Updated 4/17/10 

QB RB WR TE OT G C NT DT 3-4 DE DE RLB OLB MLB CB S K P

100 Once in a decade prospect 

95-99 Elite talent 

90-95 Solid top 10 pick 

85-90 Solid first round pick 

80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 

75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 

70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 

65-70 3rd-4th round pick 

60-65 4th-5th round pick 

55-60 5th round pick 

50-55 6th round pick 

45-50 7th round pick 

40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 

30-40 Career practice squader 

20-30 No NFL future 

0-20 No football future 

 

1. Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) 99

People who love stats get high off of Suh’s stat card. Over the last two years, Suh has 158 tackles, 19 sacks, 3 picks, and 2 touchdowns all as a 6-4 300 pound defensive tackle. He also led his team in pass breakups this year with 10. There’s a reason he received the most Heisman votes of any defensive lineman in NCAA Football history. He may be the most dominant defensive lineman of the decade. He can play both the 3-4 defensive end position and the 4-3 defensive tackle position. He will make a huge impact on the huge from the moment he enters the NFL. I can’t see him falling past the Lions at #2 and he could be the first defensive tackle to go #1 overall since Dan Wilkinson in 1994.

2. Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) 96

If it weren’t for Suh, we’d all be singing McCoy’s praises right now. He would have been a lock first round pick last year and he came back and followed up his 6.5 sacks in 2008 with a repeat performance this year of 6.5 sacks. He is a top ten pick lock and could go in the top 3, along with Suh, the first time a defensive tackle has gone in the top 3 since 2000. He would be an ideal fit as a 4-3 one gap penetrator in a zone scheme defense but he can play the 3-4 as a defensive end and all 4-3 schemes.

3. Dan Williams (Tennessee) 86

1/30/10: Williams was a big disruptive force all game and really pushed the defensive line back in a big way. However, what really impressed me is, at 325 pounds, how mobile he is. He moved around great and actually covered a running back and prevented him from catching the ball out of the backfield. He also had a pass deflection. He can play any scheme, unlike Terrence Cody. He’s big enough to play 3-4, but also fast and agile enough to play defensive tackle in a 4-3, and he actually has experience in a cover 2 scheme at Tennessee so, despite his size, he can play that scheme at the next level. I can’t see him falling past Tennessee at 16, who needs a big defensive tackle to play in their cover 2 defense. I currently have him ranked as the top nose tackle ahead of Terrence Cody because of his scheme versatility, even though Cody is a better natural run stopper. Cody also weighed in at 15 pounds higher than expected at his weigh in which is not good.

Williams is the more versatile of the two elite nose tackle prospects this year as he can also play 4-3 defensive tackle and is a true 3 down nose tackle. He moves extremely well for his size and gets a great push up front, but he is nowhere near as physically dominant as Cody.

4. Jared Odrick (Penn State) 85

1/27/10: After Suh and McCoy go off the board early, Odrick makes a great case to be the next 3-4 defensive end chosen by displaying great agility, size, and hand use this week. He could also push Brian Price to be the 3^rd defensive tackle chosen as well.

Very good agility for his size and good use of his hands to shed blockers, but a DUI back in March of 2009 could hurt his stock. He fits one gap penetrating schemes and also as a 3-4 defensive end. I think he actually would be better at the next level as a 3-4 defensive end which is good because a ton of teams have switched to the 3-4 lately creating a bigger need for natural 3-4 defensive ends like Odrick.

5. Brian Price (UCLA) 85

Burst onto the scene with 7 sacks as a junior this year and should be able to turn that into a first round selection. He may be a bit of a one hit wonder, but if he continues his physical dominance at the next level, he will be a very solid player in the NFL as either a 4-3 defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end.

6. Tyson Alualu (California) 79

Not a great athlete, but makes up for it with hustle and work ethic which is a major plus for his draft stock in my eyes. He also has experience in a 3-4 scheme as a defensive end, which gives him an advantage over the other 3-4 defensive end prospects in this draft class. He has 13 sacks over the last 2 years and always seems to be in good position to make the tackle. He isn’t an ideal 4-3 defensive tackle at 4-3, but he’ll fit some schemes and can move inside on nickel packages. He can also play some 4-3 left end depending on how a team views him because he has experience as an edge rusher.

7. Mike Neal (Purdue) 79                  

1/30/10: Neal had a bunch of nice hustle plays that won’t really show up on the stat sheet and was a huge part of the front 7 domination by the north. He’s a big undersized to be a defensive tackle, but he fits perfectly as a Darnell Dockett type 3-4 defensive end and I think he goes in the 2nd round.

One of my favorite sleeper prospects, a 4^th round pick in many people’s eyes, but a 2^nd round prospect here. 10 sacks in 2 years is good, a 4.95 40 at 6-4 300 pounds is better, actually I’m surprised he’s not getting more hype, but the best thing about him is his tenacity and his hustle on the field. Some smart GM could snatch him in the 2^nd or 3^rd round so he’s likely going to a good home. He reminds me of Darnell Dockett.

 

8. LaMarr Houston (Texas) 78                                      

3/1/10: There were questions about his height and because of that, his ability to play 3-4 end, but measuring in at 6-3 instead of 6-1 or 6-2 will help. So will a 4.85 40 at 305 pounds and 30 reps on the bench press.

1/30/10: He had a nice hustle play on a 4th down stop, in which he snuck into the backfield and made the play and overall he just showed why he was one of the best players on Texas’ defense last year with 7 sacks. This game, along with favorable reports out of Senior Bowl practice week, could shoot him into the 2nd round.

A bright spot on a relatively weak Texas defense this year, at least in relation to the offense. He stepped up big time in the National Championship game with 10 tackles and a sack and ended up with 7 sacks on the season against elite competition. He’s a nice 3^rd round sleeper with upside, but his form needs some correction and he’s undersized height wise at 6-1 or 6-2.

9. Arthur Jones (Syracuse) 73

An amazing physical specimen who has shown flashes of brilliance on the field, but has never quite put it together enough for me to consider him a 1^st round prospect. Because of a knee injury late last season, he won’t be a 1^st round prospect and if his knee doesn’t check out at the combine, he could slip even more.

10. Vince Oghobaase (Duke) 69                         

3/1/10: On a day of fast 40 times for defensive tackles, that 5.43 40 is going to stand out in a bad way. Especially since he only put up 27 reps on the bench at 303 pounds. I have a feeling his knee might not be 100% which is bad for his stock.

I loved him before the season, but injuries and inconsistencies on the field have brought him back down my board after I called him a 1^st round prospect last year. If he can put it all together, he’s a fierce intimidating force on the defensive line as a 315 pound pass rusher who can control multiple blockers and make the edge rushers even better. He can play in both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes.

11. Geno Atkins (Georgia) 62                                 

3/1/10: On a day of surprisingly fast 40 times for defensive tackles, it would take a lot to get noticed. A 4.75 at 293 pounds with 34 reps on the bench press will do that.

1/30/10: He’s an undersized defensive tackle who hasn’t been good since his sophomore year, but he did make a few nice hustle plays to break up the play in the backfield and actually ran down a running back from behind at one point, something very few defensive tackles can do.

Showed himself as one of the more athletic defensive tackles in the combine and he showed his pass rushing skills as a defensive tackle in the Senior Bowl. He didn’t do much at Georgia over the last two years which is why I am not considering him a 3^rd rounder yet. I wouldn’t do that based on purely his Draft Pre-Season, but he did have 7 sacks as a sophomore in 2007. He lacks elite size at 6-1 293 and I don’t think he can play 3-4 end because of his lack of height.

12. Jeff Owens (Georgia) 58

An athletic freak with huge upside and great measurables with 44 reps of 225 pounds and a 4.97 40 at 6-1 304, but the on the field production was not there and the tape isn’t very good despite Georgia’s strong defensive line as a whole. He’s a risk and Al Davis could draft him in the 2^nd, but he has some upside.

13. Jay Ross (East Carolina) 57

4/2/10: I don’t get this decision. Ross played all of his college career at 315-320 pounds. He played fine and could have been a nose tackle in the NFL and gotten drafted about 2 rounds earlier than if he had not been viewed as a nose tackle prospect. The weigh was not hampering his agility. Yet, he still decided to drop 13 pounds, to 302, which is not nose tackle size. It helped his 40 time, 4.99, but losing the ability to play that coveted position hurts his stock. Instead of 4th round range, he’s looking at 5th or 6th. I drop him from a late 3rd round prospect to a 5th.

Not your average nose tackle, Ross is only 315 pounds, but uses every bit of it to his advantage and uses his hands well. He can also play 4-3 defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end and actually had a pick this season, though a statistic dip from 4.5 sacks last year to 1.5 this year hurt him because of his lack of elite size.

14. D’Anthony Smith (Louisiana Tech) 56

A fairly standard one gap penetrator who can’t play the 3-4, he may get lost among the defensive tackle depth this year because he doesn’t do anything too special.

15. Earl Mitchell (Arizona) 52

Undersized at 285, and a former tight end so his frame may be maxed out, but 6 sacks last year in the Pac 10 is something intriguing. He’s only a 4-3 guy, but he’s learned the position well and improves every week with a strong motor so he has some upside.

16. Mick Williams (Pittsburgh) 49

17. Nate Collins (Virginia) 47

18. Swanson Miller (Oklahoma State) 45

19. Alan-Michael Cash (NC State) 45

20. Boo Robinson (Wake Forest) 42

 

 

QB RB WR TE OT G C NT DT 3-4 DE DE RLB OLB MLB CB S K P

Updated 4/17/10 

100 Once in a decade prospect 

95-99 Elite talent 

90-95 Solid top 10 pick 

85-90 Solid first round pick 

80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 

75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 

70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 

65-70 3rd-4th round pick 

60-65 4th-5th round pick 

55-60 5th round pick 

50-55 6th round pick 

45-50 7th round pick 

40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 

30-40 Career practice squader 

20-30 No NFL future 

0-20 No football future 

 

1. Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech) 91

Great combination of size and speed, and more important an excellent motor and initial explosiveness. He had 12 sacks this year and was also strong against the run at 275 pounds. The only thing stopping him from being a top ten pick lock is the fact that he won’t transition well to a 3-4 scheme, though I wouldn’t be surprised if a team tried to convert him to a 3-4 rush linebacker, though that’d be a mistake. He still has a good shot of going in the top ten and I think he has top ten talent at a position of huge value in the NFL.

2. Brandon Graham (Michigan) 87                     

3/1/10: Graham wasn’t expected to run well but a 4.69 40 at 6-1 268 showing some surprisingly athleticism. He also put up 31 reps of 225 pounds.

1/30/10: Graham had a huge Senior Bowl week. It started out bad when he measured up at just over 6 feet and with the shortest arms of any defensive lineman, but he really impressed in practice and even more so in the game. He won Senior Bowl MVP with 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, a tackle for a loss, and 5 tackles. He was disruptive on almost every play and had more signature plays than any other player. He really hustled and earned a lot of praise from the commentators. He chased down Jarrett Brown, the fastest quarterback on either roster, from behind, something that will only show up on the stat sheet as a tackle. He’s a former linebacker, with an excellent motor and an excellent pass rushing repertoire, but he’s also extremely stout and disruptive against the run. He can play both 4-3 left end and 4-3 right end, in addition to rush linebacker. The commentators compared him to LaMarr Woodley of the Pittsburgh Steelers and I think that compar

ison is dead on. I think he cemented himself as a 1st round pick. 

1/27/10: Measuring in at just over 6 feet at his weigh in isn’t good, but he’s making scouts forget about his lack of height, with his play at practice this week. He has a very solid base and looks like a legitimate defensive line player in the NFL. His form against the run needs to be improved, but he has shown great speed rushing moves in addition to being one of the best young bull rushers at the Senior Bowl. If he can impress in coverage, he could be a 1^st round pick as either a defensive end or rush linebacker.

With 29 sacks in the last 3 years against Big 10 competition, Graham is a pass rushing machine, but despite his size, he isn’t great against the run. He’s best fit as a rush linebacker at the next level and I can’t see him fitting all schemes. His 40 time isn’t great either so he’ll be viewed as a bit of a tweener by the scouts and that could drop him down in the 3^rd round. He has first round upside as a rush linebacker though despite his lack of height and timed speed, assuming he can transition to a new position well and hold up in pass coverage.

3. Everson Griffen (USC) 85

3/1/10: Griffen put on about 10 pounds this season bulking up to 273 and there were some concerns about how he would carry the weight. After he ran a 4.64 40 today, those concerns should be gone. He also put up 32 reps of 225 pounds.

It’ll be interesting to see what he runs at the combine. He’s rumored to be able to run a 4.5 40, but he also put on 10 pounds of muscle this season so I’m not sure he can still run that fast. If he can, his stock could soar even though he never really did anything of note at USC in 3 seasons. 7 sacks this year after 9 combined in his first two years show good improvement and his run blocking form got a lot better this season with the added weight, but if his 40 time suffers, he may only be looked at as a left end, rather than a right end or rush linebacker. He’s still a major project either way.

4. Jerry Hughes (TCU) 83

26 sacks in the last 2 years for TCU for a guy just learning the defensive end position, after playing running back for most of his football career, is amazing, but he may be maxed out bulk wise at 257 pounds and he doesn’t have ideal height at 6-2. He’s a better fit as a rush linebacker, but he can play on the line some, though he’d be a liability against the run. He has a great motor and has shown plasticity and ability to learn new positions in the past. He also has good hands because he’s played on the offensive side of the ball before, but I’m not sure about his ability in pass coverage.

5. Carlos Dunlap (Florida) 80

A freakish athlete at 6-6 290 with 4.7 timed speed, we’ll see if he lives up to that at the combine, but he doesn’t seem to try on the field on every play. He makes a lot of big plays, but not nearly enough of the little things. Its like he only wants to fill his stat sheet and not win. He was also suspended late in the season after a DUI. He came back for the Sugar Bowl and had a nice game with 2 sacks, to give him 9 on the season, but 5 of those game in 2 games. He has huge upside, but major character red flags. If he’s this lazy now, imagine how lazy he’ll get if he signs a major NFL contract. Slipping to the 2^nd round could be good for him as he’d have to work to get a major NFL contract, but unfortunately, his upside is so huge that I doubt he actually does slip to the 2^nd round. He could even go as high as 8 to the Raiders.

6. Jason Pierre Paul (South Florida) 79                         

2/27/10: Weighing in at 6-5 270, JPP looked like an absolute physical freak. I can’t wait until his 40 yard dash. He hasn’t performed on a high level yet, but the upside is certainly there.

He’s a junior college legend, but didn’t impress in his first season in Division I with only 6.5 sacks. He’s a really fluid athlete who is comfortable dropping into coverage and he did get into the backfield a lot, though his sacks total was low, so I think he has a good future as a rush linebacker and he does have huge upside, but if he can’t dominate Division I, how can we expect him to the dominate the NFL. He can also play as a 4-3 defensive end, but I think he’s a better fit at rush linebacker.

7. Jermaine Cunningham (Florida) 77                        

2/27/10: As if he wasn’t already my favorite mid round sleeper, Cunningham measured in at 266 pounds today showing that he has the ability to play in the trenches in any 4-3 scheme. This defensive end class gets thin in the mid rounds so Cunningham could be looking at early 3^rd late 2^nd now.

He doesn’t have amazing athleticism, but he has an amazing motor and that’s really half of the battle. He would fit very well as a rush linebacker or a cover 2 defensive end. I think a lot higher of him than most places do and he’ll probably be drafted in the 4^th round at the highest, but he has borderline 2^nd round skills. His fundamentals are very sound.

 

8. Greg Hardy (Mississippi) 73           

3/23/10: I think he saved his stock and may have put himself back into day two consideration at his Pro Day. He lost about 8 pounds (now at 277) and ran 4.79, .8 seconds faster. He’s still talented and some teams may take this improvement and the lost weight as a sign of improvement. I still have my doubts, but this helps.          

3/1/10: First Hardy came to the combine at about 20 pounds heavier than expected and he did not carry that weight well running a 4.87 40. He also put up 21 reps of 225 pounds. He already has the injury prone label and if enough teams give him the lazy label, he won’t go before the 3^rd round.

2/27/10: He looked out of shape weighing in at 281 pounds, 20 more than expected. The injuries issues were already there in large part. The last thing he needed was concerns about his work ethic and character.

If he can put injuries behind him, he could be a very good player at the next level. He has 24 sacks over the last 3 years despite injuries and had 5.5 this year in 8 games and he has the skills to be a top ten pick, but he always seems to hurt something. He’ll probably be a 2^nd round pick which could actually be good for him, teach him not to be complacent as so many defensive lineman who sign big deals become.

9. Alex Carrington (Arkansas State) 70

1/27/10: He has carried his late season momentum into his Senior Bowl week and has stepped up as one of the most dominant defensive line prospects at the Senior Bowl, which is a bit of a surprise because he’s not used to top notch competition. He also has excellent size and athleticism.

A very strong prospect of a small school kid with 10 sacks in 2008 at 6-5 285, but he struggled some in 2009. He did end up with 9 sacks, but 6 of then were in his last 3 games, including an amazing 4 sack showing in the season finale. He is still a nice mid round prospect with similar measurables to Tyson Jackson who went #3 overall last year. He can play 4-3 left end and 3-4 defensive end and maybe some 4-3 defensive tackle in nickel packages, but his best fit is as a 3-4 defensive end where I think he’s a future starter. The level of competition is an issue for him though.

10. Corey Wootton (Northwestern) 70

A very fluid athlete with good size at 6-7 280 and can play both 4-3 left end and 3-4 defensive end. After 10 sacks last season, he could have been a 2^nd round pick, but he had knee surgery this offseason and only bounced back with 3.5 sacks this season, so I don’t think he’s much but upside here, but there’s definitely upside for him if he can put his injuries behind him. He could have gone in the 1^st round with a strong season this season, but I think he’s a 3^rd round pick at best right now, but someone could snatch him up in the 2^nd round if they love his upside and are convinced his knee is fine.

11. Austin Lane (Murray State) 66

1/27/10: First he showed up looking great at his weigh in, weighing in at 265 pounds at 6-6, adding a necessary 8-10 pounds to his frame, and to back that up, he’s looked great ob the field in practice showing that this small school kid can hang with the big boys. He has the athleticism to play rush linebacker in addition to defensive end.

The level of competition is an issue for him, but he certainly looks the part of an NFL pass rusher. He has a good refined repertoire of passing moves, but he lacks elite size and doesn’t have very fluid hips. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not he projects as a rush linebacker at the next level because he’s a little small for the trenches in the NFL.  

12. Willie Young (NC State) 66

He had eight sacks this season and has good long arms and athleticism, but at his size, 250 pounds, he’s probably only a nickel rusher in 4-3 systems, so he’ll have to try to convert to rush linebacker and I’m not yet convinced he can. He’s poor against the run, even for his size and his 40 time (4.68-4.72) isn’t going to blow anyone out of the water. 

13. CJ Wilson (East Carolina) 63                            

3/1/10: A very underrated left end prospect, but a 4.75 40 at 290 will get him noticed, as will 32 reps on the bench press. He could be looking at the 4^th round after some slow defensive end times today.

A very athletic left end, with 15 sacks over the last two years and the size to play on the line in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 scheme. He’s a bit of a project, but I love his upside with his athleticism and I think he can be a starting left end in the NFL in a few years.

14. Koa Misi (Utah) 63

1/27/10: Believe it or not, Misi played defensive end at Utah. You wouldn’t know it from looking at him play linebacker this week in Mobile. He has shown great fluidity in pass coverage and looked like a natural linebacker. He’s also making a lot of nice hits. That definitely helps his stock as he doesn’t have the size to play in the trenches in the NFL.

He’s an undersized defensive end with a strong motor to make up for it, but he looked like a natural outside linebacker playing that position in the Senior Bowl. He’s a risk because he has to play rush linebacker, a position he didn’t play in college, but I love his motor and I think he could be a solid rush linebacker in the future.

15. Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (Washington) 58

An unknown pass rusher with an unpronounceable name, who has quietly put up 18 sacks over the last 2 years against some good Pac 10 competition. He was a little small before the combine, but bulked up and still managed to shave some time off of his projected time. The elite natural athleticism is not there, but he has the work ethic and the on the field motor to make up for it. He should have a future in the NFL as either a defensive end or a rush linebacker.

16. Lindsey Witten (Connecticut) 56

Started off 2009, with a bang, but ended quietly. He lacks the size to be an every down trench rusher at the next level and the tape is really inconsistent on him. There is some upside here, but not a ton.

17. Brandon Lang (Troy) 55

He undersized pass rusher who ran in the 4.9s at the Combine so he may have trouble getting drafted in the first 4 rounds as a future starting type defensive end. He could be a decent nickel rusher in the future, because his 17.5 sacks in the last 2 years are fairly impressive, but the lack of speed and weaker competition makes that less likely. I think it’s safe to say that he won’t be as good as Troy’s last elite pass rusher, DeMarcus Ware.

18. Alex Daniels (Cincinnati) 54

He has the measurables you look for out of a future starting end, sub 4.7 speed, 4.55, and over 260 pounds, 265, but that 40 time was at his Pro Day and it just seemed like everyone was running faster than usual at Cincinnati’s Pro Day that day. He also has one year wonder written all over him. Before this year, in which he had 8 sacks, he only had 1 in his college career. He may even be a one game wonder. 4 of his 8 sacks this year came in one game. He’s not strong against the run, so if he’s not an elite pass rusher, I don’t think he’ll be very valuable in the NFL, though some teams are going to take a chance on him in the 6^th as they look for valuable defensive end depth.

19. Brandon Sharpe (Texas Tech) 53

20. Antonio Coleman (Auburn) 53

21. George Selvie (South Florida) 52

22. Cameron Sheffield (Troy) 52

23. Kevin Basped (Nevada) 47

24. John Fletcher (Wyoming) 46

25. Chris McCoy (Middle Tennessee State) 45

26. Jeffery Fitzgerald (Kansas State) 42

27. Greg Middleton (Indiana) 42                        

28. George Johnson (Rutgers) 41

 

Hello, my name is Dean Holden, and I have been writing Detroit Lions for about two years, and a fan for about 20. On January 8, 2000, when the Lions were last in the playoffs, I was 13, and I missed the game. I don’t remember why. I had no idea I would be waiting this long to get another chance, but I’m primed and ready for it to happen, and soon. I would like to make a career out of writing about the Lions, but even if I don’t, I can’t see myself ever stopping. I love this team, and it’s going to take more than a decade-long playoff drought or winless season to shake me. It’s going to make the turnaround that much sweeter.

When I’m not watching the Lions (or another Detroit sports team), I’m an avid video gamer. I tend to play a little of everything, but I’m a particularly big fan of RPGs and tactical strategy games. I like my video games to require as much brainpower as reaction time, just like a good QB.

Feel free to contact me on Twitter and my other blog sites!

Twitter: Dean_Holden

Blog: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/category/detroitlions/

OR

http://bleacherreport.com/users/64307-dean-holden