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Besides the program's annual slip-up against an inferior Pac-10 foe, perhaps no issue has dogged USC's football program under Pete Carroll more than its alums' difficulty in capturing glory in the NFL.

Since Carroll arrived in Troy in 2001, only Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State have sent more first-rounders to the NFL, yet few Trojans have justified their lofty billing at the professional level. Only Troy Polamalu, who established himself as one of the game's elite defenders in Pittsburgh, can stake claim to being as great a force on Sundays as he was on Saturdays.

Of the three Heisman winners — Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush — Palmer's the only one who's even solidified a starting job, while the most dominating receiver in the Carroll Era, Mike Williams, registers as one of the decade's most notorious first-round flops.

But USC's NFL class of '09 is doing its part to reverse the trend. Of the school's three first-rounders — Jets QB Mark Sanchez, Texans OLB Brian Cushing and Packers OLB Clay Matthews — only Matthews has been anything less than a stud from Day One, while Bengals second-round steal Rey Maualuga has laid waste to the notion that he deserved to slip out of the initial 32.

1. QB Mark Sanchez, Jets (First round, fifth overall)
When Sanchez shocked the masses in declaring early for the draft, Carroll made headlines with his comments about Sanchez not being ready for the NFL. Two sterling starts into his career, that talk is looking a little less controversial and a little more laughable.

2. OLB Rey Maualuga, Bengals (2, 38)
In the Bengals' stirring victory in Lambeau, five-sack man Antwan Odom wasn't the only defensive force screwing with the Packers' plans. The big-play rookie 'backer recorded a strip sack of Aaron Rodgers and also jarred the ball loose from Ryan Grant to help the upset cause.

3. OT Michael Oher, Ravens (1, 23)
In each of the last two seasons, one rookie offensive tackle has stood head and shoulders above the rest. In 2007, Joe Thomas made a legit case for Rookie of the Year over Adrian Peterson for the offensively inclined Browns. Last season, the Broncos' Ryan Clady was a pillar of stability on Jay Cutler's blind side. After two games, Oher's the clear class of the '09 OT class, even though he's manning the right-side post.

4. WR Johnny Knox, Bears (5, 140)
Even after Knox's blistering debut in Week One vs. the Packers, some still pegged the fifth-round find as little more than a speed-merchant deep threat. That description no longer flies. Knox caught the game-tying, seven-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the Bears' triumph over the Steelers, creating doubt as to whether the Bears really do lack a WR corps that can get it done.

5. MLB James Laurinaitis, Rams (2, 35)
Jim Zorn's offense was held without a touchdown on Sunday in large part due to Laurinaitis' presence in the teeth of the Rams' defense. While the Skins got their yards, the cerebral defensive centerpiece did his part in keeping Washington out of the endzone.

6. OG Eric Wood, Bills (1, 28)
Who would've imagined interim starting RB Fred Jackson, taking over No. 1 duties as Marshawn Lynch sits out during his suspension, would be among the league total yardage leaders with an offensive line featuring new starters at all five positions?

7. OLB Brian Cushing, Texans (1, 15)
For the second straight week, the Texans' dismal effort defending the run failed to account for a quality effort by Cushing, who led the team in tackles with 10, including two behind the line of scrimmage. Although he might have his duties scaled back as the Texans relearn the basics, he's been executing as well behind the line as he is in space.

8. RB Donald Brown, Colts (1, 27)
Even for a finesse offense like the Colts', Joseph Addai dances around too much to think he'll kick-start a stagnant running game. Brown's 15-yard TD run up the gut on Monday strengthened the notion that the Colts' running attack might only come out of hibernation with the no-nonsense Brown carrying the rock.

9. WR Percy Harvin, Vikings (1, 22)
Brad Childress' initial blueprint for using Harvin in a smattering of roles — catching the ball a little, taking a few handoffs or end-arounds, doing some kick-returning — looks more concrete after two games. Yet for as well as Harvin's doing, let's wait to see how he does against a defense better than those of the Browns and Lions before waxing hyperbole on his game.

10. CB Sean Smith, Dolphins (2, 61)
The Dolphins' out-of-position linebackers and safeties ought to absorb the bulk of the blame for the long touchdowns of Dallas Clark and Pierre Garcon. Smith has taken some lumps, but still looks like the best member of a relatively weak rookie DB class.