The ratings have been mostly down this season, but the talent is unquestionably up -- and now we have our Top 24 for American Idol Season 7.

Let the games begin.

Instead of recapping tonight's show, which I don't need to do because you're all loyal watchers, I'm going to give you 10 singers who can win the whole thing. In fact, I am pretty sure that one of these 10 will earn the curse that is American Idol.

I kid. Who wouldn't want to win this? This is the pop culture Super Bowl, and what's fascinating about this year's bunch is that it's a weird looking lot, but they're all really good.

Take David Archuleta (No. 1), about whom I've written a number of times. He's a 16-year-old tiny li'l Mormon boy who sings like an Osmond. He can play the piano, and he's overcome vocal paralysis.

And, he's already mastered Star Search as a 12-year-old. That is a major advantage.

Archuleta is by far the best 16-year-old the show has produced. He is not a future Daughtry or a future singer-songwriter, but he is absolutely a future professional vocalist in some realm. The teen girls will eat him alive, and I suspect despite the heap of abuse he'll get from haters that this season is Archuleta's to lose.

I know many of you will disagree with me, but he has all the ingredients for a long-term run. First, he is actually good; it's not a fluke. However, he's not too good, like a Melinda Doolittle. Second, he's absolutely appealing to both the young girls and the grandmamas. Third, he's undeniably likeable.

A sure bet for the Top 12 is San Diego's Carly Smithson (No. 2). An American by way of Ireland, Carly probably has the most commercial voice of all the contestants. It's edgy, even if she really isn't. She looks like a rebel but has the soul of a girly-girl.

I think she's the contestant most likely to be eliminated in that No. 4 or No. 3 spot, the ones where Chris Daughtry, Tamyra Gray and Doolittle went down. She can win it, absolutely, and might even be the favorite at various points throughout the season.

Australian Michael Johns (No. 3), 29, is one part Mel Gibson and the other part sane (that would be the non-Mel Gibson part). Kidding. He's got a very good voice, and will be the favorite of many women in a Taylor Hicks sort of way because he's got model looks but very dorky movements.

He absolutely could win this, and I think he's a shoo-in for the Top 12.

Just go ahead and count out Danny Noriega (No. 4), the extremely effeminate California teen with a voice that absolutely doesn't match his physique. If Archuleta sounds like a future Osmond, Noriega sounds like a future Sam Harris, and he was the original made-for-TV talent show winner.

Ain't nothing wrong with a future on Broadway, kid.

For me, Asia'h Epperson (No.5) is the one breath of soulful fresh air we have in this competition. Take me very literally when I say that Asia'h's rendition of Mary J. Blige's "I'm Goin' Down" had just the right amount of street in it. Not only does she have a great voice, she has an edge -- an edge I seem to recall Fantasia Barrino had.

Yes, we know that her father died one day before her initial audition. But she doesn't need the storyline. Asia'h is a for-sure Top 12 Idol contestant, and a real shot to win.

Those are my Top 5 for Season 7 thus far. However, there are five others who, for any number of reasons, could win this bugger. In no random order, they are: Kristy Lee Cook, Robbie Carrico, Kady Malloy, Syesha Mercado and Jason Castro.

Over the next seven days, I'll profile most of the Top 24 on american-idol-blog.com, so check us out over there.