2011 NFL Draft: The Top 20 Schools with Most Draft Ready Talent
The 2011 NFL Draft is still months away.
But with bowl season right around the corner, it's never too early to start considering who has first-round talent, who's a first round stretch, and who will be waiting until day two to join an NFL team.
The same old programs that usually produce first rounders will do so again. But there are likely going to be a few surprise names (both player and school) when Commissioner Goodell stands at the podium in late April 2011.
Inside are the nation's top 20 programs with the most high number of draft worthy players.
No. 20: Stanford Cardinal
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Players: QB Andrew Luck, WR Chris Owusu, OT Derek Hall, WR Doug Baldwin
Obviously Andrew Luck is the top prospect for the team; he has a good shot at being the number one overall pick.
Two of his senior wide receivers are likely to follow him to the NFL—Baldwin is Luck's favorite. The senior has 51 catches, 727 yards, and seven touchdowns.
But Owusu might be the better NFL prospect.
He's got great speed and only has low numbers because of a knee injury. With Jim Harbaugh as his head coach, he will get an extra push in the draft rooms.
Derek Hall has done a fine job in protection so he will get a look as well.
No. 19: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Players: TE Kyle Rudolph, WR Michael Floyd, LB Brian Smith
Notre Dame might be rebuilding after several disappointing seasons but they still have NFL ready talent.
When Rudolph returns to good health, he could be the best tight end to come out of this year's class.
Michael Floyd has been excellent this season—65 catches, 830 yards, nine touchdowns. He has an outside shot at being a late first round pick.
Smith is an interesting character—someone will like his work ethic and take him higher than he's projected.
No. 18: USC Trojans
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Players: DT Justin Casey, WR Ronald Johnson, C Kristofer Odowd, WR David Ausberry
Junior, Justin Casey is the only true first round talent, but that doesn't mean other teams will pass on Trojans players in the early rounds.
Although Ausberry doesn't have great numbers, he has a huge Mike Williams-like frame. And Ronald Johnson is leading the team in touchdown catches and receptions.
O'Dowd has been starting games since he was a freshman so there might not be a more experienced center to come out of a major program this year.
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No. 17: Mississippi State Bulldogs
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Players: OT Derek Sherrod, FB Patrick Hanrahan, DE Pernell McPhee
Sherrod could be the best tackle in the SEC, which will get him plenty of attention at the combine and on draft day.
McPhee is very seasoned, having played at the JUCO level.
Hanrahan could be a fullback at the NFL level.
No. 16: UCLA Bruins
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Players: S Rahim Moore, DE/LB Akeem Ayers, C Ryan Taylor
Moore is a first round talent and will likely be taken somewhere after the 25th pick.
Ayers is a tweener, which is actually a good thing—someone will find a spot for him as part of a 3-4 defense.
Taylor has been a great part of that surprising UCLA running attack that walloped Texas in the early part of the season.
No. 15: Boise State Broncos
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Players: QB Kellen Moore, WR Austin Pettis, WR Titus Young, S Jeron Johnson, DE Ryan Winterswyk
The Broncos offense is obviously a great source for the NFL to take a look at.
Pettis and Young can be good young players to develop for pro teams in the future.
Although the Broncos offense makes more news, Johnson and Winterswyk are part of a defense that has allowed the second fewest points per game of any team in college football.
Moore is the real wild card of the 2011 draft.
Colt McCoy didn't seem to be a "great" pro prospect, but he's proven doubters wrong already.
A this point, no one can safely predict right now where he'll land—his pro day, private workouts and the combine will determine that.
No. 14: Texas Longhorns
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Players: CB Aaron Williams, DE Sam Acho, CB Curtis Brown, WR James Kirkendoll
If Williams leaves a year early, he is a good bet for someone in the first round. He is plenty fast and should transition well to the NFL.
Same goes for Brown, who will probably make it in the second or third round.
Acho is strong and fast and might be able to play either outside linebacker or defensive end.
Kirkendoll isn't very big (just 5'11") but is the leading receiver on the team with 52 catches and 707 yards.
On a team that had big problems on offense this year, that's impressive.
No. 13: Pittsburgh Panthers
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Players: WR Jonathan Baldwin, DE Greg Romeus, DE Jabaal Sheard,
Romeus is a huge defensive end and has a very promising future ahead of him. He can play both the run and the pass.
Sheard is quick and versatile enough to be a third rounder.
Baldwin has a chance to be the top wide receiver selected in the draft, depending on how the two SEC receivers (A.J. Green and Julio Jones) do at the combine.
No. 12: Miami Hurricanes
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Players: WR Leonard Hankerson, DL Allan Bailey, CB Brandon Harris, G Orlando Franklin
Bailey should be chosen in the first round, and if Harris comes out early the same is true.
Franklin is a good pro prospect because of his huge size and good footwork. Someone will want him in the second or third round.
Hankerson has been inconsistent this year, but the injury to Jacory Harris is a factor.
He is six-foot-three-inches and a great threat in the red zone. Maybe a second rounder if he wows someone at the combine.
No. 11: Clemson Tigers
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Players: DE Da’Quan Bowers, SS DeAndre McDaniel, DT Jarvis Jenkins, CB Marcus Gilchrist
The Tigers own the ninth ranked scoring defense in the nation and it's in part to these four.
Bowers is a junior but with his hype he will be coming out early—he's a surefire top 10.
But the three seniors, McDaniel, Jenkins, and Gilchrist are also very likely to be taken in the first few rounds.
No. 10: Wisconsin Badgers
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Players: OT Gabe Carimi, G John Moffitt, DE J.J. Watt, TE Lance Kendricks, G Jake Oglesby, QB Scott Tolzien
Carimi might be the top offensive tackle taken and could be a Top 10 pick. And with the reputation for great offensive lineman, don't be surprised if Moffitt is an early round choice
Watt has had a great second half and made a big impact in the Badgers win over OSU. He's a junior, as is Oglesby.
Kendricks is the Badgers leading receiver with 35 catches, 547 yards and four touchdowns and he can block.
Tolzien is a big enough winner to get a look.
No. 9: TCU Horned Frogs
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Players: OT Marcus Cannon, QB Andy Dalton, S Tejay Johnson, Jeremy Kerley, DE Wayne Daniels, C Jake Kirkpatrick
Cannon is the best lineman of the bunch and should be able to climb into the first round. Johnson is a Thorpe semi-finalist and will be high on several draft boards.
Kirkpatrick will defintely find a job in someone's training camp next year.
Kerley is tops in the Mountain West with 10 touchdown catches and Daniels is an excellent pass rusher.
Dalton is a total unknown. Experts predict him going anywhere from the first to the fifth round.
No. 8: Oklahoma Sooners
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Players: RB Demarco Murray, DE Jeremy Beal, LB Travis Lewis, WR Ryan Broyles
There is always NFL talent on Bob Stoops rosters and although the Sooners struggled a little bit in the season's second half, that won't hurt several of his pro prospects.
Murray could be a second rounder, the same for Broyles. Both positions have a history of producing fine NFL players.
But the defenders are the ones most likely to be first rounders. Beal is an excellent pass rusher and will be enticing to several mid-to-late selectors. Lewis, the junior who is a finalist for the Butkus Award, should hear his name called on day one.
No. 7: Florida Gators
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Players: CB Janoris Jenkins, C Mike Pouncey, S Will Hill, S Ahmad Black
Despite the slow season on offense, the Gator defense has plenty of stars.
Jenkins is the only certain first round pick, even though he is only a junior.
Because his brother was a first round pick and is doing very well for Pittsburgh, Mike Pouncey will get a look—but he'll need to correct his shotgun snap problems if he wants to stay at center.
Hill and Black are good safeties but they will likely slip to the third round or lower.
No. 6: Iowa Hawkeyes
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Players: DE Adrian Clayborn, DT Christian Ballard, WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, QB Ricky Stanzi
There's an argument to be made that Clayborn is the best defensive lineman in the draft. He should be a top 10 player.
Ballard will benefit from that, much like NC State's John McCargo did in 2006, playing in the same front four with Mario Williams.
Johnson-Koulianos is having a fine season and has proven a big play ability: 43 catches, 711 yards, nine touchdowns.
Stanzi could be a Heisman finalist, which will help his pro prospects.
No. 5: Nebraska Cornhusters
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Players: CB Prince Amukamara, DT Jared Crick, RB Roy Helu Jr, TE Mike McNeill
Amukamara might be the top defensive back in the draft, so he is a safe bet to be picked inside the Top 15.
Crick has a shot at being chosen in the first round as well, but the depth at defensive end probably will keep that from happening.
Helu is fast enough to be considered by several teams and might have an immediate impact as a third down back.
McNeill has missed a few games but Nebraska tight ends have a good NFL record—he can catch and block so teams will look for his services.
No. 4: Ohio State Buckeyes
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Players: DE Cameron Heyward, CB Chimdi Chekwa, OT Justin Boren, WR Dane Sanzenbacher
Heyward is going to be taken in the first half of the first round.
Boren isn't quite tall enough to be considered for an early round pick but he has plenty of physical skills.
Chekwa is a Thorpe semi-finalist and if he runs a 4.4 at the combine could climb into the third round.
Sanzenbacher is the Buckeyes leading receiver and with 15 touchdowns in the past two seasons has shown a great ability to score. Depending on his bowl play, he might rise.
No. 3: LSU Tigers
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Players: CB Patrick Peterson, WR Terrence Toliver, OT Joseph Barksdale, DT Drake Nevis, LB Kelvin Sheppard
Peterson is just as good a prospect as Prince Amukamara and with his return abilities he could be the top defensive back selected.
Considering the team's early season problems on offense, Tolliver has had a pretty good season for the Tigers so he should be an early round option for some teams. Same with Barksdale.
Nevis is a player whose status has risen with the Tigers great play this season. He is only six-feet tall so that could be a problem, but he does a great job in both the pass and run game.
No. 2: North Carolina Tar Heels
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Players: DE Robert Quinn, LB Bruce Carter, DT Marvin Austin, S Deunta Williams
They may not all be first round picks, but there's a good chance these four Tar Heels are selected in the opening two rounds of the 2011 Draft.
Carter and Quinn should be first day picks; Carter likely a Top 10.
But there are a few NFL teams out there who are in search of a defensive tackle like Austin—the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants—and will be choosing in the last 12 picks.
Butch Davis has a tremendous history of producing NFL defenders—see Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, Mike Rumph, Vince Wilfork, Jonathan Vilma, Dan Morgan.
These four should add to his resume.
No. 1: Alabama Crimson Tide
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Players: WR Julio Jones, RB Mark Ingram Jr., DT Marcell Dareus, OT James Carpenter
Each one of these Bama stars should be a first round pick, and inside the Top 20.
But they're not the only ones.
Greg McElroy will interest some teams, not unlike John Parker Wilson did—the Cowboys could be interested in the Texas kid.
Luther Davis is an excellent defensive end and if junior safety Mark Barron comes out early he'll be chosen.
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