Cal Football: Top 10 most valuable Bears in 2009 - No. 1

June 22, 11:24 PMCal Bears ExaminerRob Calonge

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Expect to see Best running away from defenders in 2009.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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• No.   9 - Marvin Jones
• No.   8 - Tyson Alualu
• No.   7 - Place Kicker
• No.   6 - Syd'Quan Thompson
• No.   5 - Derrick Hill
• No.   4 - Kevin Riley
• No.   3 - Devin Bishop
• No.   2 - Chris Guarnero

Two weeks ago, after reading yet another preseason ranking, I started wondering why these rankings were already being published.  For the magazines, I guess I understand - they have to publish them earlier for the masses to digest in order to make a profit.  It was after reading another web-ranking that I wondered how they could be so confident in their predictions.

It's not lost on me how difficult it is to find new content on your favorite football team this time of year.  I too was once a fan.  So while I'm not disgusted by the number of pre-preseason rankings floating around the web, I felt it incumbent on me to try and bring a little levity concerning the Bears for 2009.

While a team is only as good as the sum of its whole, there are players, and in some cases positions, that carry most of the load when it comes to just how successful they'll be.  Being ranked in the top 10 right now, isn't going to bring Bear Backers a Rose Bowl trip.

So, after listing nine of my top 10, the moment has arrived to announce the most valuable Bear in 2009.  Drumroll please...

The No. 1 MVB of 2009 is...Jahvid Best.  Is there anyone really surprised?

As with Syd'Quan Thompson and some of the other players that didn't make the list, I nearly dropped Best down a few spots due to the depth at his position.  Shane Vereen has already proven he can carry the load, and the Bears have other talented players at the position just biding their time on the sidelines.

As I contemplated the list, I began recalling things that Zack Follett, Rulon Davis, and Nate Longshore had said to me when I asked about the 2009 hopes for the Bears.  Best's name continued to come up first when they talked about Cal doing well next year.  So, how could I not take that into consideration?

Throughout this series, I've mentioned how - even in practice - all players are important on the team.  In order to prevent injury, Best doesn't participate in every practice, but defenders I've talked to tell me that his presence on the field brings a certain electricity that wasn't previously there.

You may have noticed that I haven't even brought up his Heisman candidacy or his myriad of preseason awards and rankings.  I think that Bear Backers know just how special he is, and they're happy that the rest of the country now is starting to take notice.  He's a star that defenses fear and while Cal can carry on without him, he brings so much to the table that it would seriously hurt their chances if he were gone.

I suppose I could go on more, but at this point, I'd just be singing to the choir.  With just a little over 70 days to go before the Bears kickoff the season, anything could happen.  As long as anything negative doesn't happen to these top 10 players, it's a good chance that the Bears will be just as good as they are being ranked right now.

Let's just wait until August before we start believing all the hype.

Don't like my list?  Do you have an opinion on what the list should look like?  Feel free to comment below and tell us what you think.  I haven't decided which day, but I will be explaining why some players didn't make this list later this week.  So keep checking back for more!