My C.J. Spiller Blog

1. St. Loius Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

No change here. With Marc Bulger just released and the Rams in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, Bradford looks like a lock to go #1.

2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

The latest reports claim that Detroit will not be taking an offensive tackle with their first round selection. If that is true, the pick has to be either Suh or McCoy.

3. Tampa Bay Bucs: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

The Bucs reportedly just visited with Texas Tech guard Brandon Carter to ask him who was tougher to play against: Suh or McCoy. Obviously they have interest in both players, but only one will be left.

4. Washington Redskins: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

This is a change from our last mock draft. Mike Shanahan's scheme emphasizes quick, athletic linemen who can easily get to the next level of the defense. Williams is that guy.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

Widely believed to love Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga, the Chiefs will have a tough decision to make if Okung falls into their laps. They may still like Bulaga more, but Okung is higher on most boards.

The Seahawks are in a position to take whichever top-tier tackle falls to them.

6. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

The more we think about how the draft will unfold, the more we see a string of offensive and defensive tackles being selected in the top 10 picks. The Seahawks are in position to simply sit back and grab whoever falls to them.

7. Cleveland Browns: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

We recently heard both the Chiefs and Seahawks will pass on Berry, meaning Cleveland is free to get their guy. However, there are shocking rumors that the Browns are looking at Penn State DT/DE Jared Odrick here.

8. Oakland Raiders: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

We love the chances of Oakland drafting Trent Williams if he falls to the 8th pick, but we just don't see it happening. Davis, a player with work ethic concerns, might be yet another Raiders flop. We do actually think they'll pass on Maryland offensive tackle and workout-warrior Bruce Campbell.

9. Buffalo Bills: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

Clausen is lucky. With Jacksonville, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle drafting shortly after Buffalo, we don't see a Brady Quinn-esque draft day drop in store for him.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, USF

Jacksonville signed Aaron Kampman, but there are rumors that those within the organization still see upgrading the pass rush as the team's #1 draft day priority. Pierre-Paul has enormous athleticism and upside.

11. Denver Broncos: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama

Tennessee DT Dan Williams is also an option here, but Denver may be unable to pass on McClain's three-down ability.

12. Miami Dolphins: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee

The Dolphins have a gaping hole at nose tackle, and Williams was born to play inside in a 3-4 defense. Unlike a lot of these 300 or so pound defensive tackles, Williams isn't a hair under 330. He may be the least talked-about potential top 10 selection.

13. San Francisco 49ers: Earl Thomas, S, Texas

We know Cowboys fans still think Thomas is a legitimate option, but there's really very little chance of it happening. The 49ers could also select an offensive tackle here if one of the aforementioned ones drops.

We don't know about you, but Spiller sure scares us more than Brandon Jacobs.

14. Seattle Seahawks: Joe Haden, CB, Florida

Marcus Trufant is one of the most overrated cornerbacks in the league, routinely among the worst in the NFL in yards-per-attempt yielded. Haden's forty times could put him in a competition with Kyle Wilson to be the first CB drafted.

15. New York Giants: CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson

The Giants have been rumored to be seeking a trade into the top 10 to grab Spiller. While we think that is a bit unrealistic, the club could use his services with the oft-injured Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield right now.

16. Tennessee Titans: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

We have Wilson as the top-rated cornerback in this class. Pairing him with Cortland Finnegan would give Tennessee one of the better cornerback tandems in the NFL.

Part II of our mock draft, visit http://DallasCowboysTimes.com.

http://DallasCowboysTimes.com

1st Round (#9) RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson

Key Player(s) Passed On: OT Anthony Davis, OT Bryan Bulaga, QB Jimmy Clausen

Analysis: Spiller clearly was the 2010 NFL Draft's most explosive and versatile running back. His ability to catch passes and return kicks provides Buffalo with a player who can score from anywhere on the field. Chan Gailey's creative offensive mind should be able to get Spiller the ball in the open field. Spiller was higher rated on our draft board than Anthony Davis, Bryan Bulaga and Jimmy Clausen. The Bills certainly could use help at left tackle, but stuck to their board and chose the highest rated player. Davis has maturity and dedication issues. Bulaga may be better at right tackle and has to gain strength. The Bills cannot be sold on any of their current quarterbacks. However, the play of the offensive line and the turmoil with the offensive coordinator position did not help matters. You knew the Bills' offense was in big trouble last year when they fired their offensive coordinator a week before the season. Chan Gailey will bring much needed stability to Buffalo's offense and wants to evaluate the quarterbacks in his offense. Buffalo did not want to spend the 9th pick overall on a young quarterback that they were not enamored with. C.J. Spiller was a wise and disciplined selection by Buffalo.

2nd Round (#41) DT Torell Troup, Central Florida

Key Player(s) Passed On: DT Terrance Cody

Analysis: Buffalo's run defense surrendered 4.7 yards per carry last season. This weakness combined with the decision to switch to a 3-4 defense made finding a nose tackle a high priority. The Bills chose Troup over Terrance Cody. Troup has the build and power to man the nose. However, many evaluated Cody to be the premier run-stuffer in this year's draft. Troup can anchor versus the double-team and fills a major need. He does not have the conditioning issue that Cody has, but we thought "Mount Cody" solves a team's nose tackle problem better than any player in the draft. Troup fills a need, but may not have been the best choice.

3rd Round (#72) DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State

Key Player(s) Passed On: OT/OG John Jerry

Analysis: Carrington has the build and length to be a 3-4 defensive end. He has to learn to anticipate better and get off of blocks faster. Carrington dominated only in flashes against mediocre competition in college. Jerry is a good run blocker. He could play right tackle in the NFL if he took his conditioning to the next level. Buffalo likely viewed him as a guard in the pros and they are pleased with Andy Levitre and Eric Wood. Carrington fills a need and has a chance to be decent 3-4 defensive end.

4th Round (#107) WR Marcus Easley, Connecticut

Key Player(s) Passed On: OT Jason Fox

Analysis: Easley was a starter for only one season (2009). He was fairly productive (48 receptions for 893 yards (18.6 per) and 8 touchdowns). Easley has above average size and speed, but is very raw on the intricacies of playing wide receiver. It will take him time to develop and he may never learn to recognize coverages and run routes properly. Buffalo needs a lot of help at offensive tackle and decided to pass on Jason Fox. The former Miami standout has to gain some size and strength, but you cannot develop his toughness or football IQ. The Bills could have used Fox.

5th Round (#140) OT Ed Wang, Virginia Tech

Key Player(s) Passed On: OT Chris Scott, TE Andrew Quarless

Analysis: The Bills finally address their offensive tackle position, but Ed Wang was a shaky selection. Wang was beaten consistently at the Senior Bowl and struggles with speed and power. These are unfortunately, two qualities that a lot of defensive ends possess in the NFL. Wang looks like a backup in the pros. Chris Scott has conditioning issues, but he has a powerful base and could be a right tackle project. Andrew Quarless has a lot of talent and could have complemented Shawn Nelson. The bottom line is we question how much Buffalo improved their offensive tackle position with the Wang pick.

6th Round (#178) DE Arthur Moats, James Madison

Key Player(s) Passed On: DE Adrian Tracy, WR Dezmon Briscoe

Analysis: The Bills need linebackers for their new 3-4 defense and plan on converting Moats into an inside linebacker. Moats is an undersized defensive end (6' and 245 pounds) who won the Buck Buchanan Award as the top division I-AA defensive player. Moats faces a big transition to not only the NFL, but also an entirely new position. Adrian Tracy also was a productive small-school defensive end who will be converted to linebacker. Tracy has the length to play outside linebacker, which Moats does not. The Bills need help at wide receiver and Briscoe represents value in the 6th round. Briscoe has maturity issues, but he was very productive and does a nice job of running after the catch.

6th Round (#192) DE Danny Batten, South Dakota State

Key Player (s) Passed On: WR Antonio Brown

Analysis: Batten will be converted to linebacker. He was a productive four-year starter at defensive end, but played against weak competition. Batten is a long shot to develop into a quality starter. He did not dominate in college and lacks a special physical trait. The Bills need help at wide receiver and scoring points. Antonio Brown is a quick slot receiver with a lot of production against better competition than what Batten faced.

7th Round (#209) QB Levi Brown, Troy

Key Player(s) Passed On: DE George Selvie

Analysis: Brown has average physical skills, but displays pocket presence. He could develop into a decent backup. Brown will compete with Brian Brohm to be the 3rd quarterback. Selvie's draft stock slipped dramatically as he did not look comfortable in linebacker drills and is undersized for a 4-3 defensive end. Selvie had a fine career at South Florida and may have been worth a look in camp to see how he fares at linebacker with more reps.

7th Round (#216) OT Kyle Calloway, Iowa

Key Player(s) Passed On: DE C.J. Wilson

Analysis: Calloway was a good pick and we were surprised he lasted this long. He does not have quick feet, but he is tough and plays with solid technique. He may be able to help Buffalo at right tackle. The former Hawkeye should at least be a solid backup at right tackle and guard.

Bottom Line: Buffalo had a lot of needs even prior to switching defensive schemes. Spiller will help, but the offensive tackle situation was not adequately addressed in the draft. The Bills drafted too many projects (Marcus Easley, Ed Wang, Arthur Moats and Danny Batten). The offensive tackle and wide receiver position do not look much stronger after this draft.

Grade: C+
More NFL draft analysis and NFL draft articles can be found at:
www.profootballdraftnetwork.com by Denis Krusos

NFL Draft Analysis.

ProFootballDraftNetwork.com's goal is to cut through the clutter and identify in detail the NFL draft's impact players, top values (where a team really succeeds on draft day) and biggest risks. Our full-time, year-round analysis of game footage, discussions with coaches and trainers and live practice observations are the basis for our ratings and draft board. Talent evaluators must be thorough, but should always remember that this is more art than science. Good player forecasting involves doing your homework and trusting your gut instincts.

We will not be presenting to you 400 or 500 scouting reports. Instead, prospects are filtered out that are evaluated to be unlikely to make an NFL team or who will essentially have a cup of coffee in the league as a mediocre reserve. Our draft board will be whittled down as the season progresses and fans can view our final draft board and detailed scouting reports on approximately 90 prospects. The final draft board reveals the prospects rated to be future productive starters, strong contributors on special teams and those who should provide quality depth.

Something else you will not find on our site is a mock draft. This site is all about talent evaluation for draftniks and football fans that enjoy the scouting process. We are interested in figuring out who can play in the NFL and not which player a team will select. Mock drafts are really guesses based upon perceived needs on whom a team will take and are notoriously inaccurate once you get past the top 10 in round 1. Talent evaluation is our passion and where we devote our efforts.

More NFL draft analysis and NFL draft articles can be found at: http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com by Denis Krusos

Despite being down 14-zip early on, two 2009 bowl teams-Utah and Middle Tennessee-won by 10, and Texas Tech managed to take the "Distraction" Bowl (aka the Alamo Bowl) title from Michigan State University, 41-31.

Both Texas Tech and Michigan State came into the Distraction Bowl with troubled programs. TCU coach Mike Leach had enjoyed enormous success with the Red Raider program, but his approach to disciplining at least one player got him into trouble, and his self-importance and arrogance got him fired by the school president before the bowl game.

Texas Tech's defensive coordinator Ruffin "Ruff" McNeill filled in for Leach. After leading "his" team to victory during a very difficult week of media madness, the likeable McNeill may be a candidate for the head coaching job left vacant when Leach got canned.

The signage on the field in San Antonio was nothing short of nasty. Fans supporting Leach-arguably the most successful and popular coach in Red Raider history-and denouncing the player of interest and his family, were both in evidence. Essentially, the family challenged Leach's authority and discipline tactics, which included making the player, who was injured and suffered a concussion, stand in a dark equipment shed for hours to apparently teach him to be tough.

College football has a history of coaches who routinely cussed and berated their players, and sometimes physically abused them. Those days are over. Strong-arm tactics in today's coaching environment are not tolerated, and many times exposed, as Mike Leach discovered. Cell phones with video cameras have made the world a much more watchable place.

Michigan State's program did not look much better. No less than 14 players were suspended from the team pending investigation, and did not make the trip to the Distraction Bowl because of a dormitory brawl in November.

At kickoff, it was difficult to tell which team had more and bigger thugs-the Texas Tech coaching staff led by Leach, or a large section of the Michigan State team players. (Disclaimer: As an athlete at Michigan State I must admit that I may have fantasized about being in a dormitory brawl, but I could never quite work up the hatred and mob mentality to get the job done. I settled my scores during the competition.)

As you might guess, the Distraction Bowl was an afterthought. With all of the finger pointing, shouting and recriminations, it was a wonder they even kept score. Michigan State lost, of course, because the Spartans had been having such a crappy year-losing to Central Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State and now Texas Tech.

State finished the year with a losing season at 6-7. Texas Tech was 9-4 and "thugtorious". Johnny Appleseed would have thrown the whole basket of Texas Tech and Michigan State away. Thank goodness that there will be a next year for each team.

No. 23-ranked Utah (10-3) spotted California (8-5) two touchdowns in 11 seconds during the 1st quarter, but refused to buckle or panic. The Utes would score the next 27 points in the game and go on to win by 10, 37-27, in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Utah's true freshman Jordan Wynn amassed 338 yards in the air and fired 3 touchdown passes to help the Utes notch their 9th straight bowl victory, currently the longest winning streak in major college football. Southern California won 9 straight from 1923 to 1945, and Florida State, under Bobby Bowden, won 11 straight from 1985 to 1996 to set the record.

Coach Kyle Whittingham's guys know how to win. Utah has become the BCS buster among mid-major schools. The Utes whipped Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl in 2004, and took down Alabama 31-17 last year in the Sugar Bowl.

Utah 's defense was right there-shutting down Cal after its 14-0 take off, and then Utah's offense scored on its last 4 possessions of the 1st half.

Middle Tennessee (10-3) was also down 14-zip in its game against Southern Mississippi (7-6), but came roaring back to win by 10, 42-32, in the New Orleans Bowl.

Middle Tennessee's sophomore QB Dwight Dasher rushed for 201 yards, scored 2 TDs on the ground, and 2 more in the air to lead the Blue Raiders to victory. His 201 yards broke Vince Young's quarterback bowl rushing record of exactly 200 yards set against USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl won by Texas. Dasher went 15-of-25 while passing for 162 yards.

He finished the season with 1,175 yards rushing as a quarterback.

Damion Fletcher, Southern Mississippi's star running back, gained 78 yards to finish the year with 1,015, becoming only the 9th player in major college football history to rush for 1,000 yards for 4 consecutive seasons. Fletcher's 5,302 rushing yards passed Herschel Walker's 5,259 and LaDainian Tomlinson's 5, 263 for 8th place on the NCAA's career list.

Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill was beyond pleased with his players. The Blue Raiders were playing in only their second bowl game in school history-their first bowl win, winning their last 7 regular season games, and their 10 total wins marked their most since joining the big time Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 1999.

Both Mississippi (9-4) and Oklahoma State (9-4) littered the Cotton Bowl with turnovers, missed opportunities and sloppy play in a game that saw Ole Miss prevail, 21-7, as senior Dexter McCluster had a career-high 32 carries for 182 yards (5.69 ypc) and 2 TDs, including the go-ahead score on a direct snap with 4:03 remaining.

Mississippi had 5 turnovers in the game. Oklahoma State, not to be outdone, had 6 turnovers in the 4th quarter alone, and 7 overall. It all looked like practice recovery drills for game preparation. With a dozen fumbles in the game, every player appeared to need remedial training in protecting the ball.

Mississippi coach Houston Nutt had mixed feelings after the game-joy and sorrow. He was happy his team won, and sad to realize that Dexter McCluster would be graduating from his program. McCluster became the first SEC player ever to have 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in a single season.

Nutt has caught on as the Ole Miss coach. The season before he arrived, Mississippi had lost all 8 of its SEC games. Nutt has led the Rebels to consecutive 9-4 seasons and 2 consecutive Cotton Bowl victories. Last year Ole Miss dusted off Texas Tech, 47-34.

Another great individual performance by C.J. Spiller led Clemson (9-5) to a 21-13 victory over Kentucky (7-6) in the Music City Bowl. Spiller picked up 67 yards rushing, scored a TD, caught 3 passes for 58 yards, and had 47 yards on returns. His TD was the 51st of his career, setting a Clemson record.

Clemson's first-year coach Dabo Swinney was down with a bowl victory in his first full season as a head coach.

Read more of my 2009 college football coverage, including: Fourteen consecutive weeks of NCAA Division I wrap-ups covering the top teams and key upsets. Fourteen consecutive weeks of Ed Bagley's Top 25 Poll (heck, I figure I am as good at picking them as the writers and coaches who pick the AP Top 25 and the Coaches' Top 25 Polls, plus, I add some humor to lighten the load). Coverage of the Washington Husky and Michigan State Spartan football programs, including Washington's stunning 16-13 upset of Southern California early in the season.

http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Clemson finished the 2009 season at 9-5, capping things off with a win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. It's probably bad karma to complain about a nine-win campaign, but 2009 could have been really special. The Tigers should have never lost to Maryland, the worst team in the ACC, and they couldn't hold onto a pair of fourth quarter leads against ACC champion Georgia Tech in two meetings last season.

After getting so close to reaching a BCS bowl the Tigers will enter the 2010 season with some added motivation, but that may not be enough if quarterback Kyle Parker doesn't return. Also a Clemson outfielder, Parker was taken in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. Going in the first round means a big payday, and that may be too much for Parker to pass up.

Offense: Parker showed a lot or promise in his freshman season when he threw for 2,526 yards and 20 touchdowns. If he is back, I expect even more production. If he isn't back, the starting job will be handed to Tajh Boyd. There is no doubting the freshman's arm, but the team would miss the level of experience that Parker brings to the table. The offense will already miss C.J. Spiller. The Clemson standout was arguably the most explosive player in all of college football last season, a threat to go the distance every time he touched the ball. The Tigers will miss his big play ability, but there is reason to believe they can be one of the best running teams in the ACC again. With four of five starting offensive lineman back, running backs Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper should find plenty of holes to run through. In fact, the duo averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season when spelling Spiller. Ellington averaged 7.2 yards per carry himself while rushing for 491 yards and four scores. Keep in mind that Spiller only averaged 5.6 yards per carry. Losing wide receiver Jacoby Ford and tight end Michael Palmer deals a couple pretty big blows to the passing game. Xavier Dye, who caught 14 passes for 236 yards and three scores in 2009, should emerge as Clemson's biggest threat through the air.

Defense: Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele had the opportunity to leave for his alma mater Tennessee, but he decided to stick around. With Steele back, a defense which was among the best in the ACC last season will have a chance to be even better in 2010. The Tigers ranked No. 3 in the ACC (20th nationally) in total defense, allowing only 314.3 yards per game. They also ranked No. 4 (25th nationally) in scoring defense, giving up only 20.4 points per game. It all starts up front with Jarvis Jenkins, Brandon Thompson, Da'Quan Bowers and Andre Branch. All four of these guys are NFL-caliber players. Across the back, DeAndre McDaniel and Rashard Hall form the best safety tandem in the ACC. McDaniel picked off eight passes last season and returned them for 182 yards. The linebacker unit is a bit of a question mark as we near the season.

Prediction: 2nd ACC Atlantic - Returning to the ACC title game largely depends on if Parker will be back under center. But if he isn't back, Clemson should be able to rely on its running game and defense to pull out a second place finish in the Atlantic.

Be sure to check out my 2010 ACC football predictions to see how I have the rest of the league shaping up.

If you want winning college football picks to beat the football odds this fall, then get signed up for one of the premium packages on my site.

The Buffalo Bills have a lot of work to do to get back to a playoff contender, as it looks as though the organization is once again in the rebuilding phase. The Bills spent a long time trying to find a new head coach this off season, and wound up with Chan Gailey. Gailey has two years of head coaching experience with Dallas, but the majority of his work has been as an offensive coordinator, and he will take over the play calling for the Bills this season. The Bills also bring in new defensive coordinator George Edwards to implement the 3-4 scheme. Here is a look at what the Bills bring to both sides of the ball in 2010, plus my prediction on how they finish up the 2010 season.

Offense: The Bills didn't get a lot of production out of the quarterback spot in 2010, as Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick both struggled to put points on the board. Everyone expected the Bills to make a move this off season to bring in a new face to compete for the job, but that was not the case, and it looks like it will either be one of these two guys starting on opening day.

The Bills had a chance to improve a very bad offensive line with their first pick in the NFL draft, but instead went after Clemson running back CJ Spiller. The move gives the Bills a ton of depth in the running game, as Spiller joins holdovers Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, and Spiller has the ability to really add a spark to this bunch with his homerun ability.

The Bills decided not to bring back Terrell Owens at wide receiver, leaving Lee Evans alone as the only real target in the passing game. The hope is that former second round pick James Hardy will be ready to step in and give this team some production as the No.2 receiver.

Looking at that offensive line, the Bills added former Oakland Raider Cornell Green to take over at right tackle, and they seem content with bringing back Demetius Bell to start at left tackle. The interior of the line figures to be strong with guards Andy Levitre and Eric Wood and center Ceoff Hangartner, but this group needs to stay healthy if they want to improve off a miserable 2009 season.

Defense: The Bills will be shifting a number of players around this off season to adjust for the 3-4 scheme. Former defensive tackle Marcus Stroud is expected to move to defensive end, playing opposite of newcomer Dwan Edwards, who has some experience playing 3-4 defensive end in Baltimore. At nose tackle look for Kyle Williams to start and rookie Torell Troup to add help as a solid replacement.

At linebacker the Bills will move Aaron Maybin and Chris Kelsay off the line and put them at the two outside linebacker spots, while Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell hold down the two inside backer spots. The Bills were 30th against the run in 2009, but they are hoping the switch will allow them to improve on those numbers this season.

The secondary figures to be strong again in 2010 after allowing just 184 yards a game in 2009. They return a very good starting corner duo of Leodis McKelvin and Terrence McGee. At safety the Bills struck gold with 2009 second round pick Jairus Byrd, who led the team with nine interceptions as a rookie. The Bills also have a strong safety in Donte Whitner, but he needs to start making a few more big plays.

Prediction - 4th in AFC East: To much rebuilding going on for this team to have any chance at competing with the Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots this season.

For a bigger look at the upcoming season, check out our complete 2010 NFL predictions. If you plan on betting the NFL this year, be sure to stop back for our live NFL odds each and every week.

The Clemson Tigers won the Atlantic Division last season with a 9-5 record overall and a 6-2 mark in ACC play. Dabo Swinney has this team headed in the right direction, but it will be tough for him to get the Tigers back to the top of the Atlantic considering many key players are gone, including the electrifying C.J. Spiller at running back. He was the heart and soul of this offense and a huge factor on special teams.

Check out my team preview of the offense and defense Clemson has to offer below, as well as my predictions on the Tigers in terms of the ACC.

Offense:

QB Kyle Parker has decided to return to the football team this season and put off pursuing his professional baseball career for the time being. He threw 20 touchdown passes last year for Clemson and is a huge part of the offense. He'll be playing behind an experience offensive line that returns the top six players on the depth chart from last season. This group has combined for 88 starts in their careers.

To take some of the pressure off of Parker, somebody must emerge in the backfield. Clemson put up 170.4 rushing yards per game last year and that will be hard to match with Spiller gone. Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper figure to combine to fill Spiller's shoes in the backfield. Even more pressing is the lack of experienced playmakers at wide receiver. Clemson's leading returnee at WR is Xavier Dye, who had just 14 receptions last year.

Defense:

The defense is the backbone of this team this season. Clemson welcomes back seven starters on this unit, led by defensive tackles Jarvis Jenkins and Brandon Thomas. Each has an NFL future and will wreak havoc in opposing backfields this season. The defensive end positions are in good hands with Da'Quan Bowers leading the way along with Andre Branch, Kortnei Brown and Malliciah Goodman who all got playing time last year.

The secondary will have to replace a combined 84 starts from cornerbacks Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler, but seniors Byron Maxwell and Marcus Gilchrist welcome the challenge. The secondary could be a strength considering Rashard Hall and DeAndre McDaniel return at safety. McDaniel is a preseason All-American candidate. Junior Brandon Maye is the only returning starter at linebacker, so this is the biggest area of concern defensively.

ACC Prediction: 2nd Atlantic Division - Considering this side of the ACC is down, the Clemson Tigers have a decent shot to repeat as Atlantic champs. But I think Florida State is the most complete team on this side and will prevail in the end. Still, the Tigers have perhaps the best defense this side of the conference has to offer and it will keep Clemson in games this year. The problem is that the Tigers lack playmakers offensively, with very little experience in the backfield and at wide receiver. So even though Parker is back, he won't have any proven weapons. A second-place finish in this division is the likely scenario.

If you want to see our 2010 ACC football predictions article, then feel free to check it out as well. College football lines show Clemson at +700 to win the ACC in 2010.

College Football