Impact Underclassmen

With what is expected to be an over-loaded draft class talent-wise, the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft promises to once again feature a large number of underclassmen.

Some of last year’s underclassmen like Mark Sanchez, Percy Harvin, and Brian Cushing were the biggest stories of the NFL season, so it’s definitely a good time to get a preview of this year’s early entries into the NFL Draft.

Here’s the list of impact underclassmen to watch that will catch the eyes of every scout and general manager in the league...

1. DT—Gerald McCoy—Oklahoma

Height : 6′4″ | Weight : 298 | 40 Time : 5.05 | Projected : Top-3

McCoy’s versatility is going to make him a lock for the top-five in this year’s draft, as he has the ability to fit into a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. He’s a got tremendous feet for a big man, and with his prototypical size, GMs will be making a lot of phone calls to trade up into the top-five to get him.

2. S—Eric Berry—Tennessee

Height : 5′11″ | Weight : 203 | 40 Time : 4.40 | Projected : Top-5

This kid is not just a great all-around athlete, but a very natural ball-hawk who has the potential to lineup at corner as well as the safety position. Berry is an Ed Reed clone that should prove to be an ideal center-fielder for the next decade.

3. QB—Sam Bradford—Oklahoma

Height : 6′4″ | Weight : 223 | 40 Time : 4.72 | Projected : Top-5

Talk about your cases of “should haves” and “would haves,” but regardless of the injury, Bradford will still be the first QB off the board this year. GMs will come to the same conclusion and recognize the NFL-caliber Size, Arm-Strength, and Accuracy.

4. CB—Joe Haden—Florida

Height : 5′11″ | Weight : 190 | 40 Time : 4.40 | Projected : Top-10

Haden is without a doubt the best corner in this draft in a sense of coverage ability, and he’s expected to run a sub-4.4 40. He also does not shy away from contact and hasn’t missed a game in the last three years. Very solid prospect here.

5. OT—Bruce Campbell—Maryland

Height : 6′7″ | Weight : 310 | 40 Time : 4.97 | Projected : Top-10

The world is his oyster, and if this young man can get over his penchant for injuries, we could be talking about a franchise left tackle here. He has worlds of upside with that prototype size and speed.

6. OT—Anthony Davis—Rutgers

Height : 6′6″ | Weight : 330 | 40 Time : 5.28 | Projected : Top-10

Davis is a mountain of a man weighing in at 330lbs, but this Scarlet Knight has some Scouts believing that he’s the best tackle in this class. He’s an elite tackle who should find himself in the top-10. He’d be ideal on the right side.

7. DE—Derrick Morgan—Georgia Tech

Height : 6′4″ | Weight : 272 | 40 Time : 4.76 | Projected : Top-10

NFL teams covet players who have elite pass rushing ability, and Morgan could be a special player at the next level with his tremendous first step. He has an intriguing size/strength combination that will get him drafted very high in the first round.

8. WR—Dez Bryant—Oklahoma State

Height : 6′2″ | Weight : 220 | 40 Time : 4.55 | Projected : Top-10

Bryant does have some character concerns, but they shouldn’t get in the way of a high draft selection. With the league gearing more and more towards passing the ball all the time, a player with Bryant’s after the catch ability should succeed.

9. LB—Rolando McClain—Alabama

Height : 6′4″ | Weight : 258 | 40 Time : 4.68 | Projected : Top-15

McClain is easily the best tackler in this draft. He has a very long wing-span and terrific size at 6′4″, but with that he brings a ton of versatility, as he will fit right into any defensive scheme. His size and strength will make 3-4 teams salivate.

10. S—Donovan Warren—Michigan

Height : 6′0″ | Weight : 185 | 40 Time : 4.42 | Projected : Top-20

Warren, like many Wolverines, is an excellent tackler and a very smart player who takes good angles in pursuit. Warren is a leader on the field and compares favorably to former Michigan first round pick Leon Hall.

11. S—Earl Thomas—Texas

Height : 5′10″ | Weight : 197 | 40 Time : 4.45 | Projected : Top-20

“Athlete” may be the best designation at this point because this kid should turn in a blazing 40-yard dash, but his tackling ability is suspect after a questionable performance against Alabama. It might not matter if he’s using his deep speed as a cover corner at the next level.

12. DT—Brian Price—UCLA

Height : 6′1″ | Weight : 300 | 40 Time : 5.08 | Projected : Top-20

Moves very well and would be a nice addition for a cover-two team in need of a big man. While some folks think he may slide to the end of the first round, he’s expected to test out very well, and there’s a significant drop off for tackles that fit into the 4-3 front.

13. OT—Bryan Bulaga—Iowa

Height : 6′6″ | Weight : 312 | 40 Time : 4.96 | Projected : Top-20

Bulaga and the rest of the Hawkeye O-Line had a dominating performance against Georgia Tech. This guy coins the phrase “Big as a Barn-Door,” but he also possesses terrific straight-line speed, making him an ideal fit for a physical running-team that favors size and strength over quickness like the Cowboys, Chargers, or Redskins.

14. DE—Jason Pierre-Paul—South Florida

Height : 6′6″ | Weight : 265 | 40 Time : 4.72 | Projected : Top-20

This guy is going to be taken high based solely on his up-side because Pierre-Paul has only been playing organized football for five years. He did not qualify academically and had to spend two years in division-II but notched 14.5 tackles for loss with five sacks. He’ll be a first rounder based on his freakish upside.

15. DE—Carlos Dunlap—Florida

Height : 6′6″ | Weight : 278 | 40 Time : 4.78 | Projected : Top-25

Dunlap has all-world potential, but he’s a nightmare for scouts who are worried about his off-field issues and tendency for taking plays off. Dunlap’s size and pass rushing ability will make him an appealing selection for both three and four man fronts. He could be special or he could be the classic case of a 10 cent head stuck in a million dollar body.

16. DE—Everson Griffen—Southern Cal

Height : 6′3″ | Weight : 280 | 40 Time : 4.64 | Projected : Top-25

Though some scouts are trying to compare him to Vernon Gholston, he’s a much better football player and tackler in my opinion, especially considering his excellent hand usage. Griffen should improve his stock at the combine with his impressive size/strength combination.

17. TE—Jermaine Gresham—Oklahoma

Height : 6′6″ | Weight : 258 | 40 Time : 4.78 | Projected : First Round

This is still one of my favorite players entering the draft. He’s got all the WR abilities in his arsenal, but he’s blessed with tremendous size. While some scouts will worry about a potential for taking blocking assignments off, he’s too much of a play-maker to pass on in today’s passing league.

18. WR—Damian Williams—Southern California

Height : 6′1″ | Weight : 195 | 40 Time : 4.49 | Projected : First Round

Williams has after the catch moves coming out the wazoo. He’s certain to test through the roof, but his potential to make the wow play will guarantee that a team takes him in the first round. He would be a great fit for any franchise with his tackle breaking ability.

19. RB—Jahvid Best—California

Height : 5′10″ | Weight : 195 | 40 Time : 4.40 | Projected : First Round

I know most scouts are giving Best a second round grade, but you can’t replace the game breaking speed this guy has. He’s no Chris Johnson, but Best brings similar abilities to the table and could very likely turn in a sub-4.4 40 at the combine. The only real knock here is a tendency to get hurt and his time missed due to concussion last season. I love this kid!

20. QB—Jimmy Clausen—Notre Dame

Height : 6′3″ | Weight : 217 | 40 Time : 4.74 | Projected : Top-20

I’m a huge Notre Dame fan, but I just can’t buy into this kid being successful at the next level throwing those lolly-pop, flailing duck, wobbler balls. The speed of today’s game requires more strength, velocity, and speed than he has.

I know his stats are impressive, but some guys just aren’t meant to be great pro QBs, and I think we’re looking at one right here. Even at that, it’s not a great QB class this year.

21. WR—Arrelious Benn—Illinois

Height : 6′2″ | Weight : 220 | 40 Time : 4.50 | Projected : Late First Round

I hope you’ve noticed the theme here because I’m sticking to the fact that more WRs are being taken higher in the draft with the NFL moving more towards a passing league as the years go by. Benn has tremendous size, great hands, and return ability to top it off. He won’t run a blazing 40, but he does have good separation speed.

22. WR—Golden Tate—Notre Dame

Height : 5′11″ | Weight : 195 | 40 Time : 4.44 | Projected : Late First Round

Tate is a lot higher on other people's draft board, but he’s being knocked down to a third round grade by some. I’m of the opinion that Tate could sneak into the first round with a great 40 in the combine to go with his open field ability.

23. RB—Jonathan Dwyer—Georgia Tech

Height : 5′11″ | Weight : 235 | 40 Time : 4.48 | Projected : Early Second Round

I think Dwyer could be a special back if he’s in the right system. A zone-blocking team like Green Bay, Houston, or Seattle would be wise to take a long hard look at Jonathan Dwyer with his one cut and go ability. The fact that he comes from a wacky college offense that required a lot of versatility is also a plus for NFL GMs.

24. S—Chad Jones—LSU

Height : 6′3″ | Weight : 230 | 40 Time : 4.55 | Projected : Early Second Round

Athlete is what comes to mind here, as Jones was drafted by Houston to play baseball as well. His size and speed combination will entice scouts, but his inexperience on the field will be evident at the next level. Still, his potential to be a great player is obvious.

25. WR—Demaryius Thomas—Georgia Tech

Height : 6′3″ | Weight : 229 | 40 Time : 4.59 | Projected : Early Second Round

He’s certainly not the next Calvin Johnson but Thomas has good explosion and terrific size. The down-side is that Tech’s offense didn’t require receivers to run any kind of elaborate routes, so his skills-set is still a bit of a mystery. He definitely passes the elevator test, but a lot of questions still remain for this guy.

The Best of the Rest

OT—Maurkice Pouncey—Florida : 6′5″ | 310lbs | Second Round
TE—Rob Gronkowski—Arizona : 6′6″ | 265lbs | Second Round
LB—Navorro Bowman—Penn State : 6′1″ | 232lbs | Second Round
WR—Carlton Mitchell—South Florida : 6′4″ | 212lbs | Second Round
CB—Amari Spievey—Iowa : 6′0″ | 190lbs | Second Round
TE—Aaron Hernandez—Florida : 6′2″ | 240lbs | Second Round
CB—Dominique Franks—Oklahoma : 6′0″ | 192lbs | Second Round
RB—Toby Gerhart—Stanford : 6′1″ | 235lbs | Second Round
S—Morgan Burnett—Georgia Tech : 6′1″ | 210lbs | Second Round
RB—Joe McKnight—Southern Cal : 6′0″ | 190lbs | Second/Third Round
LB—Thaddeus Gibson—Ohio State : 6′2″ | 240lbs | Second/Third Round
RB—Ryan Mathews—Fresno State : 5′11″ | 220lbs | Second/Third Round
DE—Jason Worilds—Virginia Tech : 6′2″ | 262lbs | Third Round
WR—Dezmon Briscoe—Kansas : 6′3″ | 200lbs | Third Round
S—Major Wright—Florida : 6′0″ | 204lbs | Third Round
LB—Rennie Curran—Georgia : 5′10″ | 225lbs | Third Round
S—Reshad Jones—Georgia : 6′2″ | 212lbs | Third Round
QB—Jevan Snead—Ole Miss : 6′3″ | 215lbs | Fourth Round
DE—Kevin Basped—Nevada : 6′6″ | 250lbs | Fourth Round
WR—Antonio Brown—Central Michigan : 5′10″ | 182lbs | Fourth Round
WR—Mike Williams—Syracuse : 6′2″ | 212lbs | Fourth Round
DE—Clifton Geathers—South Carolina : 6′8″ | 281lbs | Fourth Round

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to [e-mail]