1. DT/3-4 DE 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. QB Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame) 98

Didn’t step up clutch in close games last year, but still had a hell of a statistical year for a mere junior throwing 28 touchdowns to 4 picks and averaging 8.8 YPA out of a pro style offense. It’s safe to say that while he lost a lot of close games, all 6 of his losses were by a touchdown or less, Notre Dame would have gotten destroyed without him. He played his best in big games and got absolutely no help from his defense. He has experience playing behind a poor offensively line, which he’ll likely have to do in the NFL if he goes top 5 as he’s projected, and he played most of last season through an injured foot, showing his toughness. He’s the top quarterback prospect in this draft class and gets a 98 rating. For the record, Matt Stafford got a 97 last year.

3. OT Russell Okung (Oklahoma State) 98

He’s got excellent footwork and good zone versatility. He has the agility, athleticism, and footwork to be an elite zone blocking left tackle, but he also has good strength, though not elite, and can take down defensive ends one-on-one. His footwork is his best attribute and he is strong as a run blocker and as a pass blocker.

4. S Eric Berry (Tennessee) 97

Berry didn’t have as many picks this year, 2, as he had in his first 2 years at Tennessee, 12, but that barely will effect his stock. He’s a real ballhawk in the defensive backfield and patrols zone very well with excellent instincts, but he also has above average coverage skills for a safety and has spent some time at cornerback, in addition to free safety and strong safety. He hits hard, but because of his size, 5-11 200, he projects as a free safety at the next level. In his NFL career he is going to break up plenty of passes, get plenty of tackles, picks, etc and could be the first defensive back to go in the top 3 the last 13 years this year if Tampa Bay falls in love with him.

5. DT/3-4 DE 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.

6. MLB Rolando McClain (Alabama) 92

3-4 middle linebackers prospects rarely go top 10, but McClain might be an exception. At age 21, McClain is drawing some pretty warranted, though still premature, comparisons to Ray Lewis. In 3 years, McClain has 270 tackles, 5 picks, and 8 sacks. Beyond the numbers, I haven’t seen a linebacker as big as him move as well as he does. At 258 pounds, he was able to chase Tim Tebow down from behind and he could run a low 4.6 40. He’s a huge thumper and a great fundamental tackler. 270 tackles in 3 years doesn’t seem like much for a middle linebacker, but when you consider he’s a 3-4 middle linebacker and those 3 years were freshman-junior and not sophomore-senior, that’s impressive. Of all I have seen of him, he hasn’t done one thing one. He drops back into coverage with great skill already at his young age and he’s a former defensive end so he’ll be excellent on blitz packages in the NFL. Because he already has experience in a 3-4, there will be no major learning curve for him when a 3-4 team drafts him, but I do have some concerns about which positions he can play in a 4-3. I’m pretty sure he’ll fit as a 4-3 middle linebacker, but not sure about 4-3 strong outside linebacker.

7. DE 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 possession of huge value in the NFL.

8. CB Joe Haden (Florida) 91

A former quarterback and wide receiver, Haden has all of the physical tools necessary for the NFL and he showed this year that he can be an amazing shutdown corner. He plays with great physicality and strength and uses those to shutdown the opposing wide receiver. He doesn’t scream #1 corner at me just yet, but he’s only 20 and in his 3^rd year playing the position so if his development continues as it should, the sky is the limit for him. He is good against the run and as a blitzer which are rare, but useful skills for a cornerback to have.

9. WR Damian Williams (USC) 87

Doesn’t get the big hype of guys like Dez Bryant and Golden Tate, but I think he’s the best overall wide receiver in this draft class because he possesses two traits, in addition to his natural athleticism, that very few wide receivers his age do, good route running, and a humble personality. He really knows how to get open and catch the ball at the best possible point and he’s not one to complain if a quarterback doesn’t throw to him. He’d be a perfect fit for a west coast offense and he can also return punts. He hasn’t been off the charts in terms of production, but he’s led the Trojans in catches and receiving yards in each of the last two years and had 70 catches for 1010 yards and 6 touchdowns this year in a pro style offense, despite having a true freshman at quarterback.

10. OT Anthony Davis (Rutgers) 87

He’s that Jason Peters type left tackle, overrated against the pass, but a huge mauler against the run. He’s only 20 years old and is still inexperienced at the left tackle position and has huge upside as a pass blocker, but right now the 330 pound tackle’s best attribute is his mauling run blocking and ability to use his large frame to his advantage.

11. TE Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma State) 87

Despite being injured all season, he’s still an elite tight end at the next level. Assuming his knee holds up strong through the combine and in team workouts, he’s a lock to be the first tight end off the board and a first round pick. He’s big, 6-6 260, and fast mid 4.6 40, and has amazingly soft hands. He’s not afraid to go over the middle and he’d be a welcome target for any quarterback in the league. He put together one of the greatest statistical seasons ever by a tight end in 2008 with 66 catches for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns and would have been the first tight end off the board in 2008 had he declared.

12. S Earl Thomas (Texas) 87

Undersized and has poor tackling form, but he hits hard and his fundamental tackling issues can be corrected. He’s only 20 years old, but he had 8 picks this year showing his ballhawking abilities as a free safety. He has decent coverage skills too and could be looked at as a cornerback, though he has more value as a safety. His only issue will be at 5-11 190, fighting through the physicality at the line of scrimmage on running plays, and also, as is the case for someone who plays as wildly as he does at a small size, injuries in the future could be a concern.

13. QB Tim Tebow (Florida) 87

Showed in the Sugar Bowl his ability to throw the football and step up in big games by throwing more touchdowns than incompletions, but his mechanics are still poor. However, I don’t believe he has a single mechanical issue that can’t be fixed at the next level and he’s an extremely hard worker. His intangibles are off the chart. Right now the #10 pick is his to lose, based off of the comments Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver made about him earlier this season, so he’ll need to step it up once again in the Senior Bowl.

14. NT Terrence Cody (Alabama) 87

He may only be a two down nose tackle in the NFL, but so are Kris Jenkins and Jamal Williams and most are hugely important to their teams success. With so many teams switching to the 3-4 defense and so few of them having true 3-4 nose tackles, Cody could be a hot commodity this year going as high as 5 to the Chiefs and I think no lower than #29 to the Chargers.

15. CB Donovan Warren (Michigan) 86

Not getting the hype yet, but I’m not sure why. This former elite recruit had an amazing freshman year, but a down year in his sophomore year, before bouncing back in an amazing why this year as a junior. Guys simply didn’t throw on him because he was able to turn some of the best receivers into guys that simply weren’t open. Despite not getting thrown on a ton, he managed 66 tackles and 4 interceptions, showing his good hands, position, and strength against the run. Despite being only 6-0 182, he’s very physical against the run and against his man and for that he has drawn premature comparisons to former Michigan great Charles Woodson.

16. OT Bryan Bulaga (Iowa) 86

A very athletic offensive tackle who has had some trouble with injuries in the past, but he has the ability to play both left and right tackle at the next level. He moves well for his size and has big upside, but too often gets knocked over and doesn’t use his size with good leverage.

17. OLB/MLB Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) 86

3 very solid years during his time at Missouri with 376 tackles, 12 sacks, and 4 picks in his last 3 years. His a very smart player on defense and a good leader on what was not supposed to be a good Missouri defense this year. He doesn’t play the most important position which will keep him out of the top 20, where he deserves to go, but he’s a solid athlete with good fundamentals and instincts, and can play both 4-3 outside linebacker spots, plus some 3-4 middle linebacker, so the versatility is there as well. He could be one of the best linebackers in the league in the near future.

18. WR Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State) 86

Suspended for something bizarre, but that shouldn’t hurt his draft stock too much. The character red flags are there and he doesn’t always seem to have his head in the game. He drops way too many passes and isn’t a good route runner, but he’s going to be an excellent #2 deep threat at the next level at worst. He has an amazing size, speed combination and is extremely dangerous in the open field.

19. RB Jahvid Best (California) 86

He could fall below CJ Spiller in the draft because of his concussion late in the season, but he’s a more complete player than Spiller. He’s got more explosive legs, he’s a better runner in between the tackles, and his 40 time is probably going to be faster. They are comparable players in terms of pure speed, but Spiller is more of a straight line runner while Best has better running back skills like initial explosion and good change of direction.

20. QB Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) 85

Quite the opposite of Clausen, he’s a proven winner with very mature decision making, but he doesn’t have Clausen’s arm or experience in a pro style offense. There’s no denying the season he had in 2008, but the fact that when Bradford got hurt this year, his freshman backup was actually able to put up close to similar numbers may show that Bradford is just a system quarterback. Then of course there’s his injured shoulder which is a red flag. He has a better arm than about 90% of the quarterbacks in this draft class, and his decision making is great, but there are some red flags here.

21. DT/3-4 DE 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.

22. OT Charles Brown (USC) 85

A former blocking tight end, who I believe will need to weigh in at least at 300 pounds to get drafted in the first round. Very few offensive tackles ever get drafted in the 1^st round at less than 300 pounds. His first weigh in will be at the Senior Bowl next week so we’ll see how he weighs in. If he can bulk up to 305-310 pounds he could be a dominant left tackle at the next level. He has amazing footwork for his age and experience in a zone style blocking scheme at USC so he is going to be one of the more coveted left tackles by teams who use zone blocking schemes. 

23. MLB Brandon Spikes  (Florida) 85

Spikes could slip out of the first round because of his position. He may have made a mistake by returning to school this year. Not only did his tackles total drop for the 2^nd straight year, from 131 to 87 to 52, he was also exposed in coverage a lot, though he did have two picks, and he had some injuries issues, as well as one character red flag when he tried to poke out the eye of an exposing player through his facemask. He may just be a 2 down run stopping middle linebacker at the next level unless he can improve in coverage.

24. RB CJ Spiller (Clemson) 84

Has had trouble staying healthy in college and his career YPC does not suggest good running back skills, but he has a place in the NFL. He’s way too fast and agile to not have one. He can return kicks, return punts, and can serve as a 3^rd down back or wildcat, but unlike Best I don’t think he’s a feature back at the next level.

25. WR  Brandon LaFell (LSU) 84

The perfect fit for a run heavy pro style offense because he has experience running pro style routes and he’s an amazing run blocker for his age. His frame is still a bit wiry and that could lead to injuries at the next level as he tries to make some of the crazy catches he made in college, but he’s certainly not afraid of anything and will throw his body around for the ball fearlessly. 57 catches for 792 yards doesn’t seem like much for a senior season, but when you consider that LSU passed 336 times this season, all of a sudden those numbers look really good. He was by far the most dominant end zone threat on his roster and his 11 touchdowns more than tripled the total of the guy who was second on the team. He’s got good height, good hands, good fearlessness, good run blocking, and a good red zone presence, but needs to put on more muscle and he’s not fast in comparison to some of the receivers in this draft class.

26. OT Bruce Campbell (Maryland) 84

If scouts can look past his history of injuries, he could get drafted in the top ten, but I don’t think they will be able to, so he could slip. He’d be best fit in a zone blocking scheme and he has amazing athleticism, but I haven’t seen it brought out of him enough yet for me to consider him a top ten pick. However, that 4.95 40 at 6-7 315 could turn heads, especially Al Davis’ head, unless he can’t turn his head without it falling off.

27. S Chad Jones (LSU) 84

The top strong safety in this draft class, he hits like a linebacker at 6-3 235, but also has experience starting at cornerback for a National Championship team as a freshman so you know his coverage skills are at least decent. He doesn’t have Taylor Mays’ measureables, particularly great timed speed, but he is a better strong safety prospect than Mays and should be drafted first, though I doubt he will be.

28. DE/RLB Everson Griffen (USC) 84

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.

29. RB Jonathan Dwyer (Georgia Tech) 84

Excellent size, but he put on a lot of weight from last season to this season and looked a lot more sluggish this year as a result, though his stats don’t suggest he struggled. He also played in a weird offense that just isn’t used in the NFL so you have to wonder how he would have fared statistically being overweight and in a normal offense. However, he’s got all the physical tools and is still projected to run a mid 4.4 40 at 235 pounds which is amazing so someone is going to snatch him early on upside alone.

30. NT/DT Dan Williams (Tennessee) 83

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.

31. DT/3-4 DE  Jared Odrick (Penn State) 83

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.

32. RLB/DE 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.

33. RLB/OLB Eric Norwood (South Carolina) 82

He has experience playing standing up at South Carolina, despite being a defensive end, and he has looked dropping back into coverage on occasion as well so those are major pluses for rush linebacker prospects that can be so unpredictable. He also has 30 sacks in his 4 year career at South Carolina and had 7.5 this year, so he’s a good pass rusher as well, though not a great one. He’s versatile and can play 4-3 strong outside linebacker and maybe even some 3-4 middle linebacker. His 40 time for his weight could keep him out of the first round.

34. WR Golden Tate (Notre Dame) 82

His production 151 catches for 2576 yards and 25 scores over the last two years, in a pro style offense is amazing, but he may be maxed out athletically and he doesn’t have a great upside. His 40 time is poor for his size and he may have trouble finding a niche as a wide receiver at the next level. A lot of his statistical prowess can be attributed to having Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, but he should still be a fine #2 wide receiver at the next level because he has very reliable hands and runs good routes for someone his age.

35. S Taylor Mays (USC) 82

Would have been a lock to go #7 to the Raiders last year, assuming his 6-3 230 4.3 measurables lived up to their expectations at the combine, but returned to school and that may have been a mistake. He was really exposed in coverage this year and will need Al Davis bailing him out to go in the top 15, though I think he stays in the first round. National media has come down on Mays this year, but not enough. He plays way too out of control and doesn’t wrap up tackles well and his coverage skills are very poor. Unless he gets some good coaching, not out of the question, his upside may be as a Roy Williams type safety or a cover 2 linebacker. His potential though is that of a bigger Troy Polamalu though.

36. DE/RLB Brandon Graham (Michigan) 81

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.

37. DE Greg Hardy (Mississippi) 81

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.

38. CB Trevard Lindley (Kentucky) 80

He had a bit of a down year with a knee injury this year, but when healthy he’s an amazing man on man corner with future #1 corner potential. His wiry frame at 6-1 175 and his lack of elite timed speed will force him out of the 1^st round, where he would have been a lock to go last year before he got hurt.

39. G Mike Iupati (Idaho) 80

A massive offensive guard with the possible ability to kick out to right tackle if he needs to. He completely dominated defensive lineman one on one this season, though he didn’t have the toughest competition, and moves extremely well for his size. We’ll all get a good look at him and the hype that surrounds him at the Senior Bowl next week. He’s already drawing premature comparisons to by far the best guard of the last 20 years, Larry Allen.

40. DE 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.

41. OT Trent Williams (Oklahoma State) 80

Too much of a tweener for me to consider him as a true first round prospect, even with his good athleticism and track record of awards in college. He isn’t a good enough pass blocker at this point to be a longterm left tackle, but he’s not enough of a big mauling run blocking to be a right tackle. His best fit would probably be as a zone blocking run tackle at this point, but with his upside he could do a lot more.

42. WR Dezmon Briscoe (Kansas) 80

A handful to take down in the open field and a great red zone presence, but he doesn’t run routes well, his 40 time and straight line speed are very poor, and his strong stats came in a weird offense that inflates stats. Still, he can be coached into being a good route runner and if he is, he’ll be a very dangerous wide receiver because he moves and breaks tackles like a running back in the open field. He may be a late bloomer as a wide receiver, but he has good upside and could contribute right away in a big way in a spread style offense.

43. CB Brandon Ghee (Wake Forest) 79

Excellent size for a corner at 6-1 195 and he used that size to frustrate corners this year. His stats don’t jump out at you with only 1 interception in his entire college career, but he has 4 forced fumbles which is amazing for his position and he’s got good shutdown abilities and great athleticism. He projects as a nice #2 corner or nickelback at worst.

44. 3-4 DE/DT Tyson Alualu (California) 79

Not a great athlete, but makes up for in 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.

45. OT Ciron Black (LSU) 79

A highly decorated offensive tackle that doesn’t have the athleticism or pass blocking skills to be a left tackle longterm because he’ll be burnt too often, but his strengths against the run could get him drafted in the 2^nd round as a right tackle. He may be the best pure right tackle in this draft class.

46. RB Ryan Matthews (Fresno State) 79

He’s a bit of a one hit wonder but with 1808 yards and 19 touchdowns on a 6.6 average, some teams are going to look past that like they did with former one hit wonders Donald Brown and Rashard Mendenhall, who both went in the first round. He runs a bit upright, but he has very refined pass blocking and pass catching abilities for his age and doesn’t fumble often. He has all the makings of a future feature back, though admittedly I’d like to see one more great season on his stat sheet just for him to prove that he can do it again and again, though you can’t really blame him because he was mostly a #2 back or goal line back throughout his first two years at Fresno State.

47. OT Jason Fox (Miami) 78

Purely a zone blocking left tackle at the next level, but he’s got good upside. He could have been a first round pick before injuries struck him late in the season. However, there are enough terms using zone blocking schemes in the NFL this year for him to get drafted early in the 2^nd round unless his injuries don’t check out as fine at the combine.

48. 3-4 DE/DT Mike Neal (Purdue) 78

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.

49. CB/WR Javier Arenas (Alabama) 78

He could be a decent nickelback and showed good abilities at the cornerback position this year in his 2^nd full season at the position, with 70 tackles, 5 sacks, and 5 picks, but his value is as a kick returner. He is one of, if not the best kick returners in the nation so in addition to being a solid nickel corner at the next level, he’ll be a great kick returner as well. He may also pull a Devin Hester and switch over to wide receiver as he’s shown good hands and abilities in the open field.

50. G/OT Mike Johnson (Alabama) 78

He probably wouldn’t be a top 10 tackle without his ability to play guard, but he’s an amazing run blocker. He blocked for Glen Coffee in 2008 and Mark Ingram in 2009. He’s not a big mauling run blocker, but his technique is amazing and he should be drafted in the 2^nd or maybe 3^rd round as a right tackle or right guard.

51. MLB Sean Lee (Penn State) 78

Another one of those guys who can’t stay healthy, so that’s a red flag for a guy with 1^st round talent. Despite all the games he has missed, he does have 313 tackles, 8 sacks, and 3 picks in the last 3 years. He has great fundamentals and is a stereotypical big 10 linebacker (see James Laurinaitis, Paul Posluszny, and AJ Hawk), but he could drop the 3^rd round because of concerns about his athleticism and health.

52. OLB/MLB Roddrick Muckelroy (Texas) 78

Doesn’t get huge hype, but he was the leader of Texas’s defense this year and he’s a tremendous athlete. He has 182 tackles, 2 sacks, and a pick in the last 2 years, but he showed me a lot more than his statistics when I saw him on the field. He moves well and has great instincts. He can play middle linebacker in all schemes in addition to outside linebacker.

53. S Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech) 78

Might get lost in this strong safety class, but 227 tackles and 14 picks in 3 years is something to give a closer look, especially when you combine it with great athleticism at 21 years old. Burnett is on the big side for a safety, but can still play both safety positions well. However, if need for safeties is weak this year, he could slip to the 3^rd round.

54. RLB/DE Jason Pierre Paul (South Florida) 78

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.

55. TE Rob Gronkowski (Arizona) 78

Surprisingly enough, the top two tight ends in this draft class didn’t play all season. Gronkowski has been amazing statistically in his career, but he hasn’t given scouts much of a statistical sample. He wasn’t a full time tight end as a freshman, he missed 3 games with mono as a sophomore, and back surgery cost him his entire junior season. However, what I do like about his state that is good going forward if his career 16 YPC, meaning he was extremely athletic and tough to bring down in the open field because its very unlike a quarterback is repeatedly throwing to a tight end 16 yards down field. Also 16 of his 75 catches in his short career were for touchdowns showing once again his physical dominance. Good ability in the open field and end zone dominance are a very good combination for a young tight end. He’s a big moving target at 6-6 270 and can run a 4.7 40 assuming his back is fully healed. He has football and sports in general in his blood. And he’s still 20 so his upside is huge. He would have been the top tight end in 2011 had he returned to school and been healthy so I’m a bit puzzled as to why he didn’t. This year he’s looking at anywhere from 2^nd to 4^th tight end off the board depending on how scouts see him bounce back from injury in workouts. That would mean 2^nd or 3^rd round range for him.

56. S Nate Allen (South Florida) 77

A very fundamentally sound free safety with 10 picks in the last 3 years, he has great instincts and takes good routes to the ball and at 6-2 he’s above average height wise for a free safety. But, like Burnett he could get lost in this safety class.

57. WR Eric Decker (Minnesota) 77

What you see is what you get with him, but what you’re getting is a big consistent #2 option with good hands. He’s not overly athletic, but he’ll be a good red zone threat and possession receiver with his size and good hands. He’ll compliment an inconsistent deep threat very well at the next level, but there isn’t a ton of upside with him.

58. TE Dennis Pitta (BYU) 77

Over an entire career, its tough to find a tight end who was more productive than Pitta. After he came back from his Mormon mission in 2007, Pitta looked like a man among boys catching 204 passes for 2726 yards and 19 touchdowns in three years. The only thing, he practically was a man among boys. Because his mission lasted two years, Pitta is currently 24 years old and does not have a huge upside. He’s probably better than half of the starting tight ends in the league right now with his good agility and soft hands, but scouts don’t really think he’s going to get much better than that. He’d be an ideal fit for a west coast offense and can help a team out right away, but his lack of upside, along with Rob Gronkowski surprisingly declaring for the NFL draft, he could slip to the 3^rd round.

59. S/CB Myron Lewis (Vanderbilt) 76

Suffers from the Sean Smith dilemma, is he a big, slow corner or just a safety. How NFL scouts answer that question could be the difference between 2^nd and 3^rd-4^th round for him. It may help him some that Sean Smith did a decent job in his first year as a starter this year for the Miami Dolphins. The 6-3 205 Lewis had 169 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 5 sacks, and 10 picks in his 4 year career at Vanderbilt.

60. MLB/OLB Daryl Washington (TCU) 76

An excellent refined linebacker for one of the most surprising schools in the country over the past two years, he will fit into any 4-3 scheme, but he’d be best in a cover 2 or zone. However, his lack of elite size 6-3 235, won’t allow him to play in a 3-4. He can play both weak outside linebacker and middle linebacker in a 4-3 and had by far his best year of his career this year with 109 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 picks, and a pick six.

61. RB/FB Toby Gerhart (Stanford) 76

He’s a Heisman runner up, but, contrary to popular belief, that does not make him a future star at the next level. He is very slow and doesn’t change direction and he runs really upright and isn’t going to break nearly as many tackles next year against linebackers with refined tackling abilities. He does have good size though and runs with a lot of force and explosion so he should be a solid change of pace back, goal line back, or even fullback if his lead blocking improves, so he has a spot for him at the next level. It just won’t as a feature back or a star.

62. OT Sam Young (Notre Dame) 76

He should have declared last year and could have been a 1^st round pick as a left tackle. However, this year, he was really exposed at the left tackle position for Notre Dame as part of one of the worst offensive lines in the country. He could still be drafted in the 2^nd or 3^rd round as a big run blocking right tackle because of his athleticism and his run blocking skills. He has good upside.

63. 3-4 DE/DT Arthur Jones (Syracuse) 76

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.

64. G/OT Vladimir Ducasse (Massachusetts) 76

Another big man from a small school, Ducasse is 340 pounds of mean. He didn’t have the toughest competition, but he’ll get his chance to show himself at the Senior Bowl as well. He has the ability to play both right guard and right tackle, but it’ll be interesting to see if he projects as a right tackle longterm because he’s a step or two slower than the average right tackle.

65. CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State) 76

He had a bit of a down year this year which hurts because his athleticism at 5-10 185 doesn’t jump off the page and that could drop him to the 3^rd round in a strong cornerback class. However, he projects as a nice nickel back with the potential to be a #2 corner at the next level. He also is a good punt returner.

66. OLB Rennie Curran (Georgia) 76

Nothing but potential right now, he’s a prototypical cover 2 linebacker, but he needs to get bigger than 5-11 225. He moves well and is all over the ball with 231 tackles over the last 2 years, but he is not big enough for the NFL, which is why I was puzzled by his decision to declare this year at only 21. He’s probably looking at the 3^rd round as a project or maybe round 2 if some cover 2 team falls in love with him.

67. CB Kareem Jackson (Alabama) 75

The other Alabama corner, Jackson is the better of the two in terms of potential at the cornerback position, though he doesn’t have Arenas’ kick returning abilities. Jackson would be the best fit in a bump and run scheme at the next level where his size 6-0 200 and physicality will reign over his projected poor 40 time. In the right scheme, he’s a #2 corner.

68. S Reshad Jones (Georgia) 75

Had first round potential going into the year, but had some injuries to deal with this year and also struggled in coverage more than scouts were expecting him to. He’s a bit of a safety tweener, small at 6-1 210 for a strong safety, but not fast or instinctive enough to play free safety well and regularly.

69. DT/3-4 DE Vince Oghobaase (Duke) 75

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.

70. CB Domonique Franks (Oklahoma) 75

A bit of a surprise entry into the NFL draft after two years as a starting cornerback for Oklahoma, Franks played in the shadow of Oklahoma’s offense for 2 years, but is very good, especially athletically in his own right. Whether he puts his athleticism together and becomes something in the NFL is a question that has not yet been answered.

71. RB Joe McKnight (USC) 75

The possible NCAA violations that came up late last season because of a possible incident in which he drove a car that belonged to his girlfriend and not him should not effect his draft stock because he’s simply never going to have anything close to that situation in the NFL. He’s a good kid and I don’t buy that he has character issues. I do buy that he’s not a starting running back at the next level. He’s fast but he’s not Chris Johnson fast and he doesn’t have elite explosion or change directions very well. He’s not elusive. However, he does have good speed and finally put together a good season in college this year after being a top recruit in 2007 and will be a welcome addition to many of the running back committees in the NFL today.

72. QB Tony Pike (Cincinnati) 75

He may just be a system quarterback and he doesn’t have elite arm strength, but his accuracy was excellent last year and he’s a very smart quarterback with good decision making. He’s also very tall and has the frame to bulk up and become a stronger thrower. He threw for 29 touchdowns last year despite missing close to 4 games with an injury, and injury which has clearly passed based off of his late season performances.

73. C JD Walton (Baylor) 75

With the more athletic Kris O’Dowd and Stefan Wisniewski returning to school, Walton, a savvy 3 year starter at Baylor, becomes the top center prospect. He’s not an elite athlete, but he is very intelligent and has good technique. He made the All-American first team this year.

74. WR Danario Alexander (Missouri) 75

Played in a weird offense and has awful speed, but his size and strength could make him a very nice red zone specialist wide receiver at the next level. He’ll also fit into a wide receiver rotation well right away if a team runs a shotgun style offense. His hands are reliable and he’s a big moving target at 6-5, but his route running and speed are very poor.

75. RLB/DE Jermaine Cunningham (Florida) 75

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.

76. TE/FB Aaron Hernandez (Florida) 74

If he measures out at 6-3 at the combine, teams could look at him as the 2nd best tight end in this draft class. If he measures out at 6-1 or 6-2, very few teams will even consider him as a tight end at all because of his height. Besides his height, he’s an amazing athletic freak who can run a mid 4.5 40 at 250 pounds. He’s extremely tough to defend and he was one of the most productive tight ends in college football this year despite being only 20 years old.

77. CB Perrish Cox (Oklahoma State) 74

Good size, 6-0 195, and hands, 10 picks in 4 years, but unless he improves his man skills better he’s nothing more than a nickelback or free safety in a man scheme. He has better potential in a zone scheme though and he’s also a good kick returner, though not Javier Arenas esque. His 4 years of experience at the position are both a plus and a minus because he has the experience, but you’d think that for his athleticism, after 4 years of a position, he’d be a much better shutdown corner, which he is not. 

78. WR Marshawn Gilyard (Cincinnati) 74

Needs to bulk up, but he projects as a nice slot receiver at the next level. He has very good agility and would be a welcome addition to a team as a punt returner as well and he runs fast straight line like a gazelle, but he comes from a spread offense so he may be a system player that doesn’t translate well to the NFL.

79. RB/FB Anthony Dixon (Mississippi State) 74

Not the most mobile guy, but he’s agile for his large frame, 240 pounds, and is a very strong and physical runner and he gets his pads down low to the ground when he runs unlike Toby Gerhart and should be able to be a decent running back at the next level and break tackles. However, he’s slower than Gerhart and doesn’t have much upside at all. In fact, one can argue that he ran the ball too much in college, 910 attempts in 4 years, and that will shorten his NFL career. He also has a DUI to his name and that is a bit of a red flag. He’ll be drafted in the 3^rd round range as a kind of, you know what your getting type guy. I don’t see him as a feature back at the next level.

80. MLB Micah Johnson (Kentucky) 74

He could have gone in the 2^nd round, because of his size, 6-2 258, experience in a 3-4 at Kentucky, and the fact that he was coming off of an amazing season for a 3-4 middle linebacker with 105 tackles and a sack, but then he got hurt in his bowl game and may miss both the combine and his pro day. How teams view his injured knee could determine if he gets drafted in the 2^nd or 3^rd round or the 4^thor 5^th. He’s a prototypical 3-4 middle linebacker, but his agility and timed speed aren’t good, projected 4.74-4.78 40, so I’m not sure what other positions he’ll be able to play or if he’ll fit a 4-3 at all.

81. RLB/OLB Sergio Kindle (Texas) 74

He’s former top 10 pick prospect, but he only managed 6 sacks this year without Brian Orakpo drawing double teams across from him, after having 10 sacks last year. He’s still a highly rated defensive prospect and would make a great rush linebacker with his athleticism and the fact that he already played some outside linebacker in college so he has experience with his hands off the ground and dropping back into coverage. He’s a solid tackler and big hitter as well so he can play some strong outside linebacker in a 4-3.

82. OLB Perry Riley (LSU) 74

Could run a low 4.5 40 at 6-1 245 which could make Al Davis draft him in the 2^ndround if he decides he needs linebacker help. Riley comes from a physical system at LSU and though he hasn’t tapped into all of his potential yet, he has very good upside. His size should allow him to move to 3-4 middle linebacker if needed, though his coverage skills are really raw. Riley finished his senior year with 97 tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.

83. QB Jevan Snead (Mississippi) 74

He had a great sophomore year and followed that up by just throwing the football. He threw 20 picks to 20 touchdowns this year and while he didn’t have a ton of help around him, on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, his decision making is a huge red flag for him. He has all the physical tools and then some, but whether or not he puts them all together at the next level is currently a mystery.

84. Arrelious Benn (Illinois) 74

If he gets drafted high it will be on what he can do not on what he has done. He dropped way too many passes this season, looked timid going over the middle of the field and in the end zone, but he has an amazing physical build and coaching staff may look to bring a future #1 option out of him. Scouts could also blame his awful statistical season this year on the fact that Juice Williams was his quarterback. Williams is probably the worst quarterback to ever play the game. I’m barely exaggerating.

85. DT LaMarr Houston (Texas) 74

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.

86. G John Jerry (Mississippi) 74

Is he going to have problems against the pass, sure, but he projects well as a right guard at the next level and is a really tough matchup inside at 345 pounds. His older brother, Peria, is already in the NFL, a defensive tackle with the Atlanta Falcons who was drafted in the 1^st round last year.

87. TE Ed Dickson (Oregon) 73

He’s another tight end with great measurables, 6-4 245 with a mid 4.6 40, but he hasn’t been as productive in his career as some of the guys above him on this list. He needs to work on his route running and his run blocking but he has the upside to be a starting tight end in the league for a long time so he should go in the 3^rdround, or 4^th round at worst. His ability in the open field is very good for a tight end.

88. RLB Ricky Sapp (Clemson) 73

A low sack total, but a high amount of tackles for losses, so there are indications that can grow into an elite pass rusher. He’s small at 245 pounds, but has experience playing outside linebacker, in addition to defensive end, and didn’t look bad in coverage, so he definitely has a huge upside as a rush linebacker. He can also play some outside linebacker in a 4-3, but he’s mostly a rush linebacker or pass rushing specialist.

89. CB Syd’Quan Thomspon (California) 73

He’s ready for the NFL right now as a nickelback, but he lacks the upside, athleticism, and coverage skills to be a future starting cornerback. He is 5-9 and could run a 40 in the 4.5s which could drop him into the 4^th round. He also returns punts well.

90. S Darrell Stuckney (Kansas) 73

He was on the cusp of being a first round prospect this year, but disappointed with only 1 pick and 2 pass deflections. For someone who had not established himself as an elite prospect, that could be enough to drop him down into the mush of indistinguishable safeties in the 3^rd or 4^th round range. He’s strong against the run, but his size isn’t that of a strong safety so I’m not sure which safety positions he’ll play in the pros.

91. QB Colt McCoy (Texas) 73

A proven winner with a very weak arm by NFL standards. He’ll fit a spread style offense in the NFL well and to his luck, more and more teams are switching to the spread in the NFL, but he’s still not a good fit for a good majority of the NFL scheme despite his amazing accomplishments in college.

92. WR Jeremy Williams (Tulane) 73

He’d be ranked higher if he weren’t always hurt, but he has a long history of injuries. He finally put all the tools together this year and he has a good size speed combination and the upside to be a nice #2 receiver but his past inconsistencies and injuries will drive scouts nuts and that should drop him into the 3^rd round. He also never played a tough level of competition.

93. CB Rafael Priest (TCU) 72

He did an excellent job as a shutdown #1 corner for TCU. He played in 11 games and had 6 pass deflections, but only had 18 tackles. There are two ways you could possibly explain how he played that many games and had that few tackles, one, he let every receiver he guarded go for a touchdown, or two, quarterbacks rarely completed passes on him. Two is the most logical answer and it is the correct one. He didn’t have the toughest competition, but he shutdown everyone he faced. There are some concerns, how will he adjust to more athletic NFL corners, especially since Priest’s athleticism doesn’t jump off the page. He’s also small and not good against the run, but you can definitely see the upside here. He reminds me a lot of Quincy Butler, a former TCU cornerback, now of the St. Louis Rams. In his first season in the NFL, after bouncing around practice squads for years, Butler was a very good shutdown corner for the Rams this year, though in limited playing time, as opposing quarterbacks went 11 for 25 for 145 yards and a touchdown against him this year.

94. S Myron Rolle (Florida State) 72

A big question mark after taking a year off of football to study at Oxford. He has top 15 pick talent, but taking a year off of football, isn’t unclear how he’ll respond. We’ll get a chance to see him at the Senior Bowl next week and his stock could end up anywhere from a 2^nd to 5^th round prospect based off of the results of his Senior Bowl week, his combine, and his workouts. There’s also a possibility that he’s not fully committed to football as he has aspirations of being a neurosurgeon (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and that’s a red flag to NFL scouts, but just showing up to the Senior Bowl could cool that red flag a bit.

95. MLB Pat Angerer (Iowa) 72

Some players play with anger, this guy plays with even more anger than anger. You don’t want to mess with Angerer. In all seriousness, Angerer is a legit middle linebacker prospect known for making all the stops on defense for a very surprising Iowa defensive unit this year. He had 135 tackles this year, and over the last two, since he’s been a starter, he has 242 tackles, 2 sacks, and 6 picks. He’s not going to be anything special, but I see him being a solid starting middle linebacker at the next level and he can play both the 4-3 and 3-4 schemes.

96. OT Selvish Capers (West Virginia) 72

Al Davis could fall in love with Capers and draft him in the 2^nd round. He’s 6-6 290, but is projected to run a low 4.9 40. Though that doesn’t actually mean much for a tackle, it does show his athleticism. He’s very raw, but if he puts on 10 pounds, he’d be a great fit for a zone blocking scheme. He has experience in West Virginia’s run heavy offense so if he bulks up enough, he could be a solid run blocker in the NFL, in addition to being good against speed rushers. He could be a nice swing tackle, capable of playing both left and right tackle, in a zone blocking scheme.

97. OLB Navarro Bowman (Penn State) 71

If scouts can look past his lack of size, 6-1 228, and his history of legal issues, this former 1^st round talent could be drafted in the 2^nd round and could be a steal. More likely, he’ll be drafted in the 3^rd round on upside and most likely be a team that uses a zone defense. His lack of size won’t be as much of a problem in a zone scheme and his speed and ability to drop back into coverage will be utilized more fully. Bowman has 199 tackles, 7 sacks, and 3 picks in his last 2 years, but I’m puzzled by his decision to declare this year because another good trouble free year could have meant 1^st round, especially if he bulked up.

98. RLB O’Brien Schofield (Wisconsin) 71

He’s pretty much a forced rush linebacker prospect. Despite his pass rushing prowess in college, which for some reason went very underrated, he is only 240 pounds and won’t be able to play defensive end in the NFL, so his only choice is to move to rush linebacker or risk being just a nickel rusher. There are no indications that he can drop back into coverage well yet, but he can learn the position I think because he has good speed and decent athleticism. He’s a bit of a one year wonder after having only 5 sacks in his first 3 years at Wisconsin, but 12.5 sacks in 2009 is hard to ignore when your looking at the 3^rd-4^th round range.

99. TE Garrett Graham (Wisconsin) 71

At 6-4 238 its clear he needs to bulk up a little before he can be a legitimate NFL tight end, but he has very refined fundamentals for his size. He would be a perfect fit, assuming he bulks up, to be the receiving tight end in a west coast offense. He reminds me a lot of Travis Beckum, the former Wisconsin tight end who was drafted in the late 3^rd round last year despite being undersized at 6-3 239. Graham could be looking at the same range if not a little lower because he didn’t quite as productive of a year as Beckum, mostly because he played in Beckum’s shadow most of the time.

100. OT Adam Ulatoski (Texas) 71

A very good athlete at 6-8 310 who uses his size well to stop the pass rush, but he’s not thick enough and doesn’t play with enough leverage to be an elite run blocking tackle. He’s heavily decorated in college, but a bit of a project.

 

1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 101-125 126-150 151-175 176-200 201-250 251-300

Go back to 51-75 

 

76. DE Greg Hardy (Mississippi) 74        

4/9/10: 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, .08 seconds faster. He’s still talented and some teams may take this improvement and the lost weight as a sign of good things to come. 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.

77. TE/FB Aaron Hernandez (Florida) 73               

2/25/10: There aren’t a ton of tight ends under 6-3. There are some, Dustin Keller at 6-2, but after Hernandez measured in at 6-2 with short 32 ¼ inch arms, his value becomes more limited. He’s a great athlete and can run and catch well, but he can’t do much else. He’s not much of a blocker and he hasn’t run a lot of pro style routes.

If he measures out at 6-3 at the combine, teams could look at him as the 2nd best tight end in this draft class. If he measures out at 6-1 or 6-2, very few teams will even consider him as a tight end at all because of his height. Besides his height, he’s an amazing athletic freak who can run a mid 4.5 40 at 250 pounds. He’s extremely tough to defend and he was one of the most productive tight ends in college football this year despite being only 20 years old.

78. RLB Ricky Sapp (Clemson) 73

A low sack total, but a high amount of tackles for losses, so there are indications that can grow into an elite pass rusher. He’s small at 245 pounds, but has experience playing outside linebacker, in addition to defensive end, and didn’t look bad in coverage, so he definitely has a huge upside as a rush linebacker. He can also play some outside linebacker in a 4-3, but he’s mostly a rush linebacker or pass rushing specialist.

79. S Darrell Stuckney (Kansas) 73

He was on the cusp of being a first round prospect this year, but disappointed with only 1 pick and 2 pass deflections. For someone who had not established himself as an elite prospect, that could be enough to drop him down into the mush of indistinguishable safeties in the 3^rd or 4^th round range. He’s strong against the run, but his size isn’t that of a strong safety so I’m not sure which safety positions he’ll play in the pros.

80. WR Marshawn Gilyard (Cincinnati) 73       

2/28/10: I have a feeling Gilyard was just having a bad day, he looked WAY faster this season than the 4.56 he ran today. However, I’m moving him down my board a little until he runs a faster time at his Pro Day.

1/30/10: He was the North’s leading receiver with 5 catches for 102 yards and a score and made some very impressive catches against tough coverage. These catches were ones where the defender didn’t give him a ton of room, but he either was able to create just enough separation to get the ball, or able to make an acrobatic catch away from his body. He also was one of the better kick returners in this game as well. I think he dispelled the concerns about his size from earlier this week (weighing in at 8-10 lighter and 2 inches shorter than he was listed), and actually got a comparison to DeSean Jackson by the commentators. I wouldn’t quite say that, but he certainly has the look of an NFL wide receiver and also a kick returner.

1/26/10: Measuring 2 inches shorter than what you were listed at is never a good thing. 

Needs to bulk up, but he projects as a nice slot receiver at the next level. He has very good agility and would be a welcome addition to a team as a punt returner as well and he runs fast straight line like a gazelle, but he comes from a spread offense so he may be a system player that doesn’t translate well to the NFL.

81. G Vladimir Ducasse (Massachusetts) 73

1/27/10: This small school kid with excellent size had a lot of hype surrounding him coming into the week and he has not lived up to it. He has looked like 5 steps slower than every defensive lineman has had been guarding. He’s really having trouble with tougher competition. He’s probably only a guard at the next level rather than a right tackle as some had envisioned him. 

Another big man from a small school, Ducasse is 340 pounds of mean. He didn’t have the toughest competition, but he’ll get his chance to show himself at the Senior Bowl as well. He has the ability to play both right guard and right tackle, but it’ll be interesting to see if he projects as a right tackle longterm because he’s a step or two slower than the average right tackle. 

82. RB/WR Dexter McCluster (Mississippi) 73      

2/28/10: Surprisingly, his 4.55 40 at 5-9 173 doesn’t hurt him that much in my book, but it has to hurt him some considering we were expecting a high 4.3, maybe low 4.4 at worse. However, this is one of those guys who is faster in pads than he is timed and stronger than his size. He should still catch on somewhere in the NFL as that Percy Harvin type player.

2/27/10: How do you bench 20 reps of 225 pounds when you are a mere 173 pounds? That is crazy! This little guy may be small, but he is tough, he is strong, he is committed, and he is damn fast as well. 

A blur of a football player who is a bit undersized. He has lined up at both running back and wide receiver in his career and had 1169 rushing yards and 520 receiving yards last season. He has also lined up as a wildcat so there’s going to be a spot in the NFL for him, though it is not going to be a conventional one. He will play the Percy Harvin role for a team, a slot receiver, return guy, and occasional 3^rd down back and wildcat and will be plenty valuable doing so.

83. 3-4 DE/DT 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.

84. CB Syd’Quan Thomspon (California) 73

He’s ready for the NFL right now as a nickelback, but he lacks the upside, athleticism, and coverage skills to be a future starting cornerback. He is 5-9 and could run a 40 in the 4.5s which could drop him into the 4^th round. He also returns punts well.

85. WR Danario Alexander (Missouri) 73             

1/30/10: For all he was targeted, and he was one of the most targeted wide receivers in the first half, he didn’t make a catch. He looked about two steps slower than everyone on the field and didn’t seem to have his head in the game. On one play he was wide open, but failed to catch the ball because he didn’t know it had been thrown to him until it was too late. He played very little in the 2nd half, not surprisingly.

Played in a weird offense and has awful speed, but his size and strength could make him a very nice red zone specialist wide receiver at the next level. He’ll also fit into a wide receiver rotation well right away if a team runs a shotgun style offense. His hands are reliable and he’s a big moving target at 6-5, but his route running and speed are very poor.

86. TE Ed Dickson (Oregon) 73

He’s another tight end with great measurables, 6-4 245 with a mid 4.6 40, but he hasn’t been as productive in his career as some of the guys above him on this list. He needs to work on his route running and his run blocking but he has the upside to be a starting tight end in the league for a long time so he should go in the 3^rdround, or 4^th round at worst. His ability in the open field is very good for a tight end.

87. CB Walter Thurmond (Oregon) 72

He was a future 1^st round prospect in 2007 after 103 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 5 picks, 1 touchdown, and 18 pass breakups. However, he has had a ton of injury issues since then. He played alright through injury in 2008, but only managed to play 4 games last year thanks to a bum knee. He didn’t work out at the combine which shows he may still not be healthy, but when healthy he’s an amazing talent. He was the most promising young corner in the country as a freshman in 2006 as well as a sophomore in 2007.

88. MLB Pat Angerer (Iowa) 72

Some players play with anger, this guy plays with even more anger than anger. You don’t want to mess with Angerer. In all seriousness, Angerer is a legit middle linebacker prospect known for making all the stops on defense for a very surprising Iowa defensive unit this year. He had 135 tackles this year, and over the last two, since he’s been a starter, he has 242 tackles, 2 sacks, and 6 picks. He’s not going to be anything special, but I see him being a solid starting middle linebacker at the next level and he can play both the 4-3 and 3-4 schemes.

 

 

89. S Myron Rolle (Florida State) 72   

3/2/10: He had two questions around him coming into this draft preseason: is he committed to the sport and how would he fare after a year away from the game? He answered the first questions alright and, from his interviews, appeared committed, but a 4.68 40 at 6-2 215 shows he may not be quite in football shape yet.  

1/30/10: He didn’t play a ton or have any signature moments, but he really did show that he is still in great shape on the plays when he did play and in his interview he really seemed committed to the sport. Both of these are good things for him. There was never an issue about his ability to play the game, just about how he would bounce back physically after a year off, and about his commitment.

1/26/10: Good to see he stayed in shape in his year away from football.

A big question mark after taking a year off of football to study at Oxford. He has top 15 pick talent, but taking a year off of football, isn’t unclear how he’ll respond. We’ll get a chance to see him at the Senior Bowl next week and his stock could end up anywhere from a 2^nd to 5^th round prospect based off of the results of his Senior Bowl week, his combine, and his workouts. There’s also a possibility that he’s not fully committed to football as he has aspirations of being a neurosurgeon (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and that’s a red flag to NFL scouts, but just showing up to the Senior Bowl could cool that red flag a bit

90. QB Tony Pike (Cincinnati) 71           

1/30/10: He showed more of what the coaches were seeing from him in practice, a ball that kind of dies at about 10 yard downfield. He did look more mobile in the pocket than I remember him from last year, but his arm strength was not good and he struggled to make a lot of the throws he’ll have to make in the NFL. He started out 3 of 3, but was 2 of his next 9 to finish 5-12 for 44 yards. He has good decision making and good short accuracy, but I think he’s a 3rd round prospect at best.

1/27/10: Looked like a stick figure at his weigh in and then went out and has easily looked like the worst quarterback at the Senior Bowl this week in practice. He went into the Senior Bowl with the potential to go in the 2^nd round. Now, I think he’s looking at the 3^rd round.

He may just be a system quarterback and he doesn’t have elite arm strength, but his accuracy was excellent last year and he’s a very smart quarterback with good decision making. He’s also very tall and has the frame to bulk up and become a stronger thrower. He threw for 29 touchdowns last year despite missing close to 4 games with an injury, and injury which has clearly passed based off of his late season performances.

91. CB Patrick Robinson (Florida State) 71                  

1/30/10: You have to take Robinson good game with a grain of salt, because he only seems to play well when people who can give him money are watching, but it was a good game nonetheless. He showed his excellent footwork and size and was probably the best cover corner in the game. He almost had 2 interceptions as well, though both were just out of his reach.

All of the athletic skills in the world, but there’s a rumor going around that he hasn’t been playing hard in college because he’s worried about not getting hurt and ruining his NFL career. That’s not a good sign. He was good in the Senior Bowl and Combine, but I believe he was just playing for money there. If he actually tries in the NFL, he’s a first round prospect, but I have some concerns about whether or not he’ll do that.

92. OLB Navarro Bowman (Penn State) 71          

3/1/10: Put on some weight which led me to move them up my chart. However, didn’t carry the weight well. Ran a 4.72 so I’m moving him back down.

2/27/10: Expected to weigh in at 228 pounds, Bowman weighed 242 and appears to have bulked up in a good way since the end of last season. If this doesn’t effect his 40 time, this will help him because it increases his scheme versatility.

If scouts can look past his lack of size, 6-1 228, and his history of legal issues, this former 1^st round talent could be drafted in the 2^nd round and could be a steal. More likely, he’ll be drafted in the 3^rd round on upside and most likely be a team that uses a zone defense. His lack of size won’t be as much of a problem in a zone scheme and his speed and ability to drop back into coverage will be utilized more fully. Bowman has 199 tackles, 7 sacks, and 3 picks in his last 2 years, but I’m puzzled by his decision to declare this year because another good trouble free year could have meant 1^st round, especially if he bulked up.

93. OT Adam Ulatoski (Texas) 71

A very good athlete at 6-8 310 who uses his size well to stop the pass rush, but he’s not thick enough and doesn’t play with enough leverage to be an elite run blocking tackle. He’s heavily decorated in college, but a bit of a project.

94. 3-4 DE/DT  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.

95. OLB Dekoda Watson (Florida State) 70

3/1/10: Another guy with impressive measurables. He’s seen as a bit of a small linebacker out of Florida State, which doesn’t hurt considering Ernie Sims and Derrick Brooks were as well. He appears to have bulked up going up to 240 pounds, but carried the weight well with a 4.53 40, 24 reps of 225 pounds, and a very impressive 40 inch vertical. He’s a linebacker with good field range and the athleticism of a running back. He should be a solid 3^rd rounder.

1/30/10: He’s undersized, but he was a tough matchup for blockers because of his agility and quickness as a linebacker. He made a few nice stops on outside runs.

Obviously he’s going to get compared to Ernie Sims and Derrick Brooks because, like Sims and Brooks, Watson is a small outside linebacker from Florida State. He doesn’t fit a lot of schemes, but would fit a cover 2 scheme best. He didn’t impress me this year when I saw him and he did only have 63 tackles this year, though his 7 sacks were interesting, but likely useless stats going forward and he’s way to small to be an NFL pass rusher. Despite his potential, I’ll have to grade him conservatively, because I never saw anything with him that wowed me. 

96. OT Kyle Calloway (Iowa) 70

One of the toughest offensive linemen in college football. He’s a guy that always brings his A game to the field and he has a phenomenal work ethic. He does have one off the field blip in terms of character, a DUI on his scooter last March, but I actually consider that a single minor isolated incident and that shouldn’t affect his stock much. As long as a player follows the law, I don’t care what he does in his spare time, as long as he’s 100% football when he needs to be. Calloway is 100% football when he needs to be, and I don’t think he’ll have any more issues with the law. He’s not much of a pass blocker, but he’s a tough gritty tenacious run blocker. He should be one of the first true right tackles off the board.

97. NT Cam Thomas (North Carolina) 70

1/30/10: Thomas cemented himself as the 3rd best nose tackle in this class, by pushing the offensive line forward with great strength, controlling two blockers, and even having a sack of his own. He’s not a pass rushing defensive lineman, but he has a role for himself as a run stopping shield type nose tackle at the next level and with the high number of NFL teams that now use 3-4 systems that need big nose tackles like him, he could ultimately go in the 2nd round, which is why I’d say he made himself the most money this week. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock went as far to say as he guarantees that Thomas will be a 2nd round pick. I will conservatively give him a 3rd round grade for now, but I was impressed nonetheless.

1/27/10: With the 3^rd nose tackle slot up for grabs, Thomas has really made his case to be that 3^rd nose tackle. With excellent size at 6-3 325, Thomas has showed that he can also move as well and in his weigh in, he looked much more muscular than fat.

Already has some experience in a 3-4 defense so at 6-3 325 he’ll get some looks late by desperate teams as a depth guy in a 3-4 scheme.

98. DT/3-4 DE Vince Oghobaase (Duke) 70   

4/9/10: A 5.29 forty was just the start, after a 5.43 at The Combine, but Oghobaase looked much healthier today than he did a month ago. He’s a first round talent when healthy, the issue is, with his injuries, past and present, he’s probably a 4th rounder.       

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 may the edge rushers even better. He can play in both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes.

99. 3-4 DE/DE 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.

100. MLB Brandon Spikes  (Florida) 85         

4/9/10: He had looked slow this year in games, but I was waiting to see him run a 40 before I called him slow because he has run 4.6s in the past. I thought the projected 4.75 was outrageous. Turns out it was, outrageously low that is. Spikes ran a 5.03 at Florida’s Pro Day. He was regarded as slow and complacent before his Pro Day and he certainly did nothing but back either of those things up. He’s now solely a 3-4 middle linebacker and could slip out of the 2^nd day all together. No one wants a middle linebacker that slow and complacent. He has upside, but he no longer appears to care.

Spikes could slip out of the first round because of his position. He may have made a mistake by returning to school this year. Not only did his tackles total drop for the 2^nd straight year, from 131 to 87 to 52, he was also exposed in coverage a lot, though he did have two picks, and he had some injuries issues, as well as one character red flag when he tried to poke out the eye of an exposing player through his facemask. He may just be a 2 down run stopping middle linebacker at the next level unless he can improve in coverage.

 

Go on to 101-125

 

1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 101-125 126-150 151-175 176-200 201-250 251-300

Go back to 26-50 

 

51. G/OT Mike Johnson (Alabama) 78

He probably wouldn’t be a top 10 tackle without his ability to play guard, but he’s an amazing run blocker. He blocked for Glen Coffee in 2008 and Mark Ingram in 2009. He’s not a big mauling run blocker, but his technique is amazing and he should be drafted in the 2^nd or maybe 3^rd round as a right tackle or right guard.

52. RB/FB Toby Gerhart (Stanford) 77                     

2/28/10: Gerhart proved that just because he’s white, doesn’t mean he’s not athletic. Gerhart ran a very impressive 4.53 at 6-0 231 and also had a 38 inch vertical and 22 reps of 225 pounds. He likely shot himself ahead of a plummeting Jonathan Dwyer.

He’s a Heisman runner up, but, contrary to popular belief, that does not make him a future star at the next level. He is very slow and doesn’t change direction and he runs really upright and isn’t going to break nearly as many tackles next year against linebackers with refined tackling abilities. He does have good size though and runs with a lot of force and explosion so he should be a solid change of pace back, goal line back, or even fullback if his lead blocking improves, so he has a spot for him at the next level. It just won’t as a feature back or a star.

53. CB Kareem Jackson (Alabama) 77

3/2/10: Not necessarily known as a speed guy, but a 4.41 40 at 5-10 196 could have moved him up into the 2^nd round. He ran over an entire tenth of a second faster than teammate Javier Arenas, who was always known as the speed gu

The other Alabama corner, Jackson is the better of the two in terms of potential at the cornerback position, though he doesn’t have Arenas’ kick returning abilities. Jackson would be the best fit in a bump and run scheme at the next level where his size 6-0 200 and physicality will reign over his projected poor 40 time. In the right scheme, he’s a #2 corner.

54. S Nate Allen (South Florida) 77

A very fundamentally sound free safety with 10 picks in the last 3 years, he has great instincts and takes good routes to the ball and at 6-2 he’s above average height wise for a free safety. But, like Burnett he could get lost in this safety class.

55. TE Dennis Pitta (BYU) 77

2/27/10: Not necessarily known as an elite athlete as rather a guy with good hands, Pitta benched 225 pounds 27 times, 2nd most among tight ends, and ran a 4.63 40.

Over an entire career, its tough to find a tight end who was more productive than Pitta. After he came back from his Mormon mission in 2007, Pitta looked like a man among boys catching 204 passes for 2726 yards and 19 touchdowns in three years. The only thing, he practically was a man among boys. Because his mission lasted two years, Pitta is currently 24 years old and does not have a huge upside. He’s probably better than half of the starting tight ends in the league right now with his good agility and soft hands, but scouts don’t really think he’s going to get much better than that. He’d be an ideal fit for a west coast offense and can help a team out right away, but his lack of upside, along with Rob Gronkowski surprisingly declaring for the NFL draft, he could slip to the 3^rd round.

56. S/CB Myron Lewis (Vanderbilt) 77               

3/2/10: Kind of like Chris Cook, a cornerback with free safety size who had questions about his athleticism and speed. A 40 time alone won’t kill all of those concerns, but a 4.45 at 6-2 203 certainly helps as he tries to get drafted on day 2.

Suffers from the Sean Smith dilemma, is he a big, slow corner or just a safety. How NFL scouts answer that question could be the difference between 2^nd and 3^rd-4^th round for him. It may help him some that Sean Smith did a decent job in his first year as a starter this year for the Miami Dolphins. The 6-3 205 Lewis had 169 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 5 sacks, and 10 picks in his 4 year career at Vanderbilt.

57. RLB/DE 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.

58. WR Eric Decker (Minnesota) 77

What you see is what you get with him, but what you’re getting is a big consistent #2 option with good hands. He’s not overly athletic, but he’ll be a good red zone threat and possession receiver with his size and good hands. He’ll compliment an inconsistent deep threat very well at the next level, but there isn’t a ton of upside with him.

59. OLB/MLB Daryl Washington (TCU) 76

An excellent refined linebacker for one of the most surprising schools in the country over the past two years, he will fit into any 4-3 scheme, but he’d be best in a cover 2 or zone. However, his lack of elite size 6-3 235, won’t allow him to play in a 3-4. He can play both weak outside linebacker and middle linebacker in a 4-3 and had by far his best year of his career this year with 109 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 picks, and a pick six.

60. RB Jonathan Dwyer (Georgia Tech) 76            

2/28/10: Dwyer’s workout today proved what his weigh in showed and what people all around the NFL have been saying all week. He’s out of shape. At 5-11 229, Dwyer ran a 4.59, which isn’t awful, but when you consider his second time was 4.69, it looks a lot worse. He also only benched 15 reps, 3^rd fewest of all RBs.

2/26/10: He just looked like a fat guy at his weigh in. He was 5-11 229 which sounds good, but he did not look in shape at all.  

Excellent size, but he put on a lot of weight from last season to this season and looked a lot more sluggish this year as a result, though his stats don’t suggest he struggled. He also played in a weird offense that just isn’t used in the NFL so you have to wonder how he would have fared statistically being overweight and in a normal offense. However, he’s got all the physical tools and is still projected to run a mid 4.4 40 at 235 pounds which is amazing so someone is going to snatch him early on upside alone.

61. WR Dezmon Briscoe (Kansas) 76      

2/28/10: He’s a talented physical receiver, but receivers who run 4.61 40s normally have a lot of trouble gaining separation in the NFL. I was afraid his time would be bad, but I didn’t expect this bad.

A handful to take down in the open field and a great red zone presence, but he doesn’t run routes well, his 40 time and straight line speed are very poor, and his strong stats came in a weird offense that inflates stats. Still, he can be coached into being a good route runner and if he is, he’ll be a very dangerous wide receiver because he moves and breaks tackles like a running back in the open field. He may be a late bloomer as a wide receiver, but he has good upside and could contribute right away in a big way in a spread style offense.

62. OT Ciron Black (LSU) 76

1/30/10: Looked very sluggish, just like most of the South’s offensive line, and could not keep up with the speed hustle rushers of the North’s defensive line. He really struggled at left tackle when put there which I think rule out an hope of him playing there in the NFL, and he wasn’t physically dominant at right tackle either. On several plays, his weight seemed to get in the way of the ball carrier.

A highly decorated offensive tackle that doesn’t have the athleticism or pass blocking skills to be a left tackle longterm because he’ll be burnt too often, but his strengths against the run could get him drafted in the 2^nd round as a right tackle. He may be the best pure right tackle in this draft class.

 

 

 

63. S Reshad Jones (Georgia) 75

Had first round potential going into the year, but had some injuries to deal with this year and also struggled in coverage more than scouts were expecting him to. He’s a bit of a safety tweener, small at 6-1 210 for a strong safety, but not fast or instinctive enough to play free safety well and regularly.

64. RB Joe McKnight (USC) 75

The possible NCAA violations that came up late last season because of a possible incident in which he drove a car that belonged to his girlfriend and not him should not effect his draft stock because he’s simply never going to have anything close to that situation in the NFL. He’s a good kid and I don’t buy that he has character issues. I do buy that he’s not a starting running back at the next level. He’s fast but he’s not Chris Johnson fast and he doesn’t have elite explosion or change directions very well. He’s not elusive. However, he does have good speed and finally put together a good season in college this year after being a top recruit in 2007 and will be a welcome addition to many of the running back committees in the NFL today.

65. WR Jeremy Williams (Tulane) 75

1/30/10: He was the South’s Marshawn Gilyard, leading all receivers with 6 catches, and also added a nice 27 yard run where he flashed a lot of speed I didn’t even know he had. He has a nasty injuries of injuries, two ACL repairs, but he has all the skills and could be looking at the 2nd round now.

He’d be ranked higher if he weren’t always hurt, but he has a long history of injuries. He finally put all the tools together this year and he has a good size speed combination and the upside to be a nice #2 receiver but his past inconsistencies and injuries will drive scouts nuts and that should drop him into the 3^rd round. He also never played a tough level of competition.

66. C JD Walton (Baylor) 75

With the more athletic Kris O’Dowd and Stefan Wisniewski returning to school, Walton, a savvy 3 year starter at Baylor, becomes the top center prospect. He’s not an elite athlete, but he is very intelligent and has good technique. He made the All-American first team this year.

67. CB Domonique Franks (Oklahoma) 75

A bit of a surprise entry into the NFL draft after two years as a starting cornerback for Oklahoma, Franks played in the shadow of Oklahoma’s offense for 2 years, but is very good, especially athletically, in his own right. Whether he puts his athleticism together and becomes something in the NFL is a question that has not yet been answered.

68. QB Jevan Snead (Mississippi) 74

He had a great sophomore year and followed that up by just throwing the football. He threw 20 picks to 20 touchdowns this year and while he didn’t have a ton of help around him, on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, his decision making is a huge red flag for him. He has all the physical tools and then some, but whether or not he puts them all together at the next level is currently a mystery.

69. CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers) 74  

3/2/10: Had the fastest (official) 40 time of any defensive back (though tape suggests Taylor Mays did run faster and the Combine measurers just messed up) running a 4.34 at 5-11 193. He could be the Raiders’ pick in the top of the 2^nd round and he could actually go higher than that. He was impressive in the Senior Bowl and combine drills as well.

1/27/10: Not very big, but he really is scrappy and hustles on the field in a big way. He covers very well and also can kick into a zone style scheme.

What McCourty lacks in size, 5-11 190, he makes up for in heart. He doesn’t do one thing particularly well, but he should fit into any scheme as a #2 guy.

70. RB/FB Anthony Dixon (Mississippi State) 74

Not the most mobile guy, but he’s agile for his large frame, 240 pounds, and is a very strong and physical runner and he gets his pads down low to the ground when he runs unlike Toby Gerhart and should be able to be a decent running back at the next level and break tackles. However, he’s slower than Gerhart and doesn’t have much upside at all. In fact, one can argue that he ran the ball too much in college, 910 attempts in 4 years, and that will shorten his NFL career. He also has a DUI to his name and that is a bit of a red flag. He’ll be drafted in the 3^rd round range as a kind of, you know what your getting type guy. I don’t see him as a feature back at the next level.

71. RLB/OLB Sergio Kindle (Texas) 74

He’s former top 10 pick prospect, but he only managed 6 sacks this year without Brian Orakpo drawing double teams across from him, after having 10 sacks last year. He’s still a highly rated defensive prospect and would make a great rush linebacker with his athleticism and the fact that he already played some outside linebacker in college so he has experience with his hands off the ground and dropping back into coverage. He’s a solid tackler and big hitter as well so he can play some strong outside linebacker in a 4-3.

72. WR Arrelious Benn (Illinois) 74

If he gets drafted high it will be on what he can do not on what he has done. He dropped way too many passes this season, looked timid going over the middle of the field and in the end zone, but he has an amazing physical build and coaching staff may look to bring a future #1 option out of him. Scouts could also blame his awful statistical season this year on the fact that Juice Williams was his quarterback. Williams is probably the worst quarterback to ever play the game. I’m barely exaggerating.

73. G John Jerry (Mississippi) 74

Is he going to have problems against the pass, sure, but he projects well as a right guard at the next level and is a really tough matchup inside at 345 pounds. His older brother, Peria, is already in the NFL, a defensive tackle with the Atlanta Falcons who was drafted in the 1^st round last year.

74. CB Perrish Cox (Oklahoma State) 74

Good size, 6-0 195, and hands, 10 picks in 4 years, but unless he improves his man skills better he’s nothing more than a nickelback or free safety in a man scheme. He has better potential in a zone scheme though and he’s also a good kick returner, though not Javier Arenas esque. His 4 years of experience at the position are both a plus and a minus because he has the experience, but you’d think that for his athleticism, after 4 years of a position, he’d be a much better shutdown corner, which he is not. 

75. OLB/MLB Perry Riley (LSU) 74

Could run a low 4.5 40 at 6-1 245 which could make Al Davis draft him in the 2^nd round if he decides he needs linebacker help. Riley comes from a physical system at LSU and though he hasn’t tapped into all of his potential yet, he has very good upside. His size should allow him to move to 3-4 middle linebacker if needed, though his coverage skills are really raw. Riley finished his senior year with 97 tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.

 

Go on to 76-100

  

 

1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 101-125 126-150 151-175 176-200 201-250 251-300

Go back to 1-25

 

26. RB CJ Spiller (Clemson) 84

Has had trouble staying healthy in college and his career YPC does not suggest good running back skills, but he has a place in the NFL. He’s way too fast and agile to not have one. He can return kicks, return punts, and can serve as a 3^rd down back or wildcat, but unlike Best I don’t think he’s a feature back at the next level.

27. CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State) 84

3/2/10: He didn’t run, but he didn’t need to. First he benched 25 reps of 225 pounds at 5-10 194. Then he ended his day by being, by far, the most impressive cornerback in the drills. If his 40 time is under 4.5 at his Pro Day, which it should be, he could be a first round pick lock.

1/27/10: Another impressive cornerback, Wilson has shown once again why, before his disappointing senior year, he was a possible 1st round pick. He has probably brought himself back into 2nd round contention with his good Senior Bowl week.  

He had a bit of a down year this year which hurts because his athleticism at 5-10 185 doesn’t jump off the page and that could drop him to the 3^rd round in a strong cornerback class. However, he projects as a nice nickel back with the potential to be a #2 corner at the next level. He also is a good punt returner.

28. RLB/DE 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.

29. CB Brandon Ghee (Wake Forest) 83

3/2/10: Ran a very impressive 4.37 at 6-0 192. He’s an even better athlete than I believed and has a ton of upside if the coaches can bring it out of him. He probably isn’t going to slip out of the first 50 picks

Excellent size for a corner at 6-1 195 and he used that size to frustrate corners this year. His stats don’t jump out at you with only 1 interception in his entire college career, but he has 4 forced fumbles which is amazing for his position and he’s got good shutdown abilities and great athleticism. He projects as a nice #2 corner or nickelback at worst.

30. G Mike Iupati (Idaho) 83                        

1/27/10: Unlike Ducasse, this much hyped offensive lineman has really lived up to the hype. He is destroying guys one on one and is making a huge case to be a first round pick lock, which is rare for a guard

A massive offensive guard with the possible ability to kick out to right tackle if he needs to. He completely dominated defensive lineman one on one this season, though he didn’t have the toughest competition, and moves extremely well for his size. We’ll all get a good look at him and the hype that surrounds him at the Senior Bowl next week. He’s already drawing premature comparisons to by far the best guard of the last 20 years, Larry Allen.

31. WR Golden Tate (Notre Dame) 82  

2/28/10: He’s got more speed than I thought. I was expecting 4.4-4.45 and he ran 4.36 on a day where some receivers have been running slower than expected. I still have concerns about his ability to be a #1 option at 5-10, but this kind of speed helps.      

2/26/10: We knew Tate was on the short side, but he barely measured at 5-10 at his weigh in. There aren’t a lot of #1 options that are that short. He’ll still be a good player and he’s the second most NFL ready player in this draft class after Damian Williams, but he has future #2 written all over him and not future #1.

His production 151 catches for 2576 yards and 25 scores over the last two years, in a pro style offense is amazing, but he may be maxed out athletically and he doesn’t have a great upside. His 40 time is poor for his size and he may have trouble finding a niche as a wide receiver at the next level. A lot of his statistical prowess can be attributed to having Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, but he should still be a fine #2 wide receiver at the next level because he has very reliable hands and runs good routes for someone his age.

32. CB Donovan Warren (Michigan) 82       

4/9/10: Didn’t look great at his Pro Day, running a 4.62 and struggled in drills some as well. I still am very high on him and his shutdown skills, but it doesn’t look like a lot of people agree with me.         

3/2/10: Didn’t come out and impressive at all today like I was expecting. I’m a big supporter of his, but I have to knock him down a bit after a poor day which started with a 4.59 40 at 5-11 183.

Not getting the hype yet, but I’m not sure why. This former elite recruit had an amazing freshman year, but a down year in his sophomore year, before bouncing back in an amazing why this year as a junior. Guys simply didn’t throw on him because he was able to turn some of the best receivers into guys that simply weren’t open. Despite not getting thrown on a ton, he managed 66 tackles and 4 interceptions, showing his good hands, position, and strength against the run. Despite being only 6-0 182, he’s very physical against the run and against his man and for that he has drawn premature comparisons to former Michigan great Charles Woodson.

33. S Taylor Mays (USC) 82               

3/2/10: First he came out and ran an unofficial 4.24, tying Chris Johnson’s record and making Al Davis rise from his grave a few months early. However, officially he was listed at 4.41. Now, thanks to some work with modern technology, comparing Mays’ run side by side with other low 4.3 high 4.2 runs, it’s apparent that both times were wrong and Mays really did run somewhere around a 4.31 (ish?). This is good, but this was exactly what we were expecting from him.        

1/30/10: He looked alright against the pass in this game and actually had a nice interception, which is good because one of the big knocks against him is he doesn’t make enough plays on the ball in the air. However, after a dismal week in practice, I can only categorize his entire Senior Bowl week as neutral. I still think he’ll go in the first round.

1/27/10: He has only backed up what we’ve seen from him this year. He can’t cover anyone. He doesn’t play the air in the ball and he doesn’t wrap up his tackles. Some have said he may have to move to linebacker at the next level.

Would have been a lock to go #7 to the Raiders last year, assuming his 6-3 230 4.3 measurables lived up to their expectations at the combine, but returned to school and that may have been a mistake. He was really exposed in coverage this year and will need Al Davis bailing him out to go in the top 15, though I think he stays in the first round. National media has come down on Mays this year, but not enough. He plays way too out of control and doesn’t wrap up tackles well and his coverage skills are very poor. Unless he gets some good coaching, not out of the question, his upside may be as a Roy Williams type safety or a cover 2 linebacker. His potential though is that of a bigger Troy Polamalu though.

34. RLB/OLB Eric Norwood (South Carolina) 82

He has experience playing standing up at South Carolina, despite being a defensive end, and he has looked dropping back into coverage on occasion as well so those are major pluses for rush linebacker prospects that can be so unpredictable. He also has 30 sacks in his 4 year career at South Carolina and had 7.5 this year, so he’s a good pass rusher as well, though not a great one. He’s versatile and can play 4-3 strong outside linebacker and maybe even some 3-4 middle linebacker. His 40 time for his weight could keep him out of the first round.

35. RB Ryan Matthews (Fresno State) 81              

2/28/10: Matthews would have moved up anyway given Jonathan Dwyer’s stink bomb because the two are compared often because both are considered future feature backs. However, that’s not the only reason he’s moving up. A 4.41 40 at 6-0 218 turned a lot of heads. He’s a good pass catcher and a great pass blocker for his age and he also runs extremely well. He could go 28^th to San Diego because he has everything they look for in a back.

He’s a bit of a one hit wonder but with 1808 yards and 19 touchdowns on a 6.6 average, some teams are going to look past that like they did with former one hit wonders Donald Brown and Rashard Mendenhall, who both went in the first round. He runs a bit upright, but he has very refined pass blocking and pass catching abilities for his age and doesn’t fumble often. He has all the makings of a future feature back, though admittedly I’d like to see one more great season on his stat sheet just for him to prove that he can do it again and again, though you can’t really blame him because he was mostly a #2 back or goal line back throughout his first two years at Fresno State.

36. OT Trent Williams (Oklahoma State) 81            

2/27/10: Again, speed doesn’t mean much for offensive tackles, but his 4.82 40 at 6-5 315 shows his athleticism. I think he could still drop because of lack of a true position, but the athleticism and upside is there for him to be a left tackle in this league. 

Too much of a tweener for me to consider him as a true first round prospect, even with his good athleticism and track record of awards in college. He isn’t a good enough pass blocker at this point to be a longterm left tackle, but he’s not enough of a big mauling run blocking to be a right tackle. His best fit would probably be as a zone blocking run tackle at this point, but with his upside he could do a lot more.

37. S Chad Jones (LSU) 81

3/2/10: A 4.57 isn’t bad at 221 pounds, but he measured in 10 pounds skinnier than expected and didn’t appear to be any faster. He also struggled somewhat in drills and only put up 9 reps on the bench press. He’s still an early 2^nd rounder in my book, though, but barely.

The top strong safety in this draft class, he hits like a linebacker at 6-3 235, but also has experience starting at cornerback for a National Championship team as a freshman so you know his coverage skills are at least decent. He doesn’t have Taylor Mays’ measureables, particularly great timed speed, but he is a better strong safety prospect than Mays and should be drafted first, though I doubt he will be.

38. TE Rob Gronkowski (Arizona) 80

4/9/10: There were rumors that, after back surgery that caused him to miss all of last season, he was still not healthy. I think he proved that wrong because, simply put, you can’t run a 4.65 at 6-6 258 with a bad back. The injury, and the rust that comes along with not playing a whole year because of injury, are still issues, but this guy could have been a first rounder if he had a good year this year and there’s no doubting he could be a steal for a team in the 2^nd round. I think he’s clearly the 2nd best tight end in this draft class, at least in my mind, because of Dennis Pitta’s lack of elite athleticism and upside and Aaron Hernandez’s small frame and inability to run block.  

Surprisingly enough, the top two tight ends in this draft class didn’t play all season. Gronkowski has been amazing statistically in his career, but he hasn’t given scouts much of a statistical sample. He wasn’t a full time tight end as a freshman, he missed 3 games with mono as a sophomore, and back surgery cost him his entire junior season. However, what I do like about his state that is good going forward if his career 16 YPC, meaning he was extremely athletic and tough to bring down in the open field because its very unlike a quarterback is repeatedly throwing to a tight end 16 yards down field. Also 16 of his 75 catches in his short career were for touchdowns showing once again his physical dominance. Good ability in the open field and end zone dominance are a very good combination for a young tight end. He’s a big moving target at 6-6 270 and can run a 4.7 40 assuming his back is fully healed. He has football and sports in general in his blood. And he’s still 20 so his upside is huge. He would have been the top tight end in 2011 had he returned to school and been healthy so I’m a bit puzzled as to why he didn’t. This year he’s looking at anywhere from 2^nd to 4^th tight end off the board depending on how scouts see him bounce back from injury in workouts. That would mean 2^nd or 3^rd round range for him.

 

 

 

 

39. DE 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.

40. WR  Brandon LaFell (LSU) 79          

2/28/10: He wasn’t supposed to be a speed demon, but a 4.59 hurts a lot. He’s not going to get a lot of separation at the next level. He also measured in at 6-2 this week instead of 6-4 so his stock could be taking a drop this week.

The perfect fit for a run heavy pro style offense because he has experience running pro style routes and he’s an amazing run blocker for his age. His frame is still a bit wiry and that could lead to injuries at the next level as he tries to make some of the crazy catches he made in college, but he’s certainly not afraid of anything and will throw his body around for the ball fearlessly. 57 catches for 792 yards doesn’t seem like much for a senior season, but when you consider that LSU passed 336 times this season, all of a sudden those numbers look really good. He was by far the most dominant end zone threat on his roster and his 11 touchdowns more than tripled the total of the guy who was second on the team. He’s got good height, good hands, good fearlessness, good run blocking, and a good red zone presence, but needs to put on more muscle and he’s not fast in comparison to some of the receivers in this draft class.

41. 3-4 DE/DT Tyson Alualu (California) 79

Not a great athlete, but makes up for in 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.

42. 3-4 DE/DT 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.

43. RLB/DE 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.

44. OT Anthony Davis (Rutgers) 79     

4/9/10: How can I lower his stock if he didn’t do anything? Well simply that, he did nothing. He didn’t show up to his Pro Day, canceling at the last minute (Andre Smith anyone?). He needed to be in shape for his Pro Day after showing up out of shape to The Combine, but he didn’t even show up to the Pro Day, probably because he was even more out of shape. This show he lacks commitment (bailing at the last minute) and work ethic (being out of shape). Neither of those things are good for an offensive lineman. This guy might as well have BUST stamped across his forehead. 

2/25/10: How does a 323 pound tackle bench 225 pounds a mere 21 times. There were already questions about his work ethic coming into this week and now the Andre Smith comparisons seem to be becoming more and more accurate. The upside is there, but is anything else?

He’s that Jason Peters type left tackle, overrated against the pass, but a huge mauler against the run. He’s only 20 years old and is still inexperienced at the left tackle position and has huge upside as a pass blocker, but right now the 330 pound tackle’s best attribute is his mauling run blocking and ability to use his large frame to his advantage.

45. S Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech) 79

4/9/10: Burnett didn’t work out at the Combine, so he needed a strong Pro Day. A 4.42 40 at 6-1 209 and a 39.5 inch vertical show his athletic potential. He could be a late 1^st round or early 2^nd round pick in any other year, but this is one of the strongest safety classes in the last ten years so he could fall to the late 2^nd. Still, these measurables put him in the running, in a big way, with Nate Allen and Chad Jones to be the 4^th safety off the board.

Might get lost in this strong safety class, but 227 tackles and 14 picks in 3 years is something to give a closer look, especially when you combine it with great athleticism at 21 years old. Burnett is on the big side for a safety, but can still play both safety positions well. However, if need for safeties is weak this year, he could slip to the 3^rd round.

46. DT/3-4 DE 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.

47. MLB Sean Lee (Penn State) 78

Another one of those guys who can’t stay healthy, so that’s a red flag for a guy with 1^st round talent. Despite all the games he has missed, he does have 313 tackles, 8 sacks, and 3 picks in the last 3 years. He has great fundamentals and is a stereotypical big 10 linebacker (see James Laurinaitis, Paul Posluszny, and AJ Hawk), but he could drop the 3^rd round because of concerns about his athleticism and health.

48. CB/WR Javier Arenas (Alabama) 78

He could be a decent nickelback and showed good abilities at the cornerback position this year in his 2^nd full season at the position, with 70 tackles, 5 sacks, and 5 picks, but his value is as a kick returner. He is one of, if not the best kick returners in the nation so in addition to being a solid nickel corner at the next level, he’ll be a great kick returner as well. He may also pull a Devin Hester and switch over to wide receiver as he’s shown good hands and abilities in the open field.

49. OT Jason Fox (Miami) 78

Purely a zone blocking left tackle at the next level, but he’s got good upside. He could have been a first round pick before injuries struck him late in the season. However, there are enough terms using zone blocking schemes in the NFL this year for him to get drafted early in the 2^nd round unless his injuries don’t check out as fine at the combine.

50. OLB/MLB Roddrick Muckelroy (Texas) 78

Doesn’t get huge hype, but he was the leader of Texas’s defense this year and he’s a tremendous athlete. He has 182 tackles, 2 sacks, and a pick in the last 2 years, but he showed me a lot more than his statistics when I saw him on the field. He moves well and has great instincts. He can play middle linebacker in all schemes in addition to outside linebacker.

Go on to 51-75

 

1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 101-125 126-150 151-175 176-200 201-250 251-300

Go back to 151-175

  

176. CB Jordan Pugh (Texas A&M) 56

4/9/10: Already a very intriguing late round prospect in my eyes, as one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the Big 12, Pugh really caught my eye with a 4.44 40 at 5-10 196. I’m hoping others took notice too. He looked good in positional drills too, but that didn’t surprise me as much as the time.

A three year starter against some of the toughest quarterbacks and wide receivers in the college game and he has held his own against some talented receivers. He isn’t a true shutdown guy, but he should be rated higher than most scouts, who put too much value on interceptions, have him. He only has 4 career picks.

177. OT Mike Tepper (California) 56

An athletic left tackle who struggles a bit in pass protection. He was never dominant in college, but he should be a solid depth guy in the NFL as a swing tackle. He’s too much of a tweener to go before the 5^th though. He is not strong enough as a run blocker to be a consistent starting right tackle in the league either, but the athleticism is there, though not enough to consider him a top prospect or anything like that.

178. TE Clay Harbor (Missouri State) 56

A small school tight end who I hadn’t heard of until the Combine, but he looked like a natural athlete in the measurings at the combine and he looked like an NFL caliber tight end with reliable hands in the drills. Level of competition is an issue, but he has 40 or more catches in each of the last 3 seasons and 59 catches for 729 yards and 4 touchdowns this year. Size was an issue for him, but he bulked up for the Combine and still had a good time in the 40 yard dash.

179. TE Colin Peek (Alabama) 56

4/9/10: He’s a great blocker, but weighing in at just 252 pounds hurts and so does running a 4.93 40. He also only benched 19 reps of 225. He needed a good Pro Day to keep his status as the top blocking tight end in the class, with guys like Mike Hoomanawanui and Nate Byham impressing at the Senior Bowl and Combine. Peek did not do that and he could slip as a result. That slip could be pretty significant given his position as a run blocking tight end. That could be a 2 round slip.

If you look at his stat sheet you get confused as to why he’s an NFL prospect. In his career he had 51 catches for 561 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, he may be the best pure run blocking tight end in college football at the moment and that could get him drafted in the 4^th or 5^th round. He’s big and overpowering at 6-6 255 and has great technique. His receiving abilities, though limited, are extra. If you want to get a look at his run blocking abilities, he will be at the Senior Bowl next week.

180. WR Shay Hodge (Mississippi) 56

A pro style receiver with very good production this year with 1135 yards and 8 touchdowns, but he lacks breakaway speed, will struggle to get separation in the NFL, and he’s a bit of a one year wonder. He’s not a true one year wonder, but he does have some of the characteristics, plus, his hands are a bit inconsistent. He could be worth a 5^th rounder for depth.

181. S Quentin Scott (Northern Iowa) 56

4/9/10: What is with all of these incredibly athletic safeties? Scott, who was nicknamed Taylor Mays by his teammates, but on an amazing show for all 2 of the scouts that came to watch Northern Iowa’s Pro Day with a 4.40 40 at 6-4 224. He is, according to many reports, a very hard hitter who isn’t completely inept in coverage so he could get drafted in the late rounds as a project. At first glance, he seems like a Michael Mitchell type player and he came out of nowhere to go in the 2nd round and it turns out multiple teams had 2nd or 3rd round grades on him. Keep on your eye on this kid.

He could be this year’s Michael Mitchell, that small school athletic hard hitting safety that comes out of nowhere to get a relatively early pick. Al Davis doesn’t need safeties this year so Scott is unlikely to go in the 2^nd round, but with his 6-4 224 and highlight reel of hits, the kid his teammates have nicknamed Taylor Mays could very well be taken in the 4^th or 5^th as a flier. He projects longterm as a strong safety or linebacker, but he has the speed and fluidity to potentially play other positions in the future and, unlike Mays, he was actually pretty decent in coverage last year, albeit against much weaker competition than Mays faced in the Pac-10.

182. G Thomas Austin (Clemson) 56

A bit of an unknown who burst onto the scene as a senior this year, but he’s got good versatility and an excellent knack for the fundamentals so he could be drafted as a depth guy at worst.

183. DE 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.

184. TE Anthony McCoy (USC) 55

Mostly physical upside at this point, but despite his size he was an inconsistent blocker last year and he didn’t have a ton of catches last year, 22. However, he did play in a pro style offense and get good YAC. He averaged 20.8 YPC last year and that’s always a good sign going forward. The upside is there.

185. RB Andre Anderson (Tulane) 55

A decent runner, but not a great one with 1880 yards and 15 touchdowns on 412 carries over the last 2 years, and if he gets drafted in the first five rounders, it’ll be as a runner second and a pass catching back first. He has caught 55 balls over the last two years and reminds a lot of people of a poor man’s Matt Forte, who was drafted in the 2^nd round out of Tulane two years ago.

186. WR Seyi Ajirotutu (Fresno State) 55

A big tall receiver at 6-4 and change who former Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer compared to a young Vincent Jackson, who he worked with in San Diego, at the East-West shrine game. However, he never dominated on a college level, despite not facing BCS conference caliber competition very often. He had 3 decent years and 2 above average ones, but his career high in receiving yards is 795 and that was in 2008. He’ll also struggle to get separation at the next level with his low 4.6 speed, so, I could see him panning out, but it’s not likely. He may just be a goal line option at the next level.

187. WR Mike Williams (Syracuse) 55

He has second round talent, but it’ll take a miracle and a stupid GM for him to be drafted in the first 3 rounds. He has been suspended for academic reasons for an entire year before and last year, he quit on his team unexpectedly and, at the combine, he showed up out of shape, only benching 8 reps despite putting on 15 pounds, and when asked about quitting on his team, he didn’t seem to even think it was a big deal. Proceed with caution.

188. S Larry Asante (Nebraska) 55

A very overrated safety, he was a tough hitter on the colligate level and a great strong safety against the run, but he’s undersized so that may not continue on an NFL level and, if it does, it could spell a career full of injuries for him, as smaller safeties like Bob Sanders have had. He’s not as small as Sanders, but he’s certainly undersized. He’s also often lost in coverage and has horrible instincts with his back to the end zone.

 

 

 

189. TE Nate Byham (Pittsburgh) 55

2/27/10: Yesterday, Byham impressed by weighing it at 268 pounds and making him the best run blocking tight end in my eyes, but today he ran like an offensive lineman with a 40 time of 4.97. That’s not good.

2/26/10: If Byham was going to get drafted, it would be as a blocker. Measuring in at 268 certainly helps his cause to be viewed as one of the best run blocking tight ends in this draft class.

One of the elite run blocking tight ends in this class, Byham only had 47 career catches, but he has good size. His route running, hands, and speed could all be a lot better, but he has a role for him in the NFL.

190. TE Jimmy Graham (Miami) 54

A basketball player playing football, but then again so is Antonio Gates. Graham was a forward on the Miami basketball team and only had one year on the Miami football team. He’s an athlete, but didn’t show a ton on the field.

191. 3-4 DE Clifton Geathers (South Carolina) 54

An athletic freak with freakish long arms, just like his brother, Robert, a starting left end for the Cincinnati Bengals. He comes from a long line of successful NFL players and he may even be more athletic than his brother at 6-7 299, but he was very inconsistent and laksidazecal in college and he’s a project with character issues, but he has upside.

192. DE Alex Daniels (Cincinnati) 54

4/9/10: A good job of putting on weight, 265 pounds, and still being fast, 4.55. However, I have to take that with a grain of salt. Something seemed up with Cincinnati’s 40 times at their Pro Day. Gilyard ran a whole .1 faster than at his combine, Ricardo Matthews ran a 4.80 at 6-2 290 and Aaron Webster ran a 4.48 at 6-1 207. Something seemed up with those. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. All that being said, I’ll increase his stock a little. He should be a solid nickel rusher in the NFL.

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.

193. WR Taylor Price (Ohio) 54

An athletic freak capable of many acrobatic catches who is loved by Todd McShay, but his hands are way too inconsistent. He makes tough catches, but he’ll drop easy ones and his instincts in terms of route running and getting open aren’t great.

194. OLB Stevenson Sylvester (Utah) 54

Your run of the mill 5^th round depth linebacker, a bit undersized, but good production at the good school with a good system that could provide some value depth on special teams and as a linebacker. He hasn’t shown me anything special that really wowed me.

195. QB Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee) 54

Crompton is a guy who came to Tennessee with a lot of hype, but never really showed that on the field, except for a little bit this year. He has experience in a pro style offense and all the tools he’ll need, but the tape and the production is very inconsistent.

196. RB Joique Bell (Wayne State) 54

He was the pride of Wayne State for the last 4 years, returning kicks, running the ball, catching passes, en route to having over 6000 career rushing yards. He broke the Wayne State rushing record midway through his junior year and then added an NCAA leading 2084 yards as a senior. However, he may have been overworked as a collegiate back and he lacks speed. His 40 times ranged from 4.65-4.68 and he really looked slow running the ball in the Senior Bowl. He lacks explosiveness and runs too upright to break the amount of tackles he broke in college. At an NFL level, his size, his best asset, will be nothing special, 5-11 219.

197. S Anderson Russell (Ohio State) 54

He struggled a bit in his senior year, but I gave him a third round grade after his junior grade and I don’t intend to back off of that too much. He could be a do everything free safety at the next level, but he may have a hard time getting drafted.

198. OT Kyle Jolly (North Carolina) 54

A fairly standard left tackle anchor in college, but he didn’t show good athleticism at the combine so he may have to make the switch to right tackle where he wouldn’t be anything special or even really a future starting caliber prospect.

199. WR Emmanuel Sanders (SMU) 54

One of the more accomplished wide receivers in this draft class with 285 receptions for 3791 yards and 34 touchdowns in his career, but a big chunk of that came in June Jones’ offense, which is notoriously bad at producing NFL players. However, he still showed good hands on tape, as well as a lot of other nice things, so he could be a solid depth guy at the next level, he has experience as a return man.

200. G Joe Thomas (Pittsburgh) 54

A very solid and versatile depth guy whose motor I love. He doesn’t have a ton of upside and he’s not a huge name guy, but every time I’ve seen him, he’s made NFL caliber blocks. Size is an issue though.

Go on to 201-250

 

 

1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 101-125 126-150 151-175 176-200 201-250 251-300

Go back to 126-150

 

150. QB Max Hall (BYU) 60

Statistically great with 32 touchdowns to 13 picks this year, but at 6-1 200 he lacks NFL size, and I really didn’t see anything resembling an NFL arm when I watched him this year. He’s smart, but the physical tools aren’t quite there. He’ll be a solid backup. 

151. CB Amari Spievey (Iowa) 59

If you’re looking for a cornerback you’ve never heard of that could go in the 2^nd rounder, this guy is your guy. Several teams, including reportedly the Falcons, have given him a first round grade, which means we could see him go off the board a lot higher than we expect. He could also fall into the 5^th because of the depth of this cornerback class. That’s how deep the class is. I will be fairly conservative with his grade because I think he lacks elite coverage skills.

152. WR Carlton Mitchell (South Florida) 59

4/9/10: Followed up a 4.49 at 6-3 215 at The Combine with a 4.40 on his Pro Day and he also looked to have good hands in the drills. He didn’t produce at an elite level in college, but he’s full of physical upside and merits a look in the 5th. Al Davis is going to have a hard time choosing between him and David Gettis (6-3 216 4.39) in the 3rd/4th round range. Mitchell is better than Gettis though, as he did have 40 catches for 706 yards and 4 catches last year.

Every draft class has it. That wide receiver with amazing athleticism that lacks the production to match it and gets over drafted. Last year we had Darrius Heyward Bey, this year, it could be Carlton Mitchell and his 4.40 speed at 6-3 215. However, because Al Davis doesn’t need receivers, I don’t think he’ll go in the first. The 3^rd or 4^th makes more sense for him and there’s no denying the upside, but I’ll be conservative with his grade because he never was dominant statistically.

153. G/C Jeff Byers (USC) 59

1/30/10: He’s undersized, but with great form he really held his own against much bigger defensive lineman. He played at center for most of the game, which is not his natural position, but he did a great overall job, which is very good because, due to his small frame, that’s likely the position he’ll have to play at the next level. 

A former elite guard prospect who would be a perfect fit for a zone blocking scheme. He only weighs 290 pounds so he won’t fit all schemes and he has a nasty history of injuries, but if he fulfills his potential, he could be the best pure left guard in this draft class. He needs to bulk up though, even to play a zone scheme.

154. MLB Donald Butler (Washington) 59

A very fluidly athletic linebacker who showed his versatility and ability in the Senior Bowl. His tape was a bit inconsistent last year and he won’t fill gaps like necessary in a 3-4, but he could fit anywhere in a 4-3 as a depth linebacker guy, especially as a middle linebacker.

155. S Robert Johnson (Utah) 59

A fluid ball hawking safety who played some cornerback last year. He had 6 picks last year, but his tackling could use some work and he’s not great against the run.

156. RB Keith Toston (Oklahoma State) 59

3/15/10: Normally I don’t pay much attention to improved 40 times, but Totson also lost 8 pounds, from 213 to 205, and as a result of that ran a tenth of a second faster. I like the work ethic and discipline so I’ll move him back up a little. 

2/28/10: When he woke up this morning, running a 4.70 at 6-0 213 was probably not on his to do list. That’s pretty ugly.

Finally had a good year this year in his senior season after splitting carries throughout most of his career. He had 1218 yards and 11 touchdowns on a 5.4 average, though it was in Oklahoma State’s weird offense. His 40 time for his size is not expected to be great, but you can’t deny he has produced good numbers and he’s a very good pass catcher with 22 passes caught this season. He’ll fit into a running back rotation somewhere in the NFL, maybe as a pass catching back.

157. DE/RLB 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.

158. OT Zane Beadles (Utah) 58

He’s a very smart tackle who has played everything from left tackle to right tackle to guard. He should be able to play both guard positions as well as right tackle at the next level. He projects as a depth right tackle longterm, but he can provide valuable depth at several positions.

159. NT Kade Weston (Georgia) 58

Part of a defensive tackle rotation with Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens, Weston often gets lost among the hype of those two freakish athletes, but Weston, at 325 pounds, has actually been a much more consistent statistical performer for the Bulldogs. In addition to his ability to get into the backfield, which is rare for someone of his size, he also is able to take on two blockers which is a key for a 3-4 nose tackle. He is a tough matchup and someone I am a lot higher on than most places. It’ll be interesting to see if he gets drafted.

160. TE Tony Moeacki (Iowa) 58

Showed occasional flashes of brilliance when fully healthy, for instance in the Orange Bowl this year when he had 84 yards and a brilliant 53 reception that very few tight ends can make. Unfortunately, that rarely happened because of injuries. In his career, he only managed 953 yards on 76 catches for 11 touchdowns because of numerous injuries. You name it, he hurt it, he probably hurt things you didn’t even know were body parts. He could be snagged late as a flier tight end prospect and I think he deserves 5^th round recognition as he could be a starting caliber tight end if he stays healthy, but his injury plagued past is a major red flag. Even this year, by far his best season of his career, he only had 30 catches for 387 yards and 4 scores because he missed 3 games.

161. DT 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.

162. K Garrett Lindholm (Tarleton State) 58

4/9/10: Where is Tarleton State? Who cares! Level of competition doesn’t matter with kickers. If you can kick, you can kick anywhere. Lindholm nailed a 64 yarded last year and then went out on his Pro Day and nailed 3 of 4 from SIXTY PLUS YARDS!!! I normally am against drafting a kicker in the first 5 rounds, but this Sebastian Janikowski clone is an exception. Teams like the Bengals, Ravens, and Falcons, who desperately need kicking help, will consider him in the 5th and make him the first kicker off the board, even before highly hyped Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin.

Normally I don’t give kickers higher than a 6^th round grade, because I feel that using a 5^th rounder on a kicker who is pretty much going to be completely random and inconsistent anyway is a waste. However, Lindholm is in a class of his own. Don’t be worried by the level of competition. Kickers translate. If you can kick, you can kick anywhere and this guy can kick. He only got 18 attempts last year, but nailed 15 of those, including 7 of 10 from beyond 40 yards. He hit both of his 50+ yarders last year, a 55 yarder and a whooping 64 yarder, and didn’t miss from within 40. At his Pro Day, nailed 3 of out 4 60 yarders with ease and he averaged 63.4 yards per kickoff with 22 touchbacks on 77 tries. Though he was not quite as good as a field goal kicker in 2008, he still did have a 62.9 yards per kickoff average and 25 touchbacks in 64 tries. For my exclusive interview with Lindholm, click here.

 

163. C John Estes (Hawaii) 58

A mean athletic center built in the mold of former Hawaii center Samson Satele, now with the Oakland Raiders. He has the ability to play guard and is a very physical run blocker in addition to being a smart leader on the offensive line.

164. S Kam Chancellor (Virginia Tech) 58

May have to switch to linebacker because of his 6-3 230 frame. He’ll be a liability in coverage at the next level, but had a very productive college career and has potential as a depth safety, a linebacker, or a special teamer. 

165. G Brandon Carter (Texas Tech) 58

3/15/10: This is what I like to see. Ran a poor 5.36 at his Combine, so he lost 10 pounds and then ran a 5.24. A 5.24 at 6-6 319 isn’t overly impressive, and for an offensive lineman 40 times barely matter, but I love the dedication and commitment to football.

By far the craziest guard in the draft class. If it were legal, he’d probably bite off a defensive linemen’s head. He’s a huge run blocker, but I have some concerns about how he’ll transition to a real blocking scheme in the NFL and about his pass blocking and mobility, which he really lacks.

166. QB Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan) 57

1/30/10: I really didn’t like him going into this game, but he proved to me that his arm is a lot stronger than I lot and a lot more accurate on deep balls than I thought. He had a lot of nice deep throws, which surprised me because he comes from an offense that focuses on short throws. His footwork was still bad and he messed up a few easy throws, but he has some potential in the 4th or 5th round.

I really didn’t like what I saw on tape from LeFevour this season at Central Michigan. I thought he was a late round prospect. I thought he lacked a strong arm and his stats came in a scheme that bloats stats. I thought he couldn’t make reads and looked to run far too often. However, he impressed me a little in the Senior Bowl. He showed a stronger arm than I expected and made a few nice pro style throws, though he was very inconsistent. I’m not in love with him like some places are, but he’s a decent project with upside. He’ll probably be over drafted due to hype and need for the quarterback position.

167. CB AJ Jefferson (Fresno State) 57

An athletic freak that caught many people’s eyes at the Combine, including Mike Mayock, who said he could be a 3^rd rounder when it’s all said and done. I love his physical upside, 6-0, long arms, 44 inch vertical, a 4.43 40 and I have no doubt that he could be a good cornerback in the league someday, but the key word is could. At the very worst, he’s a #3 or #4 cornerback who can help on special teams. He’s very similar to Antoine Cason. 

168. TE Mike Homanawanui (Illinois) 57

1/26/10: He’s being looked at as a big blocker so weighing in at 267 pounds helps his case to get drafted. So do his long arms and hands. 

A very big physical blocker who could be looked at in the 5th round by teams needing run blocking tight ends. 

169. MLB Reggie Carter (UCLA) 57

A big thumping middle linebacker who seems like a natural fit for a 3-4. Despite his lack of lateral mobility, he still managed 269 tackles in his career at UCLA, but I’m not sure he fits a 3-4 scheme well. He doesn’t have a ton of versatility position wise.

170. DT/3-4 DE 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.

171. RB Deji Karim (Southern Illinois) 56

3/15/10: One thing I do like about Pro Days, watching guys I’ve never heard of. Southern Illinois’ Deji Karim had 1694 yards on a 7.4 YPC and 18 touchdowns last year, albeit for a small school, and then he came out and ran a 4.37 at 5-9 210 and then looked very good in his positional drills. He’s an interesting late round prospect with his combination of size, speed, and production. He also caught 17 passes last year, another plus.

Small school, but big upside because of the big power in his legs. Short and stocky at 5-9 210, but runs with a great low pad level, extremely powerful bulldozing over linebackers and has legit 4.4 speed. He was one of the best rushers in the country last year, albeit at a tiny school against weak competition, but we’ve seen many times in the past, backs from small school go on to do big things on the big stage. If you can run, you can run anywhere and this guy can run. I love his upside.

172. DT 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.

173. WR Riley Cooper (Florida) 56

A very athletic wide receiver, but what other type does Florida have. He didn’t put it all together until this year when he had 51 catches for 961 yards and 9 touchdowns, so there’s the issue that he’s could be just a one year wonder. He is very similar to Louis Murphy coming out of Florida last year with his measurables.

174. DE/RLB 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.

175. RLB Thaddeus Gibson (Ohio State) 56

4/9/10: Normally I don’t pay much attention to improved 40 times, but I will take notice if there is a significant increase or decrease for someone. Gibson is a 243 pound pass rusher who has to play rush linebacker because of his size, so the 4.71 he ran at The Combine, though not too far off from his projected time of mid to late 4.6, was not good enough for even early Day 3 consideration. Now, after his 4.58 40 time, I can see him more fitting that role as a rush linebacker in the NFL and for that reason, he could be a 5th or even a 4th rounder given the need for athletic fluid rush linebackers to play the 3-4. I do still have some concerns about his ability to switch positions and his production on the field last year wasn’t great. He had have 45 tackles and 13 tackles for loss, but only 4 sacks.

A very raw and unrefined pass rusher, he got into the backfield a lot last year, but only had 4.5 sacks to show for it and he’s severely undersized at just a few ounces above 240 so he’ll have to make the dreaded position switch to rush linebacker from down lineman, which could be dangerous for him because he’s never played anything remotely like the position. The athleticism and fluidity are there though for him to be a decent rush linebacker if he puts it all together.

Go on to 176-200