2011 NFL Draft Midseason Report: Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck Is No. 1
This Saturday marks the true midpoint of the college football regular season, and you know what that means.
Things are about to get very interesting.
Let’s take a moment to take the focus off the schools competing for supremacy and instead zone in on some of the top individual players who are battling it out for positioning in the 2011 NFL Draft.
The senior class was truly decimated by early departures for the 2010 Draft, but there are still a few quality prospects who should make fine starters in the NFL.
The real elite talent, as usual, lies with the underclassmen. We’ve got an abundance of potential superstars coming up and it should be interesting to see how many of the top juniors and redshirt sophomores choose to declare after the season with the looming threat of a potential NFL lockout next year.
We’ve still got a little more than six months to go before draft day and a lot is sure to change, but here’s a look at some of the eligible prospects who I feel could really be the standout names in the 2011 NFL Draft .
1. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
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Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 6‘4"
Weight: 235
Synopsis: Andrew Luck came into his second year as starting quarterback as both a known and unknown commodity.
Yes, everyone around college football knew he had elite ability, but many wanted to see if Luck could handle leading the Cardinal offense without highly productive running back Toby Gerhart lining up behind him.
Luck, who is the son of former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck, has been the true catalyst to Stanford’s rise to Pac-10 stardom.
The sophomore has displayed all the tools necessary—size, poise, intelligence, arm strength, intangibles, toughness—to be a high caliber quarterback in the NFL.
His skillset and overall makeup reminds me a lot of last year’s No. 1 pick Sam Bradford.
If Luck can keep playing at the level he’s started off the season at, there’s no doubt that if he chooses to leave Stanford early he’ll be in the short conversation for the No. 1 overall pick next year.
2. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘6"
Weight: 235
Synopsis: I seem to be taking a lot of heat for having Terrelle Pryor ranked so high and I can definitely understand the criticism. I’ll be the first to admit that Pryor is not a pro-ready passer at this stage in his development. But that doesn’t mean people should shortchange him as an NFL prospect.
Pryor doesn’t throw the prettiest ball, and he doesn’t have the desired zip you want to see out of an NFL quarterback.
He makes up for his deficiencies in the passing game with his rare athletic gifts. Terrelle is a once in a generation type physical specimen that we don’t see at the quarterback position very often.
You can teach a quarterback how to read defenses, drop back with proper footwork and work out the flaws in his mechanics, but you can’t teach a player to be 6‘6", 235 lbs. and run with 4.3 speed.
Pryor is continuing to learn and evolve as a passer, and once he reaches the level where everything comes together, he'll be a very dangerous weapon for defenses to try and stop.
I’m excited to see what Terrelle can do in this weekend’s anticipated Big Ten battle up in Madison against Wisconsin. If he performs well and carries the Buckeyes to a big win, it will go a long way towards silencing the many doubters that seem to keep popping up.
3. CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘1"
Weight: 220
Synopsis: Speaking of physical specimens, you may not find one in college football right now that can compare to cornerback Patrick Peterson of LSU.
Peterson couples the size of a safety with the speed, agility and footwork of a cornerback to create one of the most well put together defensive back prospects we’ve seen since Charles Woodson.
There’s not a team in the country that wants to challenge the junior cornerback, and it’s for good reason. Peterson can lock down any receiver put in front of him and he’s the type of momentum-changing defender that has the ability to alter the course of games.
His sheer overwhelming size may have some teams envisioning moving him to safety at the next level, but I think Peterson certainly has what it takes to handle the cornerback position in the NFL.
Speed, instincts, ball skills, tackling, coverage ability—you name the trait you’re looking for and you’re sure to find it in Patrick Peterson.
When the only noticeable concern you have about a player is that he cramps up a little too much, you know you’ve got a special prospect on your hands.
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4. WR A.J. Green, Georgia
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘4"
Weight: 210
Synopsis: OK, I’m hopping on the A.J. Green bandwagon. I could only hesitate for so long.
My only big concern up to this point with Green has been his stature. I can still remember that 6‘4" stick figure coming out of Summerville High School that could catch anything and blow by any defender but still had me wondering—is this guy going to be able to handle the jam and bump and run coverages?
The answer—it doesn’t matter.
That silly concern has proved to be unwarranted as Green has shown that he has the type of talent and ability to get it done regardless.
I’ve heard some say you can tell the true greatness of a player when his team has to get it done without him and judging from Georgia’s offensive performance during Adriel’s four-game suspension, we might as well just put him in the Hall of Fame right now.
Green is the type of weapon that changes the complexion of an offense and the Bulldogs' extreme struggles during his absence really opened my eyes to how valuable he really is.
Sure, I’d like to see him add a little more muscle to his frame, but there’s no denying anymore that Green has the chance to be one of the best receivers in the NFL very soon.
5. DE Aldon Smith, Missouri
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Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 6‘5"
Weight: 260
Synopsis: We tend to throw the word explosive around far too often these days, but in the case of Missouri’s Aldon Smith, it’s well deserved.
Smith could very well be the most explosive pass rusher in college football.
Smith, who has missed the Tigers last two games with a fractured fibula, has the length and build of a basketball forward.
As a redshirt freshman in 2009, Smith broke onto the Big 12 scene by tallying 11 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss as he showed off his tremendous penetration ability.
At just 260 lbs. it remains to be seen if he’ll fit best bulking up and becoming an edge rusher in a 4-3 defense, or making the transition to a 3-4 rush linebacker.
One things for sure though, whichever team gets their hands on Smith will be getting a young player who has room to grow into one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL.
Aldon still has to refine his technique and get out of the habit of playing too straight up at times, but once he gets everything worked out, he looks like he’ll be handful for every opposing offensive tackle he goes up against.
6. OLB Bruce Carter, UNC
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Class: Senior
Height: 6‘3"
Weight: 235
Synopsis: The North Carolina defense has taken a bit of hit this year with all the turmoil, eligibility issues and negative stigma but one player that has persevered through it all is outside linebacker Bruce Carter.
Carter, a former high school safety, is one of the most athletic defenders in the country.
His speed and range allows him to move fluidly from sideline to sideline and cover ground that most players just can’t.
He shows some shades of former Wake Forest standout Aaron Curry and he could be an ideal fit as a strongside player in a 4-3 defense.
When things are all said and done, Carter could be the first senior taken in next year’s draft.
Expect him to have a “blow up” type performance at the NFL combine.
7. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘3"
Weight: 225
Synopsis: Michael Floyd is one of the best pass adjusters I’ve seen in quite some time. His ability to readjust to throws and time his jumps so perfectly is a true to marvel watch.
Floyd hasn’t yet exploded onto the scene this year as many thought he would playing in Brian Kelly’s pass-heavy scheme but that doesn’t mean he’s played poorly by any stretch.
The junior has hauled in 35 passes for an average of 13 yards a catch, but his three TDs have a few people scratching their heads.
Floyd found the end zone in all but one of the games he took part in last year and his lack of scoring this season could have some rethinking his value.
I still think that his size and athleticism combo which reminds me somewhat of current Jets receiver Braylon Edwards will be enough to have teams confident that he can be a difference-making No.1 receiver at the NFL level.
8. CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
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Class: Senior
Height: 6‘1"
Weight: 205
Synopsis: With the fanfare that Darrelle Revis has been receiving in the NFL these days, there are now many people searching for that cornerback who can be a “shut down” type player even though there are just so few around.
One player that actually can have a Revis like impact on an NFL defense is Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara. At 6‘1", the senior has the size to man up with any opposing receiver and his coverage ability and instincts are both top-notch.
The former standout running back in high school is still learning all the nuances of the cornerback position but he’s already displayed everything it takes to become a great coverman at the next level.
9. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
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Class: Junior
Height: 5‘10"
Weight: 215
Synopsis: What can you say about Mark Ingram that hasn’t already been said?
Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner isn’t the flashiest runner you’ll ever lay your eyes on but he’s simply a player that gets things done and produces when it counts.
Ingram is a compactly built back who offers a nice blend of speed and power and his ability to read his blocks and find a crease in the defense is outstanding.
He displays great vision and balance and certainly looks the part of a difference maker at the position. And the junior’s ability to gain chunks of yardage in clutch situations should only serve to enhance his value.
Ingram has NFL bloodlines and has the type of competitive personality that scouts should find infectious.
Expect him to be a big commodity if he decides to come out early.
10. DT Cam Heyward, Ohio State
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Class: Senior
Height: 6‘5"
Weight: 290
Synopsis: Cameron Heyward, the son of late great NFL running back Ironhead Heyward, currently mans the defensive end position in Ohio State’s 4-3 defense but it’s likely that he’ll make the move to either defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end in the pros. That way his power can be better utilized.
Heyward displays some of the same core strength and bull like power that his father showed back in the 1990s.
His overall speed off the edge does leave a little bit to be desired but he’s still a fantastic athlete for his size.
I see the senior fitting in best as a 3-4 defensive end and it’s likely that teams employing that defense will give him a thorough look-over throughout the draft process.
11. OLB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘4"
Weight: 255
Synopsis: Quite simply, Akeem Ayers is a marvelous athletic specimen.
At 6‘4", 255 lbs. Ayers shows the type of agility and lateral quickness that you don’t find very often in college linebackers.
The junior has shown the ability to be an impact player and make game changing plays on a few different occasions.
I’d like to see him be a bit more tenacious and aggressive at times but you can tell that Ayers has what it takes to be the real deal.
12. QB Jake Locker, Washington
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Class: Senior
Height: 6‘3"
Weight: 230
Synopsis: It hasn’t been the season that many had hoped for and expected from Washington quarterback Jake Locker.
Locker, who many people had rated as the top 2011 prospect coming into the season, has struggled mightily during his team’s 2-3 start.
Still, the senior has shown that he has the tools to be an NFL starter even if he does lack that special winning intangible.
There are going to be a lot of franchises starving for some quarterback help in next year’s draft and you can bet that there’ll be a head coach who takes one look at Locker’s gifts and falls in love with his potential.
He will most likely go a lot earlier than his lackluster college career will warrant.
13. DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘5"
Weight: 270
Synopsis: Quinn will undoubtedly be hurt by missing his entire junior season but the pass rushing phenom has shown enough through his first two seasons to give teams a reason to give him a look early in the first round.
Quinn totaled 13 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss in just two years at the college level and showed enough flashes on tape to really catch the eyes of scouts.
The big concern with Quinn is of course his size. He needs to bulk up to handle going up against the bigger, stronger lineman that he’ll face in the pros but he has the body structure to handle it if he trains properly.
We will have to see how much his season away from the field affects Quinn's stock.
14. S Mark Barron, Alabama
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘2"
Weight: 210
Synopsis: Safety is one of the hardest positions to find truly a truly elite player. Every now and then a player like Eric Berry comes along but he’s usually the exception to the rule.
The versatility it takes to play the position can make it tough to evaluate but sometimes there are players who just simply stick out and Alabama’s Mark Barron is most definitely one of them.
Barron was one of the key defensive leaders for Alabama’s National Championship team last year and even though his play has waned somewhat this season, he’s still shown that he can be a high caliber player at the next level.
Barron, who has learned from one of the defensive minds in the game in Nick Saban, can at times look more like a linebacker playing safety. But his range, instincts and tackling ability make him a valuable candidate to be the first safety off the board if he decides to come out.
15. OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
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Class: Senior
Height: 6‘6"
Weight: 305
Synopsis: This year’s offensive tackle class doesn’t look nearly as strong as the 2010 class which saw three tackles selected within the first eleven picks.
Trying to find a true leader of the class going into the season was difficult but now it seems like Mississippi State’s Derek Sherrod is starting to separate himself from the pack and stand out from the rest.
Sherrod came to Mississippi State as a highly touted high school recruit out of California and has managed to play in nearly every single game since arriving in Starkville.
Sherrod has the size, strength, balance and footwork to one day man the tackle spot for an NFL team.
16. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
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Class: Senior
Height: 6‘4"
Weight: 285
Synopsis: Adrian Clayborn chose to come back to Iowa for his senior season even though it looked he was on his way to becoming a first round pick after a dominating performance against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
The move probably won’t cost him in the long run as it looks like he is still playing with the same type of leverage and power that we saw from his as a junior.
I expect Clayborn to really turn things on in the second half of the year and demonstrate why people thought saw highly of him coming into the season.
17. ILB Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
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Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 6‘4"
Weight: 260
Synopsis: Dont’a Hightower has looked like the player we saw as a freshman back in 2008 before a knee injury robbed him of the majority of the season last year.
Hightower is a versatile player that can line up all over the field for a defense, but it looks like he’ll fit best manning the inside backer position in a 3-4 scheme. That’s where he can really play to his strengths and track down ball carriers.
We’ve seen that inside linebackers usually get downgraded just because the position isn’t one of the sexier ones in today’s NFL but it would be hard for a lot of 3-4 teams in need of some inside run support to pass up a guy like Hightower if he were to come out.
18. QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘6"
Weight: 240
Synopsis: Ryan Mallett might be the biggest enigma of this year’s draft.
Based just off natural quarterback skills, he’s one of the better prospects of the millennium, but as you start to look deeper and chip away at the whole picture, things only start to get more complex.
There’s the whole “wigger persona” that people have joked about, but I don’t think that will be a big negative in the eyes of evaluators.
You do have to wonder though if Mallett has the makeup to lead an NFL team to greatness.
If he were to pull off the upset over Alabama instead of going into meltdown mode in the fourth quarter, I would probably value him a little higher.
We’ll have to see how this one plays out. Mallett should be one of the more interesting prospects to follow if he decides to come out this year.
19. DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama
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Class: Junior
Height: 6‘4"
Weight: 305
Synopsis: When looking for a dominant defensive lineman, you try and search for those moments when a prospect just looks like a man amongst boys at the college level.
Alabama’s Marcell Dareus has certainly offered up a few of those moments during his career.
Dareus looks like he has the size, strength and penetration ability to be a standout 3-4 defensive end or possibly even a defensive tackle in the NFL.
He’s shown that he can manhandle and overwhelm blockers at the point of attack and is the type of player that eats up double teams allowing other players to roam free.
Dareus is just a very powerfully built lineman who looks like he should have no trouble banging around in the trenches of the NFL.
20. DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
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Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 6‘3"
Weight: 305
Synopsis: Another defensive tackle who looks like he’s built to take on NFL offensive lineman is Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy.
Worthy is as solid as they come and the athleticism that he shows for his size should give scouts a reason to drool.
I’ll admit, I was intrigued by Worthy coming into the season but then sort of overlooked him until watching this past weekend’s Michigan-Michigan State matchup.
Worthy showed some glimpses that he could be a very special tackle prospect and the fact that he’s just a redshirt sophomore means that he has a lot of room to grow and improve.
Quarterbacks
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Top Five Overall
1. Andrew Luck: Stanford
2. Terrelle Pryor: Ohio State
3. Jake Locker: Washington
4. Ryan Mallett: Arkansas
5. Christian Ponder: Florida State
Top Seniors
1. Jake Locker: Washington
2. Christian Ponder: Florida State
3. Colin Kaepernick: Nevada
4. Andy Dalton: TCU
5. Greg McElroy: Alabama
6. Jerrod Johnson: Texas A&M
7. Nathan Enderle: Idaho
8. Pat Devlin: Delaware
9. Ricky Stanzi: Iowa
10. Tyrod Taylor: Virginia Tech
11. Case Keenum: Houston
12. Jeff Van Camp: Florida Atlantic
13. T.J. Yates: North Carolina
14. Kevin Riley: CAL
15. Diondre Borel: Utah State
Top Underclassmen
1. Andrew Luck: Stanford
2. Terrelle Pryor: Ohio State
3. Ryan Mallett: Arkansas
4. Nick Foles: Arizona
5. Cameron Newton: Auburn
6. Blaine Gabbert: Missouri
7. John Brantley: Florida
8. Kirk Cousins: Michigan State
9. Kellen Moore: Boise State
10. Dayne Crist: Notre Dame
Running Backs
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Top Five Overall
1. Mark Ingram: Alabama
2. LaMichael James: Oregon
3. DeMarco Murray: Oklahoma
4. Ryan Williams: Virginia Tech
5. Brandon Bolden: Ole Miss
Top Seniors
1. DeMarco Murray: Oklahoma
2. Daniel Thomas: Kansas State
3. Armando Allen: Notre Dame
4. Kendall Hunter: Oklahoma State
5. Noel Devine: West Virginia
6. Allen Bradford: USC
7. Derrick Locke: Kentucky
8. Brandon Saine: Ohio State
9. Delone Carter: Syracuse
10. Roy Helu: Nebraska
11. Jonathan Williams: East Carolina
12. Evan Royster: Penn State
13. Bilal Powell: Louisville
14. Nic Grigsby: Arizona
15. Graig Cooper: Miami
Top Underclassmen
1. Mark Ingram: Alabama
2. LaMichael James: Oregon
3. Ryan Williams: Virginia Tech
4. Brandon Bolden: Ole Miss
5. Mikel Leshoure: Illinois
6. Shane Vereen: Cal
7. John Clay: Wisconsin
8. Quizz Rodgers: Oregon State
9. Jeff Demps: Florida
10. Jordan Todman: UCONN
Wide Receivers
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Top Five Overall
1. A.J. Green: Georgia
2. Michael Floyd: Notre Dame
3. Ryan Broyles: Oklahoma
4. Julio Jones: Alabama
5. Jonathan Baldwin: Pitt
Top Seniors
1. Titus Young: Boise State
2. Denarius Moore: Tennessee
3. Leonard Hankerson: Miami
4. Chris Matthews: Kentucky
5. Greg Little: North Carolina
6. Niles Paul: Nebraska
7. Austin Pettis: Boise State
8. Dwayne Harris: East Carolina
9. Ronald Johnson: USC
10. Armon Binns: Cincinnati
11. Terrence Toliver: LSU
12. James Rodgers: Oregon State
13. Kris Adams: UTEP
14. Mark Dell: Michigan State
15. Dontavia Bogan: South Florida
Top Underclassmen
1. A.J. Green: Georgia
2. Michael Floyd: Notre Dame
3. Ryan Broyles: Oklahoma
4. Julio Jones: Alabama
5. Jonathan Baldwin: Pitt
6. DeVier Posey: Ohio State
7. Greg Childs: Arkansas
8. Jeff Fuller: Texas A&M
9. Randall Cobb: Kentucky
10. Darvin Adams: Auburn
Tight Ends
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Top Five Overall
1. Kyle Rudolph: Notre Dame
2. Lance Kendricks: Wisconsin
3. Luke Stocker: Tennessee
4. Deangelo Peterson: LSU
5. Virgil Green: Nevada
Top Seniors
1. Lance Kendricks: Wisconsin
2. Luke Stocker: Tennessee
3. Virgil Green: Nevada
4. DJ Williams: Arkansas
5. Jeffery Anderson: UAB
6. Daniel Hardy: Idaho
7. (WR) Mike McNeill: Nebraska
8. Rob Housler: Florida Atlantic
9. Zack Pianalto: North Carolina
10. Andre Smith: Virginia Tech
11. Weslye Saunders: South Carolina
12. Allen Reisner: Iowa
13. Charlie Gantt: Michigan State
14. Eric Peitz: Colorado State
15. Alston Umuolo: San Diego State
Top Underclassmen
1. Kyle Rudolph: Notre Dame
2. Deangelo Peterson: LSU
3. Michael Egnew: Missouri
4. George Bryan: North Carolina State
5. Anthony Miller: Cal
6. Adrien Robinson: Cincinnati
7. Kevin Koger: Michigan
8. David Paulson: Oregon
9. Ladarius Green: Louisiana-Lafayette
10. Brandon Barden: Vanderbilt
Offensive Tackles
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Top Five Overall
1. Derek Sherrod: Mississippi State
2. Anthony Castonzo: Boston College
3. Jason Pinkston: Pitt
4. Chris Hairston: Clemson
5. James Carpenter: Alabama
Top Seniors
1. Derek Sherrod: Mississippi State
2. Anthony Castonzo: Boston College
3. Jason Pinkston: Pitt
4. Chris Hairston: Clemson
5. James Carpenter: Alabama
6. James Brewer: Indiana
7. Joseph Barksdale: LSU
8. Nate Solder: Colorado
9. Gabe Carimi: Wisconsin
10. D.J. Young: Michigan State
11. Dannny Watkins: Baylor
12. Adam Grant: Arizona
13. Lee Ziemba: Auburn
14. Marcus Gilbert: Florida
15. Cody Habben: Washington
Top Underclassmen
1. Kelechi Osemele: Iowa State
2. Josh Oglesby: Wisconsin
3. Al Netter: Northwestern
4. Yoshi Hardrick: Nebraska
5. Matt Reynolds: BYU
6. Mike Adams: Ohio State
7. Bradley Sowell: Ole Miss
8. Tyron Smith: USC
9. Blake DeChristopher: Virginia Tech
10. Andrew Datko: Florida State
Interior Offensive Lineman
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Top Five Overall
1. Keith Williams: Nebraska
2. (OT) DeMarcus Love: Arkansas
3. Rodney Hudson: Florida State
4. Marcus Cannon: TCU
5. Mike Pouncey: Florida
Top Seniors
1. Keith Williams: Nebraska
2. (OT) DeMarcus Love: Arkansas
3. Rodney Hudson: Florida State
4. Marcus Cannon: TCU
5. Mike Pouncey: Florida
6. Stefen Wisniewski: Penn State
7. Zach Hurd: UCONN
8. Justin Boren: Ohio State
9. Kristofer O’Dowd: USC
10. (OT) Orlando Franklin: Miami
11. Colin Baxter: Arizona
12. (OT) Clint Boling: Georgia
13. Ryan Bartholomew: Syracuse
14. Chase Beeler: Stanford
15. Stephen Schilling: Michigan
Top Underclassmen
1. Nate Potter: Boise State
2. David DeCastro: Stanford
3. Barrett Jones: Alabama
4. Ryan Miller: Colorado
5. Stephen Good: Oklahoma
6. Mike Brewster: Ohio State
7. Cordy Glenn: Georgia
8. William Vlachos: Alabama
9. Alex Hoffman: Cincinnati
10. Trevor Robinson: Notre Dame
Defensive Tackles
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Top Five Overall
1. (DE) Cameron Heyward: Ohio State
2. (DE) Marcell Dareus: Alabama
3. Jerel Worthy: Michigan State
4. Nick Fairley: Auburn
5. Christian Ballard: Iowa
Top Seniors
1. (DE) Cameron Heyward: Ohio State
2. Christian Ballard: Iowa
3. Stephen Paea: Oregon State
4. Marvin Austin: North Carolina
5. Sione Fua: Stanford
6. Jarvis Jenkins: Clemson
7. Drake Nevis: LSU
8. Ian Williams: Notre Dame
9. Jerrell Powe: Ole Miss
10. Phil Taylor: Baylor
11. Kenrick Ellis: Hampton
12. Anthony Gray: Southern Miss
13. Scooter Berry: West Virginia
14. Adrian Taylor: Oklahoma
15. Terrell McClain: South Florida
Top Underclassmen
1. (DE) Marcell Dareus: Alabama
2. Jerel Worthy: Michigan State
3. Nick Fairley: Auburn
4. Jaye Howard: Florida
5. Jared Crick: Nebraska
6. Muhammad Wilkerson: Temple
7. Jurrell Casey: USC
8. Mike Martin: Michigan
9. Billy Winn: Boise State
10. Kheeston Randall: Texas
Defensive Ends
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Top Five Overall
1. Aldon Smith: Missouri
2. Robert Quinn: North Carolina
3. Adrian Clayborn: Iowa
4. Allen Bailey: Miami
5. Ryan Kerrigan: Purdue
Top Seniors
1. Adrian Clayborn: Iowa
2. Allen Bailey: Miami
3. Ryan Kerrigan: Purdue
4. Cam Jordan: Cal
5. Jeremy Beal: Oklahoma
6. Sam Acho: Texas
7. Cliff Matthews: South Carolina
8. Greg Romeus: Pitt
9. Pernell McPhee: Mississippi State
10. Jabaal Sheard: Pitt
11. Pierre Allen: Nebraska
12. Wayne Daniels: TCU
13. Ugo Chinasa: Oklahoma State
14. Markus White: Florida State
15. Brooks Reed: Arizona
Top Underclassmen
1. Aldon Smith: Missouri
2. Robert Quinn: North Carolina
3. Da’quan Bowers: Clemson
4. Datone Jones: UCLA
5. JJ Watt: Wisconsin
6. Armond Armstead: USC
7. Adewale Ojomo: Miami
8. Quinton Coples: North Carolina
9. Ryan Van Bergen: Michigan
10. Jason Peters: Georgia Tech
Inside Linebackers
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Top Five Overall
1. Dont’a Hightower: Alabama
2. Jonathan Cornell: Ole Miss
3. Greg Jones: Michigan State
4. Brad Jefferson: Georgia Tech
5. Quan Sturdivant: North Carolina
Top Seniors
1. Jonathan Cornell: Ole Miss
2. Greg Jones: Michigan State
3. Brad Jefferson: Georgia Tech
4. Quan Sturdivant: North Carolina
5. Alex Wujciak: Maryland
6. Ross Homan: Ohio State
7. Josh Bynes: Auburn
8. Mario Harvey: Marshall
9. Kelvin Sheppard: LSU
10. Derrell Smith: Syracuse
11. Nate Irving: North Carolina State
12. Casey Matthews: Oregon
13. Colin McCarthy: Miami
14. Mike Mohamed: Cal
15. Culmer St. Jean: Wisconsin
Top Underclassmen
1. Dont’a Hightower: Alabama
2. Garrick Williams: Texas A&M
3. Martez Wilson: Illiniois
4. Courtney Upshaw: Alabama
5. Etienne Sabino: Ohio State
6. Barquell Rivers: Virginia Tech
7. Chris Marve: Vanderbilt
8. Korey Williams: Southern Miss
9. James Michael-Johnson: Nevada
10. Chris Galippo: USC
Outside Linebackers
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Top Five Overall
1. Bruce Carter: North Carolina
2. Akeem Ayers: UCLA
3. (DE) Dontay Moch: Nevada
4. Travis Lewis: Oklahoma
5. Mason Foster: Washington
Top Seniors
1. Bruce Carter: North Carolina
2. (DE) Dontay Moch: Nevada
3. Mason Foster: Washington
4. (DE) Chris Walker: Tennessee
5. Von Miller: Texas A&M
6. Brian Duncan: Texas Tech
7. Michael Morgan: USC
8. Mark Herzlich: Boston College
9. K.J. Wright: Mississippi State
10.(DE) Eddie Jones: Texas
11. A.J. Jones: Florida
12. Brian Rolle: Ohio State
13. Jeremiha Hunter: Iowa
14. Adrian Moten: Maryland
15. Jonas Mouton: Michigan
Top Underclassmen
1. Akeem Ayers: UCLA
2. Travis Lewis: Oklahoma
3. Nigel Bradham: Florida State
4. Justin Houston: Georgia
5. Keenan Robinson: Texas
6. Thomas Keiser: Stanford
7. (DE) Adrian Robinson: Temple
8. Zach Brown: North Carolina
9. Darius Fleming: Notre Dame
10. Jerrell Harris: Alabama
Cornerbacks
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Top Five Overall
1. Patrick Peterson: LSU
2. Prince Amukamara: Nebraska
3. Brandon Harris: Miami
4. Omar Bolden: Arizona State
5. Aaron Williams: Texas
Top Seniors
1. Prince Amukamara: Nebraska
2. Chris Culliver: South Carolina
3. Curtis Brown: Texas
4. Brandon Hogan: West Virginia
5. Chris L. Rucker: Michigan State
6. Jimmy Smith: Colorado
7. Shareece Wright: USC
8. Ras-I Dowling: Virginia
9. Ramon Broadway: Arkansas
10. Kendric Burney: North Carolina
11. Lametrius Davis: Hawaii
12. Chimdi Chekwa: Ohio State
13. Brandyn Thompson: Boise State
14. Mario Butler: Georgia Tech
15. Brandon Bradley: BYU
Top Underclassmen
1. Patrick Peterson: LSU
2. Brandon Harris: Miami
3. Omar Bolden: Arizona State
4. Aaron Williams: Texas
5. Janoris Jenkins: Florida
6. Trevin Wade: Arizona
7. Brandon Burton: Utah
8. Art Evans: Tennessee
9. Shaun Prater: Iowa
10. Tashaun Gipson: Wyoming
Safeties
32 of 32
Top Five Overall
1. Mark Barron: Alabama
2. Lance Mitchell: Oregon State
3. DeAndre McDaniel: Clemson
4. Deunta Williams: North Carolina
5. Quinton Carter: Oklahoma
Top Seniors
1. DeAndre McDaniel: Clemson
2. Deunta Williams: North Carolina
3. Quinton Carter: Oklahoma
4. Jermale Hines: Ohio State
5. Dejon Gomes: Nebraska
6. Nate Williams: Washington
7. Jaiquawn Jarrett: Temple
8. Johnny Brown: Ole Miss
9. Shiloh Keo: Idaho
10. Tejay Johnson: TCU
11. Jay Valai: Wisconsin
12. Joe Lefeged: Rutgers
13. Ahmad Black: Florida
14. Brian Lainhart: Kent State
15. Dom DeCicco: Pitt
Top Underclassmen
1. Mark Barron: Alabama
2. Lance Mitchell: Oregon State
3. Rahim Moore: UCLA
4. Tyler Sash: Iowa
5. Robert Sands: West Virginia
6. (LB) Sean Spence: Miami
7. Brandon Taylor: LSU
8. Delano Howell: Stanford
9. Will Hill: Florida
10. Markelle Martin: Oklahoma State
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.jpg?w=600 "Latest NBA Mock Draft 📝")
