Here it is... My incomplete prospect rankings

firebee

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So... I'm sure you've all noticed that I haven't been on here in a while... or more likely you haven't. I've taken a different approach to scouting prospects this year. I've tried to avoid all second opinions and preconceived notions about how players rank in comparison. This year I wanted to produce some rankings and short summary reports on prospects based strictly on my observation of how a player performs on gametape in combination with their performances at the combines and pro days.
Since I can't post all my rankings and summary reports in one post, I'll be adding replies to this post and posting my analysis of the prospects at each position. Unfortunately I couldn't look at all the prospects, but their is a good number of prospects on here that've been scouted. Enjoy and feel free to add any opinions on players that may or may not be included in my lists.
 
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firebee

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QUARTERBACK
1. Cameron Colby – Louisiana Tech – 6’2”, 212 lbs, 32” ArmL, 9” HndS
4.78 40YD, 30.5” Vert, 112” BrJp, 6.98 ThCD, 4.28 ShSh
I LOVE Colby!!! An accurate passer that’s quick enough to be a factor out of the pocket, even though he tends to favor throwing from the pocket. Can make all the throws required of an NFL QB with accuracy and touch. Has a quick and powerful release with nice grip on the ball. Shows the ability to put touch on his passes and drop a ball in, flick a pass or fire a pass depending on the throw that needs to be made. Does all the little things you like to see a QB do; such as look off receivers, pump fake and make multiple reads. May need to adjust to the speed of the NFL, but he’s a very mentally and physically gifted QB with a lot of upside. Isn’t afraid to try fitting a ball into a tight window or tight space and let his receiver make a play on the ball. Great at recognizing schemes and making adjustments as the game progresses, but he can get off to a slow start. Doesn’t get rattled if he makes a mistake, bounces right back and plays well under pressure. Has a lot of come from behind games under his belt. Cameron Colby is a QB that could come in and shock the NFL if a team gives him a chance to start, but I like Seattle picking him up to hopefully make Flynn and his contract expendable. The best QB in the draft. Just wait and see.

2. EJ Manuel – Florida State – 6’5”, 237 lbs, 35” ArmL, 10.37” HndS
4.65 40YD, 34” Vert, 118” BrJp, 7.08ThCD, 4.21 ShSH
Exhibits a good arm, good athleticism, great mobility, he sees running lanes well and has excellent sense of pressure. Manuel uses the pump fake to stall defenders and move coverages. He hasn’t shown that he can consistently hit receivers in stride, but he’s shown that he can make multiple reads and throw catchable balls, albeit a bit off the numbers in one direction or another. Doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and he learns from the mistakes he makes. Needs to settle down more in the pocket and not hang his linemen out or he’ll take sacks against NFL caliber linebackers and ends, but he has excellent upside and could develop into a great QB with a little work on his timing, accuracy and a complete understanding of the offensive system he’s working with. I think Manuel is actually a more refined version of Kaepernick when Kaepernick entered the draft. Tough, determined, dedicated and tons of upside. Could be an immediate starter for a few teams, albeit inconsistent.

3. Matt Barkley – Southern California – 6’2”, 230 lbs, 30.62 ArmL, 10.12” HndS
I don’t know why. I just can’t get excited about Matt Barkley. I know he’s the 2nd best QB in this draft if you’re looking for the most NFL Ready QB, but he doesn’t have any wow factor for me. All of his play seems to be prototypical, planned execution. It doesn’t seem like he has any improvisational skill and relies purely on executing a play, which he’s really good at. He has everything you could want in a QB in regards to arm, size, ability, mentality and play on the field, but he doesn’t have any wow factor for me. Kind of reminds me of Eli Manning in terms of demeanor, except more athletic. I have no doubt that Barkley will be a successful QB in the NFL and not flop like many of the previous USC quarterbacks, but their’s just something about his play that doesn’t excite me.

4. Tyler Wilson – Arkansas – 6’2”, 215 lbs, 31 3/8” Arm Length, 8 ¾” hands
40Yd: 4.95, 28.5” Vert, 112” BrJp, 7.22ThCD, 4.39 ShSh
Can make all the throws required of an NFL QB accurately. Can throw into tight windows accurately, but likes to press the issue and throw into double coverage a lot. Relies too much on his arm accuracy and puts the ball at risk. Bit of a gunslinger that needs to work on protecting the ball more. Not a great scrambling QB, but he shows an ability to convert downs if he has to run and he’s deceptively fast if he’s given room to get downhill. Stands in and delivers accurate passes under pressure. Sees the entire field and can progress through multiple reads. Looks off receivers and double pumps to shift coverages and get receivers open. Puts nice touch on his passes, shows great awareness of where his receivers are. Tyler Wilson is an NFL ready QB that could start his rookie season, but he’d be better served getting some work in against NFL caliber corners and defensive schemes when the work doesn’t count before starting in a game.

5. Seth Doege – Texas Tech – 6’1”, 205 lbs,
Doege has the football smarts and the physical ability to be a good QB in the NFL, but he has to get better at hitting receivers in stride. His passes were accurate to sitting targets, but he had problems delivering accurate passes to moving targets in the Shrine Bowl. Second guessed his reads a lot and doesn’t exhibit the reaction to exploit coverages as quick as he could. He places his passes extremely well, but he seems to throw to spots more than the receiver persay. Exhibits excellent short area awareness and moves around extremely well in the pocket, but tries to hang in the pocket a little too long sometimes and takes sacks when he could’ve easily scrambled for a nice gain. Does a nice job of selling the play-action and looks off coverages. Mostly just needs to adjust to the speed and quickness of players at the next level if the Shrine Bowl is any indication of where he’s at mentally and physically for the NFL right now.

6. Alex Carder – Western Michigan – 6’2”, 215 lbs.
Haven’t got to see a lot of Carder, but I was able to see him in the Shrine Bowl and I saw a fair amount of highlight footage. Makes some throws that are risky, but he isn’t afraid to attack and he shows the ability to make multiple reads quickly if he’s given the time and he showed nice awareness in the pocket with enough mobility and footwork to slide and set. Shows an adequate arm, but his accuracy falls off after 25 yards. Not a scrambling QB. Might get back to the line of scrimmage, but isn’t going to make many amazing plays with his feet. He doesn’t stare his receivers down, he uses the pump fake to move coverage, he sells the play-action consistently. May not have an elite arm or elite size, but he has an excellent understanding of the game and the position. capable of creating offensive production and exhibits good football IQ. Could be another Tom Brady type quarterback out of the State of Michigan if his understanding of the game and his ability to execute is better than what people think.

7. Geno Smith – West Virginia – 6’3”, 220 lbs, 32.5” ArmL, 9.25” HndS
4.59 40YD, 33.5” Vert, 124” BrJp
Excellent awareness of the pass rush in the pocket, elusive enough to avoid the pass rush and capable of delivering accurate passes to most of the field. Delivering accurate passes to deep outs and fades past 10 yards are a problem for him. He doesn’t place the ball to the outside shoulder where only the receiver can get it and are often defended. He passes well on the move when the play requires him to pass on the move, but he has a tendency to stop looking downfield when he’s extending a play with the scramble. Gets stuck on waiting for receivers to get open downfield, instead of going through his progression, missing many easy checkdown completions for positive yards on plays that end up being negative plays. His receivers make him look like a better QB than he is. Reminds me of Vince Young in some ways. Shows excellent awareness of pressure, but he tends to be a run – don’t pass type of QB once he’s forced to scramble. I don’t see him being a very successful QB, unless he has a great running game and receivers that can make amazing adjustments like he had at West Virginia.

8. Zac Dysert – Miami (OH) – 6’3”, 231 lbs, 32.62” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
Appears to have everything you could ask for in a QB, but he’s missing all the small things you need a QB to do and have. While he’s big, strong, athletic and he shows a good ability to make good pre-snap adjustments; he doesn’t have great peripheral awareness, he doesn’t sense backside pressure well and he doesn’t sell the play-action. He gets tunnel vision and tries to force the ball downfield too much, instead of hitting the open checkdowns. He doesn’t use the pump-fake to move coverage, he’ll rely on his arm too much and throw floaters when he’s under pressure. He has to make better use of the position’s nuances to improve his game and show better short area awareness. Looks kind of amateurish for a QB in a lot of ways, but he has all the tools needed to be a great quarterback in the NFL.

9. Ryan Nassib – Syracuse – 6’2”, 220 lbs, 32” ArmL, 10.12” HndS
5.06 40YD, 28.5” Vert, 105” BrJp, 7.34 ThCD, 4.53 ShSh
Has the arm, mental capacity and mobility to be an NFL QB, but he needs to improve on his passing fundamentals and setup better for his passes. His throwing mechanics and setup remind me a lot of Seneca Wallace. He appears to have a hard time with the speed of the game against elite competition, which is a cause for concern. If he can adjust to the speed of the game in the NFL and get better at setting up to deliver an accurate pass, he’ll be a solid starter. Otherwise, he’s backup material.

10. Matt Scott – Arizona – 6’2”, 213 lbs, 30.25” ArmL, 9” HndS
Matt Scott has all the physical tools you want in a QB. He has a great arm, he’s athletic and he gets the ball out really quick, but he seems to be a one read QB and he’s not elusive. While he’s an accurate passer, he needs to work on ball placement and putting better touch on his passes, as it seems he throws the wrong types of passes in a lot of situations. He needs to have better pocket awareness and use his feet more to extend plays if he’s going to succeed in the NFL. He hesitates with his throws too much when he has a progression to go through. Most of his success came from quick pre-programmed passing plays that required getting the ball out quickly. He holds onto the ball too long and seems afraid to throw into tight windows when he’s required to make multiple reads. Tons of potential, but his ability to make multiple reads and diagnose coverages is questionable. Confidence and decisiveness may be an issue.

11. Mike Glennon – North Carolina St. – 6’7”, 225 lbs, 33.12” ArmL, 9.62 HndS
4.94 40YD, 26.5” Vert, 102”BrJp, 7.49 ThCD, 4.52 ShSh
Much like Smith, has problems placing the ball to the outside shoulder of the receiver on the deep outs and sideline routes, which leads to a lot of those passes being defended by the coverage. Deceptively quick for his size, but not explosive or fast. Can make throws under pressure, but he isn’t difficult to tackle. I don’t see Glennon being anything, but a backup QB at best. Doesn’t exhibit a high enough football IQ to be an elite QB or an ability to make all the throws required of an NFL QB accurately, and he’s physically not athletic enough to be a threat with his feet. Doesn’t pump fake or look off his receivers. Very amateurish playing ability with no improvisational ability. His tall frame is actually a detriment for him because he’s easy to locate in the backfield. Unless he develops a Manning or Brady type understanding of the game, he’s going to have a difficult time with delivering a good performance. 6’7” and amateurish ability at QB is not appealing.
 
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firebee

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RUNNING BACKS
1. Eddie Lacy – Alabama – 5’10”, 231 lbs, 31” ArmL, 9.5” HndS
Solid between the tackle back with solid hands in the receiving game. Exhibits great lower and upper body strength. Follows his blocks extremely well, shows great change of pace out of the backfield. Can hesitate, follow his blocks and accelerate through the running lanes on one play than explode off the snap the next. He exhibits an excellent understanding of the game and doesn’t make mistakes. He will change direction if he has to, but you will rarely see him cutback for a loss or dance in the backfield if he can get three to four yards plowing into a crease. Very solid at picking up blitzers, but I’d like to see him use his hands more to redirect when he’s blocking. He tends to throw a shoulder or cut block vs. placing his hands and driving an opponent away from the quarterback. Overall, Eddie Lacy is a very solid RB that’s capable of being a productive starter in the NFL on day one.

2. Montee Ball – Wisconsin – 5’11”, 215 lbs, 40Yd:
Ball exhibits excellent strength, balance, explosion and vision, but it seems he tries to do a little too much at times. There are times when it’s smarter to fall forward and get the ball down than it is to break the tackle and risk fumbling. Ball always seems to want that extra inch, no matter what the situation is. While he exhibits great explosion and vision, he seems to be more of a one speed guy in the backfield. Ball has strong hands for receiving, but he doesn’t create separation on his routes or match up well in coverage. He shows excellent upper body strength, great use of hands and is a solid blocker that redirects his man, but he misses assignments when defenses throw more exotic blitz packages at him. Extremely good fundamental blocking skills though. Durability could be an issue due to the wear and tear on his body, but that’s not something I’m overly concerned about with him. He’s going to be in the league for 5 years or more and he’s capable of starting for an NFL team on day one if a team is weak at RB.

3. Andre Ellington – Clemson – 5’9”, 199 lbs, 31” ArmL, 9.37 HndS
4.61 40YD, 34” Vert, 122” BrJp
Doesn’t exhibit great upper body strength or lower body strength, but he does exhibit adequate strength in both areas for his size and position. Can do all the things required of an every down back in the NFL. A very patient runner with great vision and acceleration, but he doesn’t exhibit an explosive first step or explode off his plant and he gets too high coming out of his breaks. He makes nice cuts, follows his blocks extremely well, he shows great acceleration through the running lanes and he never goes backwards, but he stutters and waits too long for his running lanes to open at times, resulting in tackles for losses. Skeptical of him as a short yardage back. Awesome in pass protection. Recognizes his assignments well, uses his hands well to engage, makes great chop blocks when necessary, but doesn’t rely on it and stays with his assignments. Might be, technically, the best pass blocking RB in the draft. Ellington exhibits strong hands, he catches well and he’s a threat after the catch; but he needs work on creating separation with his route running and he tends to wait for the ball to come to him vs. attacking the ball.

4. Kerwynn Williams – Utah St – 5’8”, 195 lbs., 29.75” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
4.48 40YD, 17BnRp, 35” Vert, 118” BrJp, 7.15 ThCD, 4.15 ShSh, 12.04 LoSh
Williams exhibits good vision and patience. He lets the play develop and accelerates through the running lanes nicely, but he doesn’t exhibit that elite explosive power backs like MJD, Darren Sproles or even Jaquizz Rogers have. He has solid hands for receiving, a strong upper body and good balance, but he doesn’t use his legs to drive a defender back for the extra yard or two. Doesn’t use his height to his advantage as much as he could because he lets his pad level get too high when he’s running the ball. He exhibits good elusiveness, good agility and enough speed to take it to the house, but he often gets caught trying to beat defenders to the outside when he should cut inside and take the 4-5 yard gain. Will be a solid scatback type in the NFL, but he needs to develop more lower body drive, run at a lower pad level and be more physical between the tackles if he wants to be an every-down back in the NFL. Deceptively stout as a pass protector for his size and excellent in the return game.

5. Joseph Randle – Oklahoma St. – 6’0”, 204 lbs, 31.75” ArmL, 8.75” HndS
4.63 Yrd
Great balance, nice change of direction and deceptive strength. Doesn’t appear to be explosive and doesn’t appear to have great acceleration, but he’s wiry, tough and has the ability to stay on his feet after contact has been made. He breaks arm tackles extremely well, shows great balance to shake off a tackle and uses the stiffarm well, but the downside to his running style is that he gets too upright at times and while he exhibits very strong hands, he lets the ball hang out at times and increases the chances of it being stripped. Fumbling could be an issue for him when he starts facing NFL competition. Very good hand-eye coordination and ball tracking. He attacks the ball and snatches it out of the air away from his body, regularly shows the ability to bring a ball in from it’s highest point with his fingers, gets turned upfield quickly and shows nice elusiveness after the catch. Adequate as a pass blocker. Recognizes his assignment well and attacks his assignment, but he relies on chop blocks too much and watches a player’s hips too much. He’ll have problems blocking players that are active with their hands in the NFL, unless he learns to keep his head up and be more active with his.

6. Kenjon Barner – Oregon – 5’09”, 196 lbs., 29.67” ArmL, 9.12 HndS
4.52 40YD, 20 BnRp, 35.5” Vert, 122” BrJp, 6.87 ThCD, 4.20 ShSh, 11.33 LoSh
Barner is a stout RB with superb quickness, change of direction ability and breakaway speed; but he doesn’t play with a low center of gravity, he gets too upright and often loses battles in the trenches due to poor leverage. He doesn’t squat to sustain balance and explosion when he changes direction and doesn’t keep a wide base to maintain balance through contact. Misses a lot of inside cuts because he relies on beating the opponent to the outside too much. This will fail most of the time in the NFL. The field is narrower and the players are faster. He’s extremely reliable as a receiver and he’s consistently a threat after the catch, but he tends to catch the ball with his body and he doesn’t really attack the ball. Makes solid cut blocks, but he tends to get easily beaten when he uses his hands to block because he doesn’t play with leverage. I see Barner being a solid scatback / return man in the NFL; but he needs to play at a lower pad level and play with much better leverage if he wants to be a starting back in the NFL.

7. Stepfon Taylor – Stanford – 5’09”, 214 lbs, 30.12” ArmL, 8.67” HndS
4.76 40YD, 17 BnRp, 30” Vert, 110” BrJp, 7.13 ThCD, 4.50 ShSH, 12.06 LoSh
While Taylor doesn’t exhibit great acceleration or change of direction, he does exhibit great power, great balance and he’s explosive off the snap. It almost always takes more than one tackler to bring him down. While he’s explosive off the snap and he plays at a great pad level, he doesn’t show great patience or vision. He often runs into the back of his blockers and relies on moving a pile versus looking for the cutback. Misses a lot of bigger runs due to his assignment style running. He displays excellent hands for receiving, but he doesn’t have enough acceleration or quickness to create separation with a route. Most of his catches are programmed screen passes or checkdown passes to him in a soft spot against zone coverages. He won’t be a major threat with the ball after the catch against NFL competition in my opinion. While Taylor might not have great measurables or exhibit great speed and agility, he is probably the most NFL ready RB in the draft.

8. Johnathan Franklin – UCLA – 5’10”, 205 lbs, 30” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
4.49 40YD, 18BnRp, 31.5” Vert, 115” BrJp, 6.89 ThCD, 4.31 ShSh, 11.33 LoSh
Franklin is a one cut runner that displays excellent top-end speed, balance and upper body strength. He’s patient, he follows his blockers well and he shows decent acceleration, but he’s not explosive off the snap, he misses a lot of easy cutback opportunities and gets caught in the backfield at times waiting for a lane to open, instead of hitting the gap. He doesn’t show that explosive first step off the plant when he decides to make his cut. He shakes off upper body tackle attempts well and has a nice stiff-arm, but he tends to trip up and go down easily when players get an arm on his lower extremities. While he does a nice job of twisting through tackles for extra yards, he doesn’t show the leg drive to move a pile on short yardage situations. He protects the ball well when in traffic, but he doesn’t appear to have a naturally strong grip on the ball and gets careless with it in the open-field. Displays excellent hands for receiving and catches the ball away from his body, but he doesn’t attack the ball or snatch the ball out of the air with authority. Can be a threat running routes, but he doesn’t display the initial explosion to be a major threat after the catch if he has to sit down for the catch. Pass protection skills need work. Doesn’t dip and keep his head up, often puts his head down and lunges for the chop block, doesn’t use his hands well in pass protection and lets his assignments slide off because he doesn’t stay with his assignment.

9. Dennis Johnson – Arkansas – 5’09” 213 lbs.
Great acceleration, power, balance and change of direction. Explosive off the snap with good vision, capable of moving a pile with his leg drive and breaking tackles. Accelerates through the running lanes nicely and shows good elusiveness, but he doesn’t possess the top-end speed to pull away from the faster defenders in the NFL. He’s a threat after the catch in the passing game, displays very nice explosion off the plant when he has to sit down for the catch and good vision in the open field. Needs to develop more consistency catching the ball. He’s willing in pass protection and exhibits relatively solid pass blocking skills. He will attack his assignments, but sometimes whiffs on a cut block because he gets caught ducking his head. While that’s an issue for him, he doesn’t rely on chop blocks and he uses his power well to stand up defenders with good hand placement when he decides to go heads up on a pass rusher in pass protection.

10. Zach Line – SMU – 6’1”, 232 lbs, 30.75” ArmL, 8.75” HndS
4.77 40YD, 26BnRp, 30.5” Vert, 111” BrJp,
Great between the tackle back that explodes through running lanes with power and acceleration. While he doesn’t possess elite speed on paper, he has absolutely great vision and he exhibits enough explosion and quickness to break off some big runs outside the tackle if he has to. Plays much faster than he times. It always takes two or more defenders to bring him down. Reacts to the running lanes that open extremely well and almost always hits the appropriate cutback lane when he needs to. Does a great job of protecting the ball with fundamentals, but fumbles may be an issue for him due to his running style and his hands. He doesn’t seem to have a great grip with his hands, hence him being a liability as a receiving weapon. Excellent in pass protection, but I’d like to see him attack his assignments more. He tends to set back and wait to catch a defender in pass protection rather than stepping up to neutralize a defender, so the QB has a better pocket to work with. Bell might’ve timed better than Line on paper, but Zach Line is the more explosive and powerful running back out of the two due to the pad level he plays at and his use of leverage. He’s a very solid back in the trenches.

11. Christine Michael – Texas A&M – 5’11”, 220 lbs, 31.5” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
4.54 40YD, 27BnRp, 43” Vert, 125” BrJp, 6.69 ThCD, 4.02 ShSh, 11.56 LoSh
Christine Michael is a solid back that exhibits good vision, good balance, great strength, good explosion and nice acceleration. He can run inside or outside, he breaks arm tackles, he runs faster than he times and he’s strong enough to move a pile in short yardage situations. While he displays a lot of the explosion and agility you like to see in a back; he doesn’t display elite quickness or change of direction. Doesn’t cut hard to change direction and seems to rely more on wiggling by an opponent than eluding the opponent. Displays adequate hands for receiving and runs nice routes, but he needs to attack the ball more. Gets careless with the ball at times and let’s the ball hang loose when going through traffic. Plays at a great pad level and exhibits a nice combination of size and strength to be an effective pass blocker, but he needs to show he’s willing. Doesn’t seem to block with any enthusiasm or intent and allows opponents to pressure the pocket by not attacking his assignment with authority. Doesn’t stay with his assignments and often let’s his man loose after he makes initial contact. Durability is a major concern.

12. Giovani Bernard – North Carolina – 5’8”, 202 lbs, 28” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
4.53 40YD, 19 BnRp, 33.5” Vert, 122” BrJp, 6.91 ThCD, 4.12 ShSh, 11.41 LoSh
Elusive with great balance and great hands, but he doesn’t use his hands to snatch the ball and lets the ball fall into his body a lot. While he’s quick with great instincts, he doesn’t exhibit the elite acceleration and top-end speed like a Chris Johnson, Reggie Bush, Darren McFadden or Maurice Jones Drew does. Even though he exhibits solid power and balance in his lower legs to stay on his feet and keep fighting for yards, he doesn’t exhibit the upper body strength and force to move an opponent backwards and he bounces off more than he actually breaks through a tackle. His lack of upper body strength and size also make him a liability in pass protection. He doesn’t exhibit an ability to redirect a blitzer and his cut blocks are often ineffective against pass rushers with good balance and active hands. He’s more of an obstacle than a blocker in pass protection. He’s a dangerous return man, but he’s a liability on punt returns. He refuses to fair catch when he should and he always looks for the big play vs. making the right play.

13. Knile Davis – Arkansas – 5’10”, 227 lbs, 29.75” ArmL, 8.62” HndS
4.37 40YD, 31BnRp, 33.5” Vert, 121” BrJp, 6.96 ThCD, 4.38 ShSh
A prototype sized back with great acceleration, elite top-end speed and excellent vision, but durability is an issue and prior injuries have caused him to lose a step. While he shows great acceleration through the running lanes and patience to let his blocks set up; he’s not explosive off the snap or coming out of his breaks like he was prior to his ankle injury and he looks tentative running. Shows some elusiveness and runs at a low pad level that allows him to carry tacklers for extra yards, but he often doesn’t keep his legs driving to break through tackles, he doesn’t have elite change of direction ability and he seems to go down easily if somebody gets and arm on his legs. Ball security is a major issue for Davis. He has to develop a better grip on the ball and do a better job of protecting the ball. He often let’s the ball hang away from his body and doesn’t use both hands to secure the ball going through traffic. Displays decent receiving ability and he’s a threat to take it to the house if he gets the ball in stride, but he tends to wait for the ball to come to him and catches with his body a lot. Can make nice gains after the catch if he gets space to work with, but he doesn’t get turned upfield quickly after the catch and he doesn’t have that explosive first step that creates missed tackles after the catch. His pass blocking ability is an unknown.

14. Le’Veon Bell – Michigan State – 6’2”, 245 lbs, 31.5” ArmL, 9.67” HndS
4.60 40YD, 24 BnRp, 31.5” Vert, 118” BrJp, 6.75 ThCD, 4.24 ShSh
Big back with great agility and balance for his size. Has the size, power and pad level to carry a pile for a first down in short yardage situations, but he doesn’t exhibit great explosion off the snap and seems to lumber through his running lanes vs. exploding through a gap or accelerating to beat a defender to the outside. Hesitates too much in the backfield and waits for cutbacks when he should be hitting a hole hard at times. While he plays at a good pad level and displays strong hands between the tackles, he gets too upright in space and gets careless with the ball. His ability to catch the ball is questionable and he needs to work on developing better hand placement in pass protection. He recognizes his assignment and attacks his assignment, but his hand placement and jolt doesn’t neutralize his opponent and his opponent is able to get by with a second move quite often.
 
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firebee

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WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Keenan Allen – California – 6’2”, 206 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 10” HndS
Allen is the best WR in the draft. Absolutely insane focus and insane hands. Makes the tough catches in traffic while being hit consistently. Shows excellent change of direction and makes people miss after the catch. Probably isn’t as powerful of a runner as Hopkins, but he’s faster and he displays better receiving skills. Don’t know how fast he is on paper, but I know he’s faster than everybody else on the field if he gets a step on the defense and turns on the afterburners. Lengthy receiver with excellent ball tracking ability, great body control, great hands and good route running. Will go up for the jump balls and bring them down on a regular basis, as well as catch the low balls in traffic. Great ability to challenge one-on-one coverage. Willingness to be physical and win battles on every play; albeit blocking, receiving or decoying. Could be a nightmare at receiver if he adds 10 pounds and gets a little stronger while maintaining his speed and agility. This guy is also a crazy passer. He might have a better arm and throwing accuracy than some of the QBs in this draft. This kid is just a cerebral football player that can contribute to an offense in so many ways and he probably has the best hands out of all the wide receivers in the draft. This is the number 1 receiver in the draft in my opinion.

2. Tavon Austin – West Virginia – 5’8”, 174 lbs, 30” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
4.34 40YD, 14 BnRp, 32” Vert, 120” BrJp, 4.01 ShSh
Incredible hands, change of direction, agility, explosion and body control. A very refined receiver that runs excellent routes and he plays way bigger than he is. Has excellent ball location ability along with the body control to bring off target passes in for the reception. Attacks the ball and snatches it at it’s highest point. Not afraid to make the catch in traffic. Can start and stop on a dime and shows extremely good vision with the ball in his hands. A major threat to take it to the house as a receiver or return man. His blocking ability is very under-rated. Much more effective at blocking than many would think. He shows excellent strength at the point of attack for his size, good hand placement and he sustains his blocks. Makes amazing adjustments for off target passes. Their’s really nothing not to like about Tavon Austin. He’s quick as lightning, explosive and plays with great leverage. He’s not going to win all of the physical battles because he’s a smaller player comparatively speaking, but he’s not a pushover and he makes his presence known as a run blocker or when he has the ball.

3. DeAndre Hopkins – Clemson – 6’1”, 200 lbs, 33.37” ArmL, 10” HndS
4.57 40YD, 15BnRp, 36” Vert, 115” BrJp, 4.5 ShSh
Hopkins is a very smart and well rounded receiver with excellent hands, excellent ball tracking skills, great route running and a great understanding of the game. His situational awareness is very impressive. Always seems to know where the first down marker is and doesn’t haul in catches that would end up being tackles for losses. He plays at a great pad level, uses his hands extremely well to win battles. He sets up with a wide base on the plant, which makes it easier for him to break tackles and is extremely explosive off the plant. He has excellent change of direction ability and is willing to make the catches through the middle in traffic. He doesn’t exhibit great top end speed or acceleration to pull away from the faster corners, but he has an extremely explosive first step and he’s a powerful runner that breaks a lot of arm tackles and makes a lot of defenders miss. His run blocking technique is solid. Sets up nice, gets good hand placement most of the time, jolts the defender with a decent punch and sustains his blocks with good leg drive. Hopkins may be the most polished and well rounded WR in the draft. My only complaint with Hopkins is that he doesn’t comeback for the ball on the sit routes and waits for the ball to come to him a lot of the time. He also doesn’t seem to attack the ball at its highest point consistently. Kind of a wait for the ball type receiver. Needs to attack the ball more as a receiver.

4. Robert Woods – Southern Cal – 6’1”, 190 lbs, 31” ArmL, 9.25” HndS
4.51 40YD, 14BnRp, 33.5” Vert, 117” BrJp, 7.15 ThCD, 4.47 ShSh
Robert Woods is a very smart receiver that does a lot of the little things you like to see a receiver do. He displays great hands, he attacks the ball and he rarely catches the ball with his body based on what I’ve seen. He does an excellent job of adjusting speeds to create separation and he uses his hands extremely well to win battles, despite having questionable upper body strength. While he doesn’t have great closing speed for throws made downfield, he’s always willing to lay out for a downfield throw if he thinks he has a chance at making the catch and his route running often gets him open over the top. Makes catches in traffic on a regular basis and shows excellent vision with the ball after he has it in his hands. He does a nice job of sitting down in soft spots against zone coverages and he exhibits a nice quick first step that allows him to make defenders miss and get yards after the catch. He’s a technically sound run blocking WR, but it would be nice if Woods developed more strength, as he does get physically beat and has a hard time sustaining blocks. He has excellent vision as a kick returner and while he may not have the speed to take it to the house, he does generate excellent field position with his returns on a regular basis. Biggest issue with Woods is his lack of top-end speed, acceleration, agility and power. Overall… Woods will be a solid possession receiver in the NFL and can contribute as a return man for a conservative special teams unit. He could develop into a Pro Bowl caliber WR if he gets a little stronger and becomes a little more explosive.

5. Markus Wheaton – Oregon St. – 5’11”, 189 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
4.45 40YD, 20 BnRp, 37” Vert, 120” BrJp, 6.80 ThCD, 4.02 ShSh, 11.16 LoSh
Extremely dangerous receiver with the ball after the catch if he has a little space to work with. Has great acceleration and closes on downfield passes extremely well, but he has a hard time making catches with coverage on him through the middle and he has a hard time hauling in low passes to the slants. Makes excellent adjustments to downfield throws that have some air under them and snatches the ball at it’s highest point when going up for a downfield pass. Shows a willingness to be physical, but he needs to develop a better punch and be more aggressive when he blocks. He gets his hands on his assignment and actually shows good hand placement, but he doesn’t block with any force or use his legs to drive a player away from the ball. While he has great straight-line acceleration and top-end speed, he could show better change of direction and agility. He often takes a couple of steps to slow down before planting to change directions and doesn’t appear to have the quick 1 or 2 step stop and go ability. Exhibits a great understanding of the coverages and where he’s supposed to be, sits down in soft spots against zone coverages and exploits breakdowns. Wheaton needs to be more consistent in the short passing game and refine a few areas of his game, but he’s a bigtime playmaker that’ll succeed if he learns how to be more aggressive at the line of scrimmage and becomes a more consistent receiver in the short to intermediate areas.

6. Quinton Patton – Louisiana Tech – 6’0”, 204 lbs, 32.87” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
4.53 40YD, 8 BnRp, 33” Vert, 118” BrJp, 6.91 ThCD, 4.01 ShSh
Excellent hands, ball tracking ability and concentration. Patton tracks the ball extremely well downfield, adjusts and makes the catch. Doesn’t exhibit any amazing leaping ability or acrobatic ability, but uses position and heady football play to bring the ball in. Decent enough speed to be a threat as a downfield receiver, but he doesn’t exhibit elite break-away speed like a DeSean Jackson, Percy Harvin or Mike Wallace. Physical at the line of scrimmage, gets off jams well and exhibits sound fundamental run blocking skills, but he needs to get stronger. Runs nice routes and is almost always where he’s supposed to be, but he doesn’t generate much separation on his breaks and he will force a QB to throw into tighter coverage than many would like to. Extremely good at winning physical battles for completions and has a great understanding of position with great hands and ball location skills. Quinton Patton is a receiver with solid receiving ability, but he may not get targeted like he was at SMU until a QB becomes confident in his ability to make catches against tight coverage.

7. Chad Bumphis – Mississippi St. – 5’11”, 198 lbs. 40Yd: 4.4- (4.36-4.57)
A deadly return man and a smart receiver that’s very quick with excellent route running and good hands. Bumphis reads coverages well, exploits soft spots nicely and gets in great position for the catch. He has great awareness and is extremely dangerous after the catch. Elusive and capable of breaking tackles with his agility. He doesn’t play with physicality and appears to be a finesse WR. Blocking is poor at best. He doesn’t use his hands well, he gets too high in his stance and he doesn’t drive through the block. He seems unwilling to be physical when the play requires him to be. He hits the ground if he senses a big hit coming. Bumphis’ ability to be a physical receiver that’ll help as a run blocker and win the physical battles is a major concern. “Primadonna” syndrome is something to consider. Despite that being said, Bumphis is undoubtedly one one of the top pure receivers in the draft. Excellent hands, route running, vision and understanding of how to exploit defenses. Just hasn’t shown that he’s willing to be physical or aggressive.

8. Ryan Swope – Texas A&M – 6’0”, 205 lbs, 31.37” ArmL, 8.5” HndS
4.34 40YD, 16BnRp, 37” Vert, 125” BrJp, 6.76 ThCD, 4.25 ShSh
Ryan Swope is a solid receiver that uses his hands well at the line of scrimmage and runs nice routes. He plays fast and he tracks the ball extremely well, but he’s not as fast or explosive as his times on paper indicate. He doesn’t seem to accelerate away from defenders out of his breaks or after he gets the ball. Shows great vision and is physical enough to gain yards after the catch, but he doesn’t display elite breakaway speed or elite change of direction ability. Does a nice job of attacking the passes and shows reliable hands, but he doesn’t exhibit a great close on the ball. Can make the tough catches in traffic or down the sideline with coverage on him. Very solid run blocker that’s fundamentally sound and strong enough to be effective, but sometimes he lets his feet get crossed up and whiffs on a block. Overall… Swope has the ability to contribute as a number 2 receiver in his first year. He’s well rounded and his hands are reliable enough to make him a solid target, but he needs to become more explosive, develop better balance and be more explosive if he’s going to be a successful #1 or #2 WR at the next level.

9. Marcus Davis – Virginia Tech – 6’3”, 233 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.56 40YD, 19BnRp, 39.5” Vert, 120” BrJp, 7.15 ThCD
Davis is a very strong and powerful receiver that adjusts his speeds well and uses his hands well to create separation on his routes. Great ball tracking skills and reliable hands. Davis doesn’t exhibit elite speed, but he’s a very heady football player that has great hands, and he routinely makes tough catches in coverage. Dangerous after the catch. Doesn’t have elite acceleration, but the combination of his strength, size, balance and elusiveness make him very hard to tackle in the open field. Exhibits good situational awareness and performs well in clutch situations. Knocked for not being physical, but I don’t see it. He uses his hands well to fight off jams and blocks with force when the run is coming his direction. Doesn’t have an explosive first step or great cuts, but he plays with a powerful base and overpowers much of his competition with his strength. He accelerates nicely through his routes, gets open and is aware of where the QB is. High Football IQ. Has a good enough arm to be used as a gimmick QB. I fully expect Davis to be entrenched as a #2 WR for an NFL team next year.

10. Rodney Smith – Florida State – 6’4”, 225 lbs, 34.75” ArmL, 10.37” HndS
4.51 40YD, 34.5” Vert, 120” BrJp, 7.03 ThCD, 4.07 ShSh, 11.84 LoSh
Very big receiver with strong hands and enough speed to stretch the field. Shows an ability to track the ball well and catches the ball away from his body. Doesn’t show good change of direction and he tends to round off his cuts on his routes and when he’s running with the ball. Shows great straight-line acceleration and speed to beat defenders on the deep routes and uses his hands well to create separation on the short routes, but he doesn’t adjust his speeds on his intermediate to deep routes and create separation. Doesn’t consistently get open or exploit soft spots in coverage. Exhibits awesome lower body strength and a strong upper body, but he doesn’t establish a base and use good leverage to win the physical battles at the line of scrimmage. Relies too much on his size and strength to overpower opponents, instead of using good technique. Could develop into a solid #1 or #2 WR if he gets better at creating separation and learns to play at a better pad level.

11. Marquise Goodwin – Texas – 5’09”, 183 lbs, 31.5” ArmL, 8.62” HndS
4.27 40YD, 13BnRp, 132” BrJp
Appears to be more of a return man and specialty receiver than a X, Y or Slot WR. Runs nice routes, creates separation with his quickness and uses his hands well to fight through jams, but he needs to get better at exploiting soft spots in coverage and his ball tracking skills are sub-par for a WR. Often drops passes because he doesn’t get his head turned around fast enough or loses track of a deepball because he looks over the wrong shoulder. Is deadly with a ball in his hands, but he hasn’t been a consistent receiving target and often gets the ball through play design. Is a physical run blocker that plays with good leverage, but he’s often physically beat and overwhelmed due to his smallish stature. Goodwin will be a solid return man in the NFL and he can be a weapon on offense, but he needs to get better at tracking the ball to be effective in the passing game.

12. Cordarrelle Patterson – Tennessee – 6’2”, 216 lbs, 31.75” ArmL, 9” HndS
4.42 40YD, 37” Vert, 128” BrJp
His combination of size and speed make him a natural target. Runs nice routes that allow the QB to get him the ball, but he doesn’t create separation with his routes and often has to make the catch with a defender on top of him. Doesn’t display great hands or great fundamental catching ability. Often catches passes with his body and rarely brings down passes he has to go up for and bring in with his hands. Hands may be an issue. Seems to have a tendency to fumble and doesn’t exhibit a real strong grip on the ball. While he’s proven to be a reliable target in the college ranks, He hasn’t displayed an ability to be a threat with the ball after the catch. Has the ability to burn his man with speed, but he doesn’t adjust speeds to create separation with his routes. Overall… Patterson is a very naturally talented receiver, but he doesn’t do a lot of the little things you like to see receivers do. His physicality is questionable. He gets too high in his stance and doesn’t get good placement or drive to sustain his blocks when run blocking. Needs to learn the nuances of the position before he’ll develop into a true number 1 or number 2 WR. Probably the most physically gifted WR in the draft, but I don’t see him consistently contributing to an offense in the NFL for, at least, a year.

13. Terrance Williams – Baylor – 6’2”, 208 lbs, 31.25” ArmL, 8.75” HndS
4.52 40YD, 11 BnRp, 32.5” Vert, 119” BrJp, 7.01 ThCD, 4.32 ShSh, 11.50 LoSh
A big receiver that’s deceptively fast. Very quick off the snap on the short routes, can close on a corner much faster than a lot of them anticipate and he has an incredible top end with a nice closing burst. Plays way faster than he times. He pulls away when he gets a step on a defender and he closes on downfield passes nicely. He’s a willing blocker, but he needs to play at a lower pad level, use better hand placement and develop a stronger punch. He often sets up too early and waits for his assignment, instead of attacking his assignment. Needs to be more aggressive and physical. He doesn’t use his hands and upper body well to win battles at the line of scrimmage or in coverage. He has a hard time making catches with coverage on him and often body catches passes he has to sit down or comeback for. Needs space to catch the ball and secure it or the pass will often end up incomplete. Shows excellent sideline awareness and gets his feet down for the completion. Needs to develop a better understanding of coverages and better utilize playbook memory to adjust his routes against coverages. Is in the wrong place at the wrong time on routes at times. Overall… Williams will definitely make big plays in the NFL. He has the speed, acceleration and size to be a big play receiver, but his receiving ability is inconsistent and he needs to develop a better understanding of how different routes and plays work against different coverages, so he’s consistently where he needs to be if he wants to be used as a #1 or #2 WR. I don’t see him working well out of the slot, so he’ll probably service a team as their 4th WR in his first year.

14. Justin Hunter – Tennessee – 6’4”, 200 lbs, 33.25” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
4.44 40YD, 39.5” Vert, 136” BrJp, 4.33 ShSh
Another raw Tennessee receiver with great physical abilities, but lacking in the football IQ department. Has excellent speed to get downfield, but he doesn’t adjust his speeds to create separation and he doesn’t use his hands well to get off jams at the line of scrimmage. Plays too upright and has problems changing directions because he doesn’t squat and establish a wide base to plant off. Often tries to go up for a pass with one hand, instead of two when he’s capable of getting two hands on the ball. Catches with his body a lot. Very inconsistent at catching the ball and he needs to exhibit more focus. Has excellent lower body strength, but he doesn’t squat and use a low pad level to take advantage of his lower body strength. Gets poor hand placement when blocking and doesn’t keep active or drive his man away from the ball. Seems willing to be physical, but he doesn’t use good leverage, active hands or proper technique to win the physical battles. This is a very very raw receiver with a ton of physical talent. Needs to become a better football player in general.

15. Brandon Kaufman – Eastern Washington – 6’4”, 215 lbs
Tall Receiver with great hand-eye coordination, but he doesn’t display the quickness and explosion to be effective as a route runner or the top end speed to consistently be a deep threat. Tracks the ball extremely well and he has great hand-eye coordination, but he doesn’t have the legs to close on the ball and he uses his size to shield for position on the ball more than he uses his size to outjump a player for the ball. Does a nice job of extending for the catch at it’s highest point, but he tends to wait for the ball and doesn’t try to cut the ball off in front of a defender. Blocking ability is less than desirable. Doesn’t use his hands well as a blocker and often whiffs on cut blocks. Also needs to be more active with his hands at the LOS and throughout his routes to create better separation. Kaufman’s an intriguing prospect because he does have great hands, but his lack of speed and explosion can make one wonder if he’ll be able to create separation in the NFL and his run blocking is definitely less than desirable. Would be best used as a redzone weapon out of a 4 or 5 receiver set.

16. Anthony Amos – Middle Tennessee St. – 5’11”, 185 lbs
Haven’t got to see a whole lot on this kid, but he displayed excellent hands, good speed and route-running at the Shrine Bowl. Didn’t appear to possess elite speed or explosion, but he gave a solid performance and he looked really strong for a receiver. Shows good vision and an ability to break tackles for YAC. Also looks like a really young receiver that has a lot of room for growth and he seemed relatively humble with a good work ethic. Looked good at the Shrine Bowl against top level competition and showed that he can compete at the next level. Also looked a lot bigger than his listed 5’11” 185 lbs.
 
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TIGHT ENDS
1. Tyler Eifert – Notre Dame – 6’6”, 251 lbs
4.68 40YD, 22BnRp, 35.5” Vert, 119” BrJp, 6.92 ThCD, 4.32 ShSh, 11.52 LoSh
A great all around TE that’s fundamentally sound in every aspect of his game. Catches the ball nicely with his hands and doesn’t rely on catching with his body. Explosive and accelerates through his route nicely. Very reliable target if the pass is thrown in his range. Strong with good change of direction and agility to get yards after the catch. Explosive out of his breaks and he uses his hands well to shed jams and create separation. Adjusts speed to settle in soft spots and Positions himself well against defenders to shield the pass from the defender. Goes up and extends for jump balls nicely. Very solid at blocking, Anchors well, uses good hand placement and sets with a wide base, but he has problems with driving the defenders away from the ball and often gives up ground against stronger pass rushers. Needs to develop a stronger upper body and block at a lower pad level to better drive defenders off the ball.

2. Nick Kasa – Colorado – 6’6”, 265 lbs, 32.87” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
4.71 40YD, 22 BnRp, 31.5” Vert, 113” BrJp
Prototype sized TE with adequate speed and acceleration to threaten downfield on seam routes. Very quick for his size and able to create separation with his cuts. Has amazing top end speed. Uses his long strides effectively to close on deep throws and accelerate away from defenders when he gets a step on them. Exhibited excellent hands and route running at the Senior Bowl while making some nice jump ball adjustments to bring in the catch against elite competition. Sits down in open areas and makes himself visible to the QB. Adjusts to passes well. Showed excellent power and ability to break tackles after the catch. Exhibits great run-blocking ability. Kasa is just as good as Eifert, but he didn’t play for Notre Dame or even a decent program this year. Is definitely a solid TE that will start in the NFL.

3. Travis Kelce – Cincinnati – 6’5”, 260 lbs
Very reliable hands and he doesn’t rely on catching the ball with his body, but he doesn’t attack the pass and close on the ball. Let’s defenders cut the pass off by waiting for the ball, instead of coming back to the ball and attacking it at it’s highest point. Not explosive off the snap and doesn’t display great acceleration, but he has excellent change of direction and creates nice separation coming out of his breaks. Needs to get better at adjusting his speed to create separation on the seam routes and crossing routes. Relies too much on double moves to get open. Is strong enough and agile enough to make gains after the catch, but he’s not a threat to break big run after the catch due to his lackluster speed and acceleration. Exceptional at run blocking and solid at pass blocking, but he misses assignments at times because his lack of acceleration and speed keeps him from staying with his assignment. Ineffective blocking downfield in space. He’s a very solid all around TE that can step in and be an every down TE in the NFL, but he needs to get faster and develop better acceleration if he’s going consistently be a receiving threat.

4. Gavin Escobar – San Diego St. – 6’5”, 255 lbs, 33.67” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
4.84 40YD, 32” Vert, 114” BrJp, 7.07 ThCD, 4.31 ShSh, 11.81 LoSh
Escobar has very reliable hands, but he has a tendency to wait for the ball and doesn’t cut the ball off at it’s highest point, letting defenders have a better chance at making a play on the pass. Uses a variation of speeds to create separation in his routes and uses his hands well, but he isn’t explosive out of his breaks and he doesn’t have the speed and acceleration to be a downfield threat consistently. Has a hard time hauling in passes if contact is made. He blocks extremely well and does a nice job of sealing off the defender from the ball carrier, but he has problems with driving stronger defenders off the ball and often loses his balance if he has to turn a block. Overall… Escobar is a relatively solid TE that should be able to contribute as a 2nd TE his rookie year while developing into a well rounded stating TE.

5. Zach Ertz – Stanford – 6’6”, 249 lbs, 31.75” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
4.76 40YD, 24 BnRp, 30.5” Vert, 111” BrJp, 7.08 ThCD, 4.47 ShSh, 11.92 LoSh
Zach Ertz displays excellent hands and good fundamental receiving ability, but he doesn’t accelerate through his routes and create separation consistently. He exhibits good change of direction when he has the ball in his hands, he has an explosive first step and he has active hands for defeating jams or creating separation on his routes. He does a nice job of driving defenders off the ball if he gets a lock on them and he shows nice initial pop when he’s blocking, but he often doesn’t have enough short area quickness or good enough footwork to stay with his assignment and sustain his blocks. Ertz is a solid TE, but he needs to develop better use of acceleration in his routes and develop better short area footwork to be a more effective blocker in the NFL if he wants to be a consistent performer in the NFL.

6. Jordan Reed – Florida – 6’2”, 240 lbs, 33” ArmL, 10” HndS
4.72 40YD, 16 BnRp
Jordan Reed is an excellent receiving tight end, despite being a bit undersized. He plays fast, he’s quick out of his breaks, he runs great routes, he exploits coverages extremely well, he uses his body well to get position, exhibits great hands and snatches the ball at its highest point. Blocking is less than desirable, but he could develop into an adequate blocker. Needs to develop more upper body strength and establish a wider base when blocking. Doesn’t deliver a punch to jolt the defender, show good hand placement or drive the defender off the ball when he does get a good block. Simply is not a good blocker with a lot of fundamental problems in his blocking form and physicality. Seems to be a willing blocker. Just not effective. Reed will be an excellent receiving weapon for a team, but he’s likely not going to be an every down tight end, unless he shows that he can be much more physical at the point of attack and develop much better blocking ability. Strictly a receiving threat at TE, maybe even an oversized split out or receiving fullback like James Casey.

7. Vance McDonald – Rice – 6’4”, 260 lbs, 34.37” ArmL, 10.12” HndS
4.69 40YD, 31 BnRp, 33.5” Vert, 119” BrJp, 7.08 ThCD, 4.53 ShSh, 11.73 LoSh
McDonald has great physical ability for his size. He exhibits nice acceleration and shows adequate speed for a TE. Displays good change of direction ability and agility. Tracks the ball well and makes good adjustments, but his hands are inconsistent. He’s prone to dropping quick passes that hit him in the hands. He’s solid at blocking and does a nice job of staying with his assignments, but he relies on the cut block too much and often ducks his head down when going for the cut block, causing him to whiff. He’s better off staying on his feet and sustaining his blocks. Shows excellent hand placement, plays with good leverage and shows nice drive when he decides to anchor against a defender and drive them out of the lane. Has the physical ability and physicality to be a starting TE in the NFL, but he has to develop better hands and become a more reliable target.
 
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OFFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Luke Joeckel – Texas A&M – 6’6”, 306 lbs, 34.25 ArmL, 10.12” HndS
5.30 40YD, 27 BnRp, 28.5” Vert, 106” BrJp, 7.40 ThCD, 4.68 ShSh
The best OT in the draft. Athletic, cerebral, quick on his feet, sets a good anchor, slides nicely, picks up assignments perfectly almost every time. I’ve seen him block two guys at the same time coming off the edge multiple times in a game. Superb at using footwork and balance to maintain position. Could be more effective with a stronger punch and he lets defenders get in his chest at times, but he plays at a great pad level and consistently maintains a wide base that’s hard for defenders to get around. He shows nice leg drive and latches on to drive the defender away from the ball when run blocking. He uses his footwork to cut off the defender and seal the lane, but he lets the defender get in his chest and is susceptible to being bullrushed by stronger defenders. Needs to develop a better punch and more strength in his arms to jolt the defender more and better control them. Otherwise, Joeckel appears to be a great offensive tackle.

2. Matt Sewell – OL, McMaster (CN) - 6’8”, 345 lbs
This kid isn’t just a Giant. He can play football pretty well and he’s a natural athlete for a man his size. Sasquatch big, like no soft midsection with tree trunks for legs and arms. While his footwork needs some work, he shows good balance, gets downfield pretty fast as a run blocker and has enough body control to sustain blocks on the move. He uses his hands extremely well and takes full advantage of his monstrous wingspan. He neutralizes defenders with a strong punch that he delivers quickly. Caught a glimpse of him at the Shrine Bowl and thought “Who the heck is that?” Watched more footage of him, compliments of Youtube, and I couldn’t pass on this guy if I was an NFL coach. This is a once in a blue moon player that comes along and redefines a position. He’s still raw, but he’s so naturally dominating. The natural physical talent this guy has is off the charts and I have no doubt this guy will be a perennial pro bowl OT if he puts his mind to it. The natural upside of Matt Sewell is incredible and he’s not a completely raw football player. He actually looks comfortable at left tackle. He just hasn’t had any quality coaching. Could be a dominant offensive tackle that redefines the position after a year or two of NFL coaching.

3. Eric Fisher – Central Michigan – 6’7”, 306 lbs, 34.5” ArmL, 10.5” HndS
5.05 40YD, 27 BnRp, 28.5” Vert, 116” BrJp, 7.59 ThCD, 4.44 ShSh
Excellent use of hands, shows great use of footwork and balance to control defenders on the pass rush and turns them away from the QB. Powerful, explosive off the snap and exhibits good leg drive for run blocking. Delivers nice strong punches to jolt defenders and good hand placement for control. Exhibits great balance and doesn’t give up ground easily if leverage breaks down for him. Stays at a low pad level for his height. Doesn’t always fare well with defending the edge blitz. Can get pushed back by stronger stouter defensive linemen, but he uses his hands well to maintain balance and stay on his feet. Fisher is a fundamentally sound offensive tackle, but he needs to better execute the nuances of the position, such as not releasing too late or too early on a block and maintaining position against blitzes.

4. Ricky Wagner – Wisconsin – 6’6”, 308 lbs, 9.87” HndS
5.17 40YD, 20BnRps.
Wagner is a solid offensive lineman in many aspects. He plays with great short area quickness, strength and base to stop most edge rushing ends. Uses his long arms well to control defenders and delivers a strong enough punch to jolt most defenders and keep them off balance. Solid understanding of the position, does a nice job of sealing off running lanes and protecting the QB. Pretty solid at making downfield blocks, but he lunges for blocks at times in the open field and has problems with setting his feet on the move. Very strong and shows great leg drive. Exhibits great hand placement and uses his hands well to counter a defenders release. Overall… Wagner is a very solid lineman that’s strong at the point of attack and fundamentally sound with a good understanding of the game. Could improve on his agility and change of direction ability, but very solid in every aspect of his game otherwise. I definitely think he’ll be starting at Right tackle his first year, but he has a shot at developing into a starting left tackle if he improves on his change of direction and agility. Does not have the strength to hold up against NFL DTs on the interior.

5. Kyle Long – Oregon – 6’6”, 313 lbs, 33.37” ArmL, 11” HndS
4.94 40YD, 28” Vert, 107” BrJp, 7.83 ThCD, 4.63 ShSh
Kyle Long is a solid offensive tackle that shows great footwork and good strength at the point of attack. He locates his blocks extremely well and shows excellent leg drive when he latches on, but he doesn’t deliver a nice punch and tends to use his hands to push a defender away from the ball versus jolting the defender with a good punch and getting them off balance first. While he’s good at locating blocks in the 2nd level, he often reaches for his blocks and doesn’t use his quick feet to close and get maximum leverage against a defender. Shows excellent footwork in pass protection, slides well and stays at a good pad level for an OT, but he could kick out against the edge rushers more and give quarterbacks a better pocket to work with. Has a hard time sustaining blocks when the play gets extended. Overall… Long is good enough to be a starting right tackle in his first year and he could develop into a solid starting left tackle, but he needs to work on delivering a better punch, better utilize his footwork to cut off defenders and be more aggressive in general. Could play inside or outside in the NFL. Has experience playing inside and outside against top level competition in the collegiate ranks and he was successful in both roles.

6. Justin Pugh – Syracuse – 6’4”, 307 lbs, 32” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
5.14 40YD, 28.5 Vert, 103” BrJp, 7.45 ThCD, 4.63 ShSh
Very fundamentally sound. Plays with a great base, slides nicely, has good hand placement, delivers a punch to jolt the defender, holds up against the bull rush well and very comfortable at left tackle. Played inside and outside on the left side of the line, but he looked best at left tackle. Has a very smooth pull and is able to get outside or inside as a lead blocker, but he doesn’t display elite quickness or explosion and he gets caught reaching for blocks against quicker defenders when he gets to the second level. Displays good football IQ and doesn’t miss assignments. Almost always picks up the right block and seals off the ball carrier. Excellent in pass protection, but he doesn’t have the arm length to two slow down two rushers, despite getting good position in those situations. Could develop more strength and explosion, but Pugh is a fundamentally sound football player with the footwork and agility to succeed at OT. Has the size to play guard, but he needs to get stronger and be more powerful off the snap to be effective inside.

7. Dallas Thomas – Tennessee – 6’5”, 308 lbs
Dallas Thomas shows excellent balance and awareness of which blocks need to be made, but his strength, explosion and quickness are questionable for an offensive lineman. Sets up with a nice base and exhibits a smooth slide. Does a nice job of engaging, delivers a punch and sustains blocks well, but he doesn’t jolt a defender with his punch, he doesn’t exhibit the leg strength to drive stronger defenders away from the ball and he has problems staying in front of quicker defenders. Dallas Thomas does a nice job of picking up his assignment, exhibits solid fundamentals and appears to have a solid understanding of the position, but his lack of strength, explosion and quickness are going to be a concern against NFL competition. Could be a force with some time in an NFL strength and conditioning program, but will likely get beat a lot his rookie year, despite being in the right place at the right time.

8. Lane Johnson – Oklahoma – 6’6”, 300 lbs, 32.25” ArmL, 10.12” HndS
4.72 40YD, 28 BnRp, 34” Vert, 118” BrJp, 7.31 ThCD, 4.52 ShSh
Has nice size, frame and great athletic ability for an offensive tackle, but his footwork is lacking. He frequently gets out of position and reaches for his blocks or lunges for a chop block when he has the angle to accelerate through the defender and move to the second level. Very explosive off the snap when run blocking, but he gets too upright and bends at the waist to make blocks on the move. Lets his feet get too close together at times and lets a defender turn him. Lane Johnson is a super athlete at OT, but he has to develop better fundamental footwork, slide, maintaining a wide base and anchoring with a squat. He’s a monster one on one, but he often hesitates with picking up a man if he has to choose an assignment and he doesn’t get the drop or consistently position himself to cut off two pass rushers.

9. Tanner Hawkinson – Kansas – 6’5”, 298 lbs, 33.37” ArmL, 10” HndS
5.07 40YD, 28.5” Vert, 112” BrJp, 7.52 ThCD, 4.51 ShSh
Tanner Hawkinson is a fundamentally sound offensive tackle that sets up nicely and uses his hands well to control the defender. Shows good recognition and picks up his assignments well. Has good acceleration and athletic ability to get downfield and make blocks, but his awareness and reaction are a concern. Gets caught flat footed against quicker defenders and often doesn’t get a punch on a smaller defender when they’re in range. Fares extremely well against edge rushing ends and most linebackers, but he often has a slow reaction to the quicker linebackers and defensive backs, allowing them to get a step on him. Does a nice job of staying on his feet and not taking himself out of a play. Doesn’t reach or lunge for blocks, but he stays with blocks too long at times when he should release. Hawkinson is an intriguing prospect because he’s an experienced offensive tackle that exhibits a good football IQ and athleticism for the position, but his lacking ability to react quickly is cause for concern with an NFL player.

10. D.J. Fluker – Alabama – 6’5”, 339 lbs, 36.75” ArmL, 10.5 HndS
5.31 40YD, 21 BnRp
Fluker has great size and lower body strength to anchor against the pass rush and drive defenders away from the ball, but he doesn’t exhibit quick feet and he sometimes hesitates to pick up his man and gets turned. Plays with a nice wide base and shows a nice kick, but he needs to work on sliding better. Tries to run with his assignment, instead of sliding with his assignment and driving the assignment away from the ball carrier. Not real effective as a blocker in the 2nd level or pulling to the other side of the line. Uses his hands extremely well, but he needs to develop a stronger upper body and stronger arms. Defenders are often able to fight through his blocks and make plays because he’s not strong enough to turn the defender and he doesn’t deliver a punishing punch that throws a defender off balance. Could be a solid right tackle in the NFL, but lack of upper body strength is a concern for playing right tackle with the stronger left ends around the league. I don’t believe he has the footwork or quickness to play left tackle in the NFL.

11. Menelik Watson – Florida State – 6’5”, 310 lbs, 34” ArmL, 10.37” HndS
5.29 40YD, 24.5” Vert, 103” BrJp, 8.31 ThCD, 5.01 40YD
Watson is a natural at right tackle, but he needs to develop more upper body strength and deliver a stronger punch. Doesn’t always use good hand placement to turn a defender or sustain leverage against a defender. Shows good lower body strength, plays at a good pad level for his size and shows nice leg drive, but he needs to develop a better slide and do a better job of maintaining a wide base throughout his slide. Gets too upright and gets his feet too close together at times, which gets him easily turned and off balance. Shows enough acceleration to get outside and be an effective second level blocker, but his footwork often takes him out of the play. Wasn’t asked to do a lot at right tackle. Not used much as a pulling lineman and often had problems sliding across the guard or tight end to pick up a blitzer if he needed to. May have problems executing more complex blocking schemes against more complex defenses in the NFL. Does he love football or is he an athlete playing football because it’s a way to make money?

12. Oday Aboushi – Virginia – 6’5”, 308 lbs, 33.87” ArmL, 10.62” HndS
5.45 40YD, 17BnRp, 23.5 Vert, 100” BrJp, 7.92 ThCD, 4.84 ShSh
Oday Aboushi is a great run blocking offensive tackle that seals off the ball carrier nicely and he shows nice leg for driving the defender away from the ball, but his quickness and his lack of strength are a concern. While he’s a mauler in the running game, he doesn’t show great explosion off the snap. He often gets beat by quicker defenders when they double move him on the pass rush and has a hard time staying in front of quicker defenders. Plays with a nasty demeanor and finishes his blocks, but he doesn’t deliver a nice punch or control the defender with his hands. Often gets too upright and doesn’t maintain a wide base against the pass rush. Gets easily turned and doesn’t slide well with the defender. Needs to develop more quickness, better footwork and a stronger upper body to succeed in the NFL.
 
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GUARDS
1. Larry Warford – Kentucky – 6’3”, 332 lbs, 33.37” ArmL, 9.5” HndS
5.58 40YD, 28 BnRp, 22.5” Vert, 96” BrJp, 7.78 ThCD, 5.10 ShSh
Larry Warford is a big man that’s very stout at the point of attack with a strong lower body and good use of hands. He delivers a nice punch and sets up with a nice base in pass protection. Does a very nice job of getting downfield and outside the tackles to make blocks. Does a nice job of sliding across the tackle to pick up outside blitzers. Displays excellent blocking skills on the move and takes great angles. Plays much faster than he times. Very explosive and quick for his size, but not as strong as you’d like someone his size to be. May not be as strong at the point of attack as Warmack, but he’s a better all-around guard, has a better understanding of the position and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Warford drafted before Warmack.

2. Matt Summers-Gavin – California – 6’4 293 lbs.
Summers-Gavin is a very powerful and explosive offensive tackle from Cal. Could bulk up a little and be a beast at OG. Plays with great leverage, shows amazing leg drive, explosive and he’s stout at the point of attack in pass protection. Does a nice job of getting downfield and making second level blocks. Sustains blocks through the whistle and plays with a nasty demeanor, but gets over-aggressive and sustains blocks too long when he’d be better off releasing and moving to the second level at times. Relentless on every play with good footwork and agility. Exhibits a solid understanding of the game and always makes good blocks. Shows excellent awareness of where the QB is or where the ball carrier is and seals them off well. Overall… Matt is a very solid interior lineman prospect. May not have the length to be effective outside in the NFL, but he projects to be a very solid offensive guard in the NFL.

3. Jonathan Cooper – North Carolina – 6’3”, 310 lbs, 33” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
5.07 40YD, 35 BnRp, 27” Vert, 108” BrJp, 7.78 ThCD, 4.84 ShSh
Cooper is a very athletic and strong offensive guard that has to improve on his fundamentals. Often lets his feet get too close together and loses footing. He doesn’t deliver a strong punch and allows defenders to get in his chest. He’s very quick and very fast for an offensive lineman. Has no problems getting outside the tackle or downfield to make blocks, but he often goes for a chop block when he doesn’t need to and takes himself out of a play, negating his athletic ability. Seems to have a good understanding of the game, but he displays poor fundamentals. He doesn’t use his hands and arms effectively to control a defender, he lets his feet get too close together and gets caught playing too upright at times. Needs to work on maintaining a wide base on the slide and staying low to keep leverage. Has the physical ability to be a great offensive guard, but he needs to refine his technique and work on his fundamentals.

4. Chance Warmack – Alabama – 6’2”, 317 lbs, 34.75” ArmL, 9.67” HndS
5.49 40YD, 110” BrJp
Warmack is very stout at the point of attack, delivers a nice punch and exhibits solid fundamental blocking skills, but he needs to exhibit better footwork on the move and he doesn’t appear to have the speed needed to be effective pulling outside the tackle box. He’s not effective as a blocker downfield and he often doesn’t keep making blocks if a play is extended. Very quick in short areas and effective on traps, but trips up when he has to cut upfield off a pull. Very physical and active, but he doesn’t like to kick out and pick up outside blitzers if he thinks they’re out of his range. Doesn’t make the best use of angles on his drop to pick up blitzes effectively. Overall, Warmack is very solid at the point of attack, but he needs to get outside the tackles faster on the pull, show better footwork on the move, use better angles to cut off edge blitzers and keep blocking until the whistle blows if he wants to be an elite guard in the NFL. Extremely gifted and fundamentally sound guard that will be an effective starter in the NFL, but he looks lackadaisical at times.

5. Hugh Thornton – Illinois – 6’3”, 320 lbs, 34.12” ArmL, 10” HndS
5.11 40YD, 27 BnRp, 7.45 ThCD, 4.63 ShSh
Played LT at Illinois, but is probably better served playing offensive guard in the NFL. Very strong at the point of attack and exhibits good sustained leg drive. Needs to work on delivering a better punch to jolt the defender and being more active with his hands. Doesn’t possess great quickness or agility and often lunges for blocks at the second level, but he’s very strong at the point of attack, he plays with a great base and he easily controls most defenders. Could use better hand placement. Shows a strong lower body, drives defenders away from the ball consistently and is hard to get around, but he doesn’t setup and anchor quickly. Could have problems with quicker more explosive defensive tackles that have the strength to bulrush. Overall. Thornton should be a solid offensive guard that’s very strong at the point of attack, but he needs to better use his hands to neutralize defenders and breakdown for blocks at the 2nd level.

6. Alvin Bailey – Arkansas – 6’3”, 312 lbs, 34.75” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
Alvin Bailey is very stout physically and will succeed as a guard in the NFL, but he needs to play with a wider base. He often gets his feet too close together and gets too high in his stance. Would be much more effective if he played with a wider base and squatted a little more to get leverage. Has the strength and build to stop most defenders in their track, but he doesn’t keep his hands active and looks to use his body to block, often making him ineffective as a blocker at the 2nd level. Needs to work more on his fundamentals, but he appears to have a solid understanding of the game. He slides around to pick up blitzes and help with pass protection nicely and he’s quick enough to be effective outside on the pull if he develops better footwork, balance and use of hands on the move. Should be a solid starter, but he’s going to take his fair share of getting beat in the NFL until he develops better technique and fundamental blocking habits.

7. Terron Armstead – Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 6’5”, 305 lbs, 34” ArmL, 9.25” HndS
4.71 40YD, 31BnRp,
Armstead is a prototype sized lineman that shows excellent athleticism. He’s quick and able to stay in front of the edge rush, he does a nice job of sealing off running lanes and he’s fast enough to be effective blocking downfield, but he gets too upright in his stance, he doesn’t play with good leverage and maintain a low pad level. He doesn’t get great hand placement on his blocks and has a tendency to hook a player up and throw them down, which will lead to holding penalties in the NFL. While he shows excellent balance and exhibits solid upper body strength, he doesn’t deliver a nice punch and he often gets his feet too close together, which allows stronger defenders to push him back. Armstead is a very promising prospect, but I don’t see him being real effective at until he improves on the fundamentals of the position. May be a better fit at guard due to his strength and lack of footwork.

8. Mark Jackson – Glenville St. – 6’6”, 330 lbs.
Big Bodied lineman that displays excellent strength and decent balance, but he’s fundamentally unsound. Often gets too upright and will get bullrushed back by stronger pass rushers. Uses hands well to direct a defender and seals off running lanes nicely, but he doesn’t deliver a punch and he lets defenders get in his chest, relying on his legs to drive a defender off the ball and allowing defenders to more easily beat him with spin moves and other double moves. His understanding of the game is questionable. Often looks lost when he gets to the second level and doesn’t find his blocks. Gets flat footed and stalls against 2 man pickups. Has the size, strength and footwork to be a force on the inside, but he has to play with more bend in his knees, play at a lower pad level and be more active with his hands to be effective in the NFL. The size and strength of Jackson is impressive, but he needs to work on a lot on his fundamentals and his understanding of the game.

9. Brian Winters – Kent State – 6’4”, 320 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
9 BnRp
Brian Winters plays with a good base and he shows nice leg drive, but his upper body strength is an issue and it shows up on tape. He’s not active with hands and he doesn’t counter a defender with active hands well. He doesn’t do a great job of latching on and often lets the defender slide off his block. Shows adequate quickness to get outside on the pull, but he often cut blocks as a lead blocker, instead of staying on his feet and giving the ball carrier an escort. Can seal off running lanes, but has a had time sustaining blocks and allows defenders to disengage, resulting in them getting the ball carrier in pursuit. Shows adequate fundamentals, but he needs to be more active and aggressive.
 
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CENTERS
1. Khaled Holmes – Southern Cal – 6’3”, 302 lbs, 35” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
13 BnRp
Khaled Holmes is a very solid interior lineman that’s vastly under-rated. Exhibits a very high football IQ. Strong at the point of attack and plays with great leverage, despite lacking upper body strength. Plays at a great pad level, uses his hands well to sustain blocks and delivers a nice punch. Fundamentally sound in just about every aspect of the game. Can be physically beat at times by stronger more explosive players, but he’ll hold his own against the majority of the defensive tackles in the NFL. Slides around and picks up blitzes effortlessly, and he works through the trash extremely well. You won’t find him on the ground very often. His recognition of assignments and ability to seal off the carrier is outstanding. Gets to the 2nd level and makes effective blocks, but he almost never releases his first block too soon. Might not have the stoutest build, but his fundamentals and understanding of the game more than make up for it. Has had issues with fumbling snaps, so he may be better served playing guard until he gets comfortable with a QB and the offense, but he should make an immediate impact on an offensive line his first year. Intensity and demeanor is perfect for the position. Holmes is probably one of the top 5 most NFL ready interior lineman in the draft and could develop into a pro bowl caliber interior lineman if he gets physically stronger.

2. Travis Frederick – Wisconsin – 6’4”, 312 lbs, 33” ArmL, 10” HndS
5.58 40YD, 21 BnRp, 28.5 Vert,
Frederick is a very stout interior lineman with great balance, good explosion, adequate strength and a high football IQ. Rarely misses assignments, gets upfield and plays faster than he times, picks up second level blocks nicely, does an excellent job of sealing off the defender from the ball carrier. Shows great footwork, blocks with a nice base. Doesn’t get a great drop and has problems with pulling behind lineman to the outside. Delivers a nice punch and uses his hands well to neutralize defenders, but he could be more active and aggressive with his hands. Seems to counter more with his hands than dictate. Could be a real force on the interior if he developed a stronger midsection so he doesn’t breakdown and get his upper body behind his heels against the Bull Rush. Shows excellent leg drive, but can get a bit upright and over-extend on the drive, ending up on his knees or laying on top of a defender. Comes up a bit high at times off the snap in short yardage situations and gets beat by the submarine in short yardage situations. Overall… Frederick is a very fundamentally sound interior lineman with a great understanding of the game and he’ll make an impact as a starter in his first year, but he needs to work on staying lower off the snap and develop a stiffer back to win the short yardage battles.

3. P.J. Lonergan – LSU – 6’4”, 300 lbs,
Lonergan is very strong at the point of attack with great recognition. Does a nice job of picking up blitzes and helping other lineman while protecting the middle, but he can get physically beat at times by quick and powerful players that can catch him off guard with a bull rush. He does a nice job of anchoring and driving defenders away from the ball carrier in the run game and exhibits enough acceleration to be effective in the 2nd level. He exhibits the power and leverage to hold up against most NFL defensive tackles, but he displays poor footwork and often ends up on the ground when trying to block on the move. He exhibits great power and leverage when he latches on, but he’s inconsistent with his hands and relies on putting a body on a defender at times, instead of extending his arms to sustain control of them and stay on his feet. Doesn’t display the agility and footwork to be effective pulling to the outside. Overall… Lonergan is a very strong interior lineman with great short area awareness, a good understanding of the game and enough athletic ability to seal off most defenders in the NFL on a consistent basis. Could serve extremely well as an OG for an offense that doesn’t pull their guards that much and develop into a solid Center when he gets a solid understanding of the blocking scheme and makes the adjustment to the NFL.

4. Mario Benavides – Louisville – 6’3”, 280 lbs
Very stout at the point of attack and excellent awareness. Drops and slides well to help other lineman and protect the middle in pass protection. Could be more effective as a run blocker. Has the speed, quickness and agility to get outside on the pull and turn, but he often doesn’t breakdown well and widen his stance before making contact in the open field, making him easy to turn and throw off balance. Shows power and leverage to hold a defender at bay or seal off a defender from the ball carrier, but doesn’t show the power to drive defenders away from the ball carrier. Benavides is a very athletic and fundamentally sound Center that fared well against elite competition, despite his smallish size. I expect him to be a sound starter at Center in the NFL within a year if he takes to a good NFL strength and conditioning program and fills out. Also needs to stay healthy to sustain the progress he makes physically. Multiple injuries are a red flag, but he’s also showed he’s a tough player that can play through those injuries. High pain tolerance.

5. Graham Pocic – Illinois – 6’7”, 310 lbs
You have to ignore Pocic’s height and soft mid-section when you watch him play. A lot quicker, faster and more athletic than he looks.He plays at an excellent pad level and has an absolute great understanding of the game. Executes correctly almost every snap, but he can be physically beaten. Works his hands extremely well and delivers good placement, but he has long arms and doesn’t exhibit enough upper body strength to maintain control of a defender. Often slides off blocks, even though he makes great initial contact and has great position. Plays a lot lower than his height. I didn’t even realize he was as tall as he is until I saw his measurables. Pocic could be a really good center if he develops more upper body strength and uses his upper body better to control a defender. He has great recognition and reaction along with a great understanding of the game and which assignments need to be picked up. Should be used sparingly in his first year, until he develops more upper body strength and a solid understanding of the blocking scheme his team is using. Looks like an easy player to develop if you have a great strength and conditioning program.

6. Brian Schwenke – California – 6’3”, 314 lbs, 32” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.99 40YD, 31BnRp, 26.5” Vert, 108” BrJp, 7.31 ThCD, 4.74 ShSh
Schwenke is a very quick interior lineman that’s stout at the point of attack with solid fundamentals. He uses his hands extremely well and delivers a nice punch, establishes a wide base and plays at a low pad level. Excellent at getting downfield and making blocks. Schwenke shows great hustle and athletic ability with solid fundamentals, but he doesn’t drive his legs and go through his assignments. Holds up at the point of attack and prevents stronger defenders from He often releases and tries to move to the second level too soon, letting the defender catch the runner in backside pursuit. He doesn’t tend to slide outside to pick up blitzes when he’s needed to and relies too much on redirecting defenders, instead of sustaining a block on a defender and driving them away from the play. Exhibits great reaction and vision, but his recognition is questionable. Needs to develop a better recognition of the fronts that are being used and how to defend against them. Often doesn’t slide to pick up blitzes or help other linemen when he should. Could develop into a solid Center with a few years of experience in the NFL, but is likely best served playing guard for his first couple of seasons and he will be extremely serviceable as a pulling guard.

7. Barrett Jones – Alabama – 6’4”, 306 lbs, 34.12” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
Barrett Jones is a fundamentally sound interior lineman that’s strong at the point of attack and he holds up well against stronger defenders. He does a nice job of sealing off the running lanes and he uses his hands well to control the defender. Delivers a nice punch to jolt the defender and exhibits nice drive with his legs. Needs to get faster and be more effective at the 2nd level. Often releases his man once he feels the play is by him and doesn’t sustain blocks through the whistle or look to make 2nd and 3rd blocks downfield. Shows an excellent understanding of the game, exhibits solid fundamentals and has the physical ability to be a great interior lineman in the NFL, but lack of hustle and lackadaisical play during games is a concern. Needs to play through the whistle and give more effort on plays.

8. Braxston Cave – Notre Dame – 6’3”, 303 lbs, 32” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
5.33 40YD, 25.5” Vert, 98” BrJp, 7.81”
Very strong at the point of attack and good in short yardage situations. Plays with a wide base and uses good hand placement. Excellent at sealing off running lanes and creating a push in short yardage situations. Turns his man easily and creates nice running lanes, but he pushes and doesn’t deliver a good punch to jolt the defenders. Shows nice leg drive and sustains his blocks, but often over-extends and ends up on the ground. Doesn’t display enough quickness and acceleration to be effective blocking at the second level. Rarely gets downfield to make second level blocks. Don’t see him slide around a lot to pick up blitzes and help out offensive linemen when he’s free. Doesn’t get his hands on smaller defenders and disrupt them with a good punch when they’re in range. Delivers a nice snap, shows good short area awareness and reaction, and physically does all the things you need him to do, but his ability to get outside or downfield is lacking and he could do a better job of helping out in pass protection with quicker footwork.
 
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DEFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Star Lotulelei – Utah – 6’3”, 320 lbs
Star is an explosive and powerful defensive tackle that uses his hands well to shed blocks, stacks blockers nicely, splits double teams on a regular basis and closes on the ball extremely well. Surprising agility for his size, but he can get his feet too close together and get caught off balance, ending up on the ground. Is quick enough to close on a ball carrier from behind if the back is weaving in traffic and does a nice job of using his hands to disengage from blockers. Wouldn’t make a Haloti Ngata or Suh comparison because he doesn’t exhibit the same kind of upper body strength Ngata and Suh has. Very explosive with great lower body strength, but his upper body strength could improve. Star is a disruptive defensive tackle that will get in the backfield on a consistent basis, but needs work on keeping a solid base when he’s on the move, so he doesn’t get caught off balance. Heart condition is a major concern. May end up entering the Supplemental Draft if he doesn’t check out medically for this draft.

2. Jesse Williams – Alabama – 6’3”, 320 lbs, 32” ArmL, 9.37” HndS
30 BnRp
Jesse Williams is a very powerful DT that will make an immediate impact on a defensive line. Fundamentally sound, plays with great leverage, Exhibits very strong legs and does a nice job of driving defenders into the backfield. Shows excellent recognition and awareness, exhibits an excellent closing burst and consistently pressures the backfield. Splits double teams and shoots gaps consistently, plays very disciplined and maintains control of his gap when he needs to. Does an excellent job of stacking defenders. Shows excellent balance and agility for his size. A punishing and forceful tackler, but he relies too much on using his shoulder and body to tackle and doesn’t get a good wrap. Arm length may be an issue when it comes to wrapping up. Shows adequate use of hands to disengage from blocks, but he could be more active with his hands and be absolutely dominant at the line of scrimmage. Jesse Williams is probably the most ready to start in the NFL. He has amazing explosion, power and footwork with a solid fundamental foundation to work with and a solid understanding of the game.

3. Johnathan Hankins – Ohio State – 6’3”, 320 lbs, 33” ArmL, 9.5” HndS
5.31 40YD, 26” Vert, 104” BrJp, 7.59 ThCD, 4.61 ShSh
Hankins is a very fundamentally sound interior defensive lineman with good power and adequate explosion off the snap. Doesn’t exhibit elite balance or agility to work through the trash and he doesn’t exhibit elite acceleration to close on the ball, but he shows excellent recognition and reaction to the ball, and he does a nice job of taking good angles to the ball. He opens up, tackles with good form and shifts nicely for the tackle if he gets a part of a ball carrier. He’s hard to run by without getting taken down by him. Doesn’t blow up the backfield consistently because he doesn’t use his hands as well as he could, but displays enough power and acceleration to push most linemen back, pressure the pocket consistently and control the line of scrimmage. Best fit for a nose tackle or defensive end in the 3-4 or 5 tech in the NFL. Capable of making an impact as a starter in his first year, but could be more dominant if he becomes more explosive off the snap and becomes more active with his hands.

4. Bennie Logan – LSU – 6’2”, 309 lbs, 34” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
30 BnRp, 25” Vert, 104” BrJp, 7.53 ThCD, 4.67 ShSh
Logan is a strong DT all the way around. Strong upper body and a strong lower body he uses well to anchor with. Plays with excellent leverage and does a good job of getting underneath his opponent. Shows surprising acceleration and speed in pursuit. Needs to develop a quicker first step off the snap, use his hands better to disengage and pass rush, and use his legs more to drive his lineman into the backfield. Displays excellent recognition and ball location skills. Quick to react and usually closes a running lane if it’s in his range, but he could be dominant if he got more active with his hands and his legs. Gets his hands up and does a nice job of batting down passes when he can’t get to the QB. Very solid at tackling and hard to get by. Will bring down a back if he gets a hold of them. Bennie Logan is a very solid DT physically with some good fundamental skills, but he needs to refine the way he plays the position and become more explosive off the snap in regards to power and developing a quick first step if he wants to be a dominant DT in the NFL. Will be inconsistent his first year, but he has the potential to develop into a solid interior defensive lineman.

5. Brandon Williams – Missouri Southern – 6’1”, 335 lbs,
5.37 40YD, 38 BnRp, 29.5” Vert, 102” BrJp, 8.09 ThCD, 4.91 ShSh
Brandon Williams is a very naturally strong defensive tackle with a strong lower body and good balance. He plays at a good pad level, but he doesn’t bend at the knees as much as he does the waist and often takes his eyes off the backfield because his head is down when trying to penetrate a gap. I quick off the snap, but not explosive and he doesn’t exhibit the acceleration to close on the ball. Needs to use his hands better to disengage from blocks and play more with a squat to gain better leverage and be more effective on the inside. Needs to drive through more with his legs after his first step and do a better job of pressuring the backfield. Can stay on his feet and work through the trash, but he doesn’t get off blocks well to make a play. Williams is a very strong defensive tackle that could excel at NT or the 5 tech if he learns to play with more squat, keep his head up and use his hands better to disengage from blocks. Could be a real force with better fundamentals at the point of attack.

6. Sharrif Floyd – Florida – 6’3”, 297 lbs, 31.75” ArmL, 10.12” HndS
4.92 40YD, 30” Vert, 106” BrJp, 7.40 ThCD, 4.75 ShSh
Floyd is a very explosive defensive tackle that shows a nice closing burst on the ball when he gets a free angle. Needs to stay at a lower pad level consistently and use his hands better to fight off blocks. May need to develop better upper body strength to be an every down DT in the NFL. Shows flashes of excellent play, but he’s not consistent. Could develop more upper body strength and be more effective with his swipes, rips and clubs. Often gets his feet too close together when engaging and gets thrown to the ground easily. Needs to widen his stance and play with more squat when he engages to maintain balance and leverage. Does a nice job of splitting double teams, but he doesn’t do it consistently. More of a penetrating defensive tackle than a gap filler. Talented pass rushing interior lineman that can disrupt the backfield and close on the ball nicely, but he needs to get stronger at the point of attack and play with better leverage to be an every down defensive tackle in the NFL. Best fit for 3 tech in a 4 – 3.

7. Sylvester Williams – North Carolina – 6’3”, 310 lbs, 33.5” ArmL, 10.75” HndS
5.03 40YD, 27 BnRp, 26.5” Vert, 102” BrJp, 7.93 ThCD, 4.80 ShSh
Sylvester Williams is a very athletic DT with great balance, short area quickness and great first step. While he has good quickness and a great first step, he’s not explosive with the pass rush because he doesn’t exhibit great power or acceleration after the first step. Gets too upright and doesn’t bend his knees to get underneath opponents and drive them back. Doesn’t use his hands to the best of his ability. Could be stronger with his arms and more violent when trying to disengage. Relies on sliding through a gap, instead of using his arms to split blockers and shoot the gap or control a gap. Needs to play with better leverage. Doesn’t bend his knees and get underneath his opponent consistently. May need to develop more lower body power and explosion to be more effective. Doesn’t show the leg drive to be effective bull rushing. Shows above average recognition and ball location, but he could improve on his reaction. Misses some tackles and batted down passes because he’s slow to react. Doesn’t possess quick twitch ability. Sylvester could develop into a great 3 tech defensive tackle if he develops more upper body strength, uses his hands better to disengage from blocks and plays at a lower bad level consistently.

8. John Jenkins – Georgia – 6’4”, 346 lbs, 34” ArmL, 9.5” HndS
30 BnRp
Jenkins shows great short area quickness, balance and agility for his size. Doesn’t play to his strength or his size though. While he exhibits decent strength and quickness, he’s not explosive off the snap, he doesn’t use his hands well to disengage from blocks and he often gets too upright in his stance, making him ineffective as a pass rusher. Shows great awareness and reaction to the ball, but he could improve on his recognition and understanding of the game. Jenkins is a very gifted defensive tackle physically, but he’s very amateurish skillwise and needs to improve on his fundamentals. Needs to develop a better first step and not chop his feet so close together when he drives. Needs to pick up his feet more, so he doesn’t trip up in the trash. Very solid and forceful at tackling. Wraps up well and brings the ball carrier down with power. Jenkins is probably more of a clogging nose tackle that’s not going to provide much pass rush until he uses his hands better to disengage from blocks and starts playing at a low pad level on a consistent basis.

9. Everett Dawkins – Florida State – 6’2”, 290 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 10.37” HndS
5.06 40YD, 23 BnRp, 30” Vert, 103” BrJp, 7.61 ThCD, 4.88 40YD
Dawkins is very explosive off the snap with the power and leverage to press the backfield on a consistent basis. Physically plays the DT position very well, but he could be more active with his hands and arms when shedding blocks. Relies on the rip and bull rush too much. Doesn’t exhibit a swim, club, punch or spin move and he doesn’t keep his hands active when working back inside off an outside rip. Excellent at tackling, but will lunge for tackles because he has a hard time freeing himself from blockers. Recognition needs to improve. Is fooled by a good play-action and loses track of the ball at times. Doesn’t react well to the ball. Lot of missed batted ball attempts because he doesn’t get his hands up fast enough. Physically and athletically talented enough to be a starting DT in the NFL, but probably best fit being a pass rushing specialist on the interior at 3 Tech or DE in a 3-4 on passing downs. Needs to develop a better understanding of the game and develop a better skillset for his position to be an every down DT. Fundamentally sound, but not refined or cerebral in terms of football IQ.

10. Kawann Short – Purdue – 6’3”, 299 lbs, 34.75” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
Kawann Short has great balance and very strong legs, but his upper body strength and use of hands is lacking. Often gets neutralized at the point of attack and can’t disengage. Relies on his legs to create pressure and make plays, but he doesn’t use them to their full potential. Bends at the waist more than he squats, negating the benefit of having strong legs. Gets too upright when he engages and doesn’t stay low, which negates his lower body strength and balance. Needs to play with more bend in the knee and become much more active with his hands to fight off blocks or become a lot stronger, so he can overpower defensive tackles. Horrible at tackling. Often takes bad angles and lunges for his tackles, but he doesn’t exhibit the hand strength or arm strength to wrap up or hold onto a tackle, leading to lots of broken tackles. I see him being neutralized and having little impact on a defensive line in the NFL until he develops a stronger and more active upper body along with a better squat and bend in his knees. He seems to have good recognition, but his fundamentals and upper body strength is lacking.
 
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DEFENSIVE ENDS
1. Margus Hunt – SMU – 6’8”, 277 lbs, 33.75” ArmL, 10” HndS
4.60 40YD, 38BnRp, 34.5” Vert, 121” BrJp, 7.07 ThCD, 4.51 ShSh
Margus Hunt has the athleticism and build to be a great developmental defensive lineman. He is very strong at the point of attack and explosive off the snap, despite his lean build. Has a lot of problems with the nuances of the position. He plays with his feet too close together and doesn’t get the squat he could if he played with a wider base, which would give him more leverage, make him more explosive off the snap and make him stronger at the point of attack. He doesn’t use his hands as well as he could to disengage with blocks. Doesn’t use violent arms or a quick counter to create separation with defenders. Powerful, swallows people up and takes them down forcefully with a strong grip, but he takes bad angles at times and doesn’t show the footwork to gather himself and cutback for the ball carrier. Still very raw and undeveloped in many aspects of his game. Should serve a team well as a pass rushing specialist and special teamer his first year, but should develop into a solid starting defensive end with a year of NFL coaching and appropriate gametime experience. His extremely unique combination of athletic ability, height and natural power make him very appealing. I’d love to have this guy if I was a defensive line coach in the NFL. Tons of potential at DE in a 3 or 4 man front. He looks too long and lean to be effective, but he’s surprisingly explosive and powerful for his build. Could be in the league of J.J. Watts with a year of NFL coaching and the right conditioning program.

2. Datone Jones – UCLA – 6’4”, 283 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 10” HndS
4.80 40YD, 29 BnRp, 31.5” Vert, 112” BrJp, 7.32 ThCD, 4.32 ShSh
Datone Jones is extremely explosive and powerful off the snap. He consistently disrupts the backfield and shows excellent close on the ball. Plays with great leverage and maintains a low pad level. Shows excellent recognition and a variety of pass rushing moves, but he needs to better use his hands to disengage from blockers. Excellent at disrupting the interior off the stunt. While he’s excellent at disrupting the backfield, he often overruns the back. Needs to do a better job of maintaining gap responsibility, but he’s physically capable of being an every down end with some work on his hand usage and better assignment discipline. Overall… Datone Jones is a physically gifted and very fundamentally sound defensive end that should make an immediate impact as a left end in a 4-3 defense. Could develop into a pro bowl caliber defensive end and be a real force on the defensive line if he plays more disciplined and uses his hands better to disengage from blockers. Extremely gifted physically with a good fundamental foundation to work off of.

3. Joe Kruger – Utah – 6’6”, 269 lbs,
4.83 40YD, 24 BnRp, 34” Vert, 117” BrJp, 7.17 ThCD, 4.46 ShSh
Joe Kruger is a well rounded defensive end that will make an immediate impact on a defensive line his first year. Physically strong at the point of attack and plays with a good pad level most of the time. Very explosive off the snap with good agility and balance to turn the corner. Needs to play with a wider base to establish a better pad level more consistently. Shows nice bend in the knees, but his feet are often too close together, which gets him more upright against blockers and costs him leverage. Moves down the line of scrimmage and through the trash extremely well. Exhibits very good footwork and shows a nice closing burst to the ball carrier. Very sound tackler and he almost never takes himself out of a play by lunging for a tackle. If he takes a bad angle, he has the agility to regather and continue in pursuit. High motor and hustle on the field. Doesn’t get great drop in coverage, but he gets a good enough drop to cover the flats and short zones. Kruger appears to be extremely well rounded and NFL Ready for DE in the 4-3 or OLB in the 3-4. Could be an impact player on the line quickly if he takes to playing with a wider base and more squat, and refines his upper body activity. Recognition, Reaction, Athletic Ability and most of the fundamentals appear to be in place.

4. Bjoern Werner – Florida State – 6’3”, 266 lbs., 33.25” ArmL, 9.62” HndS
4.83 40YD, 25 BnRp, 31” Vert, 111” BrJp, 7.30 ThCD, 4.40 ShSh
Werner is a strong end with a great first step and great recognition. Needs to be more active with his hands and make better use of his second pass rush attempts. Flows to the ball extremely well, but it seems he plays at one speed. Often over-extends on the outside rip and doesn’t spin or swim back inside. Doesn’t give himself a good base to turn the corner with because he lets his feet get too close together on the turn. Shows excellent balance and agility, but he needs to develop better footwork and use his hands better to shed blocks and penetrate the backfield. Isn’t going to chase down backs in pursuit, but he has enough speed to contain the back and cut a back off to the sideline or backside. Shows excellent hustle and never gives up on play. Will get off the ground and continue playing until the whistle blows. Werner appears to be a proto-typical 4-3 defensive end with above average physical ability, great recognition and a solid understanding of the game, but he needs to work on changing gears more and play with a little more squat if he wants to make plays consistently in the NFL.

5. Alex Okafor – Texas – 6’5”, 260 lbs, 33.87” ArmL, 9.62” HndS
21 BnRp
Alex Okafor is explosive off the snap, he shows great footwork and balance, and he uses his hands extremely well to penetrate the backfield and disengage from blocks. Plays with excellent leverage. May not have elite quickness or acceleration, but he’s fundamentally sound and he has above average explosion and power for a defensive end. Needs to develop better recognition. Holds up well at the point of attack when he chooses to control the gap against the run, but often gets caught peeking too far in the backfield on the pass rush and let’s the running back go by untouched. Shows great hustle and has adequate speed to close from behind as long as a back doesn’t have a wide open running lane to open up the throttle in. Can play from three point or stand up, but probably best fit for right defensive end in a 4-3 defense. Overall… Okafor is probably the most NFL ready every down defensive end in the draft if he’s used as a Leo or OLB in a 3-4, but he doesn’t appear to offer much upside and may have peaked out as a player.

6. Cornelius Washington – Georgia – 6’4”, 265 lbs, 34” ArmL, 9.5” HndS
4.55 40YD, 36 BnRp, 39” Vert, 128” BrJp
Cornelius Washington exhibits the elite explosion and athleticism required to be a great edge rushing Leo, but he needs to play at a lower pad level and use his hands better to disengage from blocks. Relies too much on his quickness and explosion to get in the backfield. Exhibits decent awareness and reaction, but his poor leverage and poor use of hands often gets him stuck on blocks when trying to defend the run. Plays with very loose arms and doesn’t use his upper body strength well. Washington has a ton of potential physically and he has a relatively decent understanding of the game, but he’s fundamentally unsound and needs to play with better technique in many aspects. Will make an impact as a situational pass rusher and special teamer his first year, but expect the defense to be inconsistent against the run if he’s starting. Could be coached to play OLB in a 3-4 or play Leo in a 4-3. Has the physical talent to be a bigtime pass rusher with a year of good NFL coaching.

7. Damontre Moore – Texas A&M – 6’4”, 250 lbs, 34.75” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.95 40YD, 12 BnRp, 35.5” Vert, 122” BrJp
Damontre Moore is very solid fundamentally. He plays much faster than he times and shows excellent close on the ball. Uses angles well to cut off the ball carrier, but he needs to get stronger and be more violent with his hands to disengage. Exhibits excellent balance and plays with great leverage. Shows a nice combination of moves and disrupts the backfield on a regular basis, despite his lack of upper body strength. Shows good footwork and turns the corner nicely when coming off the edge. Plays at a good pad level and maintains a low center of gravity. Breaks down, is a fundamentally sound tackler and tackles with force when he gets a body on the ball carrier, but he slides off some tackles when he tries to drag the ball carrier down. Needs to bulk up and get stronger to be an every down end, but he’ll be effective as a rotational end on either side of the line until he develops more upper body strength and becomes more effective with his hands.

8. Jamie Collins – Southern Miss – 6’3”, 250 lbs, 33.75” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
4.64 40YD, 19 BnRp, 41.5” Vert, 139” BrJp, 7.10 ThCD, 4.32 ShSh, 11.55 LoSh
Collins obviously has a ton of potential physically, but he doesn’t explode off the snap and often plays too upright. Exhibits a really strong grasp when tackling and will bring down a lot of players with his grip, but often takes bad angles and lunges for tackles. Is a one move pass rusher and he doesn’t exhibit a strong punch or swipe to create separation. Needs to play with better leverage and learn how to torque with his whole body better to generate more power. Shows a good understanding of the game and knows how to play the game, but he doesn’t use body torque or establish any leverage against blockers when he engages with them and loses a lot of battles if he can’t beat his man with his first move. Relies on anticipation to get a jump and beat his man more than reaction to the snap, which means he’ll draw offside penalties. Plays with his feet too close together. Needs to train himself to play with a wider base, so his amazing leg power can actually work for him against. MMA Training would probably do this guy wonders if he could figure out how to translate it to the field. Kind of a programmed football player with great physical ability that’s not really multi-dimensional. Best suited for a 4-3 defense and will produce in the NFL, but kind of hit or miss.

9. Ziggy Ansah – BYU – 6’5”, 271 lbs, 35.25” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.63 40YD, 21BnRp, 34.5” Vert, 118” BrJp, 7.11 ThCD, 4.26 ShSh
Ansah is strong, fast and explosive and he can beat his man with his athletic ability, but he needs to use his hands better to disengage from blocks and develop a variety of pass rushing moves. Very raw and amateur looking for a defensive lineman. Gets too upright and doesn’t use violent arms to knock block attempts off. Doesn’t deliver punches to knock a blocker off balance and create separation. Exhibits excellent balance and agility, but he doesn’t use spin moves, swim moves or edge rush as effectively as he could due to poor technique. Shows excellent reaction to the ball, but his understanding of the game is limited and he relies mostly on his athleticism to make plays. Ansah has a ton of upside, due to his athletic ability, but I don’t expect him to produce on a consistent basis for a year or two. Will most likely play situational roles on defense and special teams in his first year.

10. Cornellius Carradine – Florida St. – 6’4”, 276 lbs, 34.75” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
28 BnRp
Cornelius Carradine is a very powerful defensive end that shows good hand use, great balance, great agility and good recognition. Seems to rely too much on making a move back inside when pass rushing and often doesn’t explode off the snap like he should because he’s prefixed on double-moving before the snap. Needs to be more explosive off the snap and follow through on the edge rush more often to keep opponents more off balance and be more effective pass rushing. He has a harder time penetrating the backfield against lineman as the game goes on if the lineman stops giving up the inside shoulder because he doesn’t threaten lineman with an explosive edge rush consistently. Excellent with recognition, but he doesn’t have elite reaction. Hesitates a split second after recognition. Gets his hands up to bat down passes, but often gets them up late and mostly relies on anticipation to bat down passes vs. reaction. Carradine could play right or left defensive end in his first year and be effective if he has the stamina to be an every down end. He’s fundamentally sound, he uses his hands extremely well to disengage from blocks, shows great recognition, above average acceleration, great balance and agility, good strength at the point of attack and he tackles extremely well. Very sure wrap up tackler that uses his long body to bring down the ball carrier extremely well. Extremely hard to get by if you’re in his reach. Strong hands. Doesn’t let go of jerseys if he gets a handful on the tackle. ACL Tear is an issue and needs to check out. May not have the balance, agility or lower body strength he had before the injury.

11. Dion Jordan – Oregon – 6’6”, 245 lbs, 33.87 ArmL, 10” HndS
4.60 40YD, 32.5” Vert, 122” BrJp, 7.02 ThCD, 4.35 ShSh
Tall athletic linebacker with great speed and athletic ability to cover TEs. Used extensively as a pass rusher at Oregon, but I feel he’d be better served playing a more versatile role. Was often neutralized as a pure pass rusher and doesn’t display the agility to effectively turn the corner on the pass rush. Plays too upright and doesn’t try to bull rush or rip the inside. Needs to develop a stronger upper body and be more active with his hands. Relies on his speed too much and he’s not explosive off the snap. He’s more of a strider than an explosive pass rusher. Has a good eye for the ball in coverage and reacts well to the ball, but he loses track of his man in man coverage and he can’t catch. His understanding of the game has to improve and he has to develop better fundamentals or he’s just going to be a really athletic special teamer. Has the talent to be a Julian Petersen type linebacker, but he has to refine his game, develop more upper body strength and become a more well rounded player. Very raw.
 
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OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
1. Keith Pough – Howard – 6’2”, 239 lbs, 33.5” ArmL, 9.62” HndS
4.90 40YD, 17 BnRp, 33” Vert, 118” BrJp, 7.28 ThCD, 4.47 ShSh
Forget the numbers. Pough can play football and will make an immediate impact at linebacker in the NFL. Extremely high football IQ. Great anticipation, recognition, awareness and reaction to the play. Almost seems to know what an offense is going to do before the ball is snapped and he shows excellent acceleration to the ball. Wastes very little space, uses his hands well to disengage and takes great angles to the ball. Often starts moving towards where a QB is going to throw the ball before a QB even let’s the ball go. Pough will contribute to any linebacking corp in his first year if he’s not stuck behind a pro bowl caliber linebacker. He has the instincts and well-rounded fundamental ability to be an absolute force after spending a year in an NFL strength and conditioning program. This guy just flat out knows how to play football and he has an excellent understanding of the game. The lackluster combine numbers make me happy because that means he has room to improve physically and he hasn’t reached his full potential. This guy would give the Seahawks 3 guys that can play any linebacker position with Wagner and Wright. These guys would Jedi Mind Trick an offense all game long. Pough has crazy young Tatupu type instincts and ability. Could play inside or outside.

2. Khaseem Greene – Rutgers – 6’1”, 241 lbs, 32.62 ArmL, 9.62 HndS
4.71 40YD, 17BnRp, 30” Vert, 116”BrJp, 7.58ThCD, 4.20 ShSh, 11.87 LoSh
Greene is an explosive and powerful linebacker that shows excellent recognition. Consistently maintains a low pad level and shows great acceleration through the gaps. Exhibits amazing closing burst on the ball carrier with great ball location skills and he’s an elite tackler. He rarely slides off a tackle if he gets a hand on the ball carrier. Everything he does is violent and forceful. His rips and swipes knock blocks off effectively and he almost always delivers hard punches and swipes at the ball when he tackles. While his recognition, explosion and leverage is great, he’s slow to react at times. Often doesn’t watch the QB and let’s receivers make plays on a ball before closing on them in coverage. You can see his head turning with the play, but he physically hesitates at times. Khaseem Greene is going to be an impact linebacker that makes a lot of plays due to his physicality and football IQ, regardless of some poor reaction to the ball at times. He does everything fundamentally well and plays with a violent nasty demeanor. He can pressure the backfield consistently, shed blocks extremely well and close on the ball carrier with amazing acceleration. Arguably one of the most physical and explosive linebackers in the draft.

3. Sio Moore – LB, Connecticut, 6’1”, 245 lbs, 33.62” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.65 40YD, 29 BnRp, 38” Vert, 127” BrJp, 7.49 ThCD, 4.31 ShSh, 12.39 LoSh
Sio Moore is an extremely gifted linebacker physically and he’s a solid starter in most aspects. He uses his hands and footwork extremely well to stay off blocks, he’s extremely athletic and explosive, and he plays extremely disciplined when it comes to his assignment. Super quick off the snap and closes on the ball carrier extremely well with amazing acceleration. Shows excellent reaction to the play. Often gets his hands up to bat down a pass before a QB can fire the pass. Exhibits excellent recognition and awareness on the field. Can contest almost any TE or RB in coverage, but he gets caught playing his man more than the ball at times. Takes excellent angles to the ball and tackles forcefully with his body, but he seems to tackle with relaxed arms and slides off at times. He also tends to reach and lunge for tackles, instead of using his athletic ability to regather and stay in pursuit through the whistle. Shows excellent hustle, gets off the ground and plays through the whistle, despite over-extending himself at times. Could show a little more squat and improve a couple aspects of his game by establishing a little stronger base, but he maintains a low pad level and plays with leverage consistently. Sio Moore will make an immediate impact as a pass rusher in the NFL, but he’s well rounded and disciplined enough to adequately fulfill his other obligations as a starting linebacker. With a little refinement of his game, he’ll develop into a pro bowl caliber linebacker that consistently makes plays all over the field.

4. Barkevious Mingo – LSU – 6’4”, 240 lbs. 33.75” ArmL, 9.62” HndS
4.58 40YD, 37” Vert, 128” BrJp, 6.84 ThCD, 4.39 ShSh
Mingo isn’t real stout as a run defender, but he’s explosive, he uses his hands extremely well to disengage and he’s fast enough to chase down backs from behind if he loses containment of his gap. Shows a variety of pass rushing moves and exhibits excellent ball location skills. While he’s fast enough and explosive enough to effectively stop runs from sideline to sideline, he often takes bad angles and lunges for his tackles. Needs to improve on taking better angles to the ball carrier. Exhibits an ability to close on the ball carrier, but he doesn’t exhibit an elite close on the ball carrier. Excellent reaction to the QB. Gets his hands up and bats down a lot of passes if he can’t get to the QB. Mingo appears to be an excellent edge rushing specialist that knows how to get in a quarterback’s head. If he doesn’t get to you, he’ll knock down 2 or 3 of your passes a game. Overall, Mingo is an explosive undersized pass rushing specialist with great reaction and a variety of pass rushing moves to work with. He plays with great leverage and holds up extremely well at the point of attack, despite his size. Most likely won’t be an every down lineman, unless he adds 20 lbs and gets stronger without adversely effecting his explosion. May be better suited for OLB in the NFL if he can prove he’s relatively solid dropping into coverage.

5. Alec Ogletree – Georgia – 6’3”, 235 lbs, 33.5”ArmL, 10” HndS
4.70 40YD, 20 BnRp, 33.5” Vert, 122” BrJp, 7.16 ThCD, 4.39ShSh
Ogletree is a very quick and athletic linebacker that’s excellent against the run and getting into the backfield. Is solid in short to intermediate coverage and does a nice job of separating the receiver from the ball, but he often plays the man in his zone more than he plays the ball and misses turnover opportunities. Uses his quickness and agility to stay off blocks more than he does his hands and often gets neutralized by blockers that key on him. Needs to play at a lower pad level consistently and be more active with his hands to fight through blocks and stack blockers. Excellent recognition with good reaction and a great tackler. Always goes for the strip and drags when wrapping from behind. Breaks down, opens up and tackles well heads up. Doesn’t have elite grip or arm strength to stick to defenders and slides off sometimes, but very fundamentally sound at tackling. Exhibits the football IQ and physical ability to be a starting OLB, but he needs to play at a lower pad level and use his hands better to be stronger at the point of attack.

6. Gerald Hodges – Penn St. – 6’1”, 240 lbs, 32” ArmL, 9” HndS
4.78 40YD, 22BnRp, 119 BrJp
Hodges is an extremely athletic and fast linebacker with great agility. Plays way faster than he times and shows excellent acceleration to the ball carrier. Exhibits excellent awareness and reaction to the ball along with the agility and balance to change directions easily with most backs in the NFL. Is very active with his upper body and does a nice job of staying of disengaging from blocks, but he could be more forceful and violent with his arms and hands, and be much more effective at shedding blocks. Has the agility, acceleration and explosion to edge rush effectively and he’s developed a variety of pass rush moves. Will rip, swim, spin, bull, shoot and club when pass rushing, but again… He could be more forceful with his upper body moves, which would allow him to disengage from blocks quicker and be more effective getting into the backfield or maintaining control of his gap. He has the speed, agility, reaction and explosion to be extremely effective in short to intermediate coverage against most NFL tight ends and backs. Exhibits excellent recognition and isn’t easily fooled by misdirection plays or screen passes. Plays with an excellent base and tackles well, but he’ll reach for tackles and overrun the ball carrier at times. Overall, Hodges projects to be an excellent 4-3 OLB. He has all the tools to make an immediate impact as a starter and could be dominant with a year of NFL coaching and a little refinement of his game.

7. DeVonte Holloman – South Carolina – 6’”, 243 lbs, 32.5 ArmL, 10” HndS
4.76 40YD, 15 BnRp, 33” Vert, 113” BrJp, 7.3 ThCD, 4.26 ShSh
Holloman has excellent lower body explosion, acceleration, agility and speed. He shows excellent awareness and adequate reaction to the ball, but he needs to play with better leverage and develop a stronger upper body. His arms look thin and his lack of strength is apparent on the field. He has a hard time disengaging, despite having active hands. Has to rely more on his legs and footwork to make plays in traffic than his upper body. Exhibits great awareness and recognition, but he often doesn’t hold up at the point of attack and gets sealed off from the play. Holloman is a fundamentally sound tackler that wraps up well and he looks to separate the ball from the carrier consistently, but his tackles get broken by stronger backs with good leg drive because he slides off. Holloman appears to be everything you could want in a linebacker, outside of his lacking upper body strength. Great lower body explosion, agility, acceleration and footwork along with great awareness, adequate reaction and a nose for the ball. Can pressure the backfield or drop in coverage effectively, but he’ll be inconsistent until he develops more upper body strength.

8. Sean Porter – Texas A&M – 6’1”, 230 lbs, 32.25” ArmL, 9.25” HndS
4.75 40YD, 22BnRp, 35” Vert, 119” BrJp
Porter is a very fundamentally sound football player that’s very explosive off the snap and disruptive in the backfield when used in that capacity. Shows excellent recognition and doesn’t get easily fooled by misdirection or play-action. Reacts well to the ball and closes with great acceleration, but he takes bad angles to the ball at times and lunges for tackles, instead of re-gathering and keeping himself in the play, leading to missed tackles. Porter uses his hands extremely well to shed blocks, but he doesn’t seem to play with physicality. He rarely delivers a shoulder to the bread basket of a ball carrier, he often gets caught in the wrong gap and misses an assignment because he takes the path of least resistance, instead of staying true to his assignment. Needs to bulk up and get more comfortable with the physicality the NFL will demand. Has to play a little more disciplined and be more physical to be an every down linebacker. Will likely serve as a pass rushing specialist and special teamer until he refines his game.

9. Zaviar Gooden – Missouri – 6’1”, 234 lbs, 32.25” ArmL, 10” HndS
4.47 40YD, 27 BnRp, 34” Vert, 131” BrJp, 6.71 ThCD, 4.18 ShSh, 11.28 LoSh
Zaviar Gooden has absolutely terrific athletic ability to play outside linebacker, but he has serious problems with recognition. Often doesn’t even attack the right side of the line, often over-runs a running back when he’s supposed to be controlling the gap and stopping the run. Closes on the ball extremely well and will chase down just about any back or tight end in the NFL with his speed, but he often doesn’t do a good job of locating the ball and doesn’t seem to understand what an offense is doing. Often takes bad angles and has to contort for the tackle, although he does show a very strong grasp on his tackles and doesn’t have many tackles broken. Also tackles with force when he does get his body on the ball carrier, but he often isn’t cognizant of the ball and misses a lot of opportunities to strip the ball. Gooden will most likely be an electrifying special teamer and pass rushing specialist until he develops a much better understanding of the game and is capable of playing to his full potential. Will be a monster when the game starts to click for him.

10. Arthur Brown – Kansas St. – 6’0”, 241 lbs, 32.5” ArmL, 10”HndS
116” BrJp
Arthur Brown appears to be a stout linebacker with enough acceleration and speed to move sideline to sideline effectively, but he’s slow to react. Directs the defense well and exhibits good recognition, but he seems to get caught up watching a play at times and he doesn’t exhibit explosion off the snap on a consistent basis. Awareness isn’t elite. Often gets fooled by misdirection plays. Solid wrap up tackler that takes great angles, but he tends to chase plays more than cut them off. He doesn’t have elite tackling and slides off his tackles on a regular basis. Wraps up high at times and doesn’t deliver punishing bread basket tackles. Doesn’t show great awareness of where the ball is when tackling and misses a lot of strip opportunities. Brown looks like a stout and athletic linebacker, but he’s fundamentally amateurish, he needs to be more explosive off the snap and football IQ is a concern.
 
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INSIDE LINEBACKERS
1. Manti Te’o – Notre Dame – 6’2”, 255 lbs, 32.5” ArmL, 9.5” HndS
4.82 40YD, 33” Vert, 113” BrJp, 7.13 ThCD, 4.27 ShSh
Excellent explosion, speed, strength, power, recognition and reaction. Plays with great leverage and uses his hands well to disengage from blocks. Has amazing close on the ball and a great understanding of the game. I really have a hard time seeing any faults in his game. Te’o will be a perennial pro bowler in the NFL, possibly a hall of famer. Manti Te’o is a lights out linebacker that can play anywhere in a linebacking corp and he has an uncanny feel for the game. The Alabama game was an abhoration. I watch him in that game and I have to wonder if he was paid to fix the game. He constantly took himself out of plays with bad angles, lunging and poor tackle attempts that weren’t exhibited by him all year long. I can see a player having some slip ups with recognition, but for a player to forget about basic fundamentals play after play for an entire game when he played flawless football all year long… smells fishy to me, but he’s definitely the most cerebral and complete linebacker in the draft.

2. Michael Mauti – Penn State – 6’2”, 243 lbs, 32.5” ArmL, 10.5” HndS
28 BnRp
Mauti’s upper body strength translates on the field. Could be more active with his hands when working through the trash. Tends to react and counter with his hands more than dictate the action, but he exhibits elite read and react along with great recognition skills. Doesn’t anticipate that much, but he exhibits excellent awareness, reaction, quickness and agility. Plays with excellent leverage and has great balance, but he could bulk up and strengthen his legs, as they look a bit thin for MLB or ILB and he does have issues with driving stronger defenders back on the bull rush with a good leg drive. Can be flattened by blockers with a good base, solid lower body strength and active enough hands to keep Mauti’s hands off them. Excellent in coverage. Again… Doesn’t anticipate too much, but he exhibits excellent awareness and reaction along with a nice close on the ball. Very good fundamental tackler that delivers punishing tackles and wraps up well. Shows excellent acceleration in pursuit and closes on the ball extremely well. Mauti is very disciplined and he almost never takes bad angles or gets in the wrong gaps. Mauti’s has a ton of the tools needed to be a successful LB in the NFL. Could be dominant with some work on being more active with his hands and a more powerful leg drive.

3. Chase Thomas – Stanford – 6’3”, 244 lbs, 32.25” ArmL, 9.62” HndS
4.91 40YD, 18 BnRp, 32” Vert, 113” BrJp, 7.17 ThCD, 4.31 ShSh
Using Chase Thomas as an edge rusher is misusing Chase Thomas. Thomas exhibits an excellent feel for the game and plays with great fundamentals. His upper body activity and ability to disengage from blocks is elite. He penetrates the backfield consistently and is extremely hard to block. Better at blitzing the interior than the edge. While he’s absolutely great at disengaging from blocks, he could develop more upper body strength and be twice as disruptive. Gets outpowered at times by stronger blockers and doesn’t have the power to get a stronger defender’s hands off him. Doesn’t exhibit the quickness and acceleration you like to see in an edge blitzer and he has poor agility for the OLB position, despite playing with an excellent base and leverage. Knees seem to be weak and give out at times when he tries to change direction or turn the corner on the outside rip. Shows excellent recognition, awareness and reaction in coverage, which makes up for his lack of speed and agility. Stays with his man and plays zone well. Very instinctive with great anticipation and a high football IQ. Could develop more strength and explosion physically and be dominant in the NFL with his fundamental skills and understanding of the game. Suited best for MLB or ILB in the NFL, unless he develops more agility and explosion.

4. A.J. Klein – Iowa State – 6’1”, 250 lbs, 32.87” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.66 40YD, 20 BnRp, 113” BrJp
Klein has elite awareness and reaction to the ball with good acceleration and agility, but he often takes bad angles to the ball and reaches for a tackle, instead of breaking down and squaring up with the ball carrier. Shows great drop and is very solid in coverage. Isn’t as strong at the point of attack as he could be and doesn’t disrupt an offensive line as much as he could. Doesn’t breakdown and use a wide base to plant off of when changing directions and often loses footing. Tends to go around blockers versus fighting through blocks and relies too much on his speed to make plays. Shows great hustle and never gives up on a play. Is a very fundamentally sound linebacker that wraps up well if he gets a part of his body or his arm on you, but he doesn’t tackle forcefully. Often looked like he was trying to do too much this season and played himself out of a play. Could’ve made a lot more plays if he just settled down a bit and focused on containing the ball carrier versus trying to be the first to make the play. Klein is ready and capable of starting at MLB or ILB in the NFL, but he’s going to be inconsistent until he starts planting with a better base and becomes more willing to battle through blockers. May best fit for OLB in the 4-3 in the NFL due to his style of play and his abilities.

5. Jon Bostic – Florida – 6’1”, 245 lbs, 33”ArmL, 9.62” HndS
4.61 40YD, 22 BnRp, 32.5” Vert, 118” BrJp, 6.99 ThCD, 4.24 ShSh
Bostic is very athletically gifted, but he doesn’t play to his combine performance. He gets too upright and let’s his feet get too close together, negating the agility to change directions quickly because he almost never has a wide base to plant out of. Very strong at the point of attack and he uses his hands well to shed blocks. Does great at stacking blocks and disrupting a blocking scheme. Very explosive and could be a bigtime playmaker in the backfield if he took better angles to the ball and showed better awareness of where the ball is. Often moves to the wrong side of a blockers should to stop the ball carrier and takes himself out of the play. Is a very forceful tackler that drives through his tackles, but he doesn’t show a strong grasp or strong grip for wrapping up and dragging down. With a better base and a little better recognition, Bostic could be a real stout MLB or ILB in the NFL. The physical tools, discipline, understanding of the game and ability is all there.

6. Kevin Minter – LSU – 6’0”, 246 lbs, 32” ArmL, 9.37 HndS
4.81 40YD, 25 BnRp, 33” Vert, 119” BrJp
Minter is a stout linebacker that shows excellent range, explosion, speed and power for the position. Can make plays from sideline to sideline and he shows great reaction, but his recognition skills are a bit iffy. Alabama killed him with counters all game long because he constantly kept flowing into the wrong gap and gave Lacy free running lanes repeatedly. Seems to be easily fooled by misdirection plays. Exhibits great fundamentals. Plays with great leverage, maintains a low pad level and has enough quickness to contest in coverage, but he doesn’t have great anticipation. Minter has the physical ability and the fundamentals to be a solid linebacker in the NFL, but he’d be best off not assuming any leadership role to soon and learning from a veteran for a couple years before he’s trusted to make good reads and lead a defense.

7. Jarvis Jones – Georgia – 6’2”, 240 lbs, 33” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
Very compact and stout linebacker that’s explosive off the snap and strong at the point of attack. Plays at a good pad level and establishes good leverage when fighting through blocks, but he needs to make better use of his arms and hands to disengage from blocks. He shows tremendous explosion off the snap, but then he seems to let up the gas and doesn’t continue to sustain good leg drive throughout the play. Exhibits excellent recognition skills and reacts well, but he doesn’t show great acceleration for closing on a ball carrier in pursuit. Doesn’t display the speed and quickness to make plays from sideline to sideline against top level competition. Doesn’t have the agility to turn the corner on the edge rush consistently. Needs an NFL strength and conditioning program. Hustle and work ethic is an issue, as he does not play through the whistle quite often. I worry Georgia players are more a product of their system than they are good all around football players for their position. Jones is a physical linebacker that will best succeed at ILB in a 3-4 defense. I don’t believe he has the range to be effective as a 4-3 MLB and he doesn’t have the agility or sustained quickness and drive to be effective at OLB.

8. Nico Johnson – Alabama – 6’2”, 248 lbs, 33.25” ArmL, 9.25” HndS
Nico is a very stout linebacker that’s strong at the point of attack, but he appears to be more of a gap filler that gets his stops by filling a gap vs. being a linebacker that snuffs the ball out in the backfield. Breaks down, delivers nice pop and takes great angles when tackling, but he doesn’t exhibit elite acceleration or the ability to make plays from sideline to sideline against the quicker backs he’ll face in the NFL. He also doesn’t forcefully drive through his tackles or go for the strip consistently when he has the chance. More effective between the tackles. Exhibits excellent awareness of where the ball is and flows to the ball nicely. Doesn’t get easily fooled by misdirection and plays very disciplined, but he can get too upright at times and be washed out of his gap by a blocker. Comes off the snap low, but gets upright in pursuit once he locates the ball. While he exhibits excellent recognition, his reaction is a split-second off, which contributes to him not getting in the backfield as much as he could and allowing more completions than he should. Overall… Johnson is a very solid thumper that will service well as an ILB in a 3-4. I do not believe he has the range to play MLB in a 4-3 or OLB.

9. Robert McCabe – LB, Georgetown, 6’2”, 234 lbs.
Has the quickness to make plays from sideline to sideline, but he tends to go around blocks vs. trying to fight through blocks. Doesn’t tackle forcefully and shows poor tackling skills. He tracks the ball-carrier well, but he often lunges or reaches for the arm tackle, instead of breaking down and getting a part of his body on the ball carrier. He has an explosive initial burst, but he seems to stay at the same speed after get-off and doesn’t exhibit a great close on the ball, despite his great recognition and reaction. He doesn’t use his hands well to get off blocks and allows blockers to get into his body on the pass rush and in short yardage situations. Shows excellent drop and change of direction in coverage along with a good awareness of the QB and his man. Most of his weaknesses revolve around poor use of hands and poor angles to the ball because he tries to go around a block, instead of fighting through blocks. Doesn’t seem to have much intensity for a linebacker and that could be an issue. Very cerebral with a lot of tools to work with, but lacking in a lot of minor areas that add up. Needs to change the way he plays the game to be consistently successful as a linebacker in the NFL. Best suited for Sam in the 4-3.

10. Kevin Reddick – North Carolina – 6’2”, 243 lbs, 32.25” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
4.72 40YD, 23 BnRp, 113” BrJp
Kevin Reddick has great physical ability for the linebacker position and he reacts to the ball extremely well. While he shows great reaction and great close on the ball, he doesn’t keep his head up consistently and often loses track of the ball. Has to work on keeping his eyes on the ball if he’s going to play in the NFL. Shows poor recognition and understanding of the game. Often gets in the wrong gap and takes bad angles to the ball. Plays at a great pad level and plays with good leverage, but he doesn’t drive his legs or use his hands well to disengage from blocks. Has a horrible understanding of the game and plays very undisciplined. Makes stupid mistakes all the time. Reddick will likely serve as a specialist on defense, unless he does a major overhaul on his fundamentals and his understanding of the game. Has the physical ability, quickness and reaction to be a solid linebacker, but he has to be more aware in the game. Football IQ and focus is a serious red flag with him.
 
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firebee

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CORNERBACKS
1. Desmond Trufant – Washington – 6’0”, 190 lbs, 31.25 ArmL, 8.62” HndS
4.38 40YD, 16 BnRp, 37.5” Vert, 125” BrJp, 3.85 ShSh
Trufant, like his brother, is one of the best tackling corners in this draft. He wraps up extremely well, he plays with great leverage and he takes the ball carrier down with force, but he needs to improve on his read and react. He exhibits an excellent backpedal, he’s very effective at jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage and he tracks the ball extremely well in the air. He uses great position to prevent receivers from making receptions when man to man and he does an excellent job of getting his hands on the ball to break a pass up. Even though he’s explosive out of his breaks and he uses his hands extremely well to fight through blocks, he looks tentative and hesitates.to break on the ball carrier when in zone coverage. His reaction to the development of a play needs to improve in order for Trufant to become a consistent playmaker at the next level. Overall, Trufant appears to be a very solid cornerback that plays with great fundamentals, but he’s probably best suited for man to man coverage until he develops better recognition and better reaction when in zone coverage.

2. Dee Milner – Alabama – 6’0”, 201 lbs, 32” ArmL, 8.75” HndS
4.37 40YD, 36” Vert. 122” BrJp, 6.95 ThCD, 4.32 ShSh
Milliner is a willing run stopper and he reacts to the ball extremely well, but he needs to get off blocks better, play at a lower pad level and use his arms better to wrap up. He often gets too upright when he tries to tackle and let’s the ball carrier push him back for extra yards or he doesn’t clamp down on a ball carrier when he wraps up and bounces off. Has an excellent nose for the ball and a great understanding of the game, but he needs to improve on his backpedal and be more explosive out of his breaks. He tends to turn inside and try sliding with a receiver off the snap vs. backpedaling. Receivers can often make receptions against him if they beat his jam at the line of scrimmage because he doesn’t have elite explosion off his plant to cut and run with a receiver, and he doesn’t play with leverage, which allows receiver to beat his jams at the line of scrimmage. Tends to round out his cuts versus planting and making an explosive cut. Overall… Dee Milliner is an extremely talented CB with the ability to cover most NFL receivers, but he needs to become more explosive out of his breaks and play with more squat at the LOS.

3. Jordan Poyer – Oregon State – 6’0”, 191 lbs, 31.75” ArmL, 9.75” HndS
4.54 40YD, 8 BnRp, 38.5 Vert, 118” BrJp, 6.87 ThCD, 4.18 ShSh, 11.51 LoSh
Poyer exhibits great instincts and reaction to the ball along with a great understanding of the game. He takes great angles to the ball and wraps up well when tackling, but he needs to get stronger at the point of attack and develop better use of hands to get off blocks and better disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage. Even though he’s a heady player with a great understanding of the game, he doesn’t exhibit a great backpedal and often gets beat in coverage if he has to run with faster receivers downfield. Overall, Poyer is a very instinctive football player that reacts to the ball extremely well, but his lack of speed and strength could be an issue for him in the NFL. Will most likely be best served playing nickel until he gets stronger and develops more speed to keep up with faster receivers downfield.

4. Jamar Taylor – Boise State – 5’11”, 192 lbs, 30.75” ArmL, 9.12” HndS
4.39 40YD, 22BnRp, 35” Vert, 127” BrJp, 6.82 ThCD, 4.06 ShSh
Taylor is a very well rounded corner with solid physical ability, great ball tracking skills and great hands. He exhibits great reaction to the ball and closes on the ball extremely well, but he needs to work on squaring up with the ball carrier more when he tackles. He misses tackles at times because he relies too much on his wrap and reaches for the ball carrier, instead of squaring up and putting a shoulder on the ball carrier. He exhibits the speed, acceleration and change of direction to be a starting corner, but he can lose a step against receivers that run good routes and he needs to develop better route recognition. Overall, Taylor is very fundamentally sound and he has the natural ability to be an effective starting corner in the NFL his rookie year, but he needs to work on developing better anticipation and recognition in coverage to be a solid shutdown corner in the NFL.

5. Xavier Rhodes – Florida State – 6’1”, 210 lbs, 33.75” ArmL, 9” HndS
4.43 40YD, 14 BnRp, 40.5” Vert, 132 BrJp
Physically, Rhodes has everything you could want in a cornerback and he has great hands to go along with great ball tracking skills, but he has a lot of aspects of his game he needs to improve on. Despite, showing great reaction to the ball and a very explosive burst out of his breaks, he doesn’t exhibit great footwork and appears to be more of a straightline runner. He’s ineffective at disrupting receivers at the line of scrimmage because he doesn’t deliver a solid punch or sustain a jam off the snap. He uses his long arms well to wrap up on tackles, but he often takes bad angles to the ball carrier. He often gets out of position and lunges for a tackle, instead of breaking down and squaring up on a ball carrier. Overall, Rhodes is a very naturally gifted cornerback with great reaction and physical ability, but he’s fundamentally unsound and needs to become a better football player at the line of scrimmage.

6. Johnathan Banks – Mississippi St. – 6’2”, 185 lbs, 33.87” ArmL, 9.25” HndS
4.61 40YD, 34” Vert, 125” BrJp, 6.97 ThCD, 4.27 ShSh
Banks has great prototype size and he plays much faster than he times. He shows excellent reaction, excellent change of direction and excellent route recognition, but he takes horrible angles to the ball carrier in run support and he doesn’t use his hands well to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage or get off blocks. He tends to run around blocks and pursues ball carriers from behind a lot because of his propensity to take bad angles or not fight through blocks. He uses position to shield the receiver from the ball extremely well, but he often allows receptions to be made because he often plays the receiver more than he plays the ball and doesn’t track the ball well. Despite his size, he often can be beat physically for jump balls by bigger receivers with decent leaping ability. Overall… Banks will likely have growing pains in man coverage and he’s a liability against the run, but he could be a very effective situational corner entering the NFL. He’ll be solid in zone coverage in passing situations, but he’s a liability in man coverage and against the run.

7. Logan Ryan – Rutgers – 5’11”, 191 lbs, 31.37” ArmL, 9.62” HndS
4.56 40YD, 14 BnRp, 32.5” Vert, 116” BrJp, 6.69 ThCD, 4.06 ShSh, 11.28 LoSh
Logan Ryan exhibits great change of direction and acceleration for an NFL corner along with great balance and reaction to the ball, but he needs to do a lot of work on his fundamentals. While he plays with good leverage and shows nice bend in his knees to squat and get under a blocker, he doesn’t exhibit a great backpedal and he doesn’t use his upper body to disengage from blocks or wrap up on his tackles. While he shows great change of direction and nice explosion out of his breaks along with great acceleration, he only exhibits average route recognition and needs to develop a better understanding of the game. Overall, Logan Ryan is a very unpolished and raw corner with great physical abilities to work with if he can be coached up to play like an NFL caliber corner. Is most likely best served being used as a man to man corner until he develops a better understanding of the game and uses his hands better.
 

aawolf

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Dang, Dude. Props on all the hard work! Not sure I agree with all of the evaluations, but you've definately done some homework. I think you are flat-out wrong on Giovanni Bernard, for instance--that dude is going to be a player at the next level. I hope other poeple's draft list looks like yours so we can get him in the sixth round. I love your evaluation of Keith Pough. I've not looked at him before and you've encouraged me to check him out. That seems like a guy we could use if the other elite OLBs are off the board.
 
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firebee

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aawolf":19wu74xn said:
Dang, Dude. Props on all the hard work! Not sure I agree with all of the evaluations, but you've definately done some homework. I think you are flat-out wrong on Giovanni Bernard, for instance--that dude is going to be a player at the next level. I hope other poeple's draft list looks like yours so we can get him in the sixth round. I love your evaluation of Keith Pough. I've not looked at him before and you've encouraged me to check him out. That seems like a guy we could use if the other elite OLBs are off the board.

My only major concern with Bernard is his decision making. He has the physical tools to be deadly at the next level, but as I said... He, too often, looks to make a big play, instead of making the smart play and I don't like the fact that he never fair catches on returns. Their are definitely some steals to be had in this draft and yes... Pough is a beast. I'd take him at OLB over any of the OLBs in this draft. If we can land him on the 3rd day, we might get charged with grand theft. If I was going to draft, I'd go after DT early because the DTs really drop off and thin out after the first day.
 

aawolf

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firebee":22tmaq7o said:
aawolf":22tmaq7o said:
Dang, Dude. Props on all the hard work! Not sure I agree with all of the evaluations, but you've definately done some homework. I think you are flat-out wrong on Giovanni Bernard, for instance--that dude is going to be a player at the next level. I hope other poeple's draft list looks like yours so we can get him in the sixth round. I love your evaluation of Keith Pough. I've not looked at him before and you've encouraged me to check him out. That seems like a guy we could use if the other elite OLBs are off the board.

My only major concern with Bernard is his decision making. He has the physical tools to be deadly at the next level, but as I said... He, too often, looks to make a big play, instead of making the smart play and I don't like the fact that he never fair catches on returns. Their are definitely some steals to be had in this draft and yes... Pough is a beast. I'd take him at OLB over any of the OLBs in this draft. If we can land him on the 3rd day, we might get charged with grand theft. If I was going to draft, I'd go after DT early because the DTs really drop off and thin out after the first day.

Bernard still gives me nightmares after he obliterated my Wolfpack last year, including a kick-off return for a touchdown with 30 seconds left to win the game. Here's highlights of the nightmare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_frTZ6weTQ
 

Thunderhawk

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Wow! Major props on the effort! I appreciate that your rankings veer from the norm, but for you to be right it means that just about everyone else is dead wrong. I hope you are right if only to discredit conformism.

Surprises:

-WR Keenan Allen #1 after his poor 40s
-OT Lane Johnson ranked 8th. My favorite player in the draft. Not sure how you can rank Margus Hunt #1 DE and Lane Johnson #8 OT when the book on both is the same: lanky framed, terrific athletes, with huge upside but who will need to develop more technique to succeed at the next level.
-QB Colby? Zounds! This would be a bigger upset than Kearly lauding Wilson last year.
 

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9. Marcus Davis – Virginia Tech – 6’3”, 233 lbs, 32.75” ArmL, 10.25” HndS
4.56 40YD, 19BnRp, 39.5” Vert, 120” BrJp, 7.15 ThCD
Davis is a very strong and powerful receiver that adjusts his speeds well and uses his hands well to create separation on his routes. Great ball tracking skills and reliable hands. Davis doesn’t exhibit elite speed, but he’s a very heady football player that has great hands, and he routinely makes tough catches in coverage. Dangerous after the catch. Doesn’t have elite acceleration, but the combination of his strength, size, balance and elusiveness make him very hard to tackle in the open field. Exhibits good situational awareness and performs well in clutch situations. Knocked for not being physical, but I don’t see it. He uses his hands well to fight off jams and blocks with force when the run is coming his direction. Doesn’t have an explosive first step or great cuts, but he plays with a powerful base and overpowers much of his competition with his strength. He accelerates nicely through his routes, gets open and is aware of where the QB is. High Football IQ. Has a good enough arm to be used as a gimmick QB. I fully expect Davis to be entrenched as a #2 WR for an NFL team next year.

Thank you for this. I have been pimping out Davis so hard on this board that I have become fully engaged in bromance. He took some unfair criticsm for his blocking, to the extent that deadpsin dedicated an article about it based on a youtube video. While he acknowledges that it is an area of opportunity, it has been severely overblown. I think he'd be excellent value early- to mid-day 3. Based upon your observations, it no longers appears that I'm the only one. Well done.
 

ivotuk

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Welcome back firebee :) That is I've hell of a list, and obviously a lot of work. Thank you for taking the time and giving us all some great reading material.
 
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