College Football Preseason 2011 All-Junior Team
By Ty Duffy
Earlier this week we looked at the seniors. Here are the juniors. The most talented class, since the NFL has yet to deplete it. This list could double as “Preseason All-Americans” and “2012 NFL first-round picks.”
QB: Andrew Luck (Stanford) Before the praise gets moist and uncomfortable, I would just like to say that he seems like a good kid and I wish him well.
RB: Trent Richardson (Alabama) Breakaway speed and built like a tank. His numbers, when healthy, last season were just sick.
RB: LaMichael James (Oregon) Willie Lyles has an eye for talent. Dropped 257 on Stanford last season. Ducks will need him to have a big year.
WR: Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) Five catches, 105 yards, one touchdown. That’s a commendable day for most receivers. Those were Justin Blackmon’s lowest single game totals in each of those three categories last season. Not 40, but a man, nonetheless.
WR: Alshon Jeffery (South Carolina) 6’4”, 230lbs. Will catch anything and everything.
TE: Orson Charles (Georgia) Always nice to have a versatile big-play threat at tight end. Lived up to his recruiting hype.
OT: Jonathan Martin (Stanford) Protects Andrew Luck’s potentially lucrative posterior. Probably will end up a first-round pick himself.
OT: Matt Kalil (USC) Dad was an NFL lineman. Brother is a Pro-Bowl lineman. In the genes. Been lined up as a Top-Ten pick since he walked on campus.
OG: David DeCastro (Stanford) Stanford is returning two starters on the offensive line, yet few people are concerned. He’s the other reason why.
OG: Barrett Jones (Alabama) Natural right guard, probably a guard in the NFL, though so versatile he may play left tackle this season.
C: Ben Habern (Oklahoma) Was finally healthy for the Sooners last season and just dominated.
DE: Brandon Jenkins (Florida State) Elite pass-rusher, 13.5 sacks last year.
DE: Devin Taylor (South Carolina) Enormous. Should anchor an aggressive SC pass rush while Clowney gets his bearings.
DT: Jerel Worthy (Michigan State) Athletic. Draws two blockers every time he’s on the field. Perhaps the reason Michigan State has become respectable.
DT: Marcus Forston (Miami) Already getting the Sapp comparisons.
LB: Vontaze Burfict (Arizona State) He’s a special kind of cruel. He’ll watch you soil yourself before he crushes your skull like a grape.
LB: Luke Kuechly (Boston College) Gobbles up everything. Had one game with under 10 tackles last season (9 against Syracuse). Major reason behind BC’s elite run defense.
LB: Manti Te’o (Notre Dame) Excellent MLB. The one lingering facet of Charlie Weis’ legacy that doesn’t stink.
CB: Cliff Harris (Oregon) Suspended indefinitely, but practicing, which suggests he’ll play at some point. He can’t drive 55, but he can pick off Luck (twice), Cam Newton and Matt Barkley.
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama) Long, tenacious, and in that secondary teams have to throw at him.
S: Robert Lester (Alabama) Second-team All-American as a sophomore last season. Eight picks in 13 starts.
S: Ray-Ray Armstrong (Miami) 6’4”, 225, loves to hit people. If Forston is Sapp, Armstrong is Sean Taylor.
[Photo via Getty]