[NU Sports] Something to argue over

[Tom Maycock]

>QB - Dan Persa


Toughest position to call, I think. Schnur based on results. Basenez was very good most of his career, and ridiculously good his senior year. Kustok was the ultimate clutch guy (imagine if Kustok or Basenez had been playing with good defenses their senior years). I would love to see what Persa could have done this year had he not had the injury, although he was very, very good even on one leg. 

I guess if I were drafting, I'd take a healthy Dan Persa, but I'd be happy with any of those guys. Bacher certainly made some people nervous as well. 

>RB - Damien Anderson


I'd put Sutton and Autry ahead of Damien myself. Pound for pound, Tyrell Sutton may be the best football player I've ever had the privilege of watching in person. Not the biggest, fastest, or strongest, but no one worked harder. He was a complete back as well--an excellent pass protector, and a gifted receiver. If he had stayed healthy, he'd own all the records. 

>WR - D'Wayne Bates, Jeremy Ebert


So many good ones. Musso deserves a mention somewhere. Somewhat overlooked guys like Kunle Patrick, Ross Lane, and Eric Peterman had huge careers as well. 

>C - Jack Rudnay


Gotta go with Austin King myself. 

>OLB - Kevin Bentley, Napoleon Harris


Nick Roach belongs in that conversation too. 

>CB - Sherrick McManis, Hudhaifa Ismaeli


As noted by others, Chris Martin was a CB not a safety, so he's in this conversation too. Has anyone played their position better at NU than McManis played his? OK, Otto Graham, but aside from that. Ismaeli was pretty much a shut-down corner his last year, but as noted, he made the most impact as an utterly relentless pass-rusher on 3rd downs. 

>FS - Chris Martin


Brendan Smith was very, very good. Another guy that was limited by injuries, but in a way, those injuries revealed how good he was because our defense was always noticeably worse when he was sidelined for all or part of a game. 

Tom