Auggie Sanchez, Linebacker, University of South Florida
USF is another school with a family dynasty to some degree. Aggie -a fifth-year senior- originally went to Tampa as a fullback. His brother Armando played linebacker for the Bulls from 2008-2011 and it wasn’t long before Auggie converted to his brother’s position. It’s a move that has paid off as Sanchez has powered the Bulls defense with 309 tackles, six and one-half sacks, seven pass deflections and two interceptions.
Sanchez played a major role in the recent rise of the USF football program which was long one of college football’s door mats. What used to be a guaranteed win for many teams is now one of the most difficult challenges as the 21st ranked Bulls have gone 27-25 with Sanchez in uniform and have made two straight bowl game appearances. They also missed out on last year’s American Athletic Conference championship game by just one game. With some changes taking place within the AAC this offseason, the Bulls are a huge favorite to win their first conference title in school history.