Our countdown of the Pac-10's top 25 players continues.

No. 9. Mike Mohamed, LB, California

2009 numbers: Mohamed led the Pac-10 with 112 tackles -- 8.6 per game -- with eight tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, three QB hurries, three pass break-ups and one forced fumble.

Most recent ranking: The 6-foot-3, 238-pound senior was ranked 22nd in our final Pac-10 top-30 list last year.

Making the case for Mohamed: Mohamed is the only returning linebacker who earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2009 (he was honorable mention in 2008). He's already earned a spot on a number of preseason All-America teams, including Playboy and Phil Steele, and he's been named to the watch list for the Nagurski Award, the Rotary Lombardi Award and The Lott Trophy. He also has been named to the Pac-10 All-Academic team three times, earning first-team recognition in each of the last two campaigns.

No. 10. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona

No. 11. Mason Foster, LB, Washington

No. 12. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona

No. 13. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon

No. 14. Jurrell Casey, DT, USC

No. 15. Cameron Jordan, DE, California

No. 16. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

No. 17. Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

No. 18: Colin Baxter, C, Arizona

No. 19: Chase Beeler, C, Stanford

No. 20. Lawrence Guy, DT, Arizona State

No. 21. Matt Barkley, QB, USC

No. 22. Owen Marecic, LB/FB, Stanford

No. 23. Kristofer O'Dowd, C, USC

No. 24: Casey Matthews, LB, Oregon

No. 25 Kai Forbath, K, UCLA