Darren McFadden News
Quarterbacks
First team: Tim Tebow, Soph., Florida
217 of 317 (68 pct.) for 3,132 yards and 29 TDs, 6 INTs; 838 rushing yards, 22 TDs
Remember, Tim Tebow was taking over the full-time role with Chris Leak gone. There was a question of whether or not he could handle the workload, and all he did was come up with one of the great all-around seasons in college football history as the first player to run and throw for 20 touchdowns in the same year while finishing second in the nation in passing efficiency. Oh yeah, and he won that Heisman thing along the way. It wasn't like he was just a stat guy in any old conference; he did this in the SEC as a marked man for everyone every time out.
Second team: Colt Brennan, Sr., Hawaii
337-472 (71 pct.) for 4,174 yards and 38 TDs, 14 INT; 8 rushing touchdowns
Third team Sam Bradford, RFr., Oklahoma
216-308 (70 pct.) for 2,879 yards and 34 TDs, 7 INT (led the nation in passing efficiency)
Honorable mention
4. Chase Daniel, Jr., Missouri
5. Pat White, Jr., West Virginia
6. Matt Ryan, Sr., Boston College
7. Dennis Dixon, Jr., Oregon
8. Todd Reesing, Soph., Kansas
9. Dan LeFevour, Soph., CMU
10. Graham Harrell, Jr., Texas Tech
11. Cullen Harper, Jr., Clemson
12. Paul Smith, Sr., Tulsa
13. Brian Brohm, Sr., Louisville
14. Erik Ainge, Sr., Tennessee
15. Chase Clement, Jr., Rice
16. Andre Woodson, Sr., Kentucky
Running Backs
First team: Darren McFadden, Jr., Arkansas
304 carries for 1,725 yards and 15 TDs; 21 catches for 164 yards, 1 TD; 6-11 passing for 123 yards and 4 TDs
The numbers are amazing, but Darren McFadden was more than mere stats. He was the hold-your-breath player of the 2007 season with a transcendent 321-yard rushing day in a win over South Carolina, and an all-timer of a 206-yard, three-touchdown performance in a win over then No. 1 LSU with, at least at the moment, a national title shot on the line for the Tigers. A better workhorse than he gets credit for, he fought his way through the tough SEC season and saved his best for the final month.
Kevin Smith, Jr., UCF
415 carries for 2,448 yards and 29 TDs; 21 catches for 230 yards and a score
The nation's leading rusher never got any national attention or any credit for his all-timer of a season. He was held to 55 yards in a blowout loss to South Florida, but he rumbled for 100 yards or more against everyone else including 149 yards and two scores against Texas and 217 yards and two touchdowns against N.C. State. He never slowed down despite the ridiculously heavy workload with 41, 20, 46 and 39 carries over the final four games, finishing with a 289-yard, four-touchdown day in the Conference USA title-game win over Tulsa.
Second team
3. Rashard Mendenhall, Jr., Illinois
4. Ray Rice, Jr., Rutgers
Third team
5. Jamaal Charles, Jr., Texas
6. Matt Forte, Sr., Tulane
Honorable mention
7. Jonathan Stewart, Jr., Oregon
8. Knowshon Moreno, Fr., Georgia
9. Tashard Choice, Sr., Ga Tech
10. Justin Forsett, Sr., California
11. Eugene Jarvis, Soph., Kent St
12. Chris Wells, Soph., Ohio State
13. Anthony Alridge, Sr., Houston
14. Chad Hall, Sr., Air Force
15. Chris Johnson, Sr., E. Carolina
Wide Receivers
First team: Michael Crabtree, RFr. Texas Tech
125 catches for 1,861 yards and 21 touchdowns
Partly due to the system and partly due to his tremendous talent, Crabtree led the nation in receiving and set the record for catches and touchdowns by a freshman receiver. He started off with one of the hottest first six games in college football history with 17 touchdowns including a 237-yard, three-score game against Oklahoma State. While the scoring numbers cooled down as defenses did everything possible to take him out of the game plan, the catches and yards were still there with only two games under 100 yards.
Jordy Nelson, Sr., Kansas State
122 catches for 1,606 yards and 11 touchdowns; 5 punt returns for 264 yards and 2 TDs
Where did this come from? Nelson came from out of nowhere to finish second in the nation in receiving with six double digit-catch games including a 15-catch, 165-yard, one-touchdown day in the season finale against Fresno State. With one of the hottest three-game stretches of anyone in the country, he caught 37 passes against Missouri State, Texas and Kansas to go along with a punt return for a score against the Longhorns.
Second team
3. Ryan Grice-Mullen, Jr. ,Hawaii
4. Davone Bess, Jr., Hawaii
Third team
5. James Hardy, Jr., Indiana
6. Mike Thomas, Jr., Arizona
Honorable mention
7. Aaron Kelly, Jr., Clemson
8. Harry Douglas, Sr., Louisville
9. Jeremy Maclin, Fr., Missouri
10. Mario Manningham, Jr., Mich.
11. Brandon Gibson, Jr., Wash St
12. Kenny McKinley, Jr., S. Carolina
13. Donnie Avery, Sr., Houston
14. Dante Love, Jr., Ball State
15. Jabari Arthur, Sr., Akron
Tight Ends
First team: Travis Beckum, Jr., Wisconsin
73 catches for 960 yards and 6 touchdowns
It's hard to argue against USC's Fred Davis or Missouri's Martin Rucker for first-team honors, but Beckum had to carry the Wisconsin passing game, and the offense, with a Spinal Tap drummer-like array of injuries to the receiving corps and star RB P.J. Hill dinged up late in the year. Beckum can block a little bit, but he's really a receiver with four 100-yard days and a 21-catch two-game stretch against Michigan State and Illinois in the middle of the year.
Second team
Fred Davis, Sr., USC
Third team
Martin Rucker, Sr.. Missouri
Honorable mention
4. Cody Slate, Soph., Marshall
5. Bear Pascoe, Jr., Fresno State
6. Darius Hill, Sr., Ball State
7. Gary Barnridge, Sr., Louisville
8. Ryan Purvis, Jr., Boston College
9. Dennis Pitta, Soph., BYU
10. Dustin Keller, Sr., Purdue
Offensive Linemen (regardless of position)
First team: OT Anthony Collins, Jr., Kansas
Quick, name the starting KU running back (it's Brandon McAnderson, by the way). Could you ever have believed that Todd Reesing could be a Heisman candidate? The Kansas offensive line paved the way for the nation's sixth best offense and second ranked scoring attack, and Collins, a finalist for the Outland Trophy, was the best of the bunch after a dominant season.
OT Jake Long, Sr., Michigan
Chad Henne was out for stretches with a shoulder problem, Mike Hart got hurt, and several inexperienced players had to step in and shine in the Michigan offense. Jake Long just kept on producing as the nation's best offensive tackle with yet another stellar season. He was a rock in pass protection, at least until the Ohio State game, and as always, he was the one the offense worked behind.
C Jonathan Luigs, Jr., Arkansas
The nation's best center in a year of great centers, Luigs won the Rimington Award after a great season as the quarterback of a terrific Hog line. Arkansas quarterbacks were only sacked ten times while the running game was third in the nation averaging close to 300 yards per game. Obviously having a 1-2 rushing tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones had a little to do with that, but Luigs was one of the main reasons the stars had holes to blow through.
OT Barry Richardson, Sr., Clemson
Michigan's Jake Long will likely be the first tackle taken in the 2008 NFL Draft, but some teams will have Richardson higher on their draft boards. The 6-7, 320-pound senior was excellent in pass protection and the lead blocker for James Davis and C.J. Spiller and the ACC's second best running attack.
OG George Robinson, Jr., Oklahoma
The nation's best guard was the best player on an OU line that was the best in the country (or at least very, very close to the top). "Duke" is versatile enough to play tackle if needed, and he brings that agility to the interior as an elite pass protector and crushing run blocker.
Second Team
6. OT Kirk Barton, Sr., Ohio State
7. OT Sam Baker, Sr., USC
8. OG Branden Albert, Jr., Virginia
9. OT Ryan Clady, Jr., Boise State
10. OG Hercules Satele, Sr., Hawaii
Third Team
11. C Alex Mack, Jr., California
12. C Steve Justice, Sr., Wake Forest
13. C Adam Spieker, Sr., Missouri
14. OT Jeremy Zuttah, Sr., Rutgers
15. OT Michael Oher, Jr., Ole Miss
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