1. LB Greg Jones, Sr. Michigan State
Jones was the best linebacker in college football last year. While Alabama’s Rolando McClain won the Butkus as the leader of a national title-level defense, no one did more for their team than Jones, who led the team (and finished third in the nation) with 154 tackles, nine sacks, and 14 tackles for loss after making 127 tackles with two sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 2008. Not just explosive, he’s as steady as they come and is terrific against spread attacks of all types making 15 stops in the loss to Central Michigan and 13 against Texas Tech. He came up with ten stops or more in nine games and spread his sacks throughout the season.
He doesn’t do too much against the pass, mostly because that’s not really his role, but he’s active enough to work on the outside if needed with just enough raw speed and quickness to handle backs on short to midrange routes. While he’s as tough as they come and he’s a peerless tackler, the knock on him at the next level is his lack of size. At a generously listed 6-1 and 235 pounds, he’s a bit small to be the centerpiece of an NFL defense, and he doesn’t have the raw wheels to be a killer of a pro 3-4 outside linebacker. Even so, he’ll likely be someone’s early second round pick who makes tackle after tackle as a do-it-all playmaker.
2. RB Mark Ingram, Jr. Alabama
Ingram was great as a true freshman, thumping away for 728 yards and a team-leading 12 touchdowns, but no one saw what was coming next. With a special combination of speed, shiftiness, and power, the 5-10, 215-pounder cranked out 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 32 catches (finishing second on the team in receptions) for 334 yards and three scores, on the way to becoming Alabama’s first Heisman trophy winner.
Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram
Kevin C. Cox
Others ran for more yards and others came up with more impressive stats, but Ingram’s worth was his ability to come up big in the biggest of games and the tightest of moments. For a team that relied on good defense, solid special teams, and a bruising running game, he was the sparkplug who made everything else go with 150 yards and a score against Virginia Tech, 246 yards and a score against South Carolina, 155 yards against LSU, and a Heisman-clinching 113-yard, three touchdown, two-catch, 76-receiving-yard SEC Championship against Florida. If there was any doubt about whether or not he was worthy, he came through big against the tremendous Texas run defense tearing off 116 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.
