BATON ROUGE — LSU junior Trev Faulk has been rated as the nation’s No. 1 inside linebacker and a first team pre-season All-America in the Sporting News College Football issue, which recently hit newsstands across the country.
Faulk, who led LSU and ranked second in the Southeastern Conference with 113 tackles last season, is also listed as the No. 2 candidate for the Butkus Award, which is award annually to the nation’s top linebacker. Rocky Calmus of Oklahoma is listed as the favorite to win the award.
In addition, the Sporting News rated LSU’s linebacking corps of Faulk, Bradie James, Jeremy Lawrence and Lionel Turner as the best in the nation.
LSU’s receivers are ranked third nationally as a unit.
Other position rankings for the Tigers had senior Ryan Clark listed as the nation’s No. 2 free safety, while senior Robert Royal is listed as the No. 3 tight end. Clark is also a pre-season second team All-America selection in the magazine.
Senior defensive end Jarvis Green is rated as the nation’s seventh-best at his position, while Josh Reed is rated No. 9 at wide receiver and junior Bradie James is ranked as the 10th-best outside linebacker.
Domanick Davis, who ranks second in school history in kickoff return yardage with 1,190 career yards, is listed as the nation’s ninth-best return man, while quarterback Rohan Davey is ranked 20th.
As a team, the Tigers are ranked No. 10 in the nation and they are picked to win the Western Division of the league.