Here are my top 32 players after looking at video of all of them. Of course this will be subject to change as we get closer to the draft.
1. Jason Smith, OT, Baylor, 6-5, 300, 5.14, This guy is a tremendous athlete at offensive tackle with as good of a complete package as anyone in this draft. He’s got great foot quickness, long arm and good body control. He’s an ideal left tackle with a mean streak in completing blocks. He’s a converted tight end who just outgrew the position. He has the character and work habits you would want for an anchor of a franchise
2. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia, 6-5, 315, 5.23, He’s got the long arms, quick feet and technique. You can put this guy on the quarterback’s blind side for a decade and not worry about it. He’s not a masher but he can pass block all day long. Monroe has a knee injury in 2007, which will be looked at closely
3. Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest 6-2, 246, 4.62, He’s a playmaker with tremendous speed, quickness and power. Curry is as versatile as any player in the draft because he can make big plays as a pass rusher and as a coverage guy. He’ll be a dominator in a ¾ or in a 4/3 defense. I think he makes more sense in a 3/4.
4. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech, 6-3, 214, 4.54, This young man has been the best wide receiver in college football for two years straight. He draws comparisons to Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald but I wouldn’t put him in their league. He has good size and strength, great hands and great body control. He runs great routes and has the ability to stop and start or change direction on a dime. He’s on another level when it comes to running with the ball after the catch. This young man is an outstanding playmaker. The stress fracture is an issue, but it won’t drop him out of the top five.
5. B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College, 6-2, 334, 5.15, This big guy can dominate on the nose in the ¾ or over the guard in a 4/3. He’s huge with great strength as he’s quick off the ball. He does a great job of playing with his hands and getting leverage underneath offensive linemen. Most consistently dominant player at the Senior Bowl and is an outstanding pass rusher with eight sacks this season from the defensive tackle spot.
6. Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California, 6-3, 225, 4.85, I like his athleticism and accuracy throwing the football. He doesn’t have a gun for arm but he gets the ball there. He does an outstanding job of moving in the pocket and throwing the ball on the run. He has good feel for the pocket and has solid footwork. I like his decision making but he doesn’t have a lot of experience.
7. Andre Smith, OT, Alabama, 6-4, 340, 5.28, He might have the most upside of all the tackles because he combines quick feet and tremendous strength with the desire to hurt people. His weight fluctuates to much for a dedicated athlete. You have to make sure his desire to be great is there after what happened at the combine plus the fact that his missed the Sugar Bowl doesn’t help.
8. Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia, 6-3, 236, 4.78, Stafford has as great arm like Denver’s Jay Cutler. He showed his athletic ability at the combine and I was quite impress. The ball zips out of his hand and he has tremendous arm strength but his accuracy is inconsistent. He can make every throw in the book downfield or short. This kid has good feet which allows him to move well in the pocket and keep his eyes downfield when on the run. He is still a work in progress and his decision-making has room for improvement.
9. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri, 6-1, 200, 4.38, I think he’s the most explosive, versatile and complete weapon in this year’s draft. He can beat you in so many different ways. He has the ability to do tremendous damage running with the ball after the catch. His speed is explosive and he’s a deep threat every time he lines up. He has the size and toughness to work over the middle. You can line him up in the backfield, give him the ball on reverses. This young man will be an immediate help to any team as a punt and kickoff returner.
10. Everette Brown, DE, Florida State, 6-4, 252, 4.65, The fact that the NFL is a copy cat league will help Brown during the draft because he makes you think of the monster blitzing linebackers of the World Champion Steelers. He’s got an explosive first step and great closing speed. Brown has the size and talent to be a dominant player as a 4/3 pass rusher or a ¾ outside linebacker. He has quick feet and long arms for pass rushing.
11. Michael Oher OT, Mississippi, 6-5, 309, 5.22 He’s an incredible talent, who needs to be more consistent. He’s got the arm length, foot quickness and the size to be amongst the best. Oher plays with tremendous aggressiveness. He has good explosion when he hits people and does an outstanding job of finishing his blocks. There are questions about his ability to grasp the complexity of the pro game.
12. Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas, 6-4, 260, 4.63, Versatility is what you think of with Orakpo. He could play in a ¾ defense and pressure the quarterback off the corner, or he could be a an undersized 4/3 defensive end. He’s not a polished pass rusher on the next level, but he’s got brute strength and a good motor. He’s got a rare combination of speed and power. He needs to develop his pass rushing moves to better utilize his raw skills.
13. Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State, 6-0, 200, 4.45, Jenkins maybe a great corner in the future but if not he’ll surely be a great safety because of his ability to break on the football and punish people as a hitter. I think he can make it as a cornerback because he can run and does a nice job of being physical with receivers
14. Percy Harvin, WR, Florida, 5-11, 195, 4.41, Harvin has blinding speed and great accelleration. Harvin has ball carrying ability but isn’t a pure running back. He has the speed and abilities of a wide receiver will great skills after the catch. Harvin is hard to catalogue but he’s a playmaker much like Reggie Bush. He’ll be a tremendous weapon who will make things happen whether he’s running the ball, catching it or returning kicks.
15. Brian Cushing, OLB, Southern California, 6-3, 243, 4.75, Cushing can do everything you would ever ask of a linebacker. He’s strong at the point of attack and good at pursuing to the ball when the run is away from him. Cushing could play on the line of scrimmage in a ¾ or off the ball in a 4/3. He’s smart and fundamentally sound in everything he does. He’s got great closing speed and is good sure tackler. He could play anywhere at the linebacker spot.
16. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia, 5-11, 208, 4.48, This guy is a very good ball possession runner who does a great job of getting the sure yardage on each carry. He’s tough, quick with great vision. His speed is good, but not great and that’s why he’s not in the top ten. I’m also concerned about the fact that he doesn’t make tacklers miss and absorbs a lot of hits during his runs. He runs like a bigger back which could mean injury problems. I’m not sure how this works on the next level.
17. Aaron Maybin, OLB, Penn State, 6-4, 248, 4.67, This young man has a frighteningly quick first step and shows blazing speed around the corner. He was a down lineman in college but he’s good enough of an athlete to drop into coverage as linebacker. I think he fits best in a ¾ defense but he could be an undersized pass rusher in a 4/3. I think he’s too small to be full time at the defensive end position.
18. D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt, 5-10, 184, 4.45, Is he will close on the football and has a great pair of hands. His fee are quick and he drives hard when a ball is thrown in front of him. He’s undersized but is willing to go up and make the big hit. Moore is a tremendous punt and kickoff returner and also contributed at wide receiver because of his speed and ball catching abilities.
19. Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi, 6-1, 290, 4.98, He’s very quick and explosive off the line of scrimmage with the power to collapse the pocket. He has a great knack of getting penetration into the backfield whether it’s a run or pass play. He can be as dominating as he wants to be but his motor isn’t always running. He has great body control and is able to make strong pass rush moves within a small confined space.
20. Rey Maualuga, ILB, Southern California, 6-2, 254, 4.74, He’s an impact player who can deliver hits that are momentum changers. Maualuga has that explosive punch when hits people. He’s an impact player who can be an intimidating enforcer who also has the ability to run the down the football. Surprisingly, this big guy can also cover backs out of the backfield.
21. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois, 6-0, 204, 4.42, He has great size, quickness and speed. You see glimpses of greatness on certain plays with this young man. There’s no question that he has the ability to be a star on the next level but he’s not consistently chasing excellence. If he can be tougher mentally and eliminate mental lapses he could take his game to another level.
22. William Beatty, OT, Connecticut, 6-6, 291, 5.16,He’s a very good athlete at offensive tackle. He has good quick feet and good body control. Beatty has improved his stock with an outstanding workout at the combine, where he showed he’s one of the best athletes who is playing the offensive tackle position in this draft. Beatty’s stock is rising like a rocket right now.
23. Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State, 6-1, 237, 4.53, Wells is a big and physical runner with good vision, but he’s not a violent runner. He has good speed and quickness for his size, but I wouldn’t consider him explosive. He hasn’t shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield and he’s had a lot of trouble staying healthy.
24. James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State, 6-2, 240, 4.59, He’s a good athlete at the middle linebacker position. He’s smart football player with solid fundamentals. I think Laurinaitis will be a good pro if he goes to the right place. He’s very good at reading and reacting to running plays but he’s not a three down middle linebacker. Laurinaitis doesn’t have the quickness and speed to cover the better running backs out of the backfield.
.25. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest, 5-9, 193, 4.45, He has quick feet and is able to change directions without any wasted motion. He locks down on receivers in man to man coverage and is very difficult to get separation from. Smith does a great job of breaking on the football out of zone coverage. Smith gets his hands on a lot of football. He will aggressively drive on the football and is willing to pound a receiver when he gets the chance. He does a good job of adjusting to a thrown football and tries to get it at its highest point.
26. Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland, 6-2, 210, 4.30, He’s got game breaking speed and great size. He’s a raw talent with the best size and speed combination in this draft but needs to develop much more as a receiver. He’s surprisingly tough and is willing to go into a crowd and take a hit in order to make the catch. Even though he tested faster than any of the other receivers at the combine, his speed isn’t as functional as the other speed guys, Maclin and Harvin, because he’s a long strider.
27. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State, 6-5, 257, 4.82, Pettigrew is a complete tight end who will be productive in the passing game and do a great job of run blocking. He doesn’t have ideal speed but seems to have the ability and size to get open in the NFL. He's got good hands and is willing to make a tough catch in traffic even though he can see he's going to get pounded.
28. LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh, 5-11, 210, 4.49, This young man is a complete running back who will be able to get the job done from day one. He has the vision to run inside and he has the speed to run outside. He’s quick-footed, makes people miss and he has a good feel for cutting back. McCoy can catch the football, but he’ll have to learn to block the big linebackers in the NFL.
29. Shawn Nelson TE, Southern Mississippi, 6’5”, 241, 4.54, Nelson is an outstanding athlete with great size and speed. He’ll be a tremendous threat as a pass receiver but he can also battle linebackers and defensive ends in the running game. He does a good job of catching the football and has the size to go up and take the ball away from defenders in the red zone.
30. Eben Britton, OT, Arizona, 6-6, 310, 5.09, He’s a strong and physical player with good technique. He’s kind of robotic and not fluid in his movements. I’m not crazy about his foot quickness, so I think he’s more of a right tackle than a left tackle. He’s more of a technician than a mauler like Runyan.
31. Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina, 6-1, 210, 4.49, He’s a fluid receiver with good size, great hands and tremendous playmaking ability. I love the way he changes direction and changes the speed of his release. He has a good feel for using his strength and quickness to set up routes in order to get open. He does a great job playing the ball in the air. He’s not a blazer but has very good playing speed for a guy who has good size and strength.
32. Larry English OLB, Northern Illinois, 6-2, 254, 4.76, He’s another versatile performer who can play defensive end in a 4/3 or outside linebacker in a ¾. He’s a tenacious performer with great explosion off the ball and very good straight ahead speed. I like the way he closes on a quarterback and uses his hands to get free of blockers. He has to prove he’s got the agility to play linebacker, if he’s drafted by a ¾ team.
