No. 10 Marcell Dareus

<p><i>Gatorsports counts down the top 25 players in the SEC, leading right up to SEC Media Days.</i></p><p><b>No. 10 MARCELL DAREUS</b></p><p><b>Alabama junior defensive end</b></p><p><b>Why he's No. 10: </b> He took over as a starter as a true sophomore last season and quickly emerged as one of the SEC's most dominant defenders. At 6-foot-3, 306 pounds, Dareus has the size and strength of a defensive tackle, but also has the quickness and speed of a pure pass-rushing defensive end. It's a combination that offensive tackles have had a hard time contending with. He's a great pass rusher — and a physical, dominant run stopper. He was practically unblockable in the spring and enters the 2010 season as a strong All-America candidate.</p><p><b>Key number:</b> Dareus led the SEC in sacks last season with 6.5. He also recorded 25 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.</p><p><b>Fun fact: </b>Dareus is the perfect example of why you trust the coaching staff when it comes to recruiting. Coming out of high school, Darues was rated only a three-star recruit by Rivals. But after two seasons, he's become a five-star player for the Tide.</p>