2011 NFL Draft: Jake Locker and the Top 25 Senior Draft Prospects
This year, the NFL Draft will be filled with sophomores and juniors at the top, but seniors will make up for it by taking over the end of the first round and the beginning of the second.
By my calculations, 16 seniors will be taken in the first round and another nine in the second.
They make up the top 25 senior prospects. Read on to find out who they are.
Prince Amukamara
1 of 25
Arguably the top prospect overall among the seniors also happens to be the first on this list, which is sorted alphabetically by last name.
Amukamara is a cornerback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and can be a true shutdown corner in the NFL.
He had a slightly disappointing season, but he's incredibly talented.
Marvin Austin
2 of 25
Marvin Austin is/was a 6'3", 310 pound defensive tackle for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
After it was revealed that he both cheated academically and received improper benefits from an agent, Austin was kicked off the team for the 2010 season.
That said, he's an incredibly talented defensive tackle and will make an impact if his head is screwed on straight.
Allen Bailey
3 of 25
Allen Bailey is a 6'4", 285 pound defensive tackle for the Miami Hurricanes.
The senior had 21 tackles, 11 of which were for losses this year. He also recorded seven sacks.
Bailey is a very strong player that does still possess good technique. He's a borderline first-rounder.
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Jeremy Beal
4 of 25
The senior defensive end for the Oklahoma Sooners is part of the reason that the Sooners were able to beat Connecticut by so much in the Fiesta Bowl.
Beal recorded 19 tackles for losses and another 8.5 sacks throughout the 2010-2011 season.
He also forced three fumbles and broke up seven passes.
Curtis Brown
5 of 25
One of the few brights spots during the dismal season for the Texas Longhorns was Curtis Brown.
He's a six-foot tall cornerback with great hands because he used to play wide receiver.
He has great tackling technique and athleticism, but he doesn't really have the ability to shut down receivers.
Gabe Carimi
6 of 25
Gabe Carimi is a huge part of Wisconsin's offensive line. Literally.
The massive offensive tackle is both incredibly talented and powerful.
He needs to work on his technique, but he has the potential to be a Pro Bowler.
Quinton Carter
7 of 25
The cornerback for Oklahoma stands 6'1" and weighs 200 pounds.
In 2010, he recorded an incredible 96 tackles and picked off opposing quarterbacks four times.
When Oklahoma beat Texas Tech 45-7 this year, he recorded a massive 17 tackles. Then, in the tight victory over Oklahoma State, he picked off two passes.
Anthony Castonzo
8 of 25
Anthony Castonzo is a very talented offensive lineman for the Boston College Eagles.
He weighs 310 pounds and stands 6'9".
Castonzo is the third best offensive lineman in the draft and was on the All-America Third Team.
Adrian Clayborn
9 of 25
Adrian Clayborn plays defensive end for the Iowa Hawkeyes and has all the talent in the world.
Statistically, Clayborn was underwhelming during his senior season, but he was a force to be reckoned with nonetheless.
He draws a double team almost every time and makes team have to gameplan around him.
Pat Devlin
10 of 25
Not many people have heard of Pat Devlin, because his Delaware Fighting Blue Hens aren't eligible for bowl games.
But the quarterback is an incredible football player. This season, Devlin threw 22 touchdown passes and only three interceptions.
His team lost 20-19 to Eastern Washington in the championship, but Devlin is still at true winner.
Remember this name.
Cameron Heyward
11 of 25
The talented Ohio State defensive end is an athletic freak.
He may not have put up great statistics, but he has an incredible impact on the game. Heyward draws double teams and still gets to the quarterback to at least hurry him time after time.
Heyward has as much potential as any lineman in the draft.
Greg Jones
12 of 25
The Michigan State linebacker stands 6'1" but weighs a massive 240 pounds.
In 2010, he recorded 106 tackles, 49 of which were solo. He also made 10 tackles for losses and brought down the quarterback one time.
In addition, Jones hurried the quarterback six times, forced three fumbles and broke up three passes.
Cameron Jordan
13 of 25
Cameron Jordan is an unheralded but talented defensive end from California who should be picked in the first round.
His stock has probably been slightly elevated by the impressive play of Tyson Alualu, a rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars from California.
Jordan is just flat-out tough to stop.
Ryan Kerrigan
14 of 25
Purdue may not have the greatest team in the nation, but they do boast one of the best defensive ends.
Ryan Kerrigan led the nation in tackles for losses in 2010.
He has an unstoppable engine and works harder than any player I've seen in quite some time.
Jake Locker
15 of 25
Jake Locker is a tough prospect to sum up in a short space.
The quarterback from Washington can both run and pass, but he had an awful supporting cast and struggled to win a lot of games in college.
He can run and pass, but his throwing still needs a lot of work.
Locker will be one of the most debated prospects in the coming weeks.
Von Miller
16 of 25
Von Miller is a linebacker from Texas A&M who won the Butkus Award.
The Butkus Award is awarded annually to the best linebacker in the country.
That's really all you need to know.
DeMarco Murray
17 of 25
DeMarco Murray is one of the best running backs in the draft pool after his excellent career at Oklahoma.
In 2010, Murray ran for 1,214 yards and scored 15 touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 71 passes for another 594 yards and five touchdowns.
Whoever gets Murray in the second round will have found themselves a bargain.
Drake Nevis
18 of 25
The defensive tackle from LSU is a very intimidating looking man.
Drake Nevis should be able to easily help out the run defense of whichever team drafts him..
The lineman recorded 30 tackles for LSU this year, 13 of which were for losses. He also recorded six sacks and forced three fumbles.
Stephen Paea
19 of 25
Stephen Paea is an incredibly talented defensive tackle from Oregon State and would be a great choice for whoever picks him.
He's 310 pounds and recorded 11 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and four forced fumbles in 2010.
Paea is truly a complete player at defensive tackle.
Mike Pouncey
20 of 25
As good as his brother has been at center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, teams have to be salivating at the prospect of drafting Mike Pouncey.
The Florida Gator can anchor an offensive line for many years.
Christian Ponder
21 of 25
I had the pleasure of listening to Christian Ponder speak before the Chick-fil-A Bowl at a press conference, and I can tell you firsthand that this young man is a very intelligent player who knows how to play quarterback.
The Florida State leader threw for 2,044 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions during his injury-plagued senior year.
Derek Sherrod
22 of 25
Derek Sherrod is a lead-footed offensive lineman for the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 6'5", 305 pounds.
That said, he's so good at blocking that he is the best player at his position in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Whoever gets him will be quite lucky. Sherrod is as close to a sure thing as it gets for offensive lineman in 2011.
Jimmy Smith
23 of 25
If this Jimmy Smith can be as good as the wide receiver with the same name was during his time for the Jacksonville Jaguars, he'll be the steal of the draft.
The cornerback for Colorado made the All-Big 12 First Team after allowing just 11 completions in two years. It's a pretty safe bet that he wasn't covering Rex Burkhead in that picture.
Talk about a shut-down corner.
Nate Solder
24 of 25
The second-best offensive lineman in the 2011 NFL Draft also plays for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Nate Solder stands 6'8" and weighs 315 pounds. He's huge.
Solder won the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2010.
Daniel Thomas
25 of 25
The Kansas State running back deserved a lot more recognition than he got.
Daniel Thomas ran for 1,585 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season.
He was almost as good during his junior year when he ran for 1,265 yards and 12 scores.
It amazes me that more people don't know his name.
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