The only common ground between the 10 riders on the outer fringe of the Top 50 is that all of them are undoubtedly disappointed with their 2011 season.

The many differences come in how or why they didn't finish higher.

Some of them missed substantial time for injuries - McKennon Wimberly, Chance Roberts and Ned Cross - while other young riders - Josh Faircloth, Elliott Jacoby and Harve Stewart - are still in search of consistency at Built Ford Tough Series events.

"I know I say this all the time," said Ty Murray, who will again serve as an analyst in the television booth in 2012, but I feel like (Stewart) is that dominate college quarterback who hasn't found his stride in the pros. It just feels like it's been years now, but I thought he showed some flashes toward the end of (2011), so it'll be interesting to see how this season goes for him."

On the flipside of the young Stewart, age is beginning to play a factor for some of the other athletes who found themselves ranked between 41st and 50th in the world standings.

'I feel like Harve Stewart is that dominate college quarterback who hasn't found his stride in the pros.'

Dusty Ephrom and Justin Koon started their PBR careers later than most, and at 34, Tony Mendes is attempting to resurrect what's left of a once-promising career.

Among the more-talented in the group is Kasey Hayes. However, for all his talent - he's won four BFTS events in the past six years - he's been woefully inconsistent and has never finished a season ranked in the Top 10. In the past five years, he has gone from finishing 12th to 19th to 28th to 41st, and in 2011, he finished 43rd.

"I think Kasey Hayes should get some kind of award for being the biggest underachiever in the PBR," said livestock director and co-founder Cody Lambert, "because he's a very good bull rider, but he doesn't want it bad enough and he's (throwing) away his entire career."

Murray added, "You might see him win an event and then go 40 events where he doesn't win a dime."

Regardless of their respective situation, all 10 athletes have their work cut out for them in 2012.

While all three experts analyzing the Top 50 riders - J.W. Hart, Lambert and Murray - see the riders in the group as a capable, they universally talked about the fact that - aside from Wimberly - nine of them have not consistently been able to make the whistle at the highest level.

Two of them - Jacoby and Koon - had a riding percentage in the teens, while a third - Faircloth - barely rode over 20 percent.

"They're all hit-and-miss," Murray said. "I wouldn't bet on them not being there, nor would I bet on them being there."

McKENNON WIMBERLY (50): "McKennon's not a Top 50 rider," Lambert said. "He's a Top 10 rider." Wimberly suffered a season-ending head injury in the Built Ford Tough Championship Round at the third event of season in Anaheim, Calif., colliding heads with MoeBandy.com twice, including once after losing his helmet. He finished fifth in Anaheim, and was ranked 10th in the BFTS standings after the event. "I don't when or if he'll ever be ready to ride again," Lambert said, "but I talk to him quite a bit and he keeps himself busy and he's constantly getting better." Wimberly is spending the month of December in Brazil training and rehabbing with Robson Palermo. Hart added, "I hope he can pull it off and there would be nothing greater."

JOSH FAIRCLOTH (49): The North Carolina native competed in 11 Built Ford Tough Series events and had four Top 15 finishes. He recorded his BFTS career-high in the opening round of the event in San Antonio, Texas, with 88.25 points on Whiskey's Rebel. "He tries as hard as he can and I expect him to do a little better," Lambert said. Hart added, "Faircloth has a little maturing to do to come (up to the BFTS) and be able to stay there." He was among the riders tied with four Touring Pro Division event wins last year. He won in Toledo, Ohio; Birmingham, Ala.; Huntsville, Ala.; and Livingston, Mont. Although he hasn't had the same success at the BFTS level as he has at TPD events, Hart was adamant in pointing out, "This kid does not open his hand… I see him get in trouble and have every opportunity to pick his chin up and check out, but this guy (doesn't) let go and it's going to get him somewhere."

DUSTY EPHROM (48): He capped off his most successful season as a professional by winning the PBR Canadian Finals event and finishing third in the Canadian standings. "Dusty puts out a lot of effort," Lambert said, "and had to fight and claw his way back." Ephrom finished eighth in Seattle, ninth in Billings, Mont., and was a Canadian qualifier for the PBR World Finals. He finished second at a TPD event in Binford, N.D., with a 91-point effort on Another Husker. Lambert added, "There's no lack of effort on his part."

NED CROSS (47): Cross competed in 10 BFTS events, finishing sixth in Indianapolis, before missing time because of a broken leg. In his first event back - a TPD event in Missoula, Mont. - he broke three bones in his neck and missed the remainder of the 2011 season.

CHANCE ROBERTS (46): The rookie from Illinois was moving up the world standings en route to his third Top 10 finish in six BFTS events when he broke his collar bone and missed three months of competition. Hart was impressed, but wants to see more of the youngster, while Lambert said, "He didn't do quite as well as I thought he would." However, Lambert expects Roberts to be a lot higher in the standings in 2012. He had runner-up finishes in TPD events in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Toledo, Ohio, and finished third in Augusta, Ga.

TONY MENDES (45): Despite being 34 years old, Mendes is attempting to resurrect his professional career. In 2011, he came up just short of qualifying for his first World Finals since 2007. Mendes, who competed in 15 BFTS events in 2011 as an alternate, rode nine of 40 bulls. Lambert said Mendes looked like he was on the comeback trail, but added, "It might be too late in his career."

JUSTIN KOON (44): Koon concluded his rookie season at the PBR World Finals, tying for 14th at the event and earning $24,250. "Justin Koon puts out the effort and he's going to be a lot higher in the standings (this) year," Lambert said. At 28 years old, Koon wasn't a traditional first-year rider. He competed in 12 BFTS events. He eventually overcame the nervousness of competing at the elite level and had a career-best seventh-place finish in Hartford, Conn., and tied for most TPD wins with four - Augusta; Hattiesburg, Miss.; Pala, Calif. and Archdale, N.C.

KASEY HAYES (43): Hayes tied for eighth at Last Cowboy Standing in Las Vegas, and finished ninth in Milwaukee. He augmented his third consecutive season ranked outside the Top 40 by winning three TPD events - Johnstown, Pa.; Springdale, Ark. and Prescott, Ariz.

'He doesn't have a clue what he's doing out there.'

ELLIOTT JACOBY (42): In his third year of competing at BFTS events, Jacoby is still in search of consistency. In 14 events, a career high, he made the whistle five times in 37 outs for a career-low riding average of 13.5 percent in qualifying for his first World Finals. Everyone agreed that Jacoby is talented enough to ride better than he has, but as Lambert said, "He doesn't have a clue what he's doing out there." Although he's capable of improving, Jacoby will need to come around quickly once the field is trimmed from 40 to 35.

HARVE STEWART (41): In 2011; Stewart finished second in Charlotte, N.C., second at the Canadian Finals - a half-point behind winner Dusty Ephrom - and won a TPD event in Missoula, Mont. "He looked like he woke up at Charlotte," Lambert said. "He can ride good enough to certainly be in the Top 20." Murray agreed and added, "He's a kid that I know is a great athlete, I know he's in great shape, I know he's tough as a boot and I know he's a scraping, trying little guy and I know he's done well at every level except the Built Ford Tough Series."