OPINION

By Mike DeCourcy

updated 5:43 p.m. ET Oct. 7, 2007

Mike DeCourcy

The center position supposedly is dead.

"They" keep telling us that.

Well, they also sometimes say rock 'n roll is dead, because they wish to define rock within a narrow set of parameters that begins with Bill Hailey and ends with Bruce Springsteen. But that doesn't make it right, not when you can link up with iTunes and hear terrific new songs from The Killers or Yellowcard.

No, the center position is not dead. There still are 7-footers who play the position traditionally. There are undersized, Dave Cowens-types (welcome back for your third year, Tyler Hansbrough) who play with enough energy to overcome a few missing inches of height. There also is a new breed of big men who can move away from the goal on offense but still be available to do the dirty work inside.

In fact, there is a flood of new bigs coming into college who threaten to completely overtake the game and overhaul this list of the best at their position. If you want to win a championship this season, you better bring some size to the NCAAs.

1. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
He is not the most polished player. He is going to be chosen later in the draft than many players who accomplish less. He struggles to deal with double-teams, and his conversion to a face-up jumpshooter has been balky, at best. Ask yourself, this, though: Who would you rather have on your team than this guy?

2. Roy Hibbert, Georgetown
He's one of the few true big-man type centers in college basketball, but only near the close of the 2006-07 season did he truly begin to play to his size. His obliteration of Pitt's Aaron Gray was one of the most dominating performances of the year. If he does that kind of thing regularly, the Hoyas could be champions again.

3. D.J. White, Indiana
White is an astonishing physical specimen who has added perimeter skills to a solid low-post base. Here's what he hasn't done yet: produce. With all that ability, he never has averaged more than 13.8 points or 7.3 rebounds. He still is not a 1,000-point career scorer. There is so much more inside him.

4. Kevin Love, UCLA
One college hoops insider suggested he would be an "instant double-double machine" in college. That was before Love's junior year in high school. It's possible Love will put up attractive numbers, but more important, he will serve as the foundation for a more functional attack. The Bruins now will be able to go inside-out with their offense, instead of relying on jumpshots. And, from his outlet passes, they at last will be able to run.

5. Kosta Koufos, Ohio State
"He's got a greater package of offensive talent than any 7-footer in college basketball, which stands to reason given that he's got more offensive talent than any 7-footer in college basketball in a decade. At least.

6. Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga
The simple truth: If Heytvelt really loved the game, he'd be No. 1 on this list.

7. Andrew Ogilvy, Vanderbilt

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Nobody tore through the U-19 World Championships like Ogilvy, who averaged 22.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for Australia. He'll love the U.S.A., where we actually let the big guys stand near the basket when they want.

8. Aleks Maric, Nebraska
The only problem with Maric is that his team doesn't help much. He is skilled, tough and aggressive.

9. Jason Thompson, Rider
Meet Mr. Thompson. He averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds last season. Unless your team is playing in the Old Spice Classic (look out, N.C. State!) you might not need to remember him until the Broncs play their way into the NCAAs — or until NBA draft night.

10. Taj Gibson, Southern California
This will be the true test of whether O.J. Mayo is a point guard — does he pass Gibson the ball?

Almost, not quite: Joseph Jones, Texas A&M; DeVon Hardin, California; Derrick Caracter, Louisville; Ahmad Nivins, St. Joseph's; Ben McCauley, N.C. State; Wayne Chism, Tennessee; Joey Dorsey, Memphis; Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State; Bryant Dunston, Fordham; Patrick Patterson, Kentucky; DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M; Richard Hendrix, Alabama; Kentrell Gransberry, South Florida.

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