NFL Draft 2010: Pre-Combine Top 100 Prospects

With the Super Bowl later today, it's just about time to focus entirely on the NFL Draft. Getting a jump on the hoopla, here is a pre-combine list of the top 100 prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Of course, this list is entirely different from any list compiled six weeks ago. In six more weeks, this list will have changed 10 times over.

This isn't a mock draft; in no way does this represent where these players will be picked. An offensive guard ranked in the 20's can fall to the 40's simply because of positional value. Conversely, QBs often go higher than they are ranked.

Below, commentary is only given on a select few players. If there are any questions, feel free to comment.

Ndamukong Suh (DT/DE Nebraska)

Gerald McCoy (DE Oklahoma)

Joe Haden (CB Florida)

Eric Berry (S/CB Tennessee)

Dez Bryant (WR Oklahoma State)

Suh's lock on the top spot isn't as solid as some would like to believe. He is an outstanding prospect, but, the brighter the star, the more closely people inspect it. If Suh runs slower than a five flat at the combine, (Reggie White could run a 4.6) he could drop.

Russell Okung (OT Oklahoma State)

Rolando McClain (ILB Alabama)

CJ Spiller (RB Clemson)

Bryan Bulaga (OT Iowa)

Derrick Morgan (DE Georgia Tech)

Remember Michael Oher? He spent a great deal of last year as the top-ranked tackle. Eventually, people picked him down to Baltimore, where he had a solid year. Okung is a solid tackle but isn't Joe Thomas or Jake Long. Scouts believe he lacks upper body strength. He needs to prove them wrong.

Earl Thomas (S Texas)

Sam Bradford (QB Oklahoma)

Jason Pierre-Paul (DE/OLB South Florida)

Dan Williams (DT/NT Tennessee)

Mike Iupati (OG/OT Idaho)

Dan Williams is a nosetackle, just...not in the normal sense. In a 3-4, he could easily be overwhelmed by the constant double teams. In a 4-3 (which, friends, also uses the terminology "nosetackle"), he could be a solid one-technique (or nose) tackle. Could be one of the strongest players in the draft.

Brandon Graham (DE/OLB Michigan)

Jimmy Clausen (QB Notre Dame)

Bruce Campbell (OT Maryland)

Carlos Dunlap (DE Florida)

Brian Price (DT UCLA)

Clausen may be the top QB in the draft, for half a dozen teams. His arm strength isn't up to normal standards. As he works out, personnel men will be impressed with his accuracy, right up until the stick and out routes. Still, he throws a decent deep ball and could have a fine NFL career in the right system.

21. Anthony Davis (OT Rutgers)

Trent Williams (OG/OT Oklahoma)

Jermaine Gresham (TE Oklahoma)

Ryan Matthews (RB Fresno State)

Taylor Mays (S/OLB Southern California)

Physically speaking, there are more talented running backs than Ryan Matthews. However, he is the best workhorse of the draft. Unless he seriously messes up, he will be moving up from now until draft day.

Brandon LaFell (WR Louisiana State)

Sean Weatherspoon (OLB Missouri)

Jared Odrick (DT Penn State)

Brandon Spikes (LB Florida)

Ricky Sapp (OLB Clemson)

Brandon LaFell is down on a lot of draft boards. After the combine, it will only get worse. In fact, there is a chance he begins to drop out of the second. That would be an egregious error. LaFell is the best route runner and has great hands. Derrick Mason is a great comparison and the Tiger could have a very similar career.

31. Devin McCourty (CB Rutgers)

Jahvid Best (RB California)

Everson Griffen (DE Southern California)

Sergio Kindle (OLB Texas)

Aaron Hernandez (TE/FB/H-Back Florida)

Golden Tate (WR Nortre Dame)

Kyle Wilson (CB Boise State)

Jonathan Dwyer (RB Georgia Tech)

Charles Brown (OT Southern Cal)

Colt McCoy (QB Texas)

Aaron Hernandez was a poor man's version of Percy Harvin for Florida last season. Next year, he could be the same for an NFL team. No, he isn't going to return kicks...but he will pick up the difficult yardage. His workouts will focus on positional versatility, and teams will be duly impressed.

41. Terrence Cody (NT/DT Alabama)

Corey Wootton (DE Northwestern)

Maurkice Pouncey (OG Florida)

Patrick Robinson (CB Florida State)

Rob Gronkowski (TE Arizona)

Nate Allen (S South Florida)

Kareem Jackson (CB Alabama)

Navorro Bowman (LB Penn State)

Dominique Franks (DB Oklahoma)

Jerry Hughes (DE/OLB Texas Christian)

When push comes to shove, a team will be impressed by Terrence Cody in the interview process (or at least not as concerned at the others) and will pick him in the first round. That doesn't change the fact he showed up for the Senior Bowl out of shape. Not big...he's always big...he was out of shape.

51. Vladimir Ducasse (OT/OG Massachusetts)

Syd'Quan Thompson (CB California)

Anthony Dixon (RB Mississippi State)

Brandon Ghee (CB Wake Forest)

Jason Fox (OT Miami)

Marshawn Gilyard (WR Cincinnati)

Dexter McCluster (RB/WR/KR Mississippi)

Matt Tennant (OC/OG Boston College)

Alex Carrington (DE Arkansas State)

Arrelious Benn (WR Illinois)

Ducasse is a great small school prospect, originally from Haiti. The Senior Bowl was the first look a lot of scouts had on him and reports were mostly mixed. Although his measurables and athleticism is legit, his form is questionable. If he shows up more polished to a pro day, he could be a first rounder.

61. Rodger Saffold (OT/OG Indiana)

Chad Jones (S Louisiana State)

Jeremy Williams (WR Tulane)

Greg Hardy (DE Mississippi)

Tyson Alualu (DE/DE California)

Daryl Washington (LB Texas Christian)

Jon Asamoah (OG Illinois)

Perrish Cox (CB/KR Oklahoma State)

Koa Misi (DE OLB/DE Utah)

Morgan Burnett (S Georgia Tech)

One of the worst parts of comparing prospects to NFL athletes is muddling through things like skin color and background and finding players who actually fit. Jeremy Williams could be the next Wes Welker. Quicker than he is fast, Williams uses his hands well and is automatic on slants and other quick routes.

71. Dan LeFevour (QB Central Michigan)

Amari Spievey (CB Iowa)

Jacoby Ford (WR Clemson)

Jason Worilds (DE Virginia Tech)

Sean Lee (ILB Penn State)

Mike Johnson (OG/OC Alabama)

Tim Tebow (QB Florida)

Brandon Lang (DE Troy)

Toby Gerhart (RB Stanford)

Demaryius Thomas (WR Georgia Tech)

Amari Spievey is way too low on many draft boards. If I were a more daring man, I would have him higher here as well. Tough, physical, and athletic with long arms...Spievey is a very good prospect. He will either rise by draft day or some team will get a very nice third round surprise.

81. Jerome Murphy (CB South Florida)

Austen Lane (DE Murray State)

Donovan Warren (CB Michigan)

Selvish Capers (OT West Virginia)

Tony Pike (QB Cincinnati)

Jordan Shipley (WR Texas)

Colin Peek (TE Alabama)

Reshad Jones (S Georgia)

Eric Norwood (OLB S Carolina)

Ed Dickson (TE Oregon)

Someone explain why Colin Peek isn't one of the top TE prospects on everyone's list. He has the perfect physique for the position and is a phenomenal blocker. He is sneaking up this draft class. So is his positional buddy, Ed Dickson, who lacks size but is exceptionally strong.

91. TJ Ward (SS Oregon)

Cam Thomas (DT North Carolina)

Damien Williams (WR Southern Cal)

Willie Young (DE North Carolina State)

Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (CB Indiana-PA)

Ciron Black (OT/OG Louisiana State)

Freddie Barnes (WR Bowling Green)

Rennie Curran (LB Georgia)

JD Walton (OC/OG Baylor)

Mike Neal (DT/DE Purdue)

Rounding out the top 100 are a couple of smaller school prospects that could be all over the board. Freddie Barnes doesn't have any straight line speed but can continually make place. Owusu-Ansah is a prototypical defensive back but needs to show he can make the transition.

Michael Schottey is a NFL draft correspondent for DraftTek.com . In 2009, he was named one of TheHuddle.com's top 100 draft experts. He is a Featured Columnist for the Detroit Lions on Bleacher Report and produces the Average Joe Sports Show (AM 860, New Ulm, MN)