Taking into consideration which players are staying in school and which are headed to the NFL, Times’ college football columnist Chris Dufresne offers a sneak-peek at his preseason top five:
1. Florida
Final 2008 record: 13-1.
Final AP ranking: No. 1.
Key loss: Receiver/running back Percy Harvin.
Key keepers: Quarterback Tim Tebow, linebacker Brandon Spikes.
Comment: Tebow and Spikes? Yikes. The return of the team’s top offensive and defensive players makes Florida the clear-cut preseason No. 1. Tebow gets one more chance to prove to scouts that he’s not a tight end in the NFL. He also gets a chance to win a third national title in four years. Spikes is the team’s leader and leading tackler and his return means the Gators’ entire defense comes back in ’09.
latimes.com
1/16/09
