Jahvid Best, RB

Voted a first-team all-Pac-10 selection as a special teams player as true freshman in 2007 and after leading the conference with 1,580 rushing as a sophomore, Best appeared ready to emerge as a legitimate Heisman candidate in 2009.

His junior campaign got off to a fine start, gaining 489 all-purpose yards and scoring nine touchdowns in just his first three games. As defenses realized the struggles Cal would have passing the ball, they loaded the box against Best, whose production was slipping by midseason. A scary injury sustained after scoring a 7-yard touchdown against Oregon State resulted in a concussion and back injury that knocked him out for the final four games, ultimately ending his collegiate career.

When healthy, Best is as dynamic a playmaker as there is in this draft. Blessed with moves typically only seen on video games, Best racked up 4,045 all-purpose yards for the Bears in only 18 career starts (31 games) and is a big-play threat as a runner, receiver and kick returner. If he is to earn the top 50 selection that his physical talents warrant, he'll first need to prove he's fully recovered from the various injuries he's suffered throughout his three seasons at Cal.

Inside: Lacks the size and strength to consistently be effective in this area, though he isn't intimidated by the big bodies inside and is a threat to break off a big run due to his burst to and through the hole. Prefers to attack the gap and squirt through, but has learned to run with patience and will take advantage of cutback lanes.

Outside: His most impressive area. Good speed to beat the linebacker to the edge and is dazzling in the open field. Rare lateral agility and balance to elude in tight quarters and when running at full speed in the open field. Very quick to accelerate out of line and has rare top-end speed to pull away. Good vision for the cutback. Legitimate start-stop-accelerate move to allow his pursuers to fly past him. Switches the ball to his outside arm when he gets into the open field.

Breaking tackles: Spins and dances his way out of more tackles than his size would indicate. Keeps his feet moving after contact and flashes a decent stiff-arm to push free. Doesn't have the leg drive, however, to consistently break NFL caliber tackles.

Blocking: An area of concern due to his lack of bulk and strength. Supplies a marginal pop to the oncoming defender, but more often relies on the cut-block.

Receiving: Soft, reliable hands out of the backfield. Has the burst out of his cuts to line up out wide, but was typically used on underneath dumpoffs, screens and an occasional wheel route. Tracks the ball and catches it cleanly. Can adjust his body to catch poorly thrown passes due to good body control and hand-eye coordination for the position.

Intangibles: Has missed time due to a variety of ailments over his three years at Cal. Standout special teams player, earning first-team all-Pac-10 honors as a true freshman, as well as the J. Scott Duncan Award (Most Valuable Special Teams' Player) by finishing second in the conference in kick return average (27.0) and posting 12 tackles and a fumble recovery as a gunner. Led the conference with 26.3 yards per kickoff return as a sophomore. Only used on one kickoff (in the opener against Maryland) in 2009.

Played three seasons from Cal from 2007-09 before declaring for the 2010 NFL Draft on January 2, 2010 … a first-team All-Pac-10 choice in 2007 and '08, and a second-team selection in 2009 … has 31 career games played and 19 starts … ranks among Cal's all-time leaders in 200-yard games rushing (3, No. 1), rushing touchdowns (29, No. 3-T), rushing yardage (2,668, No. 7), all-purpose running (4,045, No. 5) and scoring (210, No. 9) … added career totals of 844 yards in kick returns on 32 tries (26.4 ypr) and 533 yards receiving and 6 TD on 62 catches (8.6 ypc) … recorded 50 plays of more than 20 yards (25 rush, 3 receiving, 22 kick return) … totaled 34 career touchdowns and 210 points, adding five receiving TDs to his 29 on the ground … only Cal player in history with more than one 200-yard rushing contest (3) … 13 games of 100 or more rushing (No. 6 all-time at Cal) … posted seven consecutive games of 100 or more rushing yards that included the final four contests of 2008 and the first three games of 2009, totaling 1,228 rushing yards and 17 TDs on the ground on 126 carries (9.7 ypr, 175.4 ypg) during the span … posted 34 career rushes of 20+ yards, to go along with 11 of 60+ yards and four of 80 or more … missed spring football in both 2008 and 2009 after a hip injury following the 2007 campaign and foot and elbow surgeries after the 2008 season … missed the final four contests of 2009 after sustaining an injury following a seven-yard touchdown run vs. Oregon State.

A second-team All-Pac-10 selection and Phil Steele 2009 Postseason All-Pac-10 Second-Team Offense choice, leading team in rushing and touchdowns scored despite missing the final three games of regular season … co-recipient of team's Bear Backers Offensive MVP Award … rushed for 867 yards on 141 carries and scored 16 touchdowns (12 rushing, 4 receiving) in nine games … his 16 touchdowns (12 rushing, 4 receiving) are one shy of Cal's modern-era record and two short of school's all-time mark … averaged 10.67 points per game to rank second in the Pac-10 and No. 3 nationally at the conclusion of the regular season but did play in the minimum 75% of the team's games to qualify for the final statistics … wasa also fourth in the conference in rushing (96.33 ypg) at the conclusion of the regular season … the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 after rushing for 131 yards and a school-record-tying five touchdowns on a career-high 26 carries in win at Minnesota … injured against Oregon State on a seven-yard touchdown run, after which he was transported to Highland Hospital in Oakland, where he stayed overnight.

Entered season as one of the nation's top candidates to win the 2009 Heisman Trophy, ranking as high as No. 5 (CBSSports.com, HeismanPundit.com) on current candidate lists … also was listed at No. 6 on the ESPN.com Experts Poll and No. 7 by SI.com … reached the top spot on the CBSSports.com and SI.com, as well as No. 2 by ESPN.com and HeismanPunt.com after the third game of the season at Minnesota … on watch lists for the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, College Football Performance Awards Overall Performer and Running Back of the Year, and the Walter Camp Award … the only player in the nation honored by the College Football Performance Awards in each of the first three weeks of the season, winning the CFPA's Performer of the Week in Week 3 and the organization's Running Back of the Week in both Weeks 1 and 3 … entered the season as the nation's leading returning rusher and was recognized as one of the preseason 2009 Heisman Trophy favorites by Athlon, Lindy's (No. 4), Phil Steele (No. 6), NationalChamps.net (No. 9) and Sports Network, among others … selected as a first-team preseason All-American by Athlon and Lindy's, as well as second-team choice by Phil Steele and Sporting News, and a third-team pick of NationalChamps.net.

Named by Sporting News as the nation's top returning running back and the seventh-best player in the country … a first-team preseason All-Pac-10 choice of Athlon, Lindy's, Phil Steele and Sporting News … Lindy's also picked Best as the Pac-10's 2009 preseason Most Valuable Player … added second-team preseason All-Pac-10 kick returner mention from Athlon and third-team according to Phil Steele … Lindy's and Rivals.com list Best as its their top running back nationally, while he also checks in at No. 2 on Lindy's list of Pac-10 NFL talents … Phil Steele has him as the No. 4 draft eligible running back and No. 25 kick returner in the country … Sporting News tabbed him No. 7 in the preseason on its list of the nation's top players.

Led the Pac-10 and ranked third in the country in rushing, averaging 131.67 ypg … his 8.1 yards per carry was the best of any player in the FBS with at least 125 rushes on the year, as well as a school record … total of 1,580 rushing yards was the second highest ever at Cal, behind only J.J. Arrington's 2,018 yards in 2004 … a first-team All-Pac-10 choice … named a second-team All-American by College Football News … voted Offensive MVP of the Emerald Bowl after galloping for a bowl-record 186 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries vs. Miami (9.3 ypc) … his 15 rushing TDs tied the Cal mark also held by J.J. Arrington (2004) and Justin Forsett (2007) … a three-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week … Cal's Co-Offensive MVP … ranked second nationally in all-purpose yards, averaging 187.25 ypg and setting a school record with 2,247 all-purpose yards … also first in the conference and 22nd in the country in kickoff returns (26.31 ypr) … capped off the regular season with a school-record 311 yards on 19 carries vs. Washington - the fourth-highest total in Pac-10 history and the No. 4 performance in the nation during the fall … also scored four TDs in the game, including sprints of 60 and 84 yards, to tie the Cal record … had the two longest runs in the Pac-10; in addition to the 84-yard rush vs. UW, went 86 yards at Washington State … the only Cal player ever to have three 200-yard games (311 vs. Washington, 201 vs. Stanford, 200 at Washington State) … ran for a combined 698 yards on 58 carries (12.1 ypc) in Cal's last three games vs. Stanford, UW and Miami … had seven rushes of 60+ yards, including three runs of 80 or more yard … recipient of the Berkeley Breakfast Club Award (outstanding player in the Big Game) … tied for second on the team with 27 receptions … opened the 2008 campaign with 111 yards on 24 carries (1 TD), 63 receiving yards and 103 kickoff-return yards for a career-best 277 all-purpose yards against Michigan State … became the first Cal player since J.J. Arrington in 2004 to open a season with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games after racking up 200 yards on the ground at Washington State … dislocated his left elbow vs. Colorado State Sept. 27 … after missing the Arizona State game, returned at Arizona Oct. 18 and rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown vs. the Wildcats … went for 115 yards against UCLA and 116 yards against Oregon State … in his career, has 76 plays (rush, receive, KO return) of at least 10 yards … missed spring 2009 workouts following offseason foot and elbow surgery, but began running in April and is expected to be at full strength by August training camp.

Burst onto the collegiate scene as a true freshman, seeing action at tailback, as a return man and as a gunner … a first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a special teams player … selected as the team's Most Valuable Freshman as well as the team's J. Scott Duncan Award (Most Valuable Special Teams Player) … missed the Washington, Stanford and Air Force games due to a hip injury … tallied 10 or more yards on 36.8% of his touches (21-of-57 plays) … burst through tacklers for a 64-yard touchdown run against Colorado State for his first career touchdown … added his first receiving touchdown against Louisiana Tech with a 16-yard grab … also had four carries for 46 yards in his collegiate debut against Tennessee … returned 15 kickoffs for an average of 27.0 yards per effort (second in the Pac-10), including a career-long 54-yarder against UCLA and 11 others of 20 yards or more … also a standout special teams gunner with 12 tackles and a fumble recovery.

2009: Missed spring practices following offseason foot and elbow surgery. Suffered a concussion and back injury against Oregon State after getting flipped in the air while scoring a touchdown. Missed the final four games of the season, including the team's bowl game.

2008: Sat out spring practices resting a hip injury suffered following the previous season. Missed the Arizona game due to a dislocated elbow suffered against Colorado State.

A SuperPrep Magazine All-America choice … Parade Magazine All-American … rated the 18th best running back in the country by Scout.com … selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep as well … Rivals.com also tabbed him with a No. 9 position ranking and the 11th best prospect in California … first team Long Beach Press-Telegram "Best in the West" selection … PrepStar.com top-100 prospect in the country … chosen as the Bay Area Offensive Player of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle, the Contra Costa Times, and the Oakland Tribune … earned a No. 1 ranking on the 2007 Contra Costa Times' "Cream of the Crop" list … garnered CalHiSports.com first team all-state honors … for his career, he rushed for 6,428 yards and scored 91 touchdowns … rushed for 3,325 yards and found the end zone 48 times as a senior, both Bay Area single-season records … over 25 percent of his touchdowns were 50 yards or longer his senior season … ran for 1,444 yards to go along with 271 yards in receptions and 20 total touchdowns for the 12-1 BCAL and Class A CIF North Coast Section champion Chieftains in 2005 (junior year) … had 12 carries for more than 50 yards as a senior and 10 more as a junior when he averaged 10.4 yards per carry … also ran track at Salesian and won a Gold Medal in the 200m at the 2005 USTAF Junior Olympics … has been timed at 10.39 seconds in the 100-meter dash … ESPN Insider said, "one of the fastest backs in this entire class and certainly the fastest back in California … a versatile running back prospect with home run potential as a runner, receiver and return specialist … shows excellent initial burst and overall quickness … explodes through the line of scrimmage and will quickly bounce inside runs to the outside".

First name is pronounced JAH-vid.