23) Brad Madison, junior DL, Missouri
How does a non-starter wind up on Lombardi and Nagurski watch lists the very next season? By maximizing his snaps.
Madison did just that for the Tigers last season, serving as one of the country's top rotational pass rushers. He racked up 11 tackles for loss to lead the team, while also pacing the squad with 7.5 sacks.
But Madison didn't arrive in Columbia with visions of harassing the passer. Instead, he came to the team with the goal of protecting the Tigers' high-octane quarterbacks as an offensive lineman. But after spending his redshirt year with the offensive scout team, the Missouri coaches told the 6-foot-5, 265-pounder that his size and athleticism were better suited for the defensive side of the ball.
He began that spring at the bottom of the depth chart, but worked his way onto the two-deep and played in 12 of 13 games, making one tackle.
That set up Madison for his huge sophomore year, when he emerged behind start ends Aldon Smith and Jacquies Smith. Now, he'll step in as a full-time starter opposite Jacquies Smith as one-half of the Tigers' dynamic defensive end duo.
2010 Stats: 32 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles
No. 24: Missouri WR T.J. Moe
No. 25: Texas Tech OL Mickey Okafor
No. 26: Missouri TE Michael Egnew
No. 27: Texas A&M CB Coryell Judie
No. 28: Texas DB Kenny Vaccaro
No. 29: Oklahoma DE/LB Ronnell Lewis
No. 30: Texas A&M RB Christine Michael
No. 31: Kansas OL Jeremiah Hatch
No. 32: Texas Tech OL Lonnie Edwards
No. 33: Missouri DE Jacquies Smith
No. 34: Oklahoma WR Kenny Stills
No. 35: Texas WR Mike Davis
No. 36: Texas DE Jackson Jeffcoat
No. 37: Kansas State DB David Garrett
No. 38: Oklahoma OL Gabe Ikard
No. 39: Texas Tech RB Eric Stephens
No. 40: Baylor OL Philip Blake
No. 41: Missouri LB Zaviar Gooden
No. 42: Texas DL Alex Okafor
No. 43: Texas A&M DL Tony Jerod-Eddie
No. 44: Kansas RB James Sims
No. 45: Texas Tech S Cody Davis
No. 46: Iowa State CB Leonard Johnson
No. 47: Kansas State S Ty Zimmerman
No. 48: Baylor DE/LB Tevin Elliot
No. 49: Kansas State DE Brandon Harold
No. 50: Kansas DE Toben Opurum