We continue our countdown of the Pac-10's 25 best players from 2010.

Note: Because we are ranking players based on this past season, it's Pac-10, not Pac-12.

Here are the preseason rankings (click each name to read the blurb).

No. 2. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon

2010 numbers: James led the nation with 1,731 yards rushing -- 144.25 yards per game -- and ranked second with 21 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 5.89 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 208 yards and three TDs.

Preseason ranking: No. 3

Making the case for James: For starters, he's Oregon’s first unanimous All-American. And he won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back. And he was a Heisman Trophy finalist. It's really, really hard to rank him No. 2, but, well, you all know who's next. In a list of the nation's top players, James would have been top-five (Auburn's Cam Newton and Nick Fairley are the only obvious choices ahead of him in addition to that other guy). He's set Ducks freshman and sophomore records for rushing and is on the short list of Heisman Trophy candidates as a junior next fall. By the way, he also was first-team All-Pac-10 -- academic, that is.

No. 3. Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

No. 4 Darron Thomas, QB, Oregon

No. 5. Mason Foster, LB, Washington

No. 6. Juron Criner, WR, Arizona

No. 7. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

No. 8. Cameron Jordan, DE, California

No. 9. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State

No. 10. Chase Beeler, C, Stanford

No. 11. Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State

No. 12. Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon

No. 13 Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

No. 14. Matt Barkley, QB, USC

No. 15. Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona

No. 16. Tyron Smith, OT, USC

No. 17. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon

No. 18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

No. 19. Casey Matthews, LB, Oregon

No. 20. Talmadge Jackson, CB, Oregon

No. 21. Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA

No. 22. Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon

No. 23. Jermaine Kearse, WR, Washington

No. 24. Jurrell Casey, DT, USC

No. 25. Shane Vereen, RB, California