Who's the best player in college football? Is it Adrian Peterson? Nope. Is it Garrett Wolfe? Still wrong. Is it Brady Quinn? Couldn't be more wrong.
The best player in college football this year will run a sub 4.5-second electronically-timed forty-yard dash at the combine despite weighing 235 pounds. The best player in college football this year has the body control of a ballerina. The best player in college football this year has the hand-eye coordination of Chuck Norris.
Still don't know who I'm talking about? The receiver with the hands of Jerry Rice? The six-foot, five-inch giant with catlike reflexes? The guy who is going to catch 70 balls and go for 16 touchdowns this year?
He's Georgia Tech wideout Calvin Johnson from Sandy Creek High in Tyrone, Ga. Johnson has absolutely no flaws in his game. He has better hands than Terrell Owens. He runs better routes and plays harder than Randy Moss. He's much taller and much bulkier than both Chad Johnson and Marvin Harrison.
Johnson is so good he could very well be the first player off the board on April 28, a feat that hasn't been pulled off by a wide receiver since USC's Keyshawn Johnson went No. 1 to the Jets in 1996.
Pwang's Midseason Draft Board
1. Calvin Johnson, WR Georgia Tech 2. Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma 3. Troy Smith, QB Ohio State 4. Gaines Adams, DE Clemson 5. Patrick Willis, LB Ole Miss 6. Daymeion Hughes, CB California 7. Sam Baker, OT Southern Cal 8. Brady Quinn, QB Notre Dame 9. Quentin Groves, DE Auburn 10. Dwayne Jarrett, WR Southern Cal
Featured Pick:
No. 13 Georgia Tech (+7.5) @ No. 12 Clemson
This is a tough pick for me because I really like both of these teams. I thought Clemson would be a dark horse national championship contender when the year started, and Georgia Tech has the best player in the country on its side.
Both teams come into this game with only one loss, and each team is leading its respective half of the ACC, meaning this game could very well be a preview of the ACC championship game, in a matchup few would have predicted at the beginning of the season.
Ramblin' Wreck quarterback Reggie Ball is still only completing 51.7 percent of his passes and for some reason can't manage to get the ball to superstar Calvin Johnson enough. Tech's defense allows only 16.2 points per game and is led by solid backers KaMichael Hall and Philip Wheeler.
Clemson is a complete team whose only loss came on the road against Boston College on a controversial call in the second overtime period. Clemson is beating opponents by an average of 30.6 points per game and is one of the best one-loss teams in the country, just behind Tennessee and Florida. I think the Tigers win this one, but I like the Yellow Jackets to at least keep it interesting.
Pick: Georgia Tech (+7.5) over Clemson
No. 5 Texas (-5) @ No. 17 Nebraska
This is another tough one, but not because I like both teams. I think Texas is shamelessly overrated at No. 5, but Nebraska doesn't deserve to be No. 17, either. I picked Texas to beat Oklahoma two weeks ago, and win they did, 28-10, but I believe that game was more a reflection of Oklahoma's weakness than Texas' strength.
Just like Ga. Tech and Clemson in the ACC, this game could be a preview of the Big 12 championship game because nobody is going to unseat Texas in the South and Missouri is Nebraska's only competition in the North. I hate to do this, but Nebraska just hasn't shown me enough yet.
Pick: Texas(-5) over Nebraska
Iowa (+13) @ No. 2 Michigan
I thought Iowa would play an inspired game at home and maybe even pull off the upset against Ohio State three weeks ago. Instead, it got its ears kicked in and I don't know why this one will be any different. I think Tony Shada is going to get abused by Big Blue's receiving corps. I wish I didn't have to do this because Iowa is my second-favorite team in the Big Ten.
Pick: Michigan (-13) over Iowa
No. 18 Rutgers (+6.5) @ Pittsburgh
Why do people keep doubting Rutgers? I'm making a killing off its success and still it is the 6.5 point underdog against Pitt? Rutgers was a 3.5 point dog to Navy last week and ended up winning 34-0. The line for this game should be Rutgers minus six-and-a-half. Sheesh.
Pick: Rutgers(+6.5) over Pittsburgh
Alabama (+11) @ No. 7 Tennessee
Tennessee is the best one-loss team in the country right now and should make short work of a solid 'Bama squad.
Pick: Tennessee (-11) over Alabama
Harvard @ Princeton
Undefeated versus undefeated, a perfect season on the line, YES network on the sidelines, a Bonfire in the air, an Ivy League championship in sight ... man, if this one doesn't make your blood boil and the hair on the back of your neck stand up then you don't have a pulse. And you know what? I think we're better.
Pick: Princeton 21, Harvard 20
Overall Record A.T.S. ( 19-14-3)
Last Week A.T.S. (2-3-1)
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