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Pac-10 top-30: Then and now

Some of you may recall we ranked the top-30 players in the Pac-10 during the 2009 offseason.

There were some hits and misses.

With national signing day just around the corner, it shortly will be time to put the 2009 season to bed and start looking ahead.

But first we're going to re-rank the top-30 based on what actually happened this fall.

For reference, here is the preseason list. Feel free to critique.

1. Taylor Mays, S, USC

2. Jahvid Best, RB, California

3. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

4. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State

5. Kristofer O’Dowd, C, USC

6. Brian Price, DT, UCLA

7. Damian Williams, WR, USC

8. Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, California

9. Jeremiah Masoli, QB, Oregon

10. Walter Thurmond, CB, Oregon

11. Jake Locker, QB, Washington

12. Joe McKnight, RB, USC

13. Dexter Davis, DE, Arizona State

14. LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon

15. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA

16. Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon

17. Charles Brown, OT, USC

18. Will Tukuafu, DE, Oregon

19. Josh Pinkard, DB, USC

20. Reggie Carter, LB, UCLA

21. Stafon Johnson, RB, USC

22. James Rodgers, WR, Oregon State

23. Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, DE, Washington

24. Lawrence Guy, DT, Arizona State; Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

25. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford

26. Tyson Alualu, DE, California

27. Devin Ross, CB, Arizona

28. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State

29. Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona

30. Everson Griffen, DE, USC

What we can tell you in advance of our post-season list is there are plenty of new names, considering six players were knocked off the list for missing all -- or at least significant portions -- of the year with injuries (or in one high-profile case a suspension):

3. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

5. Kristofer O’Dowd, C, USC

10. Walter Thurmond, CB, Oregon

14. LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon

21. Stafon Johnson, RB, USC

29. Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona

Nos. 30, 29 and 28 will be posted this afternoon.