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 East Conference
(*Note- Former BC all-time leading rusher, Montel Harris, was dsmissed from the team and he is awaiting approval to join the Temple Owls. If he is to be accepted, he will be the number 4 player on this list (sliding everyone else down one spot).
1.Hakeem Smith-Louisville-Strong Safety 
The 2009 Big East Rookie of the year, Hakeem Smith, is one of the most versatile defensive players in college football. Smith has played high safety, strong safety as well as outside linebacker for the Louisville Cardinals. In 2011, Smith corralled 81 tackles (7 less than his rookie season’s total) and also had one interception. Smith is a great defender in coverage, especially for a safety, he is very good in his movements and he can swat the ball out of the wide receivers’ hands when they try to bring the ball in. Each year he has played, the Cardinals DB has improved and he will only continue to get better. Look for Smith to play a lot of safety in 2012 and when the Cardinals face ground and pound teams don’t be shocked if you see Smith at OLB. In 2011, Smith received All-Team Big East honors, look for him to do the same in 2012.
2.Ryan Nassib-Syracuse-Quarterback
The 6’2 quarterback out of Pennsylvania may just be one of the best pocket passers in college football today. Each season, Nassib’s passing yards, touchdowns and QB rating have all increased. With little help around him, the senior quarterback has had little help but has still managed to be efficient. Nassib has adequate arm strength but really flourishes when running play action fakes, he can make throws all over the field and he has great pocket presence. It is cliché, but Nassib makes everyone around him better and look for his numbers to improve even more after finishing his junior campaign with a 22-9 TD-INT ratio.
3.B.J. Daniels-South Florida-Quarterback
It seems like every year I keep saying B.J. Daniels is going to have a breakout year. 2012 is his last chance to really surprise people because it is his senior season. What is really encouraging about this playmaking quarterback is that 2012 was his best season yet; he racked up 2,604 yards while only getting sacked 14 times (career low). The 6-foot four-star recruit also rushed for 601 yards and seven scores. B.J. Daniels has a lot to prove in his final season of eligibility but he has a lot in his favor: he has grown each year as a passer, he is a dual-threat quarterback and he has a solid receiving corps this year. Look for Daniels to make a splash and have USF competing for the Big East Championship.
4.Logan Ryan-Rutgers-Cornerback
The junior cornerback out of Rutgers has emerged as one of the nation’s top cornerbacks. 6’0 Logan Ryan has become a shutdown corner in the Big East Conference and is respected by opposing quarterbacks. Despite having only two interceptions in 2011, the tight-coverage corner is very productive on the field. One of the most remarkable games of Ryan’s career was in the second game of the 2011 season against North Carolina, the former three-star recruit tallied 10 tackles (seven solo) which is just outstanding as a cornerback. Another thing to admire about Ryan is that when the pressure is on, he comes up big, for example, in the Pinstripe Bowl in 2011 against Iowa State Ryan gathered an interception as well three pass deflections. Although the interception numbers aren’t their, he is a known defender when teams go into New Jersey. Quarterbacks like to stay away from Ryan as much as possible and he will continue to shut receivers down, the other numbers will come eventually.
5.Teddy Bridgewater-Louisville-Quarterback
Early into last season, Bridgewater was creating early Heisman buzz but then slowly his play digressed. With one year under his belt, look for the Miami native to explode on the box score. The 6’3 quarterback is dual-threat quick but he also remembers that he is a quarterback and he can make eye-opening throws. A 12-9 TD-Int ratio is not bad for a freshman quarterback but look for his numbers to increase dramatically, now Bridgewater understands how the college game works and he will be able to become a leader in his sophomore season. The Louisville schedule is not easy but look for Bridgewater to make game-winning plays week-in and week-out. Also having three ESPN broadcasted games will help the Bridgewater buzz grow, this kid is exciting.
6.Justin Pugh-Syracuse-Offensive Tackle 
The 6’6, 262 pound offensive lineman from Holland, PA is the most dominant force in the tranches in this conference. Pugh has fluid footwork and can push defenders back by utilizing his size. The 2011 All Big East honoree has never missed a game in his collegiate career. Being dominant in his first two years at Syracuse is great, but he still has at least one more season to go before he is eligible for the NFL draft. In 2012 look for Justin Pugh to fill out his frame, become stronger and be a part of another 1,000 + rushing season for the Orange starting running backs.
7.Ray Graham-Pittsburgh-Running Back
Going into his senior season, Ray Graham has yet to have a 1,000-yard season rushing. Although 1,000 yards is the milestone every RB shoots for, Graham has done damage in the Big East; averaging 5.8 yards a carry last season. The 5’9, 195 lbs. back is a “one-cut and go” type of player. He has fantastic vision along the line of scrimmage and is a patient runner who uses his blocks wisely. His small stature allows him to sneak through the line and he benefits most when going through the 0, and 1 holes (right behind the center).He doesn’t have blazing speed but he does have toughness and creativity, that is enough to get him into the end zone. Look for Pitt to use him a lot in 2012.
8.Sio Moore-Connecticut-Outside Linebacker
After getting dominated by Oklahoma in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, UCONN went into a bit of a rebuilding mode after losing various coaches. The biggest constant on the Huskie defense going into the 2012 season is outside backer Sio Moore. In 2011, Moore recorded 88 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. With most of his tackles being solo, the team is very dependent on Moore and he never lets them down. The versatile backer has a knack for getting to the ball-carrier and there are a small amount of people that can block Moore one-on-one. Look for the senior to be the heart and soul of the improving Huskie defense, it will be tough to put up a lot of points in Storrs, CT in 2012.
9.Brandon Coleman-Rutgers-Wide Receiver 
The top receiver for the Scarlet Knights is a very intriguing player. Brandon Coleman only pulled in 17 receptions last season but still scored 6 touchdowns and had 552 receiving yards (32.1 yards per catch). The 6’6 receiver had little impact as a freshman but look for him to be a lethal receiver in 2012. As most towering receivers, Coleman’s signature route is the back corner fade, but he has long strides and great straightaway speed to create separation and get open. Still learning the route tree, look for Coleman to grow a ton over the course of the 2012 season, he has the size and soft hands to help out the struggling Rutgers quarterbacks.
10.Dede Lattimore-South Florida-Outside Linebacker
This may be the year that Skip Holtz finally gets all of his players to play to their potential and win the Big East Title. But even if it isn’t, look for Dede Lattimore to be one of the biggest defensive impacts in the conference. Last year, in his sophomore campaign, Lattimore had 13 tackles for loss and 7 sacks, most on his team. Lattimore also led the Bulls with 94 tackles and he will be flirting with a triple digit tackle season next year. Chris Cosh is the new defensive coordinator at USF (coming over from Kansas State) and he tends to get a lot of production from his linebackers. Look for Lattimore to post big numbers.
Just Missed:
Levi Brown-Temple-Defensive Tackle
Khaseem Greene-Rutgers-Linebacker
Sterling Griffin-South Florida-Wide Receiver
Munchie Legeaux-Cincinnati-Quarterback
St. Louis Rams
Honorable Mention-Indianapolis Colts
become a security-type receiver for Luck. With the Colts’ fourth selection (3rd round) they stayed on the offensive side of the ball and selected T.Y. Hilton (Florida International). Hilton is a slot receiver that can flat-out fly and create separation. Look for him to be used on bubble screens and a lot of crossing routes this year, he has big-play potential. The fifth round is where Ryan Grigson selected his first defensive player, Josh Chapman (DT/NT-Alabama). If Chapman had not missed the season due to a knee injury he could have gone in the first round. Chapman will help on the defensive line and take on blockers, allowing Mathis and Freeney to get to the quarterback. In the fifth round Vick Ballard would become the newest Colt. Ballard is a tough RB out of Miss. St. who will provide diversity to a Colts offense. He can run between the tackles and he can also go out and make some catches; he should be a nice compliment to Donald Brown. The Colts also chose LaVon Brazill (WR-Ohio) in the 6th and had three 7th round picks: Jusin Anderson (G-Georgia), Tim Fugger (DE- Vanderbilt) and Chandler Harnish (QB-Northern Illinois). After the draft the Colts also scrambled to get some of the top undrafted free agents. They made two key signings in Griff Whalen (WR-Stanford) and 
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We all knew (8) Creighton vs. (9) Alabama would be an intense game. The Bluejays of Creighton had an incredible offense throughout the season, 1st in the country in field goal %, 2nd in assists and 7th in points per game. The Alabama defense was a nightmare matchup because Trevor Releford has proven to be a premiere defender at the PG position and JaMychal Green is a fantastic interior defender. The Crimson Tide lead for most of the game but then Doug McDermott rallied his team and took over late in the game. Trevor Releford took a 3-pointer at the buzzer but was short; Creighton won 58-57.
Analysis: Clark Kellog’s son, Nick, did is father proud. Not on the stat sheet, but in the game, he never let the moment get too big for him. Ohio made all the right plays and made key shots whereas Michigan was playing one-on-one style basketball. Trey Burke took some questionable threes at the end when Michigan did not need a three at the time.
turnovers.Norfolk State were strong where Missouri was weak; Norfolk was big and great at rebounding. Give credit to the Spartans, they out-rebounded Missouri and kept their intensity up all game. Kim English and company just didn’t seem to have “it” this game. Kyle O’Quinn certainly had “it”, he scored 26 and snagged 14 boards, not to mention he had a crucial play during crunch time. He caught a teammate’s air ball, tipped it in, and got fouled. He played like a kid with a dream, and that’s what March Madness is all about.
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.
old handles like a guard, yes that phrase is tossed around a lot but I really mean this. Davis played guard throughout his childhood all the way up until high school then he had a 7-inch growth spurt in one year. Teams want to stay away from him because he can score from anywhere on the hardwood, run the floor better than any center, and can single handedly screw up a team’s offensive game plan; oh yeah, I forgot to mention he is a finalist for the National Player of the Year Award. I expect him and freshman Terrence Jones to carry the Wildcats deep into the tournament. 
2.Doug McDermott-Creighton-F
also plays for his father who shares the name, Ray McCallum. The younger McCallum was the sole leader of the Detroit Titans and he carried the team to a Horizon League Title, securing an automatic bid for March Madness. Last summer, the Horizon Tournament MVP attended both the Deron Williams Skills Academy and the LeBron James Skill Camp. I’ve had my eye on the Detroit Titans all season, they are a potential sleeper, but McCallum has elevated his game and I bet you that no team wants to face them. He makes all the right decisions, shares the rock, is a great free-throw shooter and is a great on-ball defender. When the lights are on, Ray shows up big-time, he averaged nearly 24 points per game in the Horizon League Tournament, look for him to mimic that in the big dance. McCallum is only a sophomore but plays like a senior, he will keep the Titans composed and he can slow down or speed up the tempo if need be. McCallum puts Detroit on upset alert for the Tourney, God bless whoever has to face them.
gears at any given moment, slash, and make layups through the contact. Wolters can create for his teammates-which seems to be a lost art in todays day and age for point guards. This All-Summit Team player won’t let you down when it is crunch time and he will not commit costly turnovers. Also, he does a lot of things that do not show up on the stat sheet: he coaches his teammates, makes them better, hustles for loose balls, does not commit “stupid” fouls and he has a great understanding of the game. South Dakota State be seeded low in the tournament (I anticipate a 10/11 seed), and they may not be a team that will pull of a major upset, but, Nate Wolters will but up a fight and give his opponents a run for their money.
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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QB ever to throw more than 4,000 yards for the Sun Devils. Other records consisted of most completions and highest completion percentage (63.2). Osweiler is of great stature and underrated athleticism. Standing in at 6’8 240 lbs, he is the tallest QB in the draft. Osweiler has shown perseverance and a great work ethic in his stay at Arizona State and he could very well be the most intriguing at the NFL Combine. Going back at watching videos, Osweiler has shown good pocket presence, great quick throw accuracy, extraordinary arm strength and he has shown glimpses that he can run when he needs to (he wasn’t asked to run in the Arizona St. offense). He exhibited awkward mechanics but he gets the ball out quick and uses his height to his advantage. The throwing motion Osweiler uses is not bad but it is unusual, it is almost as if he launches it. If the raw but talented QB can run a good 40-time, show his understanding of the game in his interviews and show skill & potential in the QB specific drills, scouts could be drooling over him by the end of the combine.
season, Quick has earned a spot on the 2011 AFCA FCS All-America Team. With 76 receptions for 1,096 yards and 11 scores, Quick found himself among the nations top wide receivers. The chiseled WR will need to show a great balance of size, strength and soft hands in order to rise up the draft board. Quick is 6’4, and 222 pounds of solid muscle and his arms measure at 33½ inch arm length. Quick has plenty of film showing what he can do after the catch but if he can excel in the senior bowl and show great route running skills at the combine, along with running a sub 4.5 forty time, he could get picked as early as the 3rd round of the 2012 NFL draft. 
in this draft. With that being said small school corners have a chance to emerge at the combine and can really help themselves for the 2012 Draft. Hampton University corner, Micah Pellerin showed that he can play with the big boys at the East-West Shrine Game. Pellerin has a solid frame at 6-feet, 195 lbs and he can keep up with most receivers. Pellerin showed confidence when he was going up against MSU’s big-time WR BJ Cunningham. His footwork looked to be a little raw, but that is a teachable trait. At the Shrine game he showed confidence, quickness and great instinct; two of those traits can’t be coached. At the combine if Pellerin can do well in the 3-cone drill and CB specific drills I believe he can go as early as the 4th round, which is great for a small school guy. Pellerin has already proven he has the intangibles, now he needs to show the scouts that he has worked on his game.
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Hmmmm, I’m going to say this nicely, Bismack is a freak of nature. 6’9, 243, can run the floor, 7’6 wingspan and a raw talent. Bismack has a knack for defending and although he cannot shoot, he can still get the ball in the bucket. A center that can defend and run the floor is probably the most lethal guy in sports- behind a dual threat quarterback. The Congolese center has skill where it is hard to teach and it seems as if he is willing to learn. Michael Jordan has his hands full but is sold on this kid. Biyombo seemed to have been working on his offensive game in the offseason. Biyombo was the first player ever to record a triple-double in the Nike Hoops Summit. One thing this young talent does not lack is confidence, in a pre-draft interview Bismack said that one day he WILL lead the NBA in blocks and rebounds. Now that is a tall order to fill but you can’t blame the kid for being excited or wanted to be the best. However, there is a slim chance he won’t be able to play in the NBA his rookie season because he has one year left on his contract with his team in Spain. Biyombo is currently in negotiations with his team attempting to buyout his old contract. It will be a great disappointment if he doesn’t play this year because although he might not be locking down Dwight Howard or Andrew Bogut, he will still be competing every night and making a name for himself.
If Marshon Brooks can mirror what he did at Providence College offensively then the NBA better watch out.This kid does not know what a slump is, he is not afraid to shoot and he will get to the hoop at will. Brooks is lanky, quick, he can slash and he can score in any way imaginable. Brooks could very well be the Nets’ leading scorer but in order to get the respect from his coach and his teammates, he will need to defend and become more of an all around player. At Providence, Brooks always had the ball in his hands, that will not be the case in NJ and he will need to learn how to play without the ball.
Josh Smith’s potential has been blocked by Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford controlling the ball 90% of the time. Now that Jamal Crawford has made his exit look for Josh Smith to finally breakout. I feel he is the most underrated player in the league and that he could be a top five player. Smith is gifted in all aspects of the game, he was first recognized as the insanely athletic dunker who took the Slam Dunk contest title from Jason Richardson in 2005. Smith is among the leagues best highflyers and shot blockers, look for him to put up crazy numbers now that he will finally be touching the ball because Joe Johnson is starting to decline and the team will need another scorer.
AlexFarnworth 
