No. 6 on our countdown is an early entrant into the NFL draft.
No. 6, Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
Making the case: Ryan was named first-team All-Big East by both the conference and ESPN.com. He was the best cornerback in the Big East, anchoring a Rutgers defense that finished atop the conference in pass efficiency, and 17th nationally. Ryan finished second on the Scarlet Knights in tackles, with 94. He led the Big East with 21 passes defended, and he finished tied for third in interceptions, with four. He added five tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries. After earning first-team All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly, and fourth-team recognition from Phil Steele, the Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist will be taking his talents to the NFL, as Ryan elected to pass up his fifth and final college season to enter the NFL draft, where Scouts Inc. currently rates him as the No. 6 corner.
Preseason ranking: No. 7
The countdown
No. 7 Alec Lemon, WR, Syracuse
No. 8 George Winn, RB, Cincinnati
No. 9 Montel Harris, RB, Temple
No. 10 Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati
No. 11 Yawin Smallwood, LB, UConn
No. 12 Greg Blair, LB, Cincinnati
No. 13 Ray Graham/Jawan Jamison, RBs, Pitt/Rutgers
No. 14 Mario Benavides, C, Louisville
No. 15 Adrian Bushell, CB, Louisville
No. 16 Sio Moore, LB, UConn
No. 17 Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse
No. 18 Scott Vallone, DT, Rutgers
No. 19 Jerome Smith, RB, Syracuse
No. 20 Devin Street, WR, Pitt
No. 21 DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
No. 22 Matt Brown, RB, Temple
No. 23 Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
No. 24 Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple
No. 25 Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt