ESPN College Football

Editor's note: ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. begins his look at the most important players on each Division I-A team with his lists of the five most important players on each team in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (schools listed in alphabetical order).

Ball State Cardinals
1. Joey Lynch, QB, jr. -- A smart kid who knows the offense in and out, knows how to manage a game and is a reliable field general.
2. Bryan Williamson, WR, jr. -- Good size at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and his good hands will make him Lynch's primary target.
3. Michael Steinhaus, TE, jr. -- A good physical package at 6-3, 255, he has only 12 catches but six touchdowns in his career. Needs to me more involved this season.
4. Eric Keyes, SS, jr. -- Moved from free safety to strong safety this season and is clearly the best defensive player on the team. A top-notch athlete and one of the most underrated players in the MAC.
5. Blair Kramer, DE, sr. -- The defense is thin up front and the 6-2½, 258-pound Kramer needs to provide some spark off the edge and be a leader up front.

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