We continue our countdown of the top 25 players in the Pac-12 heading into the 2015 season.
If you're feeling nostalgic, here is how last year's preseason list looked. We'll continue to count things down, five players a day, until the series concludes Friday with Nos. 1-5.
6. Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
He's commonly recognized as the phenom who burst onto the scene as a two-way monster when he was a freshman, but Jack has developed into a fearsome linebacker who has taken a hard-hitting presence beyond the gridiron -- just ask the UCLA student council candidate who Jack annihilated in this campaign video. Even though he was working in Eric Kendricks' 149-tackle shadow last season, Jack racked up an impressive 88 stops. He enters 2015 as one of the veteran leaders of an experienced Bruin defense, and we expect his eye-popping athleticism to shine even brighter this year.
7. Su'a Cravens, LB, USC
Positional versatility seems to be a common Pac-12 theme these days, and Cravens -- even though he doesn't take any snaps on offense -- is emblematic of it. Many said he was the league's most physical defensive back before moving to linebacker, where the Trojans needed him badly last year. Now, Cravens' 225-pound frame can operate against the run game at closer range. He's a bona-fide missile who can also cover the pass with ease, and his career stat line is proof of that: 120 tackles, 18.5 TFL, 10 pass break-ups,and seven interceptions.
8. Devontae Booker, RB, Utah
He isn't shy about his 2015 goals: "I'm planning on rushing for 2,000 yards and winning the Heisman." Booker's aspirations are lofty, but his resume suggests they're reachable. He was fantastic running through crowded spaces last year, amassing 815 yards after initial contact -- almost 200 more than the next-closest Pac-12 running back. The Utes figure to rely even more heavily on Booker this season, as they've graduated a significant amount of receiving talent. Our money is on him delivering a big year, and there's a strong chance he'll own an even higher perch in these rankings by the time the season is said and done.
9. Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
Booker takes pages from both running back encyclopedias: the Book of Shiftiness and the Book of Bruiser. Freeman, meanwhile, prefers to read the latter, but also isn't averse to the former. At 230 pounds, Freeman leveled over Pac-12 defenses as a true freshman, leading the league with 18 touchdowns while giving the Ducks a strong spine that supercharged an already-great offense led by Marcus Mariota. Moving forward, a maturing Freeman (that's a scary thought) can be an even greater part of the Oregon offense. The Ducks' other weapons should buy him breathing room to get a head of steam before he heads downfield.
10. Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
Quarterbacks were so last year in the Pac-12 -- even though there are still plenty of fine ones in the conference. We're in 2015 now, and this is the year of the running back. Perkins, then, is the reigning king: He's the league's defending rushing champion, having amassed 1,575 yards on the ground last year. Perkins averaged 6.3 yards per carry, which also topped the Pac-12. With quarterback Brett Hundley gone and the entire UCLA starting offensive line returning, it's not crazy to expect even bigger totals from Perkins -- the Bruins may lean heavily on him.