In the biggest game of the 2008 college football postseason, neither Louisiana State nor Ohio State?s biggest playmaker is its starting quarterback. The 2007 BCS National Championship game flaunted Heisman-winner quarterback Troy Smith, and the year before that, quarterbacks Vince Young and Matt Leinart dueled in a thriller that will still be watched and talked about 50 years from now. This year, the game will showcase the talent of many future stars, they just won?t be doing much of the offensive play-calling. No. 2 LSU carries six (possibly more) players who will play on many Sundays to come, and No. 1 OSU has four stars of its own. 1) Glenn Dorsey, LSU, senior, defensive tackle: Dorsey was the best defensive player of the year and he won the national awards - Bronko Nagurski, Outback and Lombardi - to prove it. He didn?t played a down without drawing the attention of two opposing linemen, and he helped keep his team in the national spotlight through the season. And he did most of it with one severely hampered knee because of a ?chop? block he was hit with early in the year. He won?t show up on many highlight reels, but NFL scouts care about those like Bill Belichick cares about post-game press conferences. Dorsey has the size and speed to compete for more than a decade in the pros. Longevity and good character - which Dorsey has in abundance - make him a general manager?s dream. 2) James Laurinaitis, OSU, junior, linebacker: He hasn?t officially put his name into the 2008 NFL Draft mix, but one team will be hoping the glitz of the professional game will be too much to pass up for Laurinaitis: the New England Patriots. The Patriots, because of a previous trade with the San Francisco 49ers, will have San Fran?s first-round pick this summer. The only part of New England?s defense that has underperformed this year is its linebacker corps, and it just so happens that Belichick?s favorite position is linebacker. This is a match made in heaven - or hell, if you?re another NFL team. Laurinaitis is smart and covers space quickly. He?d be a perfect fit on the Patriots? ever-adapting defense. 3) Early Doucet, LSU, senior, wide receiver: He?s been slowed by injuries for part of the year, but Doucet?s speed will translate into success on the next level. Doucet?s numbers aren?t eye-popping - 50 receptions for 474 yards and four touchdowns in 2007 - but the Tigers aren?t a pass-first team. Doucet isn?t a game-changing receiver of the Randy Moss/Terrell Owens ilk, but his ability to line up for either long passing plays or quick receptions out of the slot will make him a productive player along the lines of a Wes Welker or Patrick Crayton. Neither of those players are All-Pro caliber, but there?s not a team in the league that wouldn?t take them. 4) Malcolm Jenkins, OSU, junior, cornerback: Jenkins, along with Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, might be the top secondary prospect in the country. He could stick around for one more season in Columbus, but if Laurinaitus jumps ship, he probably will, too. Jenkins isn?t on par with Champ Bailey (who is?), but he?s a big reason why the Buckeyes? defense is the best in the nation. His skills might not be on full display on Monday night because of LSU?s offensive scheme, but even if the Tigers were a deep-threat team, they?d probably play more conservatively because of Jenkins? presence. 5) Ryan Perriloux, LSU, sophomore, quarterback: Perriloux isn?t even the Tigers? starter, but that has more to do with his youth and foolishness than his skill level. Perriloux is six-foot-three-inches, 227 pounds, and his legs move as quickly as his arm is strong. NFL teams will love the excitement factor he brings to the table, but his off-the-field shenanigans will raise some red flags (read: Vick, Michael). He should get the starting nod after senior quarterback Matt Flynn graduates this fall, and he?ll have the SEC stage to himself in 2008. If he keeps his head straight, his stock will rise dramatically. 6) Vernon Gholston, OSU, junior, defensive end: Another junior, another defensive player, another Buckeye. Gholston is the third cog of the intimidating Ohio State defense and, like Jenkins, likely will leave if Laurinaitis does. Gholston has NFL size, six-foot-four-inches and 264 pounds, and gaudy statistics to show for it --- 13 sacks, 14 tackles for losses. He?ll wreck havoc on LSU and likely will do the same for several seasons in the pros. He?s not as polished as Virginia senior Chris Long, but if he sticks around for his senior season, he?ll likely be the top defensive end in the country in the 2009 NFL Draft. 7) Chris ?Beanie? Wells, OSU, sophomore, running back: The only reason Wells is this low on the list is because of the increasing notion in the NFL that running backs have a short shelf life and are easy to replace. Wells, just 20-years-old, is already one of the better backs in college football. Whereas he doesn?t have the flair that Reggie Bush had, he has the durability that Bush is now struggling to muster. Wells is an every down back - he had 254 carries for 1,463 yards in 2007 - and that will carry weight at the next level. Teams are hesitant to waste early picks on running backs, but they?re more comfortable choosing a player whom they know they can feed 25 times a game, a la Marshawn Lynch. 8) Ali Highsmith, LSU, senior, linebacker: Highsmith?s junior year wasn?t his best, but it was sandwiched by terrific sophomore and senior seasons. He won?t be an All-Pro player, but he?ll find a spot on someone?s defense and stick around for a while. The speed in which he plays in the SEC will help him when he makes the jump to the NFL. 9) Jacob Hester, LSU, senior, running back: Hester is neither flashy, nor lightning-quick. But what he lacks in jaw-dropping athleticism, he makes up for in toughness. The fullback position is going out of style in the NFL, but any team that wants a path-clearer who can catch a pass out of the slot would be foolish to disregard Hester. Devin Hester he is not, but he?s a worker who?ll pay dividends as a late-round selection. 10) Craig Steltz, LSU, senior, safety: He?s no LaRon Landry - the 2006 Tigers? shutdown safety - but Steltz will have an impact on Sundays next year. He led the SEC in interceptions in 2007 and was a first-team AP All-American selection. His athleticism leaves something to be desired, but he?s a smart player who?ll adjust to the quick environment of the pro game.