Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame:

The transformation that Quinn has made over the past three years is remarkable: from a skinny kid with that deer in the headlights look to an athletic, prototypical NFL quarterback heading into his senior campaign. 

Under the tutelage of a coach who’s had pretty good luck with QB’s at the next level (see Tom Brady), Quinn emerged as one of the best signal callers in the country despite a major snub when he wasn’t invited to the Heisman Trophy presentation ceremony after last season.

Quinn had a massive junior campaign, putting up 3,919 yards and tossing 32 touchdowns against only seven interceptions.  Some scouts do have some doubts about his accuracy, but another season under Weis with a strong offensive line and the best wideout in the nation currently position Quinn as the frontrunner to be the first pick of next year’s draft.

Justin Blalock, OT, Texas:

Had he come out as a junior, Blalock probably would have challenged D’Brickashaw Ferguson of Virginia as the top offensive lineman on the board.  At 6'4", 329 lbs., he isn’t exactly the monster that has become the trend in the first round of the draft. 

Blalock was the clear anchor on an offensive line that not only protected phenom Vince Young, but was also the reason that four different players rushed for over 10 touchdowns.  The Longhorns also combined for 6,657 total yards and led the nation in scoring offense at 50.2 ppg.

In case you missed it, Texas also won the national championship.

The third-team All-America and first-team Big 12 selection will likely be the first non-skill player off the board, and could be moved inside to guard or center at the next level.

Chris Leak, QB, Florida:

At 6', 195 lbs., Leak is considered small by many NFL scouts.  His quick feet, scrambling ability, and surprisingly strong arm could position him to be a top 10 pick in 2007.  Leak came under center for the Florida as one of the highest touted recruits in Gator history.  He was supposed to be the prized-recruit that was going to make Ron Zook a household name and make Florida fans forget about some guy named Spurrier.

In his junior season, Leak completed 62.8% of his passes en route to 2,639 yards passing, 20 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.  When it came to touchdowns and efficiency, only Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt and D.J. Shockley of Georgia posted better numbers in the SEC.  Both Cutler and Shockley were draft choices this year. 

The most impressive element of Leak’s game is his composure.  Over three years he has been through just about as much as any player can.  He is the textbook example of the phrase “battle tested.” 

Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn State:

Posluszny might be the most interesting prospect entering this season after partially tearing ligaments in his knee last year.  While he is expected to make a full recovery, injuries of all kinds always scare potential NFL teams.

Before his injury he was as good a linebacker prospect as there is in the country, beating out linebacker A.J. Hawk of Ohio State for the Butkus Award.  At 6'2", 229 lbs., Posluszny is small for his position but makes up for it with speed, aggression, and a keen ability to read his surroundings.

He finished 2005 with 64 solo tackles, but might see his production tail off in 2006 with defensive end Tamba Hali no longer around to take the pressure off the Poz. 

Michael Bush, RB, Louisville:

The 2006 class of running backs will present a down year, much like the wide receiver position in this year's draft.  Michael Bush stands out of this weak group as a potential Heisman candidate and will probably be the first ball carrier to be drafted.

Scouts love Bush’s size: 6'3", 250 lbs.  Bush is an absolute battering ram and is already drawing comparisons to USC’s LenDale White thanks to an interesting blend of quick feet and punishing power.

While his speed may hold him back, Bush was able to rush for over 1,000 yards last year and get into the end zone 23 times.

Quinn Pitcock, DT, Ohio State:

While the Buckeye linebackers and secondary garnered all the praise for their stifling defense last season, the defensive line was responsible for anchoring the defense.  This season, Pitcock and fellow lineman Jay Richardson will be the only returning starters from last season’s Ohio State defense.

Pitcock’s statistics are not exactly impressive (28 tackles and one sack in '05), but much like Haloti Ngata of Oregon, he can provide the anchor in the middle to eat up offensive lineman.

At 6'3", 295 lbs., Pitcock is somewhat undersized for his position.  However, he has a never-ending motor, and plays every snap at full speed and effort.  Defensive players with character like Pitcock's have moved into good draft position lately despite the fact that they may have lacked ideal physical qualities.

Jeff Samardzija, WR, Notre Dame:

This lanky wide receiver joined up with Brady Quinn and Charlie Weis to give Touchdown Jesus something to cheer about last season.  After this season, expect fans around the country to suddenly be able pronounce his name, while also spelling it forwards and backwards, a la Ben Roethlisberger.

Samardzija has the size and speed that make NFL scouts as giddy as schoolgirls.  Who wouldn’t want a 6'5", 220 lbs. receiver whose best asset may be his intelligence and route running capabilities?

Last season he caught 78 balls for 1,274 yards and found his way into the end zone 15 times.  With the majority of the Irish offense returning, especially Quinn, look for a big year that will catapult Samardzija into the top 10.

Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson:

Adams really appears to be 2007's hot defensive end that always creeps into the top 10 after the combine.  He has flourished in the ACC against some of the best offensive line prospects in the country while staying relatively under the radar.

With nine sacks last year and 26 solo tackles, Gaines has established himself as a solid pass rusher who is effective against the rush.  His versatility has made him the best all around defensive end product in the country.

While he might not possess the explosive speed of a Dwight Freeney or Julius Peppers, he does have very good size at 6'4", 261 lbs., and is always in the middle of the action.

Brandon Merriweather, S, Miami (Fla.):

The Hurricanes are hoping that Merriweather will follow in the footsteps of great Miami safeties Ed Reed and Sean Taylor.  He is a prospect who is continually on the rise and will be the top rated defensive back in the draft much like Michael Huff of Texas this year.

Last season he made 88 tackles and three interceptions.  This year he will emerge as a national star, boasting both the size and strength to be a dominant defensive impact player.

Merriweather tracks down ball carriers like a 6', 185 lbs. missile.  He is extremely athletic and agile, but turns scouts on the most with his intelligence and ability to involve himself in complicated blitz packages.

Jordan Palmer, QB, UTEP:

Does the name sound familiar? Jordan is the kid brother of 2002 first overall pick Carson.  Jordan is definitely the biggest sleeper on this list, considered a late round pick at best a year ago.

He doesn’t possess the polished skills or the maturity of his brother, but completed 59.4% of his passes for 3,503 yards and 29 touchdowns against 19 interceptions.

The Texas-El Paso quarterback is athletic and possesses an arm that might just be as strong as his big brothers.  With another big season, Jordan could easily slide up into the top ten as the Jay Cutler of 2007.

Andrew Kieta is a contributing writer to Atomic Sports Media.  He can be reached at andrew.kieta@atomicsportsmedia.com.