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The season of rankings and predictions continues today with a trifecta from the ESPN Pac-12 blog.
First, there is a poll to predict which player will lead the Pac-12 in tackles next season. WSU's Deone Bucannon is among the contenders. Despite playing safety, Bucannon has been a tackling during his three seasons in Pullman. Assuming Darryl Monroe and others don't steal too many tackle attempts, Bucannon is a solid candidate for another 100 tackle season.
Next, there are a pair of rankings including the best defensive trios and the scheduling misses. WSU did not fare well in either.
Football:
Ranking the 2013 Pac-12 misses - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
11. WASHINGTON STATE Misses: UCLA, Colorado Skinny: It's good to miss the Bruins, but missing Colorado takes away perhaps the only conference game in which the Cougars, at least from where we sit today, would be favored.
Pac-12's defensive three-headed monsters - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
10. Washington State S Deone Bucannon, OLB Logan Mayes, LB Cyrus Coen The skinny: Bucannon is an A-list guy, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2012. He led the Cougars in tackles and interceptions, so we included Coen, who was second with three picks. The gigantic void is the pass rush, which lost four-year sack leader Travis Long.
Poll: Pac-12's tackling leader in 2013? - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
No. 4 in the Pac-12 in tackles was Washington State safety Deone Bucannon, who averaged 8.8 stops per game. It's typically not good when a safety lead a defense in tackles, but Bucannon unquestionably has some LB in him. He's a contact seeker.
Baseball:
No Cougars were drafted on the first day of the MLB Draft, but that could change today. Rounds 3-10 take place on Friday and Jason Monda could hear his named called at some point. WSU has sent a handful of players to the draft under Donnie Marbut and Monda should be next.
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Washington State MLB Draft Picks Under Donnie Marbut Cougars chasing their professional dream. - The Washington State University Official Athletic Site
PULLMAN, Wash. - The 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft begins, Thursday and continues through Saturday. It is a time when baseball players anxiously await to hear their name called by a professional team.