2012 NFL Mock Draft: Worries About Memphis NT Dontari Poe?

The sudden love affair surrounding the show-stopping performance of Memphis nose tackle Dontari Poe at 2012 NFL combine is well-documented. 

The 346-pound Poe ran the 40-yard dash in under five seconds and put up a combine-high 44 reps on the 225-pound bench press. That rare strength and athleticism for a man his size blew scouts away, and rightfully so.

Watching his college tape might tell a different story, according to a former NFL scout.

Russ Lande of the Sporting News, who spent several years as a scout for the Cleveland Browns, has a few worries about how Poe's game translates to the next level.

"After finishing film evaluation of Memphis' Dontari Poe, it seems clear to me that he is much more of a big 3-tech defensive tackle than a true nose tackle," Lande tweeted. 

Lande went on to say that Poe might have some serious "bust" potential.

"Poe does not play like an elite talent on film often enough and reminds me of former first-round picks Ryan Sims & Jimmy Kennedy," Lande tweeted shortly after his first.  

Sims was taken sixth overall in the 2002 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, but tallied just five sacks in 74 career games in Kansas City. He is currently out of the league. 

Kennedy was drafted 12th overall by the Rams in 2003 but was traded three years later for a sixth-round pick. Both Sims and Kennedy are considered recent busts at the defensive tackle position.

Lande's assessment is just one educated scout's opinion. However, it does raise some concerns about Poe, who has seen his draft stock skyrocket in the last couple of months and could now be overvalued because of it.

Teams that may consider Poe in the top 15 might have some of the same concerns that Lande addressed Monday.

Many still consider Poe a late first-rounder despite his workout, which may be the best landing spot for him to start his NFL career. Asking Poe to be the savior of a defensive line could set him up to become the next Ryan Sims or Jimmy Kennedy.

Landing in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers have nose tackle Casey Hampton and a long line of defensive line success stories, might be the ideal scenario for Poe. The Steelers could ease him along while also grooming him to either be Hampton's successor or a disruptive force at defensive end. 

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1.  Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2.  Cleveland Browns – Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (via trade with St. Louis Rams)

3.  Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4.  St. Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (via trade with Cleveland Browns)

5.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6.  Washington Redskins – Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame  

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars – Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

8.  Miami Dolphins – Courtney Upshaw, OLB/DE, Alabama

9.  Carolina Panthers – Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

10.  Buffalo Bills – Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

11.  Kansas City Chiefs – Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

12.  Seattle Seahawks – Nick Perry, DE, USC  

13.  Arizona Cardinals – Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

14.  Dallas Cowboys – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

15.  Philadelphia Eagles – Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

16.  New York Jets – Mark Barron, S, Alabama  

17.  Cincinnati Bengals – David DeCastro, G, Stanford

18.  San Diego Chargers – Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

19.  Chicago Bears – Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

20.  Tennessee Titans – Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia 

21.  Cincinnati Bengals – Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22.  St. Louis Rams – Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama 

23.  Detroit Lions – Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers – Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

25.  Denver Broncos – Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

26.  Houston Texans – Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27.  New England Patriots – Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

28.  Green Bay Packers – Devon Still, DL, Penn State

29.  Baltimore Ravens – Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

30.  San Francisco 49ers – Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

31.  New England Patriots – Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

32.  New York Giants – Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama