50 Best of the Non-BCS: Number 49
Number 49: RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State
The Verdict: Fresno State was quietly one of the bigger disappointments in all of college football last season, thanks (or is that no thanks?) in large part to a knee injury which kept promising sophomore tailback Ryan Mathews on the sideline for the second half of the season. A chiseled 5-foot-11 tailback with good speed and highlight reel athleticism, Matthews has been nothing short of dominant when fully healthy, as shown in the two 100-yard plus days he had against the likes of Rutgers and UCLA last season. He was arguably one of the better running backs in the entire country during his freshmen year in 2007, when he ran for 866 yards and 14 touchdowns on just 145 carries. While concerns over his knee will likely linger going into the 2009 campaign, his combination of lateral quickness, vision, and acceleration make him one of the best backs in any non-BCS conference.
Past Players: #50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil
