1. RYAN PERRILLOUX Ball Park National Player of the Year ESPN.com's Top 100 Prospects (1) USA Today National Offensive Player of the Year Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio) National Offensive Player of the Year Tom Lemming's Co-Offensive Player of the Year ESPN.com's Top 25 Quarterbacks (1) Collegefootballnews.com Top Quarterbacks (1) Rivals.com Top Dual-Threat Quarterbacks (1) EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Parade All-American U.S. Army All-American Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 2. AL JONES Rivals.com Top Weakside Defensive Ends (2) Scout.com Top Defensive Ends (6) Collegefootballnews.com Top Defensive Ends (7) Collegefootballnews.com Top 150 Prospects (58) Rivals.com Top 100 of 2005 (61) Scout.com Hot 100 (73) Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 3. RICKY JEAN-FRANCOIS Collegefootballnews.com Top Defensive Ends (3) Rivals.com Top Strongside Defensive Ends (3) Collegefootballnews.com Top 150 Prospects (30) Rivals.com Top 100 for 2005 (59) CaliFlorida Bowl Participant Riddell Footwear All-American Football Team Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 4. BRANDON LAFELL ESPN.com's Top 25 Wide Receivers (5) ESPN.com's Top 100 Prospects (40) Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 5. R.J. JACKSON ESPN.com's Top 25 Tailbacks (10) Scout.com Top Running Backs (10) ESPN.com's Top 100 Prospects (43) Scout.com Hot 100 (66) Houston Touchdown Club's Ironman Award U.S. Army All-American Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 6. DARRY BECKWITH ESPN.com's Top 25 Outside Linebackers (9) Rivals.com Top Outside Linebackers (9) Collegefootballnews.com Top 150 Prospects (107) Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 7. ANTONIO ROBINSON Rivals.com Top Running Backs (11) Collegefootballnews.com Top Running Backs (14) Collegefootballnews.com Top 150 Prospects (138) Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 8. CIRON BLACK Rivals.com Top Offensive Guards (12) ESPN.com's Top 25 Offensive Tackles (14) Tom Lemming's 2004 All-American Team 9. STEVEN KORTE Collegefootballnews.com Top Fullbacks (4) Rivals.com Top Fullbacks (4) 10. MAX HOLMES Rivals.com Top Offensive Centers (4) 11. CHRIS HAWKINS Rivals.com Top Safeties (9) 12. KYLE ANDERSON Collegefootballnews.com Top Tight Ends (11) 13. LYLE HITT Rivals.com Top Defensive Tackles (27) 14. HARRY COLEMAN Rivals.com Top Outside Linebackers (36) 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash 15. TRINDON HOLLIDAY Three-time 2A All-State return specialist Two-time 2A All-State running back 2A Offensive MVP as a junior 4.27 seconds in the 40-yard dash I took this from the raw data on the lsusports.net site. I took just the most flattering rankings on each player. Pretty impressive when you look at the class like this.
I think the most underrated player here is Beckwith. I got to watch his games and he is unreal. A real solid linebacker, one of the best in the country.
I look at Jean-Francois and I see a Rickey Jackson, Jevon Kearse or Willie McGinnest-type of player. A "hybrid" DE that has the speed to play OLB in certain formations. I think it's safe to say that we've all grown accustomed to having solid defenses here, and this class definately suites us and guarantees us to have even more great defensive years ahead of us. Also, we addressed all our needs on the offensive side.
sounds like a nice pair of bookends for the future!! IMO, the DE's are the most important players on a solid D.