Updated Top 25 2013 NFL Draft Big Board
With the NFL draft right around the corner, the top 25's are now taking shape. These players are not the players who will be selected in the top 25, but rather the players who are the top 25 players on the field.
The NFL is all about bringing in a ton of talent. There's a ton of it in this year's draft as I've personally graded 10 players with top-10 grades and another 19 guys with top 11-20 grades. I grade players based on where I would take them in the typical draft.
As we go over the top 25, we'll go over what each player does well and what he needs to improve on. The top 25 players in the draft are as follows:
25) TE Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame) 6'6" 250 Pounds
1 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 50 Catches, 685 Yards, 4 Touchdowns
2011: 13 Games Played, 63 Catches, 803 Yards, 5 Touchdowns
2010: 11 Games Played, 27 Catches, 352 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
2009: 1 Game Played
What He Does Well
Eifert beats man coverage and finds holes in zones with his size (6'6", 251 pounds), and also possesses great speed (projected 4.55 in the 40-yard dash) and route-running abilities. He has great hands and body control as well. As a receiver, there are none better than Tyler Eifert at tight end in this year's draft.
What He Needs To Improve
Blocking is his biggest weakness right now. While he's got the size and strength to develop into a great tight end, his technique as a blocker is something that will hold him back from being the top tight end on my board.
24) WR Tavon Austin (West Virginia) 5'9" 175 Pounds
2 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 114 Catches, 1,289 Yards, 12 Touchdowns, 72 Carries, 643 Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 15 Punt Returns, 165 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 32 Kick Returns, 813 Yards, 1 Touchdown
2011: 13 Games Played, 101 Catches, 1,186 Yards, 8 Touchdowns, 16 Carries, 182 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 19 Punt Returns, 268 Yards, 36 Kick Returns, 938 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
2010: 13 Games Played, 58 Catches, 787 Yards, 8 Touchdowns, 15 Carries, 159 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 12 Kick Returns, 230 Yards
2009: 13 Games Played, 15 Catches, 151 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 6 Carries, 47 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 17 Kick Returns, 426 Yards, 1 Touchdowns
What He Does Well
Explosion through opposing defenses is Austin's biggest strength. As you can see, he averages over 10 yards every time he touches the ball. His combination of speed and vision allows him to put his team into position to score several times per game.
What He Needs To Improve
His biggest weaknesses come from his lack of size and strength. While he's one of the best speed receivers and a great versatile option, he's not going to power through tacklers. He's someone who should get a ton of touches, but he should never be forced into heavy traffic by his coordinator.
23) TE Travis Kelce (Cincinnati) 6'6" 260 Pounds
3 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 45 Catches, 722 Yards, 8 Touchdowns, 1-of-1 (100 percent) passing, 39 yards, 1 touchdown
2011: 11 Games Played, 13 Catches, 150 Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 1 Kick Return, 13 Yards
2010: Did Not Play Due To Team Suspension
2009: 11 Games Played, 1 Catch, 3 Yards, 8 Carries, 47 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
2008: Redshirted
What He Does Well
Kelce is the best blocking tight end in the draft, but Kelce can line up as a full back, tight end or even out at wide receiver and clear rushing lanes. He also has a ton of speed and can create separation like a wide receiver from the tight end position.
What He Needs To Improve
His route-running and hands are lacking. However, those are things that can improve with coaching. He showed this season that he can improve tremendously with proper tutoring.
22) NT Jesse Williams (Alabama) 6'4" 320 Pounds
4 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 37 Tackles, 2.5 Tackles for Loss, 1.0 Sacks, 4 QB Hurries, 2 Pass Deflections, 1 Blocked Kick
2011: 13 Games Played, 24 Tackles, 4.0 Tackles for Loss, 0.5 Sacks, 3 QB Hurries,1 Pass Deflection
What He Does Well
Williams is one of the best run-stuffers in the entire draft. He can take on double-teams and control the line of scrimmage so that his linebackers have free lanes. His experience in a 3-4 scheme that uses both 1- and 2-gap techniques enhances his value as he can be projected in a role for both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes.
What He Needs To Improve
He's not the best pass-rusher in the draft. He gets a very good push up the middle and takes on double-teams but, at the next level, he's going to have to push through the line and penetrate instead of push into the line.
21) 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB Alex Okafor (Texas) 6'4" 265 Pounds
5 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 61 Tackles, 16.5 Tackles for Loss, 12.5 Sacks, 9 QB Hurries, 4 Fumbles Forced, 1 Pass Deflection, 1 Blocked Kick
2011: 13 Games Played, 52 Tackles, 12.5 Tackles for Loss, 6.0 Sacks, 13 QB Hurries, 2 Fumbles Forced, 3 Pass Deflections
2010: 12 Games Played, 27 Tackles, 3.5 Tackles for Loss, 3.5 Sacks, 7 QB Hurries, 1 Fumble Forced
2009: 14 Games Played, 18 Tackles, 2.5 Tackles for Loss, 1.0 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries
What He Does Well
Okafor is one of the most versatile players in the entire draft. He's lined up at every linebacker spot, defensive end and even defensive tackle on certain plays. He's got great football intelligence and is a leader on and off the field after serving as a team captain.
What He Needs To Improve
If he's going to be used as a coverage player, he's going to have to figure out how to play with less stiffness in his hips. He also has to learn how to turn the corner and use a dip move better. Okafor will have to enhance his pass-rushing arsenal, but he has the tools.
20) LB Alec Ogletree (Georgia) 6'3" 235 Pounds
6 of 25College Stats
2012: 10 Games Played, 111 Tackles, 11.5 Tackles for Loss, 3.0 Sacks, 5 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 5 Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown
2011: 8 Games Played, 52 Tackles, 7.5 Tackles for Loss, 3.0 Sacks, 3 QB Hurries, 2 Fumbles Forced, 2 Pass Deflections
2010: 12 Games Played, 34 Tackles, 1.0 Tackles for Loss, 1 Pass Deflection, 1 Blocked Kick, Defensive Touchdowns
What He Does Well
Anything right in front of him is what he's great at. Ogletree can blitz, play the run and cover short options well. He's aggressive, fast and can hit hard. He's a supremely talented athlete, and his best usage is when he can roam and make plays in space.
What He Needs To Improve
His football intelligence leaves a lot to be desired. He's not very quick at diagnosing plays and will have to watch a lot of film in the NFL and learn the game more to get better at it. With some solid coaching and the right scheme, he could be dangerous in the NFL.
19) NT John Jenkins (Georgia) 6'3" 360 Pounds
7 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 50 Tackles, 2.0 Tackles for Loss, 1.0 Sacks, 10 QB Hurries, 1 Pass Deflection, 1 Blocked Kick
2011: 14 Games Played, 28 Tackles, 6.0 Tackles for Loss, 3.0 Sacks, 4 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced
What He Does Well
Jenkins is the anti-Jessie Williams. He's an excellent pass-rusher and gets excellent penetration. He has great mobility for a 360-pound player. He has experience in the 3-4 scheme, and that will help him in the NFL. He's also an ideal fit for a 4-3 nose tackle position.
What He Needs To Improve
Jenkins has terrible stamina and needs to play in a rotation to be effective. If he lost about 20-25 pounds and played closer to 320-325, he would be able to play much quicker and would be able to be on the field more. He also has average instincts at best.
18) S D.J. Swearinger (South Carolina) 6'0" 210 Pounds
8 of 25College Stats
2012: 12 Games Played, 79 Tackles, 3.0 Tackles for Loss, 1 QB Hurry, 2 Interceptions, 2 Fumbles Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 7 Pass Deflections, 2 Defensive Touchdowns
2011: 13 Games Played, 80 Tackles, 1.5 Tackles for Loss, 3 Interceptions, 1 Fumble Forced, 3 Pass Deflections, 2 Kick Returns, 39 Yards
2010: 14 Games Played, 66 Tackles, 2.0 Tackles for Loss, 1 QB Hurry, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced, 5 Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown, 4 Kick Returns, 87 Yards
2009: 13 Games Played, 19 Tackles, 1 QB Hurry, 1 Pass Deflection
What He Does Well
Swearinger is a tremendous hitter that can separate the ball from the receiver or running back with any hit. He's also excellent in coverage. He fits an ideal safety mold in that he can hit like a linebacker and cover line a cornerback. He also is a team leader on the South Carolina defense.
What He Needs To Improve
He doesn't wrap up his tackles well. He also gets fooled on play-action passes rather easily. He's also got a bit of an attitude problem on the field as he is prone to helmet-to-helmet hits. He runs a risk of knocking himself out of a game with a concussion in the NFL.
17) DE Ezekiel Ansah (BYU) 6'6" 270 Pounds
9 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 62 Tackles, 13.0 Tackles for Loss, 4.5 Sacks, 6 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 1 FumbleForced, 9 Pass Deflections
2011: 12 Games Played, 7 Tackles, 1 QB Hurry
2010: 6 Games Played, 3 Tackles, 1 Pass Deflection
2009: Ran track and did not play football
What He Does Well
Ansah is one of the best natural athletes at the position in years. If the draft was purely on athleticism and not experience, he would be a top-three pick. His size and speed combined with his ability to slide to multiple spots on the line makes him eerily comparable to Justin Tuck.
What He Needs To Improve
Ansah is extremely raw. He's extremely inexperienced too. Those run hand in hand as his physical tools are some of the best in the draft. As long as he can take well to coaching, his technical lapses combined with his leverage mistakes should be correctable.
16) OG Chance Warmack (Alabama) 6'3" 320 Pounds
10 of 25College Stats
2012: 14 Games Played at Left Guard
2011: 13 Games Played at Left Guard
2010: 13 Games Played at Left Guard
2009: 5 Games Played at both Guard spots
What He Does Well
Warmack is brilliantly effective in the power running game and inline blocking. He can pass protect with the best of them. He understands double-teams and intelligently knows how to pick up blitzes. He's one of the most complete left guard prospects to enter the draft in years.
What He Needs To Improve
That's just it, he doesn't have anything in his game that is a giant hole. Warmack is a complete prospect both on and off the field. The only real issue is that he fits the left guard role better than right. However, that's nothing that should drop him, and he could go as high as the top 10.
15) WR Cordarrelle Patterson (Tennessee) 6'3" 210 Pounds
11 of 25College Stats
2012: 12 Games Played, 46 Catches, 778 Yards, 5 Touchdowns, 25 Carries, 308 Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 1-of-1 (100.0), 28 yards, 4 Punt Returns, 101 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 25 Kick Returns, 671 Yards, 1 Touchdown
2010-2011: JUCO player at Hutchinson CC
What He Does Well
Patterson is explosive like Tavon Austin. Only he has much better size and gets up the field quickly. He's very reminiscent of Julio Jones and has the versatility of a Percy Harvin. He can take the top off a defense and has great run-after-the-catch ability as well.
What He Needs To Improve
He's got suspect hands and is very inexperienced at the wide receiver position. He's got all the tools but will need to have a team with good coaches and patience. If he doesn't have to be used as the No. 1 option early on, he could end up as one of the best receivers in the NFL.
14) WR Keenan Allen (Cal) 6'3" 210 Pounds
12 of 25College Stats
2012: 9 Games Played, 61 Catches, 737 Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 3 Carries, 39 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 15 Punt Returns, 212 Yards, 1 Touchdown
2011: 13 Games Played, 98 Catches, 1,343 Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 9 Carries, 55 Yards, 4 Punt Returns, 32 Yards
2010: 12 Games Played, 46 Catches, 490 Yards, 5 Touchdowns, 18 Carries, 136 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Punt Returns, 8 Yards, 18 Kick Returns, 406 Yards
What He Does Well
Allen is a fast, strong and tall receiver. He's got good hands and body control. He can box out a defender when need be and definitely has the ability to push the ball up the field. He has his best value as someone with the ball in his hands gaining extra yards.
What He Needs To Improve
While he is already solid as a route-runner, he could learn how to create more separation by taking better paths to the ball. He could also find open holes in the zone defenses that he faces on option routes better.
13) QB Mike Glennon (NC State) 6'6" 230 Pounds
13 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 330-of-564 (58.5 percent), 4,051 Yards, 31 Touchdowns, 17 Interceptions, 56 Carries, -164 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
2011: 13 Games Played, 283-of-453 (62.5 percent), 3,054 Yards, 31 Touchdowns, 12 Interceptions, 52 Carries, -122 Yards, 1 Touchdown
2010: 3 Games Played, 9-of-13 (69.2 percent), 78 Yards, 1 Carry, 3 Yards
2009: 7 Games Played, 24-of-39 (61.5 percent), 248 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Interceptions, 3 Carries, -9 Yards
2008: Redshirt
What He Does Well
Glennon has great size and strength. He has extremely good mechanics and gets a ton of zip on the ball when he throws it. He can get it out quickly and throws deep very well. He's very intelligent and is a gym and film rat.
What He Needs To Improve
He's not the leader one would expect from the quarterback position. He also has terrible mobility. For a guy his size, he's very skinny and should probably gain at least another 5-10 pounds of muscle. He also needs to get more accurate with his throws.
12) 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB Jarvis Jones (Georgia) 6'3" 240 Pounds
14 of 25College Stats
2012: 12 Games Played, 77 Tackles, 24.5 Tackles for Loss, 14.5 Sacks, 20 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 7 Fumbles Forced, 3 Pass Deflections
2011: 14 Games Played, 70 Tackles, 19.5 Tackles for Loss, 13.5 Sacks, 26 QB Hurries, 2 Fumbles Forced, 2 Pass Deflections
2010: Redshirt after transferring from the University of Southern California
2009: 8 Games Played, 13 Tackles, 1.5 Tackles for Loss
What He Does Well
There aren't any players in this draft class who get as much pressure on the passer as Jones does. He's also one of the best run-stuffers on the edge in the draft. He's also a team captain on one of the best defenses in college football. Leadership and talent make someone tremendously valuable.
What He Needs To Improve
As someone with two years of experience at linebacker in the 3-4, he should be much more able in coverage than he is. He also has an issue medically relating to a nerve condition called spinal stenosis. That could completely drop him out of the first round despite his natural talent.
11) OL Barrett Jones (Alabama) 6'5" 300 Pounds
15 of 25College Stats
2012: 14 Games Played at Center
2011: 10 Games Played at Left Tackle
2010: 11 Games Played at Right Guard
2009: 14 Games Played at Right Guard
2008: 3 Games Played at Multiple Line Positions Before Redshirting
What He Does Well
Jones is one of the most versatile players in all of college football. He's the only player that I have seen win the Outland Trophy as a left tackle one year and then the Rimington Trophy as a center the very next season. He's great overall as an offensive linemen, and it shows in his awards.
What He Needs To Improve
The only real question is where does he fit best on an offensive line in the NFL. He's so good at multiple positions, and he's one of the few guys that can play all five spots on the offensive line.
10) 4-3 DT/3-4 DE Sheldon Richardson (Missouri) 6'4" 295 Pounds
16 of 25College Stats
2012: 11 Games Played, 75 Tackles, 10.5 Tackles for Loss, 4.0 Sacks, 7 QB Hurries, 3 Fumbles Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 3 Pass Deflections, 1 Blocked Kick
2011: 13 Games Played, 37 Tackles, 8.0 Tackles for Loss, 2.0 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
2010: Redshirted
What He Does Well
Richardson is the epitome of a penetrating defensive tackle. He can play the 3-technique extremely well and projects to be a high pick in the first round based on comparisons to Gerald McCoy and Ndamukong Suh. His pass-rushing is excellent inside, and he has a variety of moves to get pressure.
What He Needs To Improve
He does get washed out in the run, however. His biggest issue is strength. If a lineman gets his hands inside his pads, he's done. With better work strength-wise and more technique work, the inexperienced lineman could be an impact player with J.J. Watt-level potential.
9) 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB Dion Jordan (Oregon) 6'7" 245 Pounds
17 of 25College Stats
2012: 12 Games Played, 44 Tackles, 10.5 Tackles for Loss, 5.0 Sacks, 1 QB Hurry, 3 Fumbles Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
2011: 14 Games Played, 42 Tackles, 13.0 Tackles for Loss, 7.5 Sacks, 1 QB Hurry,1 Fumble Forced
2010: 13 Games Played, 33 Tackles, 5.5 Tackles for Loss, 2.0 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries, 1 Pass Deflection
2009: 6 Games Played, 2 Tackles
2008: Redshirted
What He Does Well
Jordan's one of the best natural pass-rushers in the draft. Despite a lack of bulk, he has an effective bull rush. He has long arms that he can lock out for leverage and also has a good swim and rip move. He's also very effective against the run and can set the edge well.
What He Needs To Improve
Coverage is always an issue coming from the college level for guys of Jordan's size. The taller, lankier linebacker will have to learn how to sink his hips and get better depth on his backpedals. He has the raw athleticism to succeed in the outside linebacker role though despite coverage deficiencies.
8) 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB Damontre Moore (Texas A&M) 6'4" 250 Pounds
18 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 85 Tackles, 21.0 Tackles for Loss, 12.5 Sacks, 9 QB Hurries, 1 Fumble Forced, 2 Pass Deflections, 2 Blocked Kicks
2011: 12 Games Played, 72 Tackles, 17.5 Tackles for Loss, 8.5 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries, 4 Fumbles Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
2010: 13 Games Played, 40 Tackles, 6.5 Tackles for Loss, 5.5 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 3 Fumbles Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
What He Does Well
Moore is a pure pass-rusher. He's best coming in from a three-point stance and has ridiculous closing speed. He can set the edge well against the run and has the versatility to pop into a two-point stance when teams want to go to a more multiple look. Even more, he's highly effective against the zone read.
What He Needs To Improve
His best fit is as a 4-3 defensive end, and that could limit his options in the NFL. His lack of agility hampers his ability to be great in the running game versus top-notch run-blockers. He'll need to get more experience as a 4-3 defensive end but has Pro Bowl potential there.
7) QB Tyler Wilson (Arkansas) 6'3" 220 Pounds
19 of 25College Stats
2012: 11 Games Played, 249-of-401 (62.1 percent), 3,387 Yards, 21 Touchdowns, 13 Interceptions
2011: 13 Games Played, 277-of-438 (63.2 percent), 3,638 Yards, 24 Touchdowns, 6 Interceptions
2010: 6 Games Played, 34-of-51 (66.7 percent), 453 Yards, 4 Touchdowns, 3 Interceptions
2009: 5 Games Played, 22-of-36 (61.1 percent), 218 Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 2 Interceptions
2008: 2 Games Played, 11-of-22 (50.0 percent), 69 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Interceptions before Redshirting
What He Does Well
Wilson has a good arm and makes excellent decisions with the ball. He's a true team captain with excellent intangibles and leadership. He has good size and field vision. He also is a very experienced quarterback in one of the best conferences in the college ranks.
What He Needs To Improve
He has hit-or-miss mechanics. His accuracy is going to get him into trouble in the NFL. He has great potential but needs a coach who can develop him into a top-notch quarterback and an offensive line that can protect him.
6) CB Dee Milliner (Alabama) 6'1" 200 Pounds
20 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 54 Tackles, 4.0 Tackles for Loss, 1.5 Sacks, 2 Interceptions, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 22 Pass Deflections, 1 Blocked Kick
2011: 13 Games Played, 27 Tackles, 1.0 Tackles for Loss, 3 Interceptions, 11 Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown, 1 Kick Return, 21 Yards
2010: 13 Games Played, 55 Tackles, 4.0 Tackles for Loss, 1 QB Hurry, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced, 8 Pass Deflections
What He Does Well
Milliner can read the ball extremely well. He's good in man coverage and excels when he can play off the receiver. He can play zones effectively and makes plays on the ball. His ability to get his hands on the ball will allow him to eventually become an interception machine.
What He Needs To Improve
He doesn't have the top-notch speed most corners have. So this could hinder him to playing the No. 2 corner and nickel role in the NFL. However, this shouldn't deter a team as it could have a 10-year starter with fringe Pro Bowl potential every season.
5) ILB Arthur Brown (Kansas State) 6'1" 230 Pounds
21 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 100 Tackles, 7.0 Tackles for Loss, 1.0 Sacks, 1 QB Hurry, 2 Interceptions, 4 Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown
2011: 13 Games Played, 101 Tackles, 9.5 Tackles for Loss, 2.0 Sacks, 1 Interception, 2 Pass Deflections
2010: Redshirted after transferring from the University of Miami
2009: 13 Games Played, 13 Tackles, 0.5 Tackles for Loss
2008: 11 Games Played, 4 Tackles
What He Does Well
Brown is fast, strong, instinctive and able to get after the quarterback and play in coverage equally well. He's a team captain who makes sure his guys are in proper position before every play and amps his defense up. He's also good in run support.
What He Needs To Improve
He can get washed out of plays if he has to go one-on-one with offensive linemen. He is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type of player.
4) 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB Bjoern Werner (Florida State) 6'4" 255 Pounds
22 of 25College Stats
2012: 14 Games Played, 42 Tackles, 18.0 Tackles for Loss, 13.0 Sacks, 5 QB Hurries, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 8 Pass Deflections
2011: 13 Games Played, 37 Tackles, 11.0 Tackles for Loss, 7.0 Sacks, 8 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 5 Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown
2010: 14 Games Played, 20 Tackles, 6.0 Tackles for Loss, 3.5 Sacks, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
What He Does Well
Werner can really get after a quarterback and make him uncomfortable. He's able to get his hands up on pass plays when he is stone-walled and knocks the ball away quite a bit. His speed off of the edge can hurt opposing run games as well.
What He Needs To Improve
Coming from Germany, he's inexperienced. But don't let that fool you, he's not as raw as one would think. His main issues come from things that come with time playing the game: simple technique flaws, reading plays pre-snap and effectively getting the right angle in the run game.
3) QB Geno Smith (West Virginia) 6'3" 220 Pounds
23 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played, 365-of-513 (71.2 percent), 4,205 Yards, 42 Touchdowns, 6 Interceptions, 69 Carries, 167 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
2011: 13 Games Played, 346-of-526 (65.8 percent), 4,385 Yards, 31 Touchdowns, 7 Interceptions, 56 Carries, -33 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
2010: 13 Games Played, 241-of-372 (64.8 percent), 2,763 Yards, 24 Touchdowns, 7 Interceptions, 106 Carries, 217 Yards
2009: 5 Games Played, 32-of-49 (65.3 percent), 309 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 1 Interception, 17 Carries, 7 Yards
What He Does Well
Smith has the size, strength and speed most expect from a zone-read quarterback. However, unlike your typical zone-read quarterback, Smith is a pass-first player. He's able to read defenses well, and he uses his mobility to keep his eyes down the field.
What He Needs To Improve
His biggest issue is related to his accuracy on throws. He requires small mechanics tweaks that will need to be done by his first passing coach. Nonetheless, he's known as a gym rat and a leader who is film obsessed. He should be able to be a long-term starting quarterback in the NFL.
2) NT Star Lotulelei (Utah) 6'4" 320 Pounds
24 of 25College Stats
2012: 12 Games Played, 42 Tackles, 10.0 Tackles for Loss, 5.0 Sacks, 3 Fumbles Forced, 4 Pass Deflections
2011: 13 Games Played, 43 Tackles, 9.0 Tackles for Loss, 1.5 Sacks, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
2010: 13 Games Played, 21 Tackles, 2.5 Tackles for Loss, 0.5 Sacks
What He Does Well
Lotulelei is a top pass-rusher. He's able to break through the line in the running game as well. He commands double-teams and controls the line of scrimmage. Star also has amazing athleticism for how big he is and is a new generation of nose tackle who can play in either scheme.
What He Needs To Improve
There's a question of how he will play in a one-gap scheme. Utah runs an almost pure two-gap scheme. However, Lotulelei should be able to adapt well as a two-gap scheme is normally tougher to play than a one-gap scheme.
1) OT Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M) 6'6" 310 Pounds
25 of 25College Stats
2012: 13 Games Played at Left Tackle
2011: 13 Games Played at Left Tackle
2010: 13 Games Played at Left Tackle
What He Does Well
Joeckel is one of the most complete players in the draft. He's someone who can play left tackle very well, and his best fit is on a team with a more mobile quarterback. He can protect the blindside on passing plays and create great push on running plays.
What He Needs To Improve
The only real question in his game comes around when people watch how the defensive tackles were reacting to Johnny Manziel. He spent more time pass-blocking against a contain and not against a true attacking pass rush. It's always easier to pass protect when the defense isn't attacking your quarterback.
All stats used are either from Pro Football Focus's Premium Stats, ESPN.com, CFBStats.com or NFL.com.
Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, NFL and NFL Draft. He is also the Falcons analyst at Drafttek, runs the NFL Draft Website ScarDraft.com and hosts Kvetching Draftniks Radio.
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