2011 NFL Draft Big Board: Ranking the Top Five Players By Position, Post-Combine
Now that the Scouting Combine is in the rear view mirror, it is time to re-evaluate our big boards and reclassify who the best players are in each position.
For this big board, I will state who the five best players are for each position, and give a quick bi as to why they are where they are.
Feel free to comment if you see any "problems".
Enjoy!
Quarterbacks
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Cam Newton: Auburn
Newton may have not impressed at the combine, but neither did any other front running quarterbacks. His blend of athleticism, throwing ability and intangibles make him the first signal caller off the rack. While not yet a complete player, if he develops ideally he will be better than Michael Vick.
Blaine Gabbert: Missouri
Gabbert did not throw at the combine, so we still have no more to go on than we did before it. Like Newton he is a good thrower, but I am not sure how he will transfer into the NFL. Still a top ten pick.
Jake Locker: Washington
Locker put on a show at the combine. He was the fastest quarterback there, and was much improved as a passer. His accuracy is still not great, but could be a star if he responds to coaching.
Christian Ponder: Florida State
Ponder gained the most from the combine. Despite being injured for most of his senior season, Ponder showed good touch and accuracy with enough arm strength to be a starting signal caller in the NFL. A late first rounder/early second rounder at the moment.
Ryan Mallet: Akansas
Mallet is the most polarising quarterback in the draft. Some scouts are drooling over his arm strength and so called amazing combine. I believe that he is not a leader, has rubbish intangibles and did not impress at the combine enough to get into the first round.
Running Backs
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Mark Ingram: Alabama
Ingram was the best running back coming into the draft, and did enough to maintain that. While not a burner, he showed great burst and instincts. The tape does not lie, and the tape on Ingram is very, very good. A true three down running back.
Mikel Leshoure: Illinois
Leshoure missed most of last season with injury, but was dominant in 2009, and shows good athleticism, while still weighing in at 230 lbs. In a few years he could easily be the best running back from this draft.
Ryan Williams: Boise State
Williams is a good powerful running back who runs powerfully and angry. Although he is not a well rounded back, and will only ever be a two down back in the NFL. He is the best pure power back in the draft. He showed good explosion at the combine too.
Daniel Thomas: Kansas
Thomas missed the combine which is why he has dropped below Williams to become the fourth best runner in the draft. He is a powerful guy who can make defenders miss in the open field, and can run through tackles. If he performs well at his pro day he will leapfrog Williams as the best power back in the draft.
DeMarco Murray: Oklahoma
Murray is not a every down back, but is very athletic, fast and agile. While not in the league of Jahvid Best or C.J. Spiller, he is a decent receiver who can be a dangerous runner around the outside. As the best scat back in the draft he will garner plenty of interest.
Wide Receivers
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Julio Jones: Alabama
Jones was already the second best wide receiver coming into the combine, and the definite best underneath route wide out in the draft. However, with his amazing combine performance where he outran, out jumped and was more agile than A.J. Green, he has passed him in these rankings. He looks a lot like an elite number one wide receiver, with the only red flags being his broken foot and lapses of concentration.
A.J. Green: Georgia
For the first time so far, Green is no longer the best receiver in the draft. He was good at the combine, but not in the same league as Jones. He still has some of the best hands in the draft and is the best route runner out of the top prospects, and will be a top ten pick for sure.
Titus Young: Boise State
Young did not run as fast as was expected at the combine, but is still a great route runner who has very reliable hands. He is also explosive, and blessed with instant acceleration. While not projecting as an elite deep threat, he is now the best slot receiver in the draft.
Jon Baldwin: Pittsburgh
Baldwin was not terribly quick or fast at the combine, but combined his impressive height and bulk with a massive vertical leap, which projects him as a great jump ball receiver. Look for him to be taken as a complimentary wide receiver and a red zone threat.
Lenard Hankerson: Miami
Hankerson projects as a similar type of receiver as Baldwin. He was faster than Baldwin, but has less bulk and a slightly worse leap. He has gone a long way to improve his catching, but is still a risky pick, as his suspect hands could curtail his career. He will be a dangerous deep and red zone threat though.
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Tight Ends
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Kyle Rudolph: Notre Dame
Rudolph missed the combine, but with the limited participation in the combine by the top tight end prospects, he keeps the large margin between himself and the rest of the pack. Rudolph is not a really fast tight end, but has good acceleration, hands and has a knack for creating separation. He is also one of the better blockers, and is the only dual role tight end in the draft.
Jordan Cameron: USC
Cameron really helped his stock at the combine, where he showcased his speed, athletic ability and safe hands. He is not a very good blocker. Partly this is because of his lack of upper body strength. The major reason though is because he is new to the sport of football, and needs to work on his technique.
Luke Stocker: Tennessee
Stocker also did not compete at the combine, but this will not damage his stock too much because he is an in line tight end. He is a powerful blocker who will assist his team in the running game. He is not a fast or athletic receiver, but is a good underneath route runner who reels in most balls thrown his way,
Virgil Green: Nevada
The biggest riser at the combine, Green showcased his amazing leaping ability and speed, which will place him in the upper half of the draft. He is a dangerous receiver who will be able to stretch the field and win jump balls. He is a better blocker than he is given credit for, especially when dealing with linebackers.
Lance Kendricks: Wisconsin
Kendricks is an undersized tight end prospect, but is hard to cover, has good hands and will make a difference in the passing game. He is a decent sealing blocker who is best when motioned away from the line of scrimmage.
Offensive Tackles
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Tyron Smith: USC
Smith allayed all fears of being undersized when he rolled up to the combine weighing 307 lbs. He also lifted 225 lbs 27 times, and we already knew about his athletic ability and his freakish arm length. I would be surprised if he was not taken in the top 10.
Gabe Carimi: Wisconsin
Carimi being this high will surprise some people, as he is not likely to be a good left tackle. However, as a right tackle there is no surer pick in the draft. Carimi is a mountain of a man who is a great run blocker with a real mean. streak. He is not the most athletic tackle, but will be able to hold his own against left ends.
Anthony Castonzo: Boston College
It is surprising that no one is talking about Castonzo as one of the best left tackle prospects. Like, Carimi, he is a big player who is hard to move, who also has impressive agility and athletic ability. If you need convincing, he was the best offensive tackle at the Senior Bowl.
Nate Solder: Colorado
The former tight end has a absolutely huge 6'9" frame, but combines it with amazing speed and athleticism. While he could develop into the best tackle in this class, he lacks the upper body strength to engulf defenders, and his footwork is still very undeveloped
Derek Sherrod: Mississippi State
Sherrod started the college season as the best offensive tackle coming into the draft. However, a combination of impressive athletic performances by the other tackles in the class and his apparent lack of desire to play tackle at the college level has pushed him down the board. He would probably be the best guard in the draft though if he chooses to play there.
Offensive Guards/Centers
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Mike Pouncey (G/C): Florida
Pouncey has a lot to live up to after his twin brother Markice Pouncey's elite rookie season. However, he certainly has the tool to do so. While possessing shorter arms and less bulk than his twin, Mike is still the best interior offensive lineman in the draft. He is athletic enough to mirror in space, he can create lanes and good push in the running game.
Danny Watkins (G): Baylor
Watkins is a big body who played left tackle at Baylor, but will be kicked inside in the NFL. He is a great pass protector when inside, who will be able to blanket the best defensive tackles in the league. He will never be a real mauler in the run game, but will not allow penetration and can use his bulk (310 lbs) to get the upper hand in match ups with 3 technique defensive ends. The biggest knock on him is his age. He will be a 27 year old rookie.
Stefen Wisniewski (C): Penn State
Wisniewski was a top college center who may lack the bulk or lower body strength to be a dominant player in the NFL. He reminds me of Dominic Raiola (so Lions fans will avoid him like the plague). Stefen is a technically sound blocker who will be best in the passing game. His lack of bulk and strength will make him a liability, or at best a non-factor in the run game.
Jason Pinkston (G): Pittsburgh
Pinkston is another college tackle who will kick inside when he reaches the NFL. He is a powerful pusher in the run game, and has a knack for sticking to his man in pass protection. He is not the most instinctive player, and will be confused by stunts plays, and will end up blocking no-one when he reaches the second level.
DeMarcus Love (G): Arkansas
The third former college tackle, Love was still projected as a tackle at the Senior Bowl. However, his disappointing performance there has turned him into a guard prospect who may become a tackle later in his career. However, Love should be a very good guard in pass protection, who can use his length and has enough natural athleticism to keep with rushers. He has a real mean streak as a run blocker, and is strong enough to drive defenders backwards.
Defensive Ends
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J.J. Watt: Wisconsin
The big boy from the badgers had a really impressive combine, and has leapfrogged both Bowers and Quinn because of it. He showed real explosion and strength, which adds to his non-stop motor, ability to stuff the run and effective arsenal of pass rushing moves, all of which were evident on his tape, to make him the best defensive end in the draft. He still will not go in the top five though.
Robert Quinn: UNC
Quinn performed well at the combine, but did not steal the show like I expected. He was strong and quick, but did not blitz all the drills, and only ran a 4.70 in the 40 yard dash. I still think he will be a nightmare to block in the passing game, and should be one of the top three picks, but he cannot pass Watt because he is a non-factor against when the offense runs the ball at him.
Da'Quan Bowers: Clemson
Bowers was not competing at the combine, and this has hurt his stock. Primarily this is because it shows that his injury is more serious than we first thought. Also, he could not answer the challenge laid down by Watt. Bowers is still a great defensive end, who can threaten the edge, counter inside and contain against the run. He is a sure fire top five pick.
Cameron Jordan: California
Jordan also had a good combine, which has propelled him into the top five of a very competitive class of players. He was explosive and showed some speed and lateral agility in the drills, which fortifies his standing as a dangerous 5-technique pass rusher who can also stop teams running near him. He may be a mid round pick, but he would be a steal if taken out of the top ten.
Ryan Kerrigan: Purdue
Kerrigan was always seen as a high-character, strong, non-stop motor pass rusher with a solid array of moves at his disposal. However, his combine performance has really made him a mid first round pick. He recorded impressive vertical and broad jumps, while running a 4.70 40 yard dash. Although he will never be a speed rusher, there are now no doubts that he is not athletic enough to be a starting NFL pass rusher.
Defensive Tackles
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Marcell Dareus: Alabama
Dareus used the combine to step ahead of Nick Fairley to become the best defensive end prospect in the draft. He weighed 30 lbs more than the Auburn defensive star, yet still had comparative workout stats to Fairley. Dareus could play nose tackle in the 3-4 or 4-3 defense, or a under tackle in the 4-3. He excels at stuffing the run, and can also penetrate into the backfield when attacking a single gap.
Nick Fairley: Auburn
Fairley may have been blasted by a shrink ray in the college post season, dropping from 6-5 and 300 lbs to 6-3 and 290 lbs, but he still will be a dangerous under tackle in the NFL. He has the length, strength and active hands to work past defenders and penetrate into the backfield, and has a penchant for making big plays when they are most needed.
Stephen Paea: Oregon State
Paea blew the competition away in the bench press, lifting a combined weight of 11,000 lbs in under a minute. However, Paea also has good game tape, which shows him as a dominant run stopper who can anchor against two offensive linemen. He will never be a great penetrater, but offenses will try their hardest to run away from him.
Marvin Austin: UNC
One of the banned players, Austin had to have a great post-season to make it back into the first round. And he did not disappoint. Austin was the second best defensive tackle at the combine. He was second in the bench press, and showed good explosion in the leaping drills. He is a one gap penetrater with great size who will live in the offensive backfield even at the NFL level. If he drops out of the first round he will be the steal of the draft.
Phil Taylor: Baylor
Phil Taylor from Baylor is the best 2 gap nose tackle in the draft. His imposing 330 lbs frame hides a man who can penetrate into the backfield, and he also has the strength to anchor against the run. Like Austin, there is bust potential here, but I would be surprised if he lasts past the first round.
3-4 Outside Linbackers
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Von Miller: Texas A&M
It would be hard to find a better prospect than Von Miller for this draft. He was the superstar of the Senior Bowl, backs it up with great tape and stats from college, then is the best pass rushing outside linebacker at the combine. He showed great explosion and agility, but we all knew he could rush the passer. What really stands out is his ability to drop back in coverage and play the run like a linebacker. He should be the next James Harrison.
Aldon Smith: Missouri
For his career in Missouri, Smith always played as a defensive end, and sometimes even moved into defensive tackle on passing downs. He is a very long player, who uses this and his great athleticism to rush past tackles. He can also beat linemen inside, and has enough athleticism to be able to drop into coverage and set contain from a two point stance.
Justin Houston: Georgia
Houston bulked up big time going into the combine, and weighed 270 lbs. This implies that he wants to be a defensive end at the next level, and his great speed off the snap and is at his best rushing from a three point stance. However, he is athletic, and while he did not seem really fluid in coverage at the combine, he would be a lethal 3-4 outside linebacker if he was used almost solely as a pass rusher.
Dontay Moch: Nevada
Moch was never a top prospect before the combine, but after blazing the 40 yard dash in 4.44 second at 250 lbs, he is now a second round pick at the least. He is very raw at the moment, but his speed makes him a valuable developmental pick. He has enough agility to drop into coverage, and the speed to cover wide receivers.
Sam Acho: Texas
Acho was another combine stand out who was great in the agility and burst drills. He has long arms, and while he is not a great run defender he will be adequate when he is moved to be a 3-4 outside linebacker. He will never be a superstar at his position, but comes in at five because he had a good combine and was a performer in the SEC. It shows that the 3-4 outside linebacker class is not very deep in 2011.
Linebackers
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Martez Wilson: Illinois
Wilson had a great combine, showing both athleticism in the workouts and good flexibility in the drills. Although he is the best linebacker in the draft, he is still a late first round pick at the best. He lacks the bulk to be a middle linebacker in any scheme other than Tampa 2, but he projects as a good outside linebacker in any scheme who can drop into coverage, tackle in the open field and be a dangerous blitzer/pass rusher who uses his speed and burst to slip through.
Mason Foster: Washington
Foster is another player who lacks the bulk to be a great run stiffing middle linebacker. However, he is very athletic, instinctive and aggressive. He sniffs out the ball carrier fast, lays out hard hits and shows good skills when he drops into coverage. His hard work and instincts make up for his average athletic ability.
Mark Herzlich: Boston College
Herzlich was a superstar linebacker two years ago, but his career was derailed by his battle with cancer. He was back in 2010, and while he is not yet at the same place athletically, he is looking good for Boston. He has the best instincts and intangibles of any linebacker in the draft. He is a good run stuffer from outside linebacker, is great in zone coverage and can blitz well for his size.
Akeem Ayers: UCLA
Unlike most of the footballing world, I have never been sold on Ayers. He was fast and athletic on tape, but showed a lack of stamina, football IQ, instincts and desire on the same piece of footage. Now, with his surprisingly bad showing at the combine he is plummeting down draft boards. He would now be lucky to make it into the first round of the draft.
Bruce Carter: UNC
Carter is one of the most athletic linebackers in the draft, and can make a real difference of special teams. Although he is not really instinctive, and possesses a medical red flag with his ACL injury. However, he is fast, strong and shows great ability in coverage. Another outside linebacker, he will be a three down guy if he raises his football IQ.
Cornerbacks
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Patrick Peterson: LSU
Peterson was already the best cornerback in the draft, and his athletic show at the combine has just solidified this. He was the second fastest corner at the combine, who also showed decent technique and great agility and ball skills. He has the size to play press coverage, the athletic ability to play off coverage and the ball skills and awareness to play zone coverage. He will be a good tacker once he is given coaching.
Prince Amukamara: Nebraska
Amukamara was an enigma before the combine. Being a big receiver, he was always going to be a great press cornerback who played with near flawless technique and had fluid hips. However, there were fears that he did not have the deep speed to cover NFL calibre receivers. Then, at the combine he ran a 4.43 40 yard dash, crushing the rumour about his lack of speed and making him a top 15 cornerback for sure. He is a sure tackler.
Brandon Harris: Miami
Arguably the most impressive cornerback at the combine, Harris showed great technique to go with his athletic ability and ball skills. Harris has been moving up draft boards, and is no longer the late first round pick that he was just one week ago. He will not be a press corner in the NFL and is not a polished tackler which will keep him out of the top 10, but is the second best off corner in the draft.
Jimmy Smith: Colorado
Smith is a great press coverage cornerback who has great size. He does not have the most fluid hips in the draft, but has good make-up speed and reach to break up passes and runs with receivers. He is not a great tackler, but has the size to improve in this regard. He also has the mental make up to succeed in the NFL.
Curtis Brown: Texas
Brown was always the second best cornerback at Texas, behind Aaron Williams, but actually he projects better as an NFL player. He is a tall, fluid cornerback who can run with any wide receiver. While he is not a physical corner, he has the technique and long arms to be able to press smaller receivers, and can play both zone and off coverage due to his athleticism and speed. He is not a good tackler, but has enough size to be a passable at this with some decent coaching. He could be the second round steal of the draft.
Safeties
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Rahim Moore: UCLA
Moore heads this very disappointing class of safeties. Moore is a prototypical ball hawk who is very limited in run defense. He lacks power in his hits, but can drag down backs. He is very assured in his drop, and has great ball skills. He understands zone coverage well, but his very slow 40 time will push him further down draft boards, maybe into the third round.
DeAndre McDaniel: Clemson
McDaniel is a well built together safety who weighs in at 210 lbs. He is a good tackler and is able to hit with some power. He is pretty good as against the pass, and can open his hips and makes plays on passes thrown in his zone. He was not very athletic at the combine, but he has great instincts and should be picked near to Moore. A strong safety at the next level.
Deunta Williams: UNC
Williams is the most physically gifted safety in this list, who has some speed and is very good at flipping his hips and closing on the ball. He will probably be a free safety in the NFL because of his athletic ability, but at 215 lbs he could play as a strong safety too. He can hold his own in man coverage and is a fearsome big hitter to boot.
Ahmad Black: Alabama
Although he has a terrible combine where he was unathletic and slow, I am still impressed by his effort, instincts and tackling ability. He may be very undersized, but that never stopped Bob Sanders from making an impact on the NFL as a play making, big hitting free safety. While this will be Black's role, he will never have the impact that Sander's had.
Shiloh Keo: Idaho
This small school product showed up well at the combine where many of the safeties fell flat. He is short and 5'11", but is thickly built and looks for all the world like he would run through a wall for his team. He is decent in coverage, but lacks the explosion to break on the ball consistently. His strength lies in his effect on the run game, and can deal out some big hits while also being a consistent bring down tackler. The biggest issue is that he is a headhunting in-the-box safety. This position is dying out with the NFL's crackdown on dangerous hits and the passing focus that most teams are adopting.
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