QB RB WR TE OT G C NT DT 3-4 DE DE RLB OLB MLB CB S K P
Updated 4/17/10
100 Once in a decade prospect
95-99 Elite talent
90-95 Solid top 10 pick
85-90 Solid first round pick
80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd
75-80 Solid 2nd round pick
70-75 Solid 3rd round pick
65-70 3rd-4th round pick
60-65 4th-5th round pick
55-60 5th round pick
50-55 6th round pick
45-50 7th round pick
40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp
30-40 Career practice squader
20-30 No NFL future
0-20 No football future
1. Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) 88
3/1/10: A very good day for him, shaving about .1 second off of his projected 40 time with a 4.57, and also recording a 40 inch vertical leap and 34 reps on the bench press.
1/30/10: If there were a co-MVP, it would be Weatherspoon. He played middle linebacker for most of the game and that was where he indicated in an interview that he has best fit, but he really can play any 4-3 linebacker position, in addition to 3-4 middle linebacker, because hustle and vocal leadership don’t necessarily have a position and those are his signature traits. His coaching staff was raving ability his leadership ability all week and his hustle showed through on the field. On one play, Weatherspoon, a 241 pound linebacker, ran step for step with Mississippi’s Dexter McCluster, a 5-8 165 running back/wide receiver who is projected to run a 40 in the 4.3s, and trapped him in the corner of the end zone and broke up and almost intercepted the pass. He also had a late interception. His efforts were a huge part of the North’s front 7 domination and I think he has solidified himself as a 1st round prospect.
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.
2. Eric Norwood (South Carolina) 82
He has experience playing standing up at South Carolina, despite being a defensive end, and he has looked good 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Perry Riley (LSU) 74
Could run a low 4.5 40 at 6-1 245 which could make Al Davis draft him in the 2nd 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.
7. 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 1st round talent could be drafted in the 2nd round and could be a steal. More likely, he’ll be drafted in the 3rd 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 1st round, especially if he bulked up.
8. 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 3rd 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.
9. AJ Edds (Iowa) 70
A big thumping linebacker at 6-4 240, but he can also do some nice finesse things as he had 5 picks this year and looked very comfortable dropping back into coverage when needed, especially for a man of his size. His production, though, was subpar with only 210 tackles in his last 3 years so he’ll be a 3rd or 4th round pick as a strong side linebacker.
10. Joe Pawelek (Baylor) 68
Check out these stats, in his 4 years at Baylor, Pawelek has 423 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 9 picks. He will fit in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 scheme at the next level, but his timed speed will hurt his draft stock.
11. Jamar Chaney (Mississippi State) 64
3/1/10: He’s got 3-4 middle linebacker size at 242 pounds, but after running a 4.51, he’s also got 4-3 outside linebacker speed. He can really play anywhere as a linebacker in either scheme, 3-4 middle, 4-3 middle, and 4-3 outside. He also had a 39 inch vertical and a 26 reps on the bench, putting together one of the most impressive athletic displays of the day.
12. Kavell Conner (Clemson) 60
A very athletic linebacker who can play multiple positions and, at the very least, can be a solid depth linebacker. I could see him starting as a strong side guy as well.
13. Stevenson Sylvester (Utah) 54
Your run of the mill 5th 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.
14. Rico McCoy (Tennessee) 53
Very undersized at barely 220 pounds, but he has a ton of tackles over the past 2 years, 307, as well as 2 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and a pick. He’s a good fundamental player, but he needs to bulk up and he doesn’t have great speed for his size either.
15. Rennie Curran (Georgia) 53
16. Daryl Sharpton (Miami) 52
17. Keaton Kristick (Oregon State) 50
18. Kyle Bosworth (UCLA) 47
19. O’Brien Schofield (Wisconsin) 45
20. Simoni Lawrence (Minnesota) 43
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