Our countdown of the Pac-12’s top 25 preseason 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.
10. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
2012 numbers: Crichton recorded 44 tackles with 17.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks. He also forced a fumble, recovered two more, blocked a kick and swatted down three passes.
2012 postseason ranking: No. 21.
Making the case for Crichton: Crichton was one of only two sophomores to be named first-team All-Pac-12 on defense in 2012. The All-American candidate is on the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Award, the Bednarik Award and the Lott Trophy -- all three awards are given to the top defensive player in the nation -- as well as the Ted Hendricks Award, which is given to the nation's best defensive end. Crichton was a semifinalist for the Hendricks Award in 2012. A starter since his redshirt freshman season, he has 15 sacks, 32 tackles for a loss and seven forced fumbles in his career. He was a consensus freshman All-American in 2011 after he led all freshman defenders with 14.5 tackles for a loss. Crichton is a three-down player who isn't just a pass rusher as he is also strong against the run. He was the most important player -- drawing frequent double-teams -- from an Oregon State front seven that ranked third in the Pac-12 in run defense and second in scoring defense last year.
11. Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
12. Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
13. Austin Seferian Jenkins, TE, Washington
14. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon
15. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington
16. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
17. Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
18. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA
19. Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC
20. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
21. Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State
22. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
23. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
24. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State
25. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford
