Is he a man or is he a monster? Eric Norwood came into the season on both the Lott and Lombardi watch lists, and he's already more than justified his inclusion on both lists. He made the transition from DE to LB last season and has picked up right where he left off. Norwood may be the biggest starting WLB in the nation at 6'1" and more than 250 pounds, yet he's a terrific athlete with a non-stop motor. Norwood is a leader on the team and is no slouch in the classroom either.
Before the 2008 season, Pike wasn't even on the Bearcats' depth chart, but he won a back-up job and took over when Dustin Grutza went down with an injury. After breaking his arm the following game, he worked his way back and is now one of the hottest draft commodities in the 2009 season. A tall, lanky player who has garnered some early comparisons to Tom Brady, Pike is the main reason that the Cincy offense is among the best in the nation.