2011 NFL Draft: Power Ranking the Top 15 Defensive Lineman in the Draft
With the college football season now in the rearview mirror, players are working on honing their skills in preparation for the 2011 NFL Draft.
This year, 56 underclassmen have declared for the draft, which is a new NFL record for early entries. A lot of those talented underclassmen are defensive linemen and all hope to take their talents to the next level.
Half of the top-10 picks in April's draft could very well be defensive linemen, and it doesn't stop there. In the last mock draft that I completed, I had eight defensive linemen going in the first round. However, now that some of those players in my original mock draft have decided to stay in school, that number of potential defensive linemen going in the first round has gotten ever bigger.
Let's take a look at the upcoming draft and the top 15 defensive linemen who will be getting their name called come draft day.
15. Jurrell Casey, USC
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This junior defensive tackle is the first of many underclassmen to appear on this list. Casey is an excellent run defender and has the ability to clog up holes with his 6'1", 305-pound frame.
The Trojans' defensive star recorded 67 tackles and five sacks in his junior season. He received significant playing time as a freshman, and started in both his sophomore and junior season, so the experience is certainly there.
Casey is projected to be an early to middle second round pick. He has the proper size and strength to fit perfectly in a 3-4 defensive scheme as a nose tackle.
14. Marvin Austin, UNC
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Austin very well could be the most intriguing player in this year's NFL draft.
Austin was looked at as one of the top defensive linemen in the country heading into the 2010 season, but he was suspended for the entire season after an NCAA investigation found that he'd accepted improper gifts from an agent.
Now, he is doing all he can to get back into football shape, including participating in Saturday's East-West Shrine Game. That will give him an opportunity to play in front of NFL scouts and in return, hopefully raise his draft stock to where it once was.
Nonetheless, Austin is one of the most talented players in this year's draft. If any team can look past his off-the-field issues, he very well could land himself on a good team late in the first round. Either way, he should be selected somewhere in the first two rounds of this year's draft.
13. Allen Bailey, Miami
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Bailey is a freak athlete who has rare quickness and great size and athleticism for a defensive lineman. He played defensive tackle early on in college, but moved to defensive end this past season, which is where he will likely play in the NFL.
Bailey has a lot of upside, and the only thing that you could really look at as a downside for him would be his lack of experience. He had just 14 career starts coming into his senior season, and had been moved around the line before settling at his defensive end position.
Either way, Bailey will be the type of player that will make a major impact for a team a few years down the road. Once he heads to the NFL combine and scouts see that he can run a 4.6 40-yard dash and possesses a 40" vertical jump, look for him to be selected somewhere late in the first round or possibly early on in the second.
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12. Corey Liuget, Illinois
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Liuget is another underclassman who declared early and his name has been rising on draft boards.
This 6'3", 300-pound defensive tackle was a second-team All-Big Ten selection this past season, recording 63 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the Fighting Illini. He is a very good run stopper, who does an exceptional job at getting past defenders and creating havoc in the opposing teams backfield.
Baring a setback at the combine, Liuget should be a middle-to-late first round selection.
11. Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
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Heyward is a relentless pass rusher who helped anchor one of the top defensive units in college football this season.
He possesses good size and the type of superior athleticism that NFL scouts will be looking for in a defensive end. Heyward has racked up over 150 tackles at Ohio State and looks prepared to take his skill set to the next level.
Heyward is projected to be a mid-to-late first round pick.
10. Drake Nevis, LSU
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Nevis is one of those guys who has that unique combination of quickness and strength, which is why he will be successful at the next level.
He has had the luxury of going up against some of the top offensive linemen in football and has been a force on the defensive line, regardless of who is trying to block him.
The only knock on Nevis is that he needs to put on a little more size, as he stands at 6'0", 295 pounds. But once this guy gets on the NFL regiment, he will be a star at the next level in no time.
Look for Nevis to be a late first round selection.
9. Stephen Paea, Oregon State
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This 2010 AP All-American was one of the best run-stuffers in college football this past season.
The unique thing about Paea is that he has only been playing organized football for five years. He was a highly touted rugby player in high school. He only played one season of high school football and then transferred to Oregon State after playing his freshman season at the junior college level.
When he arrived at Oregon State in 2008, Paea immediately made an impact. So much, that now, he is considered to be one of the top defensive lineman in this year's NFL draft class. Look for Paea to be selected somewhere in the middle-to-late first round.
8. Cameron Jordan, Cal
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Jordan has been a force on the Golden Bears defensive line from the second he arrived at Cal. But it was this past season, where Jordan really began to make a name for himself as an elite NFL prospect.
The pass-rushing defensive end posted career highs in 2010 with 62 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. He finished the year with six sacks while earning first-team All-Pac 10 accolades.
Jordan's best assets are his upper and lower body strength, and well as a never-give-up mentality. His father, Steve Jordan, was a six-time Pro Bowl tight end during 13 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
Jordan is projected to be a mid-to-late first round selection.
7. J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
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Talk about a guy who has a non-stop motor and always continues to play until the whistle is blown.
Watt possesses the type of work ethic that coaches dream of. He is explosive off the end, recording seven sacks this season while leading one of the top defensive units in the country. He already has good size and is deceivingly athletic for his frame.
When Watt announced that he would be declaring early for the NFL draft, every quarterback in the Big 10 took a big sigh of relief and wished him the best. Look for Watt to continue to terrorize quarterbacks at the next level, which is exactly what got him to this position today. He should be selected somewhere in the middle of the first round, most likely anywhere from picks 15-25.
6. Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
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That is four defensive linemen already from the Big 10, and guess what, we still ain't done with them yet.
Kerrigan was one of the top defensive ends not only in the Big Ten, but throughout the country this year. Unfortunately for him, he played on a bad football team, so he did not receive the type of publicity as some of the other guys topping this list.
The 6'4", 265-pounder is quick and powerful. He has shown to be a dominant pass rusher, accumulating 25 sacks over the past two seasons. He possesses the work ethic and willing-to-learn attitude that will make him successful in the NFL.
Look for Kerrigan to go somewhere in the middle of the first round. Pick No. 17, which belongs to New England from Oakland, would be a nice fit for Kerrigan.
5. Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
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Clayborn is the fifth and final Big Ten defensive lineman to appear on this list, and while it is close, he is the best out of all of them.
Clayborn has been the MVP of one of college football's top defenses over the past couple of years. Like Watt and Kerrigan, he is one of those guys who possess a non-stop motor with the ability to put constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Clayborn's dominant pass rushing ability could make him a top 10 pick, but I see him likely going somewhere between 12-18 in the draft. Wherever he ends up, he has the ability to step in and make an immediate impact right away for that team. Any team in the middle of the first round would be lucky to have this guy on their defensive line.
4. Robert Quinn, UNC
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This is where we get to the guys who should all be top 10 picks in this year's NFL draft.
Quinn is an athletic freak whose motor runs incredibly high at all times. He has the physical tools that every coach looks for in a defensive end, having been compared to former Tar Heel Julius Peppers.
The Tar Heel defensive stud played weak side end in Butch Davis’s 4-3 scheme, but his best position at the next level might be as a 3-4 pass-rushing outside linebacker. Either way, he is a menace to opposing quarterbacks and has the natural ability and talent to step in and be a big time player right away.
Look for Quinn to be a top 10 pick, maybe a nice fit with Washington or Dallas.
3. Marcell Dareus, Alabama
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Dareus was the best defensive player on one of the top defenses in ccollege football. He has shown to be both a dominant pass rusher and run stopper over the past two seasons at Alabama.
Dareus possesses big-game experience and was key to the Tide's 2010 national championship victory. He is a proven force, playing in the most physical conference in college football.
Dareus should be a lock to go in the top-10 in this year's draft. He has the versatility to play both defensive end and defensive tackle at the next level. Perhaps pick No. 8 to the Tennessee Titans would be a nice fit for him. The Titans have been looking to fill a need in their defensive line since the departure of Albert Haynesworth, and Dareus could be just that guy.
2. Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
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This guy originally stood at No. 1 on my draft board and likely will be a top-five pick.
Bowers led the nation with 16 sacks this year and was a nightmare to ACC quarterbacks all season long. He possesses a unique combination of size, speed and a killer instinct.
The only reason that people might not be so familiar with his name is the fact that he played for an average team in an average conference. But mark my word, in the next couple months, people will be hearing a lot about this guy, maybe even about how he could be the potential first pick of the NFL draft.
Look for Bowers to possibly go to Denver with the second pick, or maybe Cincinnati with pick No. 4. Either way, he will be an immediate force at the NFL level.
1. Nick Fairley, Auburn
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Simply put, if it wasn't for his own teammate Cam Newton, Fairley would have been the most dominant player in college football this season.
Auburn's stud defensive tackle has great size and decent speed, allowing him to stop the run but also be an effective pass rusher. He stole the spotlight in the National Championship game and proved that he can deliver in the biggest way on the biggest stage.
Fairley has been known for having a mean-streak to him, and while some might look down on that, many would say that is just what Carolina needs with their top pick. It is all but certain that Fairley will be a top-three pick, and it is very likely that he could be the No. 1 selection overall to the Panthers.
This year's draft is filled with a number of dominant defensive lineman and Fairley is the cream of the crop.
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