As NFL Draft season and free agency start to heat up, much of the football world is focused on the NFL and future homes of many players. However, they aren't the only ones preparing for the 2014 season. On college campuses across the country, spring practices are slowly starting to pick up, as many prepare themselves that they, too, can reach their dream of playing in the NFL.

Yesterday, we took a look at the top returning players in the SEC, which you can read here.

In part two, we head out west to the Pac-12. Although the SEC is viewed as the most dominant conference in college football, the Pac-12 has closed the gap in recent years, thanks to strong recruiting and developing those players into elite talents. 

Here is a look at the top returning players in the Pac-12 conference.

10. Jaelen Strong (Wide Receiver, Arizona State)

After transferring from junior college to the Sun Devils, Strong burst onto the scene in Tempe, catching 75 passes for 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns. Strong’s speed and athletic ability make him a dangerous deep threat, with a knack for being able to adjust to the ball. His hands can be questionable, but many of those are concentration drops, a skill that is teachable. But in a conference that is full of talented secondaries, Strong’s abilities as a playmaker are a necessity for Arizona State to be successful.

9. Alex Carter (Cornerback, Stanford)

Stanford had a defense loaded with NFL talent in 2013, with players like Shayne Skov, Trent Murphy, and Ed Reynolds. However, Carter may have been the best of the bunch. At 6’0”, 204, Carter possesses a thick frame and plays very physical, but also has the footwork and speed to run with quicker receivers. He is the complete package at the cornerback position.

8. Shaq Thompson (Linebacker, Washington)

Originally recruited as a safety, Thompson have moved to play weakside linebacker for the Huskies. His defensive back history gives him the necessary skills to drop into coverage with tight ends and slot receivers, and his burst and ability to diagnose plays help get him in position in the run game. He is an impact player in the front seven, and may be the hardest hitter in the conference.

7. Kasen Williams (Wide Receiver, Washington)

Williams is a big target (6’2”, 212) and the complete package. He is a reliable receiver, can win jump balls, and is dangerous after the catch. His size helps him battle through press coverage to gain separation, something few receivers at the college level can do. He has great awareness, shown by how well he finds open space in zone coverage and is always aware of the space between him and the sidelines, giving himself enough room to make the catch. An injury to his left leg in late October sidelined Williams for the rest of the season in 2013, but he will still enter 2014 as the best receiver in the conference.

6. Brett Hundley (Quarterback, UCLA)

Hundley entered 2013 in the debate to be considered the second best quarterback for the 2014 NFL draft. He has great size, arm strength and mobility. Unfortunately, his play was inconsistent in 2013, as he did not progress as everyone expected. His accuracy was spotty and made bad decisions too often. However, despite all that, people recognize the natural ability and athleticism he possesses, which still makes him a potential first-round pick, as long as he takes a step forward in 2014.

5. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Cornerback, Oregon)

Ekpre-Olomu is the textbook definition of a physical corner. He is strong in press coverage and is never giving receivers the opportunity to run a clean route. He can grab on occasion and will get flagged for pass interference, but he is a nightmare to matchup against. He has a clean backpedal and moves well in zone coverage when asked, but he’s at his best on an island. He flashes good ball skills, intercepting three passes and deflecting six more in 2013.

4. Marcus Mariota (Quarterback, Oregon)

Mariota was in the discussion to be the first overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft before deciding to come back to school. He is a perfect fit in the Duck offense, with a great build, a strong arm, and is incredibly mobile. While many point to the Ducks’ offensive scheme as the reason why Mariota is so successful, Mariota has shown the ability to play from the pocket and make the necessary throws to be successful at the next level. He still needs to work on his accuracy and his ability to read coverages and go through his progressions, but his ability to create big plays is fun to watch and makes him one of the most exciting players in college football.

3. Andrus Peat (Offensive Tackle, Stanford)

Peat is the dream offensive tackle. He is a mauler in the run game, locking onto defenders and not allowing them to make a play on the running back. In the passing game, he has great technique and the strength to protect the blind side. He can play a little higher pad level, which will get him pushed backwards by the linemen, but he shows a good ability to re-anchor himself and stonewall defenders. He shows a strong punch, a necessity to play at the next level, and has the necessary foot speed to be an elite left tackle.

2. Leonard Williams (Defensive Tackle, USC)

Williams is an elite pass rusher from the defensive tackle position. He has a solid first step, great strength to drive defenders backwards, and can use multiple different pass rush techniques to get to the quarterback, as shown by his 13 career sacks. He is consistently collapsing the pocket, and stands out in every USC game on T.V. Though he is at his best rushing the passer, he also shows great ability to get off blockers and make plays in the run game.

1. Myles Jack (Linebacker/Running Back, UCLA)

It was a treat to watch Jack play in 2013, especially late in the season when he started consistently playing on both sides of the ball. On defense, he fit in well with the speed and hard-hitting ability that every linebacker for the Bruins possesses, totaling seven tackles for loss and consistently disrupting the passing game, deflecting 13 passesOn offense, Jack averaged seven yards per carry, totaling 267 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. Very rarely do we get an opportunity to see players play both ways in modern college football, especially with the conditioning and pure athleticism necessary with how fast the speed of play is. Fortunately for us, we had the opportunity to see Jack play, and at a high level. It will be interesting to see if the Bruins decide to give him more carries moving forward, or if they decide to keep him purely at linebacker.