Sporting News’ annual Spring 25, the 25 best players in college football, has two South Carolina Gamecocks on the list. USC running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery are put in the top 25. As a SC fan, this is great to see and hope it translates to even better performance in 2011. But are these rankings where they need to be for these two?
Remember, these rankings are based on college performance alone. For Lattimore, they have him ranked as the seventh best player in the nation. Alshon is listed as #21 best player.
In looking at the list of running backs ahead of Lattimore, there is two – James of Oregon and Polk of Washington. It breaks my garnet heart to agree that James is slightly better tailback but then again it is two different styles. I can not and will not agree that Chris Polk is a better running back. No way. Lattimore is similar to him as a runner and there is no comparison. Am I bias on this?
As for Jeffery, Justin Blackman of OSU and Ryan Broyles of the Sooners is listed above him. I give Blackman the nod as the best WR in the nation. I feel Broyles and Jeffery are tied for number two currently. I do agree with how the publication framed it, that Jeffery is #21 due to Garcia. I expect Garcia to be a better QB so I expect Jeffery to be the #2 and outperform Broyles in 2011…don’t you?
I do agree with their number, Kellen Moore, as he too is my favorite to win the heisman this coming season.
