defense, Travis Lewis has managed to shine as one of Oklahoma's bright spots. He is 3rd in the Big 12 in tackles, and 10th in the nation. He's registered a number of double digit tackle games, including 12 against Texas A&M, 15 against Kansas State, 12 against Cincinnati, and a whopping 19 against Texas. He's a machine on the field, and even though OU's defense has faltered with the loss of Ryan Reynolds, Lewis has stepped up to become one of the best players on the team. In time, look for this guy to be on everyone's short list of best linebackers in the country, if he isn't already on some by now.
Season Stats: 105 tackles (12 for loss), 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 pass defended, 1 QB hurry
5. Julio Jones (WR), Alabama: See that guy who's way up there in the pic above? That's Julio Jones, and it's no wonder every major team in the country wanted this guy to sign with them. Alabama's been lucky to have him, as he's provided quarterback John Parker Wilson with a reliable target downfield. After a slow start to the year, he's slowly become the go to guy in Bama's passing attack, leading the team in receptions, yards, and touchdown catches as a freshman. He's had two 100 yard games in his last three games, with the latest being a 7 catch, 128 yard performance against LSU, with the last reception setting up the game winning run by Wilson. The only reason why he isn't higher on this list is because Wilson is a mediocre quarterback; if he were playing for a team with a better QB, he'd have even better stats, and if he does end up with one, look out for him to put up huge numbers in the future.
Season Stats: 40 receptions, 634 yards (15.85 yards per catch), 4 TDs
4. Jacquizz Rodgers (RB), Oregon State: The little running back has helped carry Oregon State to a 6-3 record so far this year, and has been their most reliable player. Whenever the Beavers need a play, Rodgers is usually the guy who gets it done. For proof, look at some of his games this year. Start with his 186 yard, 2 touchdown game against USC in their upset, or his 168 yard game against Washington State, or his 144 yard game against UCLA. He's run wild against both good and bad defenses, in the biggest and least important games of the year. Most importantly, though his presence has allowed Oregon State to open up its passing game, as they're currently 23rd in the nation in passing offense. Sean Canfield better be sending Rodgers fruit baskets every day for that.
Season Stats: 228 rushes, 1089 yards (4.78 yards per carry), 10 TDs; 27 receptions, 239 yards, TD
3. AJ Green (WR), Georgia: The young receiver has become Matthew Stafford's favorite target this year, and Green leads the SEC in receiving yards because of it. More importantly, though, he averages over 17 yards a catch, which shows his playmaking skills. He made a name for himself after an 8 catch, 159 yard performance against Arizona State, and hasn't looked back since. He's also amassed 132 yards against Vanderbilt, 91 against Florida, and made the game winning touchdown reception against Kentucky this past Saturday. Given this, it's clear that Green can make big plays in clutch situations. However, with Stafford's departure this year, it will be interesting to see if the SEC's leading receiver has a sophomore slump next year.
Season Stats: 46 receptions, 806 yards (17.52 yards per catch), 6 TDs
2. Kellen Moore (QB), Boise State: To say that Moore slipped under the radar would be an understatement. However, so did Boise State as a team. It wasn't until the Broncos defeated Oregon at Autzen Stadium that the experts started to take notice; that game was also Moore's coming out party, as he threw for 386 yards and three touchdowns. He's currently 21st in the nation in total offense per game, and 9th in pass efficiency. He's completing 71% of his passes, and has three 300 yard passing games this year, including a 362 yard, two touchdown effort against Utah State in the team's most recent game. In short, look our for this kid, because he's already established himself as a top QB in the nation. If Boise State keeps winning, look for him to make noise on the national stage, as well.
Season Stats: 190-268, 2427 yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs
1. DeAndre Brown (WR), Southern Miss: He was sought out by big time teams like LSU, Florida, Tennessee, Texas Tech, and Auburn. However, grade issues forced him to commit to Southern Miss. The grade issue may have been a blessing in disguise, though, because Brown is currently one of the best receivers in the nation, regardless of class. At 6'7", he's a physical speciman whose presence can't be denied on the field. Ask the Rice seondary, who Brown torched for 212 yards and four touchdowns. He's currently 18th in the nation in receiving yards per game, and has put together a number of stellar games already this season. He had 97 yards against UAB, 88 against Auburn, 110 against Memphis, and 112 more against UTEP. This guy is already an elite player, and with fellow freshman quarterback Austin Davis throwing to him, he can only go up from here.
Season Stats: 55 receptions, 933 yards (16.96 yards per carry), 11 TDs
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