2011 NFL Draft: Power Ranking the SEC's Top 25 Prospects
The 2011 NFL Draft will feature a lot of prospects from the SEC, and this should come as no surprise to those who watch a lot of college football.
This conference features two or three guys who conceivably go in the top five of the draft, the draft's top-rated running back and offensive linemen galore.
We're going to take a look at the top 25 prospects from the SEC as they stand right now in November. Keep an eye on the rankings to see what changes between now and April.
25. James Carpenter, OG Alabama
1 of 25
James Carpenter is described as having the "ideal" size and strength for an offensive lineman, and he is quick, agile and has no injury history.
However, he is more of a run blocker than a pass blocker, which will knock him out of first-round contention at this point.
24. Clint Boling, OG Georgia
2 of 25
Clint Boling has great moves and is quick to adjust to the play in front of him, but his lack of bulk for his size has gotten him moved around by some of the bigger defensive tackles.
Boling is noted as an incredibly smart, determined player, and that should get him drafted relatively high next year.
23. Cliff Matthews, DE South Carolina
3 of 25
Cliff Matthews has good speed and is described as being good in the locker room and an ideal teammate. He does tend to get overpowered by larger offensive linemen, but he has good hands and possesses an instinct for knowing where the ball is and getting good angles on his pursuit.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
22. Pernell McPhee, DE Mississippi State
4 of 25
Pernell McPhee, seen here hitting everyone's favorite quarterback, has a good frame, but not the elite speed teams look for in a first round pick.
McPhee is considered an above average pass rusher with developing skills and technique.
21. Jerrell Powe, DT Mississippi State
5 of 25
Powe is a big guy who takes up a lot of space, destroys double teams and can shut down the run. He hasn't shown as much ability against the pass, though, and that factor will move him down the draft boards.
20. Kelvin Sheppard, OLB LSU
6 of 25
Sheppard is quick, tackles well and shows a good instinct in pass coverage. He covers well in both zone and man-to-man coverages.
He does tend to get tangled up easy by blockers, and that keeps him from being higher on this list.
19. Will Hill, S Florida
7 of 25
Hill is described as fluid in his movements, has good size and strength for his position and has great closing speed. What keeps him from being higher, according to his scouting report, is his inability to recognize a running play from a passing play as fast as NFL general managers will want to see.
That is an ability that can be coached up, though, so that still makes him a very attractive prospect.
18. Jarriel King, OT South Carolina
8 of 25
King is touted as a better pass blocker than a run blocker, but he has great moves, knows how to use his hands and has great instincts.
17. Lee Ziemba, OT Auburn
9 of 25
The opposite of King, Ziemba is being scouted as a better pass blocker than a run blocker. For many teams, though, his ability to protect the quarterback will move him higher on the draft board.
Ziemba has great power, and shows he can engage with linebackers, but his footwork and technique issues will keep him from being drafted in the first round.
16. Mike Pouncey, C, Florida
10 of 25
Twin brother of Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, Mike possess many of the same attributes that made Maurkice a first-round pick for the Steelers.
His on-field commitment and off-field demeanor are everything an NFL GM wants to see out of a prospect, and his size, strength, instincts and ability to get in position will make him a possible first round pick.
15. Mark Barron, S Alabama
11 of 25
Mark Barron is a tough, physical player who also is described as "smart."
Those three attributes get thrown around a lot when NFL GMs describe what they're looking for in a player.
Barron can line up anywhere on the field and shows good instincts for where the play is going. He has good moves and good techniques and will be a second-round pick at worst.
14. Dont'a Hightower, ILB Alabama
12 of 25
Hightower is being praised by scouts for doing his work in the film room and for knowing where to be to make the play. This feature of his personality can't be overstated at the pro level.
If Hightower can be successful in the film room, his natural talents will develop and carry him through to a good career on the field.
13. Terrence Toliver. WR LSU
13 of 25
Toliver has good ball-handling skills, can separate from coverage and make the big play downfield. He did have an arrest for an altercation outside of a bar in March of this year that will raise a red flag with teams because of the personal conduct enforcement policy, but Toliver still is going to go no lower than the top half of the second round.
12. Brandon Boykin, CB Georgia
14 of 25
Boykin has great instincts for the position and shows great athleticism on the field. Scouts noted he shut Dez Bryant down last year in their game, and that Boykin does a very good job of reading the quarterback and fighting for the ball in the air.
11. Julio Jones, WR Alabama
15 of 25
Jones has great physical attributes, gets away from defenders and is known for making the big plays. However, he has the "drop" tag due to some bad drops over the past year.
This isn't a dealbreaker as many great wide receivers make bad drops, but it probably will keep him from being the first receiver off the board.
10. Demarcus Love, OT Arkansas
16 of 25
Love is a good potential first-round prospect with great technique and quickness. He's capable of playing both sides of the line and reacts to defensive line adjustments well.
Love gets a few knocks for his perceived lack of athleticism from the scouts, but he has the size and frame to be successful in the NFL and his off-field scouting report is excellent.
9. Derek Sherrod, OT Mississippi State
17 of 25
Sherrod's run blocking skills are being highly praised, and he has shown great ability to stay with defenders in pass protection.
Sherrod has all the tools, and anything the scouts don't like is coachable at the next level.
8. Drake Nevis, DT LSU
18 of 25
Nevis isn't as big as scouts want to see in the first round, but he's incredibly fast, has great hands, agility and an awareness of the field.
7. Ryan Mallett, QB Arkansas
19 of 25
What can we say about Mallett that hasn't been repeated elsewhere?
This guy is tall, good accuracy, reads defenses much better than many of his peers and shows good poise.
Mallett most likely is a Top 20 pick, if not a Top 10.
6. Mark Ingram, RB Alabama
20 of 25
Ingram is a Heisman Trophy winner, runs with great power, balance and has breakaway speed. He knows where he is on the field, and can get in the open field to become a check down receiver.
Ingram definitely goes early in the draft.
5. Janoris Jenkins, CB Florida
21 of 25
Janoris Jenkins is a top prospect at cornerback with cover skills that will make him a first-round pick next spring.
Jenkins can read quarterbacks, cover the receivers and make acrobatic plays.
4. Nick Fairley, DT Auburn
22 of 25
Fairley has great size, strength and gets a lot of quarterback sacks.
Sacks are good, and Fairley's ability to get them will lead to a first round selection.
3. A.J. Green, WR Georgia
23 of 25
A.J. Green is a top five pick, no doubt about it. Green has the size, bulk, speed and hands that every team wants out of their wide receiver prospects.
Green runs good routes, separates from defenders and can make the big play.
2. Marcell Dareus, DT Alabama
24 of 25
Dareus plays defensive tackle, but his size and quickness will allow him to be moved to defensive end in a 3-4 scheme if necessary. His pass rushing skills are top rated, and his speed will allow him to catch runners trying to break through a hole.
1. Patrick Peterson, CB LSU
25 of 25
Patrick Peterson is a projected top five pick, if not the second pick overall depending on how the final draft order settles.
Peterson is an elite cornerback at the college level, and has the speed, skills and smarts to develop into an elite pro cornerback his rookie season.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
