Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players in 2013 continues.

A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won't make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2012 postseason top 25 here.

23. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State

2012 numbers: Cooks caught 67 passes for 1,151 yards and five touchdowns last year. He also rushed 19 times for 82 yards.

2012 postseason ranking: Unranked

Making the case for Cooks: The speedy Cooks looks poised to step out of Markus Wheaton's shadow in 2013 and make a push for first-team All-Pac-12. His 88.5 yards receiving per game ranked fifth in the Pac-12 last year, and the only returning receiver ahead of him on that list is USC's Marqise Lee. Cooks' 17.2 yards per reception was tops in the conference among receivers with at least 50 receptions, so the big-play potential is there. If there was a downside to his 2012 season, Cooks had five games with more than 100 yards receiving in the first eight games, none in the final five. And he needs to get into the end zone more. It will help him greatly if the Beavers can develop a strong second receiving option, as he was to Wheaton. It also probably would help if there is continuity at QB.

23. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon

24. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State

25. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford