The college football season is right around the corner. As the season approaches, I will be breaking down the best players of each conference. Each Thursday a new conference will be unveiled and the order will be alphabetical. The players will be ranked 1-10 (1 being the best). Note: This is before the start of the 2012 season, therefore players may get hurt and some will get better or worse. This is simply analyzing the best players in each conference, not which players will get drafted the highest in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Big 12 Conference
1. Jackson Jeffcoat-Texas-Defensive End 
The pipeline junior is a 6’5 end that lives in the backfield. Jackson Jeffcoat is part of a dangerous pass-rushing tandem in Texas and will takeover the spotlight in the 2012 season. Last year, in his sophomore season, he calculated 63 tackles, 21 of which were for loss and eight sacks. Many people believe Jeffcoat has not even scratched the surface yet, he still has much learning to do but his high motor and athleticism allows him to produce. At 265 lbs., Jeffcoat generates enough strength to blow offensive lineman back and he has the speed and moves to get to the opposing quarterback multiple times a game.
2.Tavon Austin-West Virginia-Wide Receiver
Last season, the Mountaineers thrived off of deep ball conversions. Tavon Austin is not the prototypical deep ball threat, reason being he is only 5’9, however, he has burner speed and can create separation on every play. Austin is a sure-handed receiver who moves like a scat-back. The transition from the non-competitive Big East to the slobber-knocking Big 12 will not be difficult with Tavon Austin lined up at receiver. Last season, Austin caught 101 balls for 1,186 yards (11.7 avg.). Austin is the ultimate playmaker because not only does he play WR, but he can also rush the ball and is a lethal returner (2 KR TD). Going into his senior season look for Tavon Austin to leave it all on the field, with an inaugural Big 12 Title in reach, expect big things from him.
3.Casey Pachall-Texas Christian-Quarterback
Casey Pachall is the ultimate game-manager in college football. Measured in at an imposing 6’5, 216, Pachall commands the huddle and puts his team in position to win games. Like West Virginia, TCU will also be new to the Big 12 Conference and Pachall will have to adjust to the new defenses that he will encounter for the first time. Last season, the Andy Dalton replacement threw for 25 touchdowns while only being intercepted seven times. The Texas native stands tall in the pocket and has the ability to bring his team back from big deficits. The Big 12 defenses will have a hard time defending the junior because although he only has one top WR on his team, he tends to make everyone on his team great.
4.Geno Smith-West Virginia-Quarterback
Dana Holgorsen’s offense was like a well-oiled machine through the 2011 season, a lot of that should be credited to the biggest constant on that team, Geno Smith. Smith is a great play-action quarterback who can spin it. A gunslinger that will not shy away from the deep ball, Smith always finds a way to get the ball to his playmakers; whether it be Tavon Austin or Stedman Bailey. Smith is incredibly accurate on deep balls, which favors his receivers who have big play potential. In 2011, Smith threw for 4,385 yards with a 31-7 TD/INT ratio and averaged 8.34 yards-per-attempt. The WVU quarterback really started to open eyes at the Orange Bowl against Clemson. The Mountaineer blew out Sammy Watkins and company 70-33, with Geno Smith throwing for 407 yards and 6 touchdowns while also scoring a seventh touchdown rushing. Smith went on to win MVP honors and put his name in the record books multiple times (tied most passing TDs & most points scored in a bowl game). With the trio of Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey all coming back to school look for them to have an offense that is just as good, if not, even better.
KSU QB Collin Klein is not afraid to lower the shoulder pads.
5.Collin Klein-Kansas State-Quarterback
The KSU quarterback jumped into the spotlight immediately in the 2011 season. The quarterback from Colorado played a key part in many close games for the Wildcats. Kansas State played in 9 games that were decided by a touchdown or less and many of the ones where they had won had to do with Collin Klein stepping up and making plays. In a four-overtime game against Texas A&M, Klein had a total of 6 touchdowns (5 rushing) and showed how important he was to his team. This is a player who is a little shaky as a pure-passer but is an amazing football player, he will do whatever it takes to win.
6.Alex Okafor-Texas-Defensive End
Heading into last season, Alex Okafor was looked at as the best pass-rusher on his team. Jackson Jeffcoat has emerged as the best defensive lineman in the conference but Alex Okafor is the second half of the best pass-rushing tandem in the Big 12. It is cliché to say that a guy gives it 100%, but Okafor gives it everything he’s got, and more. Coming off of the edge, Okafor can beat offensive tackles on pure speed. Okafor never takes a play off and when the play is to the opposite side of the field he will run downfield and make tackles. Assuming Jeffcoat will be double-teamed quite a bit in 2012, look for Okafor to consistently beat his blocker and force the pocket to collapse.
6.Landry Jones-Oklahoma-Quarterback
After his sophomore season at Oklahoma (2010), Landry Jones was looking like a top-10 pick; after his junior season he was looking like a mid-round pick. Many scouts say the reason for Jones’ digression was because he had lost both his main target and Ryan Broyles (torn ACL) and starting running back, Dominique Whaley (fractured ankle). Losing teammates is not an excuse for a quarterback underperforming but, after seeing what it was like to fail, look for Jones to have a huge season in 2012. Jones is extremely talented and he has all of the tools to be a great quarterback: tall, cannon arm, fearless and he is a leader. Whaley will be back this season and Kenny Stills has emerged as a great no. 1 receiver, look for Landry Jones to have a fantastic bounce-back year.
8.Terrance Williams-Baylor-Wide Receiver 
Senior Terrance Williams is going to be key in Baylor’s 2012 season. The 6’3 receiver was efficient in 2011 but will need to work even harder in 2012 without the arm of Robert Griffin III. In his junior season, he caught 53 passes, which resulted in 11 touchdowns and he dominated against one-on-one coverage. Williams is very fluent in and out of his cuts and manages to get open when the play breaks down. Baylor’s offense will be dependent on Williams catching a lot of balls and he is capable to convert on 3rd and long.
9.Malcolm Brown-Texas-Running Back
Yet another Longhorn is making the list, this time on the offensive side of the ball. Running back Malcolm Brown was electric in his freshman year for Texas until he got hurt. Brown was on pace to rush for over 1,000 yards until he was diagnosed with turf toe. The freshman sensation ended up finishing the season with 742 rushing yards in nine games for the Longhorns. Brown has great vision and balance when rushing; he knows when to make his cuts, which is a rarity for a freshman.
10.Josh Boyce-Texas Christian-Wide Receiver
The Horned Frog’s quarterback has already been listed as a top player in the Big 12 and here at no. 10 is his main weapon, Josh Boyce. The 5’11 receiver capped off his sophomore season with 5 receptions for 55 yards in a bowl win against Louisiana-Lafayette. For the regular season, Boyce had 66 catches and 998 yards with 9 scores. A thick receiver, Boyce is great at catching over the middle of the field and under tight pressure. Look for both Pachall and Boyce to grow together even more in their junior seasons, creating quite a duo.
Just Missed:
Jake Knott-Iowa State-Linebacker
Carrington Byndom-Texas-Cornerback
Stedman Bailey-West Virginia-Wide Receiver
Kenny Stills-Oklahoma-Wide Receiver
1.New Orleans Hornets-
2.Charlotte Bobcats-
3.Washington Wizards-
4.Cleveland Cavaliers-
5.Sacramento Kings-
6.Portland Trailblazers-
7.Golden State Warriors-
8.Toronto Raptors-
9.Detroit Pistons-
12.Houston Rockets (from Mil)-
13.Phoenix Suns-
14.Milwaukee Bucks (from Hou)-
15.Philadelphia 76ers-
17.Dallas Mavericks-
19.Orlando Magic-
20.Denver Nuggets-
21.Boston Celtics-
23.Atlanta Hawks-
25.Memphis Grizzlies-
26.Indiana Pacers-
27.Miami Heat-
28.Oklahoma City Thunder-
29.Chicago Bulls-
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this SD State team better. Aside from Wolters, the Jackrabbits are really good from beyond the arc. Sixteenth in the country is where they finished as a team, shooting 39.3% from 3-ball. Baylor is arguably the most athletic team in the country, their size, speed, length and depth could have them going deep in this tournament. The Bears are an unbeatable team when they get out and run with the ball, but their defensive woes cause me to scratch my head. When Baylor plays a zone there is no way you are getting to the hoop, but their coach, Scott Drew, insists they play a man which results in losing games because they can not get through the ball screens that teams throw at them. I have Baylor winning this match-up, not by much, but Baylor is a team that can either win every round or lose early on and I won’t be surprised either way. Perry Jones III should dominate against South Dakota State.
not turn the ball over, hits his free-throws, and makes smart decisions, but in order to move on in the tournament he will need to score points. The Badgers only average 63 points per game and they shoot an abysmal 42%. The Montana Grizzlies have been an up-and-coming team for a while now. Wayne Tinkle is a great coach and will have this Grizzly team read to give Wisconsin their all. Montana shoots a staggering 47% from the field and averages 7 more points per game than Wisconsin. Look for junior guard Will Cherry to explode in this match-up. Will Cherry vs. Jordan Taylor could determine the outcome of this game. I have Montana upsetting Wisconsin in a last second thriller.
lottery picks (Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones for UK, Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond for Conn). The reason why this match-up is very difficult to decipher is because you have the two most athletic centers in the country and Jeremy Lamb will be able to lock-down, and vice versa. This year Connecticut lacked leadership this season, you could tell they really missed Kemba Walker. Shabazz Napier tried to take on the leader role and showed some bright spots, but he needs to know when it is crunch time, you feed the ball to Lamb. The Huskies shot themselves in the foot this season when it was crunch time; there would be instances where they were down by 4 points with 1:00 left and they would be stagnant on offense and run the clock out on themselves. Albeit all of these struggles, they still did pretty well in a tough Big East Conference, they could beat Kentucky. Calipari’s teams have been known to choke and they are very young (have one senior on the team). Anthony Davis is the most versatile player in the country but he will need help from fellow freshman, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on the glass. Although I love Uconn and I feel that they are way better than what they’ve showed this season, it is really hard for me to pick against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round. Uconn might not even get out of the first round. Kentucky wins in a low scoring match-ups against Jim Calhoun’s squad.
back out and nail the three-ball 39.5% of the time. Kim English is a fantastic leader and first year head coach, Frank Haith has had his team bringing their A-game all year long. Mizzou lost their leading rebounder in Lawrence Bowers due to a torn ACL, but they just keep finding ways to win. I don’t sense anyone beating Missouri mainly because of the versatility of the team as a whole; when Frank Haith puts out his four-guard lineup (Kim English, Marcus Denmon, Matt Pressey, Phil Pressey). There isn’t any team in the nation can match-up with that speed and efficiency. The Missouri Tigers will have proven once again that they deserved to be a number 1 seed, they will be the National Champions.
First of all, I would like to say that I feel the committee botched the seeding in this year’s tournament. It seems that as the years pass by, the conference records and conference tournaments mean less and less. I feel that the mid-majors are getting way too much credit and winners of power six conferences (Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, ACC and SEC) are getting shafted. One major thing that stuck out to me is that Kentucky is the #1 overall seed in the country and they are put in jeopardy of a second round upset to UCONN; they are in the same region as: Duke, Indiana and Baylor. I thought they were supposed to have the “easiest” road because they were the #1 team in the country. Ayways, on we go, lets take a look at some of the seeding.
Yes, Wichita State won the regular season Missouri Valley Conference, but I strongly disagree with the committee awarding the Shockers with a 5 seed. Out of 5 losses, 3 of them were to tournament teams (Alabama, Temple and conference opponent Creighton) and the other two coming from Drake and Illinois State (MVC Tournament). Wichita has two signature wins against: Colorado and UNLV whereas Creighton has beaten a very good Northwestern team, San Diego State and wont the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. I whole-heartedly feel Creighton deserves a 5 seed as opposed to their 8 and Wichita should be either an 8 or 9 seed.
I do not disagree with the committee’s decision to make Tom Izzo’s Michigan State squad a #1 seed, but Missouri deserves a 1 seed somewhere in this bracket. Kim English and company had a 30-win season, won the Big 12 Tournament and they also beat Kansas and went into Baylor to beat the Bears. I feel that this team got robbed of a 1 seed.
The Murray State Racers also had a 30-win season and somehow ended up as a 6 seed. Yes they are a mid-major, but they were ranked very high throughout the season and all of a sudden they receive a six seed. The Racer’s one loss came to mediocre Tennessee St. team, they lost by four, but then they met again in the Ohio Valley Conference and Murray State came out on top with the OVC title. If I had done the seeding, I would have Murray State as a 4 seed. Although I disagree with the seeding, they still have a favorable matchup against Davidson (13).
I wish that I could cut this region off of my bracket because I feel that it is just terrible. I have not heard a good reason to explain why there are two play-in games in the Midwest Region and there are zero play-in games in the East. The Michigan Wolverines, in my eyes, are a very weak and vulnerable 4 seed. They didn’t have any solid road wins and they were very inconsistent. They only had one bad loss, which was to Arkansas. I feel the committee gave them a four seed was because they had a 13-5 record in a very tough conference. Other than that I feel like they should be an 8 or 9 seed; they didn’t beat anyone surprising, and they ranked 202nd in the country in scoring, 311th in rebounding and 83rd in field goal percentage.
You already know what I think about Creighton, they beat some really good teams and they kept every game close for the most part. They should have been rewarded for going out and beating power six schools like Northwestern and Iowa. Not to mention, they also beat a extremely talented and athletic San Diego State team who has a 6 seed in their region.
four play-in games, make the worst teams in the field fight for the 16 seeds. I wouldn’t argue USF being a 12 seed, but Cal should be either 13 or 14. I feel they put Cal and USF in this game because it would look bad if a power 6 school were such a bad seed. I am guessing the committee just wants the Golden Bears and Bulls duke it out.
Detroit could have been the team to take that 12 seed from either California or South Florida. The Titans did not face many good teams, however, they beat Butler twice, beat St. Johns and lost to Notre Dame by only 4. Ray McCallum’s team won an automatic bid by winning the Horizon League Tournament and beating Valparaiso by 20 in the championship game. Detroit certainly passes the eye test for me, they play great and I believe can compete with top schools in the country. I can’t complain about a 15 seed because they went 22-13 in a weak division, but there are worse teams in the field. Detroit was given a nightmare matchup against Kansas, I guess we will see if they play like a 15 seed.
Vincent Jackson is easily one of the best deep ball wide receivers in the game. Jackson is big, soft hands, doesn’t shy away from tackles and he can leap over corners. Jackson will be one of the highest paid wide receivers in the NFL after this offseason and I anticipate that many teams will be in contact with him. The Tampa Bay Bucs need a deep ball threat; they didn’t get any production out of their WR last season. Josh Freeman has a cannon but can’t show it because the current wide receivers cannot create separation, he is constantly being forced to try and throw the needle (which is not one of his strengths). Also, LeGarrette Blount is a great power back that can wear down the defense, but you can’t run the ball when you are down 30 points. If Jackson signs with Tampa, they could live off of the play-action pass and then that opens the playbook even more. There is no reason Tampa shouldn’t sign him, young-franchise QB, passionate coach, and they have a lot of money to play with (second most behind KC). The Washington Redskins just made a franchise-changing trade that makes it seem as if they will take Robert Griffin III (QB-Baylor) in the draft and build the team around him. Griffin is a crazy athletic play-maker. In recent years the Redskins have won the “off-season” Super Bowls with acquisitions like: Albert Haynesworth, Santana Moss, Deangelo Hall and Oshiomogho “O.J.” Atogwe. Look for the Redskins to get more talent in order to compete in a wild NFC East.
The Buccaneers reportedly made a position change today according to Rotoworld.com; they said they will be moving guard Jeremy Zuttah to the center position. As I said earlier, they Bucs have a great amount of money to play with so look for them to get at least one big star this offseason. By moving Zuttah from G to C, they will be in dire need of a left guard and Carl Nicks is the best. Before the franchise-tagging period ended, Carl Nicks came out and said he would like a deal similar to the contract of former teammate Jahri Evans. Nicks is arguably the best guard in the NFL, he is great at both pass and run blocking, amazing footwork and just great instinct when he pulls, he always manages to put defenders wherever he wants them. The Chicago Bears also need help in the trenches. Cutler has gotten molliwopped in the past and you can’t afford to lose franchise running back Matt Forte again. With rookie Gabe Carimi coming off injury at the tackle position, Nicks could help that line tremendously, especially in a division where you are facing Jared Allen and Ndamukong Suh a combined 4 times a season.
Cortland Finnegan is a small but mean-spirited corner. If there is one person in the National Football League that has Napoleon syndrome, it is Finnegan. One of his most memorable moments happened when the Tennessee Titans were facing the Houston Texans, Finnegan and All-pro WR Andre Johnson were going at it all game and right at the snap of the ball, a hockey-type fight broke out. Aside from his intensity on the field, this pro-bowler does not have off the field issues and he is great at what he does. Finnegan is fantastic in press coverage, can get to the QB when he is told to blitz and most importantly, he gets under the skin of the best wide receiver in the league, which usually leads to them being shut down. The Detroit Lions are a team that has swagger and as of today (March 12,2012), DT Ndamukong Suh, restructured his deal. Finnegan fits the mold of a Jim Schwartz player; he plays with passion, won’t beat himself and always has a chip on his shoulder. The Detroit Lions’ defensive backfield needs to be re-built, the only guy worth mentioning is safety Louis Delmas. Finnegan would be a great asset and they could pick up another guy in the draft. Detroit needs to focus on this cornerback whole-heartedly because they cannot afford to miss out on him. If he does not end up going to Detroit look for him to go to Dallas. The Cowboys defense suffered many late-game collapses last season and they have been injury-riddled in the back four. Finnegan would solidify the cornerback position with durability as well as productivity. Jerry Jones will most likely make either Finnegan or Brandon Carr a generous offer.
The draft is about a month and a half away and free agency does not start till next week, however, it is never a bad time for a mock. This draft does not include free agency signings and player’s stock could rise or drop due to college pro-days that will take place over the course of this month. It still looks like Andrew Luck will be the number one overall pick but there have been many changes and new players added since Mock Draft 1.0.
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throwing only 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. It is remarkable to see the growth he has made and
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AlexFarnworth 
