2011 NFL Draft: The Top Draft Steal at Each Position
The NFL Draft is a pretty standardized and clear cut process.
Mock Drafts draw up a pretty statistically accurate picture of who will go where and when, as well as how much of an impact that player will make in the coming years for their respective teams.
But there is plenty of chaos to counteract the predictability.
Every draft class has had that sixth or seventh rounder who's become a Pro Bowler. We call them "draft steals"
So, who are the steals this year?
Here's a list of the top draft steal at each position.
Quarterback: Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Sixth
Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor hasn't been considered a top quarterback in this year's NFL Draft class.
Considering the top prospects are unproven performers like Jake Locker, I beg the question: why not?
Taylor's statistics in his final year at Virginia Tech were impressive. He threw for 2,743 yards with a 59.7 completion percentage in an offense with an endless amount of running back talent and a slew of blue-collar wide receivers.
Taylor throws a very impressive deep ball, and has unrivaled pocket presence to go along with his athletic mobility.
He's made plenty of "Vick-like" plays in his day, including an amazing scrambling touchdown pass in this year's Orange Bowl.
He's also efficient, throwing for 24 touchdowns to just five interceptions in 2010.
What is there not to like about him? He's been compared to Michael and Marcus Vick. Talent-wise, that is fair, and should be a plus.
Character-wise, I don't think Taylor comes close to being the potential distraction that the Vick brothers proved to be in their NFL careers (or, for Marcus, the lack thereof).
The only knock on Tyrod Taylor is his size, at 6'1", but in terms of winning, he's done more than the prototypical 6'5" giants like Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Mallett.
He's a poor man's Michael Vick, and he doesn't fight dogs as far as we know. That's gold in the bag if you ask me.
Honorable mention: Andy Dalton, TCU
Tailback: Jordan Todman, Connecticut
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Third-Fourth
UConn's Jordan Todman made a name for himself as the season went on in 2010, rushing for 1,695 yards with a 5.1 yards per carry average.
He's 5'9", which is apparently short, but that has never mattered when it comes to tailbacks.
He's leaving his team early, which is rarely seen from players from smaller schools unless they were making SportsCenter highlights every night.
Todman never took on that role, nor did he really give anyone reason to doubt him, but he's simply not as attractive of a pick as guys like Mark Ingram or DeMarco Murray.
However, he flat-out produced throughout his career with the Huskies, sitting third in school history in the top rushing categories.
Even at his size, Todman was a workhorse running back, carrying 334 times in 2010.
He never fumbled in his college career, either.
On that note, where's my sleeve of star stickers?
Honorable mention: Derrick Locke, Kentucky
Receiver: Greg Little, North Carolina
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Third-Fourth
In 2009, Greg Little was often compared to former teammate Hakeem Nicks.
It was clear why, considering he led the team in receptions with 62 for 724 yards and five touchdowns.
He's a big, physical receiver who is great at making catches in the air.
What might have Little off the boards is the fact that he didn't play a down in 2010 due to disciplinary action.
That might raise a red flag for some, but it shouldn't. He was part of the player-agent scandal investigated by the NCAA. Opinions of that issue aside, I'm not sure his NFL-type character was drawn up during that debacle.
If you're looking for a guy who can make crowd pleasing catches, Little might very well be the guy.
He's not A.J. Green or Julio Jones, but really, who is? Little might be a top five receiver in any other draft class.
He's a steal for sure.
Honorable mention: Ronald Johnson, Southern California
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Tight End: Weslye Saunders, South Carolina
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Undrafted
Another player who lost the 2010 playing season to the NCAA investigations was South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders.
In 2009, Saunders caught 32 passes for 353 yards and three scores.
He was the fourth-leading receiver on the same team that boasted big-play receivers like Alshon Jeffery and Tori Gurley.
At 6'5", 272 pounds, Saunders is a big body. He runs a slow 40-yard dash at 4.8 seconds, but he's a big, shielding receiver that uses basketball-like skills to catch passes.
He reminds me of a less-developed Alge Crumpler.
Honorable mention: Zach Pianalto, North Carolina
Tackle: Derek Newton, Arkansas State
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Fifth
Any time you are coming from a small conference like the Sun Belt it takes a little bit more "umph" during combine workouts to get the credit deserved.
This might be the case for Arkansas State's Derek Newton.
At 311 pounds and 6'5", he looks the part.
And if it matters, he's two tenths of a second faster than most top offensive tackle prospects hovering around his caliber range. He looks a bit more like the top five lineman whose forty times are much closer to his 5.06 seconds.
Just saying.
Honorable mention: Nick Claytor, Georgia Tech
Guard: Clint Boling, Georgia
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Fourth-Fifth
Clint Boling was an All-SEC freshman tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2007.
Since then, he has played musical chairs with both tackle positions, a guard position, and a position in the medical facilities.
He quieted down, and eventually fell out of a top prospect spot in this year's draft, but he's a fleet-footed and versatile player who gets up field and blocks very well.
Honorable mention: Daniel Kilgore, Appalachian State
Center: Brandon Fusco, Slippery Rock University
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Fifth-Sixth
Ever heard of Slippery Rock University?
No?
Brandon Fusco has. The 6'4", 302-pounder is coming from the DII program out of Pennslyvania as a surprising draft prospect.
He's actually listed as one of the top five centers on most boards, but for a late round guy he could sure move into a long NFL career.
Anytime you make it into a starting spot in the NFL from an unidentifiable school (i.e. Brent Grimes, Shippensburg College) you qualify as a steal.
Honorable mention: Ryan Bartholomew, Syracuse
Defensive Tackle: Terrell McClain, South Florida
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Fifth-Sixth
South Florida has put out plenty of solid defensive ends in the past few drafts, leading me to believe they are a hot spot when you are looking for a defensive lineman.
When I see Terrell McClain with the green, gold, and white on, my little blinker goes off.
He's 6'2", 305 pounds, and athletic. That's an equation for a guy who uses a low center of gravity to keep leverage on defense.
I like that, and therefore, I like this guy from USF.
Honorable mention: Ladi Ajiboye, South Carolina
Rush End/Outside Linebacker: Cliff Matthews, South Carolina
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Fifth
Cliff Matthews was a prized recruit for the South Carolina Gamecocks when he left high school.
Several years later, his name has kind of sizzled out of the national spotlight.
He doesn't seem built the way you'd like him to be. He's got somewhat of an awkward physique, and stands at 6'4'', 270 pounds.
But don't let the awkwardness fool you.
He can be a very good defensive end or rush linebacker. He's been praised for being a character guy who works hard to fix his flaws, no matter how many he might have.
That's a quality a lot of owners and GMs out there are starting to pay more attention to in this day and age, although scouting bureaus might not care as much.
If I'm looking for a defensive end in the second, third, or fourth round, I'm putting this guy's name on the cork board.
Honorable mention: Markus White, Florida State
Middle Linebacker: Mario Harvey, Marshall
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Sixth-Seventh
I watched this guy play on national television earlier this year and was glued to the screen.
When a linebacker in a Conference-USA game can glue an SEC fan to the television for a meaningless contest, that linebacker sure as heck get drafted by someone.
He's an absolute monster. At 5'11", 250 pounds, his size is what deters most, but he's a motor player who possesses unique skills you don't get every day.
He reminds me a lot of former Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran, except Harvey seemed even more explosive and made tons of impact plays in the backfield, which was something Curran lacked.
I guarantee this guy is going to win over the hearts of an NFL coaching staff.
Honorable mention: Akeem Dent, Georgia
Cornerback: Shareece Wright, Southern California
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Third
Wright had a very quiet career at USC, despite the hype of being one of the best cornerbacks in the country.
Combine that with a jam-packed cornerback class in this year's draft and Wright just kind of falls off the map. Sure, a third round pick is more than respectable, but Wright is still not considered one of the top ten cornerbacks in the draft.
He might be just that, though.
He's raw and has been inconsistent on and off the field, but there is no question he has talent.
He's a gamble, but he might very well be worth it.
Honorable mention: Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech
Safety: Zac Etheridge, Auburn
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CBS Sports Projected Draft Round: Undrafted
Etheridge was a fan favorite at Auburn.
Unfortunately, he was also one of those players who was more of a feel-good story than a prospect.
He battled through a terrifying neck injury and never got into full form during his tenure at Auburn.
However, he's still a good-sized prospect from a championship team who has all of the skills needed to make it at the next level.
Honorable mention: Mark LeGree, Appalachian State
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