OU’s Landry Jones (Surprisingly) Named College Football’s 26th Best by Rivals.com

Curious Ranking for Heisman Contender

Rivals.com has come out with their Top 100 college football players for 2011.  Perhaps the most surprising ranking so far in their countdown to #1 is that of former NSR prospect and Oklahoma Sooner QB, Landry Jones, at number 26.  A consensus Heisman Trophy candidate, Landry put up gaudy numbers last season (below) as the Sooners went 12-2, 6-2 in the always tough Big 12 Conference.  The New Mexico native was under a great deal of scrutiny in 2010 as he followed former Heisman recipient Sam Bradford, now the starting signal caller for the St. Louis Rams.  But on the heels of a record bowl performance his freshman year in relief of the injured Bradford, Landry came out of the shoot slinging and was seldom stymied in OU Head Coach Bob Stoops explosive offense.   

Here’s what Rivals had to say about Landry in their mini-bio:  “Few programs replace one Heisman winner with another, but OU might.  Jones, the successor to ’08 Heisman recipient Sam Bradford, has developed into a strong candidate. He enters his third season as a starter coming off a remarkable 2010 campaign in which he passed for nearly 4,800 yards and 30 touchdowns, while completing better than 65 percent of his attempts. Most of his line and top receivers are back, so expect similar numbers this season.”

That said, although hype is usually not worth the, er, screen its written on, Landry has become one of college football’s most formidable offensive weapons.  While credit Rivals for placing a plethora of non-skill players in the mix, Landry’s place in the Top 100 deserves to be higher — much higher.  But in the end, Rivals has every right to place him wherever.  We just wish the Rivals committee would have given more credence to one of the top two or three returning quarterbacks in the land.