You know Chris Long and Sean Singletary. And maybe even Somdev Devvarman.
They are Virginia's elite. The best of the best. The athletes who dominate their positions more than anyone else in the nation.
Meet junior Jacob Thompson. The 6-foot-6 righty from Danville, Va. has already established himself as one of the tallest orders for hitters in the NCAA. Going 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA, Thompson was a unanimous first-team All-American and a finalist for the Roger Clemens Award, given to the nation's top pitcher, in 2007.
And, according to Rivals.com, it will take a major surprise for anyone besides Thompson to win the award in 2008.
But is he really the best?
Virginia coach Brian O'Connor? doesn't exactly see things in those terms.
"I never thought of anybody being the best in the country," O'Connor said. "What separates him from other people is consistency," he noted, adding that Thompson's statistics display the kind of consistency a player needs to give his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound.
Still, Thompson's name doesn't casually roll off the lips of Wahoos like the names Long and Singletary, but that won't last long as the scouts hone in on Thompson's talents, O'Connor said -- especially when a major surprise is the only thing between him and pitcher-of-the-year honors.
That's why the big leagues already have him on their radar. Whenever Thompson chooses to enter the draft, whether this year or next, Thompson could go higher than Chris Long. (Keep in mind that Chris Long is only the second-best prospect heading in to the NFL this season.)
"I know there's a lot of professional scouts running in to see him for a good reason," O'Connor said.
When asked if Thompson would garner the same attention as Long if college baseball had the same appeal as football, O'Connor said, "Yeah, I'd probably say he would. He's one of the best in the game at his position and he's earned that."
Thompson will have to be a constant for his team like Long was for his team -- a reliable go-to guy no matter the circumstances.
"I know a lot of guys are depending on me to set the tone in the first game," Thompson said.
As a result of the graduation of veteran Sean Doolittle, who left for the draft after the 2007 season, Thompson will be the sole anchor to the rotation. Last season, after Thompson pitched Friday nights, Doolittle, who was 8-3 with a 2.40 ERA, supplanted Thompson Saturday or Sunday.
This year, sophomore Matt Packer and senior Pat McAnaney, both lefties, figure to fill most of the time behind Thompson. Packer was 3-3 with a 4.22 ERA in 2007, but lost his spot in the rotation late in the season to Casey Lambert.
McAnaney was 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA. Coming off a winter injury, he was limited to only 12 appearances on the year.
The responsibility of leading the younger pitchers will most likely fall on all three in the rotation and veteran bullpen.
"All of the veteran pitchers are definitely role models to the younger guys, and hopefully they'll pick up from us how things are supposed to be done," Thompson said.
And with a young lineup in 2008, Thompson will have to be the cinch in a sure-thing pitching staff if the Cavaliers hope to make it to Omaha.
It all starts Friday, when Thompson will toe the rubber against Lehigh, and a smattering of fans will gather to watch what could be a pitcher's greatest season yet unfold.
By June, the name Jacob Thompson will likely flood blogs and be on the lips of every sports fan in Charlottesville.
By then, most people will know what all the buzz around this Jacob Thompson fellow is for.
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