Now that Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy have left for the NFL, three new quarterbacks are getting ready to take center-stage at Florida (John Brantley), Oklahoma (Landry Jones) and Texas (Garrett Gilbert). So which players will generate the hype on Saturday afternoons this fall? ESPN's Joe Schad ranked the top 100 players whose names you need to know.
No surprise, Alabama has 7 of the top 100 players - highlighted by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram (#3) and wide receiver sensation Julio Jones (#8). Landry Jones (#31) and the Oklahoma Sooners have 6 and both Florida and North Carolina have 4 players who cracked the list.
RANK PLAYER SCHOOL POSITION
1 Ryan Mallett Arkansas QB
2 Jake Locker Washington QB
3 Mark Ingram Alabama RB - (Reigning Heisman Trophy Winner)
4 Terrelle Pryor Ohio State QB
5 Tyrod Taylor Virginia Tech QB
6 Kellen Moore Boise State QB
7 Robert Griffin III Baylor QB
8 Julio Jones Alabama WR
9 Dion Lewis Pittsburgh RB
10 Ryan Williams Virginia Tech RB
11 A.J. Green Georgia WR
12 Michael Floyd Notre Dame WR
13 Noel Devine West Virginia RB
14 Mark Herzlich Boston College LB
15 Greg Romeus Pittsburgh DE
16 Marvin Austin North Carolina DT
17 Greg Jones Michigan State LB
18 Matt Barkley USC QB
19 John Brantley Florida QB
20 Patrick Peterson LSU DB
21 Luke Kuechly Boston College LB
22 Case Keenum Houston QB
23 Christian Ponder Florida State QB
24 Jacory Harris Miami QB
25 Von Miller Texas A&M LB
26 LaMichael James Oregon RB
27 Garrett Gilbert Texas QB
28 Andrew Luck Stanford QB
29 Jeremiah Masoli Oregon QB
30 Jared Crick Nebraska DT
31 Landry Jones Oklahoma QB
32 Manti Te'o Notre Dame LB
33 John Clay Wisconsin RB
34 Jonathan Baldwin Pittsburgh WR
35 Stephon Gilmore South Carolina DB
36 Trent Richardson Alabama RB
37 Ryan Broyles Oklahoma WR
38 Chris Galippo USC LB
39 Vontaze Burfict Arizona State LB
40 Blaine Gabbert Missouri QB
41 DeAndre Brown Southern Miss WR
42 DeMarco Murray Oklahoma RB
43 Marcell Dareus Alabama DE
44 Jerrod Johnson Texas A&M QB
45 Evan Royster Penn State RB
46 Jacquizz Rodgers Oregon State RB
47 Dayne Crist Notre Dame QB
48 Alshon Jeffrey South Carolina WR
49 Travis Lewis Oklahoma LB
50 Russell Wilson NC State QB
51 Zach Collaros Cincinnati QB
52 Quan Sturdivant North Carolina LB
53 Bruce Carter North Carolina LB
54 Andre Debose Florida WR
55 Christine Michael Texas A&M RB
56 Rahim Moore UCLA DB
57 Allen Bradford USC RB
58 Aaron Murray Georgia QB
59 Cam Heyward Ohio State DT
60 DeAndre McDaniel Clemson DB
61 Jeremy Beal Oklahoma DE
62 Mohamed Sanu Rutgers WR
63 Bernard Pierce Temple RB
64 Allen Bailey Miami DE
65 Anthony Allen Georgia Tech RB
66 Jordan Wynn Utah QB
67 Bryce Brown Tennessee RB
68 Tate Forcier Michigan QB
69 Ronell Lewis Oklahoma LB
70 Aldon Smith Missouri DE
71 Donta' Hightower Alabama LB
72 Ray Ray Armstrong Miami DB
73 Shane Vereen California RB
74 Michael Mauti Penn State LB
75 Nate Irving NC State LB
76 Dre Kirkpatrick Alabama DB
77 Janoris Jenkins Florida DB
78 Stephen Paea Oregon State DT
79 Daniel Thomas Kansas State RB
80 Josh Nesbitt Georgia Tech QB
81 Kendall Hunter Oklahoma State RB
82 Juron Criner Arizona WR
83 Tyler Sash Iowa DB
84 Sam Acho Texas DE
85 Mark Barron Alabama DB
86 James Rodgers Oregon State WR
87 Akeem Ayers UCLA LB
88 Chris Rainey Florida RB
89 DaQuan Bowers Clemson DE
90 Adrian Clayborn Iowa DE
91 Andy Dalton TCU QB
92 Kyle Rudolph Notre Dame TE
93 Jewel Hampton Iowa RB
94 Russell Sheppard LSU WR
95 Vidal Hazelton Cincinnati WR
96 Brandon Saine Ohio State RB
97 Brandon Weeden Oklahoma State QB
98 Titus Young Boise State WR
99 Deunta Williams North Carolina DB
100 Greg Salas Hawaii WR
Top 100 Breakdown By Position:
QB--------26
RB--------21
LB--------15
WR-------15
DB--------10
DE--------8
DT--------4
TE--------1